Thursday's DraftKings slate features a trio of Game 6s with everything on the line. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are fighting to keep their season alive, as the Timberwolves look to avoid a Game 7 in Denver. The 76ers will also try to force a Game 7 against Boston behind Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, while Jalen Brunson and the Knicks head to Atlanta hoping to close out the series. With multiple injury questions lingering, including Josh Hart and Aaron Gordon, keeping up with the latest fantasy basketball news and today's NBA starting lineups will be key to gaining an edge. Below, I'll highlight Thursday's elite plays, expected chalk and injury-driven value to help you build winning lineups.
Try our DraftKings NBA Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
DraftKings Main Slate NBA Games Today
NY at ATL: Knicks lead series 3-2
BOS at PHI: Celtics lead series 3-2
DEN at MIN: Timberwolves lead series 3-2
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
NBA Injury Report Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
NY - Josh Hart (back): Questionable
ATL - Jock Landale (ankle): OUT
BOS - None
PHI - Joel Embiid (abdomen): Probable
DEN - Aaron Gordon (calf): Questionable; Peyton Watson (hamstring): OUT
MIN - Ayo Dosunmu (calf): Questionable; Anthony Edwards (knee), Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles): OUT
Elite NBA DFS Players
Guards
Tyrese Maxey, 76ers 
($8,500) vs. Celtics
The Sixers look to stave off elimination once again and will likely need a big game from Maxey to keep their season alive. The star point guard has tallied 53.0-plus DK points in three of the last four games, averaging 26.8 points, 6.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks across 41.3 minutes per tilt during that span.
Jalen Brunson, Knicks 
($8,200) at Hawks
While it's not realistic to roster both Maxey and Brunson, one should be in your lineup Thursday. The shooting guard options are limited at the top of the board, so saving there and spending on a point guard figures to be a smart play. Brunson dropped 55.8 DK points his last time out and has recorded at least 38.3 in four of five first-round games, during which he has averaged 28.2 points, 5.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 36.0 minutes per contest.
Forwards/Centers
Joel Embiid, 76ers ($8,600) vs. Celtics
Embiid has appeared in each of the last two games and is likely to suit up in Thursday's win-or-go-home matchup. Through two first-round appearances, the star big man has averaged 29.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.5 combined steals-plus-blocks in 36.5 minutes per showing, generating 52.0 and 50.5 DK points.
OG Anunoby, Knicks ($6,500) at Hawks
Anunoby has impressed for the Knicks in this series, registering between 39.5 and 51.8 DK points over the last three games. He has yet to finish with less than 31.0 DK points in the series, during which he has averaged 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.6 combined steals-plus-blocks and 1.0 assists in 37.6 minutes per game.
Dyson Daniels, Hawks 
($6,200) vs. Knicks
Daniels logged only 25 minutes in Game 5 but still recorded 28.0 DK points and had his best offensive performance of the postseason. He has amassed between 28.0 and 39.3 DK points in four of five first-round games, averaging 8.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 30.0 minutes per contest over that stretch.
Expected NBA DFS Chalk
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets 
($12,700) at Timberwolves
Rostering the three-time MVP will limit your spending power, making Embiid a viable salary-saving alternative. However, Jokic is fresh off a 73.5-DK-point performance and has yet to finish with fewer than 54.8 in this series, providing a relatively safe floor despite the high cost. Through five first-round games, he has averaged 25.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, 9.4 assists and 2.0 combined steals-plus-blocks per outing.
Mid-Range NBA DFS Picks
Naz Reid, Timberwolves 
($5,500) vs. Nuggets
The Timberwolves are looking to close out the series without multiple key contributors Thursday, and they'll likely need Reid to provide a spark off the bench to do so. The 26-year-old big man has notched between 23.0 and 34.8 DK points in three of the last four outings, during which he has averaged 11.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.3 minutes per contest.
Kelly Oubre, 76ers ($5,200) vs. Celtics
Oubre is coming off two lackluster performances but will aim to bounce back at home in this do-or-die matchup. He had logged between 19.3 and 30.5 DK points in the first three games of this series and was slightly more productive at home during the regular season, giving him a path to returning value at a fairly low salary.
NBA DFS Value Picks
Neemias Queta, Celtics 
($4,800) at 76ers
Queta has contributed 22.5 and 27.0 DK points over the last two games, though he has averaged just 21.5 minutes per game across those appearances. The big man has also chipped in at least 19.0 DK points in four of five first-round games, during which he has averaged 8.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 19.8 minutes per tilt.
Christian Braun, Nuggets ($4,700) at Timberwolves
Although he hasn't been very consistent as a scorer, Braun has provided fairly well-rounded numbers for the Nuggets in this series. The 25-year-old has supplied between 19.3 and 31.8 DK points in four of the last five games, averaging 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 50.0 percent from deep in 32.0 minutes per contest during that stretch.
Bones Hyland, Timberwolves ($4,500) vs. Nuggets
The Timberwolves will be without Anthony Edwards (knee) and Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), while Ayo Dosunmu (calf) is also in danger of missing Thursday's contest. Hyland is likely to see significant minutes in Game 6 and has posted 19.0 or more DK points in three of the last four games, during which he has averaged 10.5 points, 2.5 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 17.0 minutes per tilt. If Dosunmu is ultimately ruled out, Terrence Shannon ($3,300) is another viable cost-saving option.
