Thursday presents a five-game slate. Just like with NFL DFS, stacking games for NBA DFS is a strategy that can really pay off. Embracing correlation with multiple players from the same game can be the key to climbing the leaderboard in GPPs.
Below, I have featured two of my favorite games to stack on Thursday night.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Denver Nuggets
With a slate-high 240.5-point total and tight four-point spread on DraftKings Sportsbook, this matchup between the Bucks and Nuggets is a terrific game to stack Thursday.
For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,700) appears to be close to full strength and is underpriced for his upside against a Nuggets defense that ranks 22nd in defensive efficiency. The former MVP has seen over 30 minutes in back-to-back games, which has translated into at least 53 FPTS. This season, Antetokounmpo is scoring 1.7 FPTS per minute with a league-high 36.8% usage rate. Damian Lillard ($9,000) also has the potential to go off in this shootout and should be low-owned given his up-and-down game log. As for cheaper targets, both Brook Lopez ($5,600) and A.J. Green ($3,800) are strong options. Both players have benefited with Bobby Portis suspended and, since the All-Star break, Lopez and Green are amassing 36.7 FPTS and 18.6 FPTS per game, respectively.
As always for the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic ($12,300) brings a slate-best ceiling and is worth paying up for. The center has scored at least 65 FPTS in four of his past five starts and is averaging 66 FPTS per game in totals of 240 points or greater this season. Jamal Murray ($7,600) also has a ton of merit going against the defensively inept Lillard, while Aaron Gordon ($5,300) is a strong value play. Since returning from the All-Star break, Gordon looks fully healthy with 35.4 FPTS per game.
Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans
This Western Conference matchup carries a 236.5-point total on DraftKings Sportsbook, which ranks second only to the Bucks-Nuggets tonight. Both Phoenix and New Orleans are bottom-five in defensive rating this season and this is a very stackable contest.
Desperate for wins, the Suns have been using a tight rotation with Kevin Durant ($9,000), Devin Booker ($8,800) and Bradley Beal ($6,800) all seeing huge minutes as of late. All three players are viable against this soft Pelicans defense, but Beal is by far the best value from the trio. The Florida product was moved back into Phoenix’s starting lineup three games ago and has generated 44.75 FPTS in a team-high 40.8 minutes per game as a member of the first unit. Beal clearly is underpriced for his current role and form, and is one of the best targets on the board Thursday. Assuming he remains a starter, Bol Bol ($4,900) will also be an elite value play. The former lottery pick joined the Suns’ starting lineup for their last game and posted 39 FPTS across 31 minutes vs. the Grizzlies. Bol is supplying 1.1 FPTS per minute with a 21.8% usage rate this season, so he would be unavoidable if starting again.
For the Pelicans, Zion Williamson ($8,700) has 50 FPTS upside against this terrible Suns defense and his inconsistent game log should keep his ownership low. Trey Murphy’s ($7,900) salary has inexcusably dropped below $8K and he is a superb value, as the wing has scored over 40 FPTS in eight of his last 12 starts. New Orleans will be resting Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk tonight, and with these two veterans missing, Yves Missi ($4,700) and Jordan Hawkins ($3,800) are too cheap for their expected roles. Hawkins has topped 20 FPTS in four of his last eight, while Missi has recorded at least 25 FPTS in back-to-back games and brings much better upside tonight with Olynyk now missing from this frontcourt.
