NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, March 16

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, March 16

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

DEN at DET: Nuggets are on a four-game slide. 

SAC at BKN: Kings are 8-2 in their last 10 games. 

OKC at TOR: Thunder are on a three-game win streak / Raptors are 21-13 at home. 

IND at MIL: Bucks are 28-6 at home. 

ORL at PHX: Suns are on a three-game slide. 

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.

Injuries to Monitor  

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report       

DEN - Jamal Murray (knee): Probable

DET - Jaden Ivey (COVID-19): Probable / Alec Burks (foot), Marvin Bagley (ankle),  Isaiah Stewart (shoulder), Hamidou Diallo (ankle), Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles), Isaiah Livers (hip): OUT 

BKN - Ben Simmons (knee): OUT

IND - Myles Turner (back), T.J. McConnell (back), Tyrese Haliburton (knee), Buddy Hield (foot): Questionable / Bennedict Mathurin (ankle), Chris Duarte (ankle): OUT

MIL - Jae Crowder (calf): Probable / Brook Lopez (ankle): Questionable / Grayson Allen (foot): OUT

ORL - Gary Harris (hip): Questionable 

PHX - Torrey Craig (heel): Probable / Kevin Durant (ankle), Landry Shamet (foot): OUT

Elite Players

Guards

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder ($9,600) vs. Pacers 

Gilgeous-Alexander has played in four of six games since returning from a nearly two-week absence, but he is averaging 35.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals over that span. He should continue to shine against the Raptors, who give up the league's highest field-goal percentage to opposing point guards. 

Mikal Bridges, Nets ($8,300) vs. Kings 

Bridges is coming off an impressive outing with 50 DK points, and he is averaging 28.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals over 10 games. He should prosper against the Kings, who give up the league's second-most points per game to shooting guards. 

Forwards/Centers

Paolo Banchero, Magic ($7,600) at Suns 

Banchero continues to impress, averaging 21.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists over the last 10 games, including a high of 49.5 DK points. He faces a favorable matchup against the Suns in the absence of Kevin Durant, and he should pad his stats at the foul line as the Suns give up the league's fourth-most free-throw attempts per game. 

Pascal Siakam, Raptors ($8,400) vs. Thunder 

Siakam is coming off a couple of quieter outings but is averaging 19.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals over the last 10 games. He has a good chance to stand out against the Thunder, who give up the league's most rebounds, fourth-most points and fifth-most three-pointers per game to power forwards. 

Jakob Poeltl, Raptors ($7,200) vs. Thunder

Poeltl continues to flourish with the Raptors, coming off back-to-back outings with more than 40 DK points and an average of 13.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks through five games. He faces an advantageous matchup against the Thunder, who give up the league's most rebounds per game.

Expected Chalk 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks ($12,000) vs. Pacers 

Antetokounmpo surpassed 60 DK points in back-to-back outings after returning from a three-game absence, and he is averaging 34.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.2 blocks over his last five appearances. He should continue to shine against the Pacers, who give up the league's most offensive rebounds and fifth-most points per game.  

Value Picks

Moritz Wagner, Magic ($4,400) at Suns 

After three straight starts, Wagner has been back on the bench for two games, but he logged 24 DK points in the previous outing and is averaging 12.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals across the last five. 

Keegan Murray, Kings ($4,100) at Nets 

Murray topped 20 DK points in seven of the last 10 outings, including a high of 38.5, while averaging 10.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He averages 6.0 three-point attempts per game and should thrive against the Nets, who allow opponents to shoot an average of 37.1 percent from deep. 

Bruce Brown, Nuggets ($4,600) at Pistons 

Brown is averaging 9.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals over five games, including a high of 28.3 DK points. He faces a favorable matchup against the Pistons, who give up the league's second-most points and sixth-most turnovers per game.

Gary Trent, Raptors ($4,300) vs. Thunder  

Trent is back in a bench role but is averaging 11.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals over five games, including a high of 44.3 DK points. He has a good opportunity to get his shot going from long range against the Thunder, who give up the league's sixth-most three-pointers per game. 

Jalen Suggs, Magic ($4,900) at Suns

Suggs tallied a high of 42.8 DK points, while averaging 12.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.4 steals across the last five games. He has a good chance to pad his stats at the foul line, as the Suns give up the league's fourth-most free throws per game. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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