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

NBA DFS Today w/ Tyler Wiemann

No DFS video today!

🏀Tyler’s NBA prop bets can be found on the LineStar YouTube Shorts page!🏀

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

A modest five-game slate wraps up the final Thursday of the regular season. We’ve got three matchups (MIA at TOR, BOS at NYK, PHI at HOU) featuring teams already locked into the postseason, and even with just two or three games remaining for each team, there are still some spots where seeding implications are in play. That makes motivation a key factor, as targeting players on teams with something left to gain while identifying the right value on teams with little to play for is usually the approach over these final few days. Let’s see if we can land on the right pieces today. Best of luck!

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

Today’s Key Injuries 🚑

^{Note: NBA injury reports can be fickle and often update throughout the day. Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}

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.

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

PG Tyrese Maxey, PHI | DK: $9.5k, FD: $10k | at HOU

Players in this matchup should have plenty of motivation. The 76ers have slipped to the No. 8 seed following back-to-back losses but still have a path back into a top-six guaranteed seed. On the other side, the Rockets (currently No. 5) could climb as high as the No. 3 seed in the West under the right circumstances, but have a real shot to leapfrog the banged-up Lakers for the No. 4 seed, which would get them homecourt advantage.

Maxey hasn’t had a ceiling game in a bit and struggled in those recent losses, but this sets up as a potential bounce-back spot. Philadelphia has had three days to rest up and reset, and with Joel Embiid (illness/out) sidelined, the offense should run heavily through Maxey. His usage jumps from 24.2% with Embiid on the floor to 30.3% without him, which is a significant boost, especially in a game that is borderline “must win.” He’s also a strong candidate to push toward 40 minutes in a competitive environment.

The matchup isn’t ideal with Houston ranking 7th in DvP versus point guards over their last 20 games, but Maxey already showed he can succeed in this spot, dropping 36 points and 60.5 DKFP in their last meeting. The role, minutes, and motivation all line up for an increased chance at a ceiling performance here.

SG/SF Collin Sexton, CHI | DK: $6.6k, FD: $7.2k | at WAS

Sexton continues to take on a larger role for this shorthanded Bulls team with Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis sidelined, among others. He’s been productive in that stretch, averaging 33.7 DKFP over his last nine games while consistently contributing across the board.

This is an immediate rematch against Washington in what should again be one of the best environments on the slate. The game carries a massive 248.5 total, and both teams have ranked top-three in pace over their last 10 games. Even in a 129-98 blowout win two nights ago, Sexton still logged 30 minutes and produced a well-rounded 15/9/7 line with four steals, finishing with 43.75 DKFP. With Chicago carrying a slate-high 127.5 implied team total and still missing key pieces, Sexton is set up well to deliver again in this spot.

PG/SG Malachi Smith, BKN | DK: $3.8k, FD: $4.1k | vs. IND

Smith should draw a second straight start for this shorthanded Nets team and stands out as one of the stronger cheap guard options on the slate. In his first start of the season on Tuesday, he logged 37 minutes and produced 25.25 DKFP. That output wasn’t anything special, but it still gets the job done at these salaries, especially if the minutes hold.

There’s also room for more. Smith posted just a 9.1% USG% in that game and took only five shots, so any decent bump in usage alongside another mid-30s workload would go a long way. The matchup also works in his favor, as Indiana has allowed the fourth-most FPPG to starting shooting guards over their last 20 games.

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

SF Kevin Durant, HOU | DK: $8.8k, FD: $9.2k | vs. PHI

As touched on earlier, Houston still has something to play for here, as they sit in the No. 5 seed but can realistically leapfrog the Lakers and move into the No. 4 spot, which would provide homecourt advantage in the playoffs. That should keep Durant locked into a full workload, making him one of the more reliable spend-up options on this slate.

He’s been steady in that role, averaging 47 DKFP/gm over his last nine games and clearing 40 DKFP in four straight prior to his most recent outing. This is also a plus matchup, with Philadelphia ranking 21st in DvP versus starting small forwards over their last 20 games, and Durant already posted 49.75 DKFP in this spot earlier this season. He brings a strong floor with very realistic 50+ DKFP upside if this game stays competitive.

SF/PF Will Riley, WAS | DK: $6.5k, FD: $6.2k | vs. CHI

Riley sets up as an intriguing mid-range option in a spot where Washington is extremely thin. After running a nine-man rotation Tuesday, they’ll be down to the league minimum of eight active players with Coulibaly out, which should lock Riley into heavy minutes. He should push for at least 30 minutes and likely lands in the 35+ range, especially if he draws the start.

He’s coming off a rough 1-for-13 shooting performance Tuesday, but the upside is clear based on what we saw just prior to that. Riley posted 48.2 and 43.5 DKFP in back-to-back games over the weekend, showing the type of ceiling he brings when things are clicking. There may be safer forward options in this range, but it’s tough to ignore the 40+ DKFP upside he offers at these salaries.

PF Tre Scott, BKN | DK: $3.9k, FD: $4.4k | vs. IND

Like other teams who have long been out of the playoff picture, the Nets have been committed to playing non-NBA-caliber players down the final stretch. Tre Scott went undrafted back in 2020 and has appeared in just five NBA games, mostly bouncing around G League teams and various international leagues. He drew his first NBA start on Tuesday and proceeded to log 40 minutes, finishing with 27.25 DKFP.

Scott only put up eight points, five boards, and two assists, but defense has been his calling card throughout his professional career, and he showed that on Tuesday with four steals and a block. Even without much scoring upside, he has the ability to return value through peripherals and defensive stats alone. It can also be fun to ride the narrative that players like Scott are desperately looking to make a good impression when these rare NBA opportunities come along. And, for what it’s worth, this is also a solid matchup against a Pacers team that ranks 26th in DvP versus starting power forwards over their last 20 games.

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Julian Reese, WAS | DK: $6k, FD: $6.7k | vs. CHI

There are a couple of centers worth paying up for on this slate, but Reese stands out as a strong mid-range option. As mentioned, Washington is down to eight active players tonight, which should lock him into another heavy workload. Even in a 31-point blowout loss to this same Bulls team on Tuesday, Reese still logged 36 minutes and produced 46.25 DKFP.

He’s been rock-solid in an expanded role, averaging 1.11 FPPM and 38.3 DKFP/gm over his last five games as a starter, while playing 34.5 minutes per game. The matchup also sets up well, as Chicago has allowed the second-most FPPG to starting centers over their last 20 games. With the minutes and production trending up, Reese is in a great spot to deliver again.

C Lachlan Olbrich, CHI | DK: $3.5k, FD: $4.1k | at WAS

Olbrich stands out as a solid value option with the Bulls thin at center and having nothing to play for down the stretch. With no postseason implications, Chicago has every reason to give their rookie big some extended run over these final few games, and he should handle around 20 minutes again tonight. He’s averaging 1.05 FPPM over his last five games, and already showed what he can do in this matchup with 26.75 DKFP in 21 minutes on Tuesday. The spot also sets up well, as Washington ranks 28th in DvP versus backup centers over their last 20 games and has allowed 1.31 FPPM to the position.

🔥 Props AI 🔥

In LineStar’s ongoing mission to improve, innovate, and help you reel in some cash, we have rolled out Props AI for NBA – available for LineStar Premium users! This tool can help you find value and mispriced odds on player props from sportsbooks and, more specifically, for PrizePicks, UnderDog Fantasy, and other prop apps/sites!

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