This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
TEAM ANALYSIS
Defense To Avoid
Oklahoma City Thunder, vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: With the Cavs expected to rest their Big Three and Iman Shumpert (ankle) also out, the Thunder defense should be in a great spot at home. OKC has also played solid defense over the last three games, allowing only 97.0 points per contest against the Grizzlies, Blazers and Pacers.
Offense To Use
Houston Rockets, at Charlotte Hornets: The Rockets and Hornets may be involved in the highest-scoring game of the night, making players from both offenses appealing. Houston has scored the second-most points per game (114.3) and has eclipsed the 120-point mark in each of the last two games. The Hornets have also given up between 105 and 126 points in each of the last nine games.
Teams on a Back-to-Back Set
First game of a back-to-back: None
Second game of a back-to-back: Sixers, Cavaliers, Jazz, Celtics
DraftKings.com DAILY PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
James Harden, HOU at CHA ($12,300): Russell Westbrook ($12,700) is naturally an option at the top of the guard pool as well, but with the Cavs set to rest the Big Three , he may not need to play a full allotment of minutes, making him somewhat risky. Harden, on the other hand, should be locked into a competitive battle on the road against a Hornets squad that he eviscerated for 79.8 fantasy points on the strength of a 40-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in their one previous meeting. As astounding as that total is, Harden has essentially accomplished the same feat twice in the last three games as well, as he's scored 71.5 and 79.5 fantasy points, respectively, against the Hawks and Bulls. The Hornets also continue to be one of the league's most vulnerable defenses to two-guards, having given up the fifth-most fantasy points (43.8) to the position on the season, along with the sixth-most points (22.2), fourth-most rebounds (5.9) and fifth-most assists (4.3).
Victor Oladipo, OKC vs. CLE ($5,900): Evan Fournier ($5,900) also makes for a fine option at this same price, while Elfrid Payton ($5,700) is viable as well and $200 cheaper. Meanwhile, Oladipo will be facing a short-handed Cavs squad that's already surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points (43.3) to two-guards. Oladipo has averaged 29.8 fantasy points per game at home this season and scored 31.0 against Cleveland in his one previous encounter with them this season. He's also been hitting his stride offensively over the last 10, eclipsing 30 fantasy points in five contests over that span, and scoring 52.75 against the Blazers just two games ago.
Nik Stauskas, PHI at ORL ($3,300): Kyle Korver ($3,900), Marco Belinelli ($3,900), Jeremy Lamb ($3,400), Joe Johnson ($3,500), Alec Burks ($3,200) and DeAndre Liggins ($3,000) can all be considered at this level, as well. However, Stauskas checks in as an appealing bargain in his own right, considering he exploded for 37.25 fantasy points against the Spurs on Wednesday and has also eclipsed 20 fantasy points in three other games over the last 10. Those are superb returns for his current price, and he could be in line for more Thursday considering he's played no less than 24 minutes in any of his last 10 contests.
Nicolas Batum, CHA vs. HOU ($7,600): Batum's dual position eligibility allows you to slot him comfortably into your lineup while also deploying Harden in what should be a high-scoring affair. Just as Harden draws a good matchup against Batum's defense, the Hornets' two-guard is also in a very good spot, considering the Rockets have surrendered the third-most fantasy points (43.9) to two-guards, along with 22.5 actual points per contest, a bottom-10 figure overall. Batum has averaged 36.9 fantasy points per game at home this season, and has scored between 30.25 and 45.0 fantasy points in seven of the last 10 contests.
Robert Covington, PHI at ORL ($5,400): Jae Crowder ($6,200) and Trevor Ariza ($5,600) are also appealing at this price tier Thursday, but Covington is cheaper than both and with as much, if not slightly more, upside. Covington has scored between 28.25 and 55.5 fantasy points in seven of the last 10 games, and the Magic have given up the eight-most fantasy points (46.0) to small forwards over the last 10. They also rank as a bottom-10 defense against the position in rebounds (8.1) and assists (3.7) surrendered on the season, and Covington is averaging nearly a fantasy points per minute (0.94) with Joel Embiid off the floor this season.
Channing Frye, CLE at OKC ($3,400): Frye should be in for extended run with the Cavs expected to rest Kevin Love on Thursday (along with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving), making him a viable value play. Frye sports a 20.8 percent usage rate this season with Love off the floor, and has flashed a ceiling north of 30 fantasy points when getting over 20 minutes, which he could well be in line for Thursday.
Nikola Vucevic, ORL vs. PHI ($7,700): Vucevic is a clear-cut top choice at center, considering his matchup against a Sixers squad that's given up the most fantasy points (54.8) to centers on the season, as well as over the last five games (73.5). They've also surrendered the most points (23.4) and second-most rebounds (15.8) to the position, and Vucevic has scored between 30.75 and 55.0 fantasy points in five of the last six games, while also averaging 45.9 fantasy points over his two previous games against the Sixers this season.
Steven Adams, OKC vs. CLE ($5,800): Clint Capela ($6,000), Frank Kaminsky ($5,600) are also viable plays, while Tristan Thompson ($4,900) is also very much an option in this same contest for those who need the savings. Meanwhile, Adams has averaged 30.2 fantasy points over the last five games, scoring between 27.75 and 41.25 fantasy points in four of those contests. The Cavs have also surrendered a robust 50.6 fantasy points to centers over the last five games, and the third-most rebounds (15.4) on the season.
Jahlil Okafor, PHI vs. ORL ($4,400): Okafor has a 25.3 percent usage rate this season with Joel Embiid off the floor and has scored between 22.5 and 34.0 fantasy points in the last three games. He also scored 36.3 fantasy points in his one previous meeting against the Magic this season, and Orlando has given up 53.7 fantasy points per game to centers over the last five contests.
INJURY REPORT
For the latest news on injured players heading into the games, check out our Injury Updates page.
