Thursday evening provides us with another NBA six-pack worth of games! This slate doesn’t necessarily set up as a high-scoring night but there are some intriguing match-ups on the board. Let’s dive in and do our best to locate some top DFS plays and props to take a shot on!A big NBA Wednesday comes around with a 10-game slate on the board. We’ll have no shortage of ways to attack this one so let’s hone in on some top DFS and player prop targets!

Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries

Straight Locks🔒 | NBA Props w/ Shannon & Tyler!

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

A modest six-game slate lands on the board on this fine Thursday evening. We’ll have a little extra time to fine-tune our lineups and prop bets since the first games do not tip off until 7:30 ET. If we can find some strong value plays, there are a handful of superstars to choose from along with some strong mid-range plays out there on this slate. Let’s get to it! Best of luck!

Today’s Key Injuries:

Knicks: M. Robinson - OUT, E. Fournier - Questionable

Celtics: M. Smart - OUT

Bulls: G. Dragic - OUT, Jav. Green - OUT

Hornets: L. Ball - Questionable, T. Rozier - Probable, K. Oubre Jr. - OUT, G. Hayward - Questionable, C. Martin - OUT

Pistons: I. Stewart - Questionable, M. Bagley III - OUT, I. Livers - Questionable, C. Joseph - OUT

Nets: K. Durant - OUT, R. O’Neale - Probable, S. Curry - Questionable, D. Sharpe - OUT

Cavaliers: D. Mitchell - Questionable, K. Love - Questionable

Rockets: K. Porter Jr. - OUT, E. Gordon - OUT, J. Tate - OUT

Mavericks: C. Wood - Questionable, M. Kleber - OUT

Suns: D. Booker - OUT, C. Payne - OUT, L. Shamet - OUT

Spurs: D. Vassell - OUT, J. Sochan - Doubtful, J. Richardson - Questionable, R. Langford - OUT, S. Johnson - Questionable

Clippers: M. Morris Sr. - Questionable, J. Wall - OUT, L. Kennard - Questionable

Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads

Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Plays

Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.

💫 = Favorite Play

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

💫PG Kyrie Irving, BKN | DK: $10.3k, FD: $10.1k | vs. DET | Cash & GPP

If you’re not paying all the way up for Luka Doncic on the small slate, Kyrie Irving sets up as a core stud to target. He has finally hit a groove in the absence of Kevin Durant and has taken over in the last four games. In the recent four-game stretch, Irving is averaging 36.5 PPG and 64.9 DKFP/Gm. The Nets draw a premium match-up against a Pistons team that gives up 120.3 PPG and ranks 29th in defensive efficiency. Irving logged 38 minutes in last night’s game but he has had a couple of monster performances on the second leg of back-to-backs this season. Unless he gets pinned with a late “questionable” designation, then he should be ready to rock again tonight.

SG/SF Norman Powell, LAC | DK: $5.8k, FD: $6.4k | vs. SAS | Cash & GPP

The Clippers draw the always-enticing match-up against the Spurs tonight, who continues to rank dead last in defensive efficiency and have allowed 123.7 PPG over their last 20 games. These two teams played each other six days ago; that game ended in a 131-126 Clippers victory. Powell supplied 26 of those points and came away with 36.25 DKFP in 27 minutes off the bench. Within his last eight games, Powell has racked up at least 33.5 DKFP on five occasions. He’s a major part of this offense and one of the leading candidates to win the NBA’s “Sixth Man of the Year” award. The Clippers do step in as massive -13 point favorites tonight but Powell remains a bit more “blowout proof” since he’s coming off of the bench and not starting. He makes for a worthy mid-range SG option and also carries SF eligibility on both sites.

💫SF/SG Caris LeVert, CLE | DK: $5.6k, FD: $5.5k | @ HOU | Cash & GPP (Only if D. Mitchell sits/LeVert starts)

Donovan Mitchell returned from a three-game absence on Tuesday but appeared to re-aggravate his groin injury late in that game. Mitchell was unable to practice Wednesday and his status is up in the air for tonight’s game against the Rockets. With the Cavs being on the first leg of a back-to-back, it feels as if Mitchell is likely on the wrong side of his “questionable” designation. If Mitchell sits, LeVert is almost guaranteed to land in the starting lineup. In relation to his current DFS salaries, LeVert has been very effective when he has started in place of Mitchell. He has secured at least 30.25 DKFP in nine of his last 10 starts, and the Cavs receive a juicy match-up against the Rockets, who rank 28th in defensive efficiency.

Other Guards to Consider:

💫PG Luka Doncic, DAL | DK: $12.7k, FD: $12k | @ PHX | Cash & GPP

PG Darius Garland, CLE | DK: $8.6k, FD: $8.4k | @ HOU | GPP Preferred (If D. Mitchell sits)

💫PG Chris Paul, PHX | DK: $7.7k, FD: $8k | vs. DAL | Cash & GPP

PG Killian Kayes, DET | DK: $6.2k, FD: $6.7k | @ BKN | GPP Preferred

PG/SG Malcolm Brogdon, BOS | DK: $6k, FD: $5.8k | vs. NYK | GPP Preferred

PG/SG Coby White, CHI | DK: $3.9k, FD: $4.8k | @ CHA | DK Preferred

💫SG/SF Isaac Okoro, CLE | DK; $3.6k, FD: $4.6k | @ HOU | DK Preferred

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

💫PF Julius Randle, NYK | DK: $9.9k, FD: $10k | @ BOS | Cash & GPP

You really can’t go wrong spending up on Randle at his current $9.9k/$10k DFS salaries. He’s been a double-double machine who has averaged 27.7 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 30.5% USG%, and 55.52 FPPG over his last 20 starts. The Knicks land in the nationally televised spotlight tonight and are fairly heavy +8.5 point underdogs against the Celtics. If they wish to pull off the upset in Boston tonight, Randle is going to have to have another one of his patented monster performances.

