The NBA Cup is over, which means we can get back to normally scheduled regular season basketball. Thursday has some stellar matchups for hoops fans, including a Western Conference rivalry game between the Warriors and Grizzlies. Later on, Karl-Anthony Towns makes his return to Minnesota when the Knicks visit the Timberwolves.
With so many big names in action, narrowing down a select group to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is a difficult task. Here are the three guards at the top of tonight’s board:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
1. Lonzo Ball, Charlotte Hornets at WAS ($9,900)
After missing seven straight games due to a calf injury, LaMelo Ball made his return on Monday against the 76ers. The former All-Star’s numbers weren’t eye-popping (15 points, 11 assists, five rebounds), but that was to be expected on a strict minutes restriction. The 23-year-old has been playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 30.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists this season.
The second game back from an injury is typically not the time to target a superstar, but Thursday is an exception. The Wizards are easily the NBA’s worst defense, giving up 123.0 points per game. Washington has struggled mightily on the perimeter, allowing the most DK fantasy points to opposing guards. Ball, the current league leader in usage rate (39.4%), will have every opportunity to dominate in this dream matchup.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder at ORL ($10,300)
The Thunder came out flat on Tuesday, getting blown out by the Bucks 97-81 in the NBA Cup title game. Oklahoma City’s struggles started at the top, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored just 21 points on 33% shooting from the field. Still, as bad as he looked this week, the 26-year-old is one of the game’s elite players, averaging 30.3 points, 5.5 assists and 6.3 rebounds through 25 games.
SGA and company will have a chance to redeem themselves tonight against an injury-depleted Orlando team. However, while the Magic are missing Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, they can still give opposing offenses fits. This season, they’ve allowed the second-fewest points in basketball (103.5), behind only Oklahoma City. Gilgeous-Alexander’s volume makes him difficult to pass up, but there are some cheaper options on Thursday’s board that might make more sense to spend on.
3. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons vs. UTA ($9,800)
Despite a solid start to the season, the Pistons have come crashing back to Earth, losing eight of their last 12 games. As bad as the team has looked recently, the biggest positive has been the play of Cade Cunningham. Detroit’s young star has taken his game to another level this season, posting 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 9.7 assists through 23 games.
As mediocre as the Pistons have looked, at least they aren’t the Jazz. Utah is giving up the third-most points to opponents (120.5), as well as the third-most DK fantasy points to opposing guards. The last time these two teams met in January, Cunningham delivered a 31-point, 13-assist, five-rebound performance. A triple-double performance is within the realm of possibility for the third-most expensive guard on tonight’s slate.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is barmy) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
