This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
With a five-game slate featured Thursday, there are less options to sort through all over the price scale. However, that doesn't mean there's a lack of potential value plays, so the following list of players should be considered when building your DFS lineups:
GUARDS:
Kyrie Irving, BOS vs HOU ($8,600): The Rockets are set to be without Chris Paul (leg) on Thursday, so they'll be missing their best defender in the backcourt. That bodes well for a big outing from Irving, as the Rockets don't necessarily have the defensive man power elsewhere in the starting unit to keep Irving limited. With a favorable matchup against an uptempo Rockets team that's ranked eighth in the league for pace of play, Irving is easily the most intriguing guard option in the top tier for Thursday's slate.
Khris Middleton, MIL vs MIN ($7,500): Prior to a dud on Tuesday, Middleton had been putting up some strong numbers over the last few weeks, scoring at least 30 FanDuel points in 10 straight games, as well as three 40-plus showings. With his opponent, the Timberwolves, coming off a game against the Nuggets that went to overtime on Wednesday, they should be more worn down than usual in the second night of a back-to-back. That should give Middleton the upper hand for another strong showing.
Ish Smith, DET at ORL ($5,500): The Pistons are set to be without Reggie Jackson (ankle) for the next month or two, which allows Smith the chance to work with the starting unit moving forward. We should see Smith's price start to rise over the next few games, though for now, he'll come at an extremely discounted price. With a 30-plus minute workload on tap, Smith provides some great value at a cheap salary.
FORWARDS:
Jimmy Butler, MIN at MIL ($8,900): While the Timberwolves are coming off a tough overtime win over the Nuggets on Wednesday, that likely won't mean Butler gets any sort of rest, as coach Tom Thibodeau almost always gives his starters big minutes. Butler has been playing extremely well of late, scoring 45 or more FanDuel points in each of the last three games. Jeff Teague (knee) is also out indefinitely, so that could mean even more touches for Butler and I'm not expecting any sort of drop off from his recent surge. This game also has the second highest over/under on the night, which is always good for fantasy purposes.
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs HOU ($5,700): The Celtics are set to be without Jaylen Brown (knee) once again Thursday, which means Tatum is going to get as much run as possible. With Brown out Wednesday, Tatum posted 18 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks across 35 minutes, which was good enough for 34.0 FanDuel points. If Tatum can have that type of performance once again, he should provide great value at just a $5,700 price.
Mario Hezonja, ORL vs DET ($4,900): This pick is based on the potential of Aaron Gordon (concussion) to sit out once again, though if he does play, you may want to look elsewhere. That said, if Gordon's out, Hezonja should start at power forward and will see a ton of minutes, especially considering Jonathan Isaac (ankle) will be sidelined as well. Hezonja has had a couple of strong outings, including a 32.3-FanDuel-point showing against the Wizards and a 45.2-FanDuel-point game against the Pistons earlier this month, so he'll have plenty of upside at a price under $5,000.
CENTERS:
Andre Drummond, DET at ORL ($9,500): Drummond will be facing a Magic team that's missing it's top center, Nikola Vucevic. While Bismack Biyombo is no slouch, it's still a favorable matchup for Drummond, who's the third highest priced center on the slate behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid. Drummond is heating up a bit, posting 47.1 and 44.5 FanDuel points over the last two games, so fantasy owners should consider riding the hot hand.
Pau Gasol, SAS vs NYK ($6,500): If you can't afford to pay up for the likes of Drummond, Towns or Embiid, Pau Gasol is an option to consider in the mid-tier. He's played extremely well of late, surpassing 30 FanDuel points in each of the last four games, which includes two 40-plus showings as well. While his status should be monitored up until tip-off to make sure he doesn't get rested, Gasol's impressive surge of late makes him an intriguing play at a price of just $6,500.
