Sometimes a matchup is too good to only use one player.
We’re talking stacks in this article, ladies and gentlemen. To be specific, NBA stacks for tonight’s five-game slate on DraftKings.
Where should you be focusing on Thursday? Well, probably on the evening’s injury report, but for everything else, I’ve got you covered down below.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
Phoenix Suns at Washington Wizards
Despite yesterday’s trade, the Suns’ rotation is going to look relatively normal on Thursday night, save for one exception. Bradley Beal (ankle) suffered an injury in Tuesday’s loss to the Hawks and he’s been ruled out. It’s been an odd an underwhelming season for Beal, but he did lead Phoenix’s reserves in minutes (28.0), points (11) and usage rate (19.9%) against Atlanta, so there will be a void left by his absence. Grayson Allen ($4,200) seems like the most obvious candidate for some extra shot volume, while I could also see more responsibility for Ryan Dunn ($4,000) and Royce O’Neale ($4,500). Allen is the safest DFS option of the three wings.
After that, you’re rolling with the obvious guys. Both Kevin Durant ($9,200) and Devin Booker ($9,100) are in a fantastic spot this evening and both could be the anchor of a successful build. I might be most intrigued by Booker, who is averaging a massive 38.3 minutes across the Suns’ past six contests. Washington surrenders the second-most FPTS per game to opposing shooting guards, a result of combining the worst defensive rating (118.6) in the NBA with the fourth-fastest pace (102.9). Booker should absolutely eat.
Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons
Do you want to know what a balanced scoring attack looks like? In Tuesday’s loss to the Cavaliers, Indiana had seven different rotation players register a usage rate of at least 20%, with Pascal Siakam ($7,200) possessing the team-high mark of just 21.6%. That’s what happens when your All-Star is sitting on the bench in street clothes. It could all happen again on Thursday, as Tyrese Haliburton ($8,400; groin) is listed as questionable. On top of that, Bennedict Mathurin is serving his one-game suspension tonight, opening up some minutes and a spot in Indiana’s starting lineup. We do love value.
Without Haliburton on the floor in 2024-25, Siakam is averaging a respectable 1.08 FPTS per minute. He dropped 40.25 FPTS against Cleveland, the seventh time in his last nine starts that he’s managed at least 35 FPTS. He’s a solid play at his price tag.
After that, we get into bargain territory. Andrew Nembhard ($5,500) is relatively cheap and he’s exceeded 30 FPTS in three of his last four contests. Ben Sheppard ($3,700) is less than $4,000 and logged 32.0 minutes on Tuesday. Former lottery pick Jarace Walker ($3,200) is another intriguing name and someone who should see additional minutes with Mathurin sidelined. Walker is priced just above the minimum and he’s produced and average of 27.1 FPTS across the Pacers’ last two games.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
This matchup between the Thunder and the Cavaliers owns the highest total of any game on this slate on DraftKings Sportsbook. As such, Oklahoma City possesses the night’s second-highest implied team total, trailing only the aforementioned Suns. These two squads met a little over a week ago and combined for 251 points. I think it’s safe to suggest there’s going to be some fireworks on Thursday.
Let’s start with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,500), who is justifiably the highest-priced player on the slate. SGA leads the NBA in points per game (31.4) and leads the Western Conference in usage rate (33.9%). He’s surpassed 50 FPTS in seven of his last nine starts with a high of 67.25 FPTS. You’re never wrong in starting a lineup with the Canadian point guard.
After that is where things get a little tricky. Jalen Williams ($8,000) is a high-ceiling asset and he’s at his lowest salary since all the way back on November 11. Cason Wallace ($4,200) has been scoring at his best clip of the season across the Thunder’s past five games and he’s certainly viable at his modest price tag with his minute volume assured. However, the main person to keep your eye on will be Jaylin Williams ($3,300), who might draw his first start of 2024-25 with Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) injured. Williams is averaging a notable 1.10 FPTS per minute logged this season.
