Thursday presents a six-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]
Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers
The Hawks and Pacers both rank inside the top-10 in pace this season and this matchup brings the highest total on the slate at 247.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. In fact, this is the largest total of Thursday’s six game slate by a huge 16.5 points. Without a doubt, this is the best game of the night to stack and there a plethora of appealing DFS options to consider.
For the hosting Hawks, Trae Young ($9,800) torched the Pacers for 68.75 FPTS when these clubs went head-to-head last month and he is on the heels of a 52 FPTS outing vs. the Bucks. Young has displayed a huge ceiling recently with three efforts of at least 59 FPTS in his last 10 and he is underpriced at his sub $10K salary. Also, Dyson Daniels ($6,800), Onyeka Okongwu ($6,400) and Caris LeVert ($5,300) are all great value plays to attack from the Hawks, with LeVert being the best of the trio. Since coming over from the Cavaliers in the De’Andre Hunter trade, LeVert has flourished as the Hawks’ new sixth man, scoring 37.9 FPTS per game in his last three with a 24.4% usage rate. The Pacers are one of LeVert’s former teams and the veteran is one of the best values on the slate in this revenge situation.
On the other side of this matchup, Tyrese Haliburton ($8,800, hip) is questionable, but he has played through this designation multiple times with the hip injury this season and the Pacers being a three-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook suggests the oddsmakers believe Haliburton will play. If that is the case, Haliburton could get overlooked with the initial questionable tag and he will be an elite GPP play. Haliburton is in tremendous form, scoring at least 47 FPTS in seven straight games with three performances over 50 FPTS during this run. For cheaper targets, Myles Turner ($6,300) and Andrew Nembhard ($4,800) both are underpriced. Turner is amassing 37.8 FPTS per game in his last seven and Nembhard has seen a larger role as of late with at least 34 minutes in three games in a row, which has resulted in 30.8 FPTS per game.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Houston Rockets
This game carries the second-highest total on the slate at 231 points on DraftKings Sportsbook and the Rockets are only favored by five points. Stacks are extremely viable for this tilt and starting with the Pelicans, Zion Williamson ($9,200) is in great form. The Duke product is generating 55.7 FPTS per game in his last three starts and he has been 4.9 FPTS per game better on his home floor than when on the road this season. Trey Murphy’s ($8,000) recent game log has been up-and-down, but he is always a threat for over 40 FPTS and Kelly Olynyk ($5,900) is a strong GPP play. The veteran has been starting for the Pelicans since coming over from the Raptors at the deadline and Olynyk has produced 32.1 FPTS in 25.6 minutes per game in his last five.
The Rockets continue to be without Fred VanVleet (ankle), which is a boost for all their starters. Jalen Green ($7,300) leads the team with a 28.9% usage with VanVleet off the floor and he has scored at least 42 FPTS in both of his matchups with the Pelicans this season. Scoring less than 40 FPTS in four games in a row, Green’s salary has come down to a reasonable level and he shouldn’t be popular due to recency bias.
Alperen Sengun ($9,400) also has a ton of merit. The first time All-Star has scored at least 44 FPTS in four of his last five and New Orleans is the ultimate matchup for centers with them allowing the second-most points in the paint and the third-most rebounds in the NBA. Sengun has a 46.75 FPTS outing against the Pelicans on his resume this season and has similar upside tonight. Lastly, Tari Eason ($5,500) is a cheaper option that should come with low ownership given he comes off the bench. Rockets’ HC Ime Udoka is a big fan of Eason due to the forward’s great defensive presence and Eason has flashed high upside as of late, scoring over 40 FPTS twice in his last five games.
