Just three games among six teams make up Thursday’s pre-All-Star break NBA DFS slate. Despite a lack of quantity, there’s still quality to be had for fantasy managers. LeBron James, Deni Avdija, and Lauri Markkanen are just a few of the names expected to suit up this evening.
As most experienced fantasy basketball managers know, superstars aren’t everything. Filling out your lineups with high-upside role players often makes all the difference. Still, sorting through a meager three-team offering can prove difficult. Here are three values to target on Thursday in DFS and season-long fantasy formats.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
PF/C Robert Williams, Portland Trail Blazers at UTA ($4,600)
Now there’s a name most casual fans haven’t heard from in a while. Former Celtics rim protector Robert Williams is a player any club would love to have – when healthy. Timelord has battled injuries throughout the entirety of his eight-year NBA career. Fortunately for the center, he’s been able to suit up for most of Portland’s matchups this season. Through 38 games, he’s averaging 6.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks (20.1 FPTS). The most impressive statistic? Williams has recorded those numbers while playing only 16.4 minutes per game.
A light workload might scare some managers off, but it’s not the end of the world. After all, the veteran has proven he can contribute despite minimal usage. Williams has logged 20 minutes or less in each of his last six outings. However, he’s recorded 30+ fantasy points in four of those games. Thursday’s opponent, the Jazz, are giving up the 13th-most fantasy points to centers this season. Portland’s underrated big man won’t need much playing time to deliver value for fantasy managers.
SG Isaiah Joe, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. MIL ($4,400)
The Thunder remain in a class of their own, despite several costly injuries. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal) has already been ruled out, while Jalen Wiilliams (hamstring) is questionable. That could leave Oklahoma City without its two leading scorers on Thursday. Fortunately, this evening’s opponent is the Bucks, currently missing Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf). In this battle between shorthanded rosters, expect Isaiah Joe to play a sizable role. The sharpshooter has been terrific over his last five games, averaging 17.0 points on 49/55/94 shooting splits (27.2 FPTS).
Tonight’s contest is an ideal spot for anyone, especially a gifted shooter, to go off. The Bucks are a lackluster defensive unit, even when Antetokounmpo is active. Without the Greek Freak, this group is straight-up bad on that end of the court. Milwaukee has allowe the third-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season. In addition, the Bucks are allowing the third-most three-pointers made per game (14.4). Keeping that in mind, Joe appears poised for another productive outing on Thursday.