SF Saddiq Bey, DET | DK: $5.7k, FD: $6.3k | @ BKN | GPP Preferred

Some of these Pistons players make for highly intriguing tournament plays tonight. Saddiq Bey is one of those guys worth targeting in GPPs. He has worked his way back into the starting rotation and has been on a nice five-game run. In his last five games, he’s averaging 1.15 FPPM and 37.1 FPPG. His minutes are not consistent and will fluctuate from the high 20s to the high 30s. If he gets the hot hand and the Pistons opt to keep him out there for 35+ minutes tonight, a 40+ FP game is well within the range of possible outcomes. The Nets are on the second leg of a B2B so perhaps Bey and the Pistons (+8.5 underdogs) can take advantage of that and keep this game close for all four quarters.

💫SF/PF Cameron Johnson, PHX | DK: $5.3k, FD: $5.4k | vs. DAL | Cash & GPP

If you look at Johnson’s last game against Charlotte, no… it’s not a typo. He really did put up 24 points, three rebounds, and three assists (35.25 DKFP) in just 18 minutes. He caught fire from beyond the arc, draining six of his seven three-point attempts. Were it not for the 31-point blowout Suns win, Johnson surely would have logged more minutes. Tonight’s game against Dallas (+1.5) should be much more competitive and, as a result, Johnson would see a larger minutes workload. He is not far removed from a lengthy stretch where he missed 37 games with a knee injury so he’s not likely to push for huge minutes. But the Suns do need shooters with Devin Booker, Cam Payne, and Landry Shamet still out. Johnson is fully capable of averaging over an FPPM so if he can push for 28-32 minutes, he’ll have a great chance to return value tonight.

Other Forwards to Consider:

SF/PF Jayson Tatum, BOS | DK: $11.2k, FD: $11.3k | vs. NYK | GPP Preferred

SF/PF DeMar DeRozan, CHI | DK: $9.1k, FD: $8.9k | @ CHA | Cash & GPP

SF Mikal Bridges, PHX | DK: $7.3k, FD: $7.4k | vs. DAL | GPP Preferred

💫SF/PF Bojan Bogdanovic, DET | DK: $6.9k, FD: $6.9k | @ BKN | GPP Preferred

SF/PF Jalen McDaniels, CHA | DK: $5.2k, FD: $6k | vs. CHI | GPP Preferred

SF Josh Green, DAL | DK: $3.5k, FD: $4.3k | @ PHX | GPP Preferred (Minutes boost if C. Wood is out again)

Centers to Consider 🏀

💫C Nikola Vucevic, CHI | DK: $9k, FD: $8.4k | @ CHA | Cash & GPP

Vuc stands out as one of the safest plays on the board today. He’ll get a dream match-up against the Hornets, who rank 29th versus centers in their last 20 games and allow 39.6 FPPG to starting centers. Vucevic is better than most centers and he’s constantly turning in stuffed stat sheets. Over his last five games, he’s putting up 22.4 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.8 STL+BLK, and has averaged 1.37 FPPM. Vucevic has yet to score below 40.0 DKFP this calendar year and he’s capable of providing a massive DFS ceiling. He’ll be well worth his slate-high center salaries tonight.

💫C Nicolas Claxton, BKN | DK: $7.6k, FD: $8.2k | vs. DET | Cash & GPP

Claxton has been an animal ever since Kevin Durant sustained his knee injury which has held him out of the last seven games. In that span, Claxton has posted five 41.25+ DKFP performances and came through with a “50 burger” against the Warriors this past Sunday night. He’s a shot-blocking menace (4.2 STL+BLK L20Gms) who has seen his minutes, usage, and rebound rate go on the rise as of late. The only glaring concern would be the fact that he played 38 minutes in last night’s game against Joel Embiid and the 76ers. But, as long as the B2B doesn’t impact him much, or at all, he’ll be in line for another great game against the Pistons who have ranked 24th versus centers in their last 20 games.

Other Centers to Consider:

C Jarrett Allen, CLE | DK: $6.5k, FD: $7.7k | @ HOU | GPP Preferred

💫C Jalen Duren, DET | DK: $5.1k, FD: $6.2k | @ BKN | DK Preferred

C Zach Collins, SAS | DK: $3.7k, FD: $5.3k | @ LAC | DK Preferred

PF/C Kevin Love, CLE | DK: $3.4k, FD: $4.2k | @ HOU | GPP Preferred

NBA Player Props 📊

Player Prop or Bet | Odds | Unit Bet Size

Bojan Bogdanovic OVER 23.5 Points + Assists | -120 (DraftKings) | 2.0 Units

Julius Randle OVER 11.5 Rebounds | -128 (FanDuel) | 2.0 Units

PrizePicks Power Play ⚡

Here is a two-pick “Power Play” I’m liking for today's NBA action over on PrizePicks! Nothing is ever a guarantee to hit but I put my own money on these bets so I don't just lightly throw these out there without believing they'll cash! If it hits, it will return 3x the wager.

Bojan Bogdanovic MORE than 23.5 PTS + ASTS

Julius Randle MORE than 12.0 Rebounds

🆕 Props Edge+ 🆕

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That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!