Somewhere out in the world Bill Laimbeer was smiling last night as we saw a nice retro big man fight when Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns got tangled, got heated, got punchy, and then both got ejected. It was an exciting moment for fans - but killed any DFS hopes as two $10,000 players put up 32 and 28 points respectively. (KAT fight has already been so heavily tweeted that LeBron James is trying to trademark it.)

It was a bad night all around for NBA stars and hands. Stephen Curry was priced at $9500 but played just 21 minutes before breaking his left hand. Curry will miss some significant time and just like that, Golden State is D'Angelo Russell's team for the foreseeable future.

It's the standard mini-slate for this spooky NBA Thursday. Let's try to predict who will get in a fight, who will break their bones, and who will provide the most treats for tonight's DFS games:

Tonight's DFS Headlines

No Trae Young for Atlanta tonight, as he suffered a sprained ankle last game. This is where the usage Metrix on the LineStar app comes in very handy. Almost everybody on the Hawks roster gets a perceived boost with Young and his 17 field goal attempts per game out of the lineup. No Young also hurts the pace of the game with the Heat though - and the effectiveness of the Miami back court.

Jrue Holiday ($8,800) is back in the lineup as 0-4 New Orleans looks for their first win of the season while hosting Denver. Brandon Ingram ($7,900) continues to be the story for the Pelicans with 40+ fppg in all four games but Lonzo Ball is almost quietly getting comfortable in the Big Easy. Ball is averaging 9.5 assists and 40 fppg the last two (although that was with Holiday out of the lineup).

The Clippers are on leg two of a back-to-back, but Kawhi Leonard ($9,500) sat Wednesday vs. the Jazz for 'load management.' Actually a lot of Clippers starters sat in that game as Utah held as big as a 23 point lead en route to the 110-96 win.

Guards

Jamal Murray (DK: $6,600 FD: $7,100 Y! $29)

Jamal Murray had a very disappointing production night on Tuesday with just 25 fantasy points. Murray's assists are down from last season (4.4 >3.3) but it's a wash because his rebounds are up (3.9>5.5). There are reasons to like Murray today. First off, Denver has a +10.05 pace differential vs. a New Orleans squad that is 4th in the league in possessions per game. Throw in the fact that the Pelicans are 3rd worst team in defensive efficiency and Murray should be looking to approach his fp season high of 44. All four PG's New Orleans have faced this season have broken the 40 fantasy point barrier.

Tyler Herro (DK: $5700 FD: $5,700 Y! $16)

It's Halloween, what a great night for a Super Herro to step up. Miami's Tyler Herro appears to have gotten the rare boost from ADDING another offensive minded star to a lineup when Jimmy Butler returned to the Heat last game. Herro had the best fantasy night of his young career with 41 points on Tuesday. Granted, that performance may have been a fluke, as it included 16 free throw attempts when he had 2 total in the 3 games prior. Either way, Herro showed great chemistry with Butler in the preseason and has the same matchup as he did in his 40+ point night with a home and home against Atlanta. Plus, the Fanduel pricing isn't completely out of the water compared to how it usually is vs. DraftKing with a $5700 salary on each.

Gary Harris (DK: $5,100 FD: $5,600 Y! $18)

There hasn't been a perfect lineup stack of PG + SG in a small slates in quite awhile but that makes Jamal Murray + Gary Harris a nice fade play on Thursday. The Nuggets are playing the Pelicans after all, easily the most favorable defensive matchup of the night. New Orleans has allowed some big fantasy nights to the SG position including the 56.25 outing from Fred VanVleet in the season opener. D'Angelo Russell had his best fantasy night vs. NO on Monday as well. Harris had 15 shot attempts for Denver on Tuesday, and had 31 fantasy points despite not getting a single free throw. He's got a good price and is playing a bad defense, what more could you ask for?

🏀👍👍 Other Likes  / Dislikes 👍👍🏀

Dejounte Murray ($5900) has been a diverse fantasy scorer for a Spurs team facing LAC on 0 days rest. Murray is averaging 14/6/8 while playing only 23 min/game. Lonzo Ball may see his consecutive streak of solid fantasy nights come to an end with Jrue Holiday is back in the lineup and Denver may try to slow down the pace to keep Nikola Jokic from fainting.

Forwards

Montrezl Harrell (DK: $6,400 FD: $7200 Y!: $25)

Kawhi Leonard sat out Wednesday's Clippers vs. Utah game due to load management. Montrezl Harrell will also come into Thursday's tilt rested but that is due more to anger management (or lack thereof). Harrell logged just 14 minutes while battling foul trouble. It brought to an end a nice start to the season for Harrell, who had been in a perfect lineup in 3 of 4 nights. The good thing is he's well rested for the back-to-back against the Spurs and is projected for 35 fp. San Antonio is middle-of-the -pack in terms of defensive efficiency this season. The Spurs have also been hit for a 55 point fantasy night from Julius Randle and a 33 point output from rookie Rui Hachimura from the PF position the past week.

Cam Reddish (DK: $4,600 FD: $4,400 Y!: $10)

Hard to beat the upside for the price on Cam Reddish as we see what the Hawks do without Trae Young in the lineup. Reddish has had some decent fantasy production through the first four games of his career, peaking at 22 fp Tuesday vs. Miami. Young played just 11 minutes that game before hurting his ankle and Reddish subsequently had season highs in attempts (10), assists (6), and steals (3). Let's see what he does with a day to prepare and a full 48 of no Trae.

John Collins (DK: $8300 FD: $8700 Y! $33)

Putting John Collins in this lineup and using my best available C gave me $3,300 left on DK but there are still some points for that price out of a Malik Beasley or a JaMychal Green. That's OK though because Collins should be in line for a big night, as he had 17 field goal attempts vs. Miami on Tuesday playing without Trae Young for a majority of the game. Collins had 50.75 fp that night, landing on the DK perfect lineup.

🏀👍👍 Other Likes / Dislikes 👍👍🏀

Hard not to like Kawhi Leonard ($9500) on the TNT game, up against Gregg Popovich and the Spurs, and after a night off on Wednesday while the rest of the Clippers lineup played. Probably good to avoid Jabari Parker ($4300) as he loses -7 fantasy points with Young out of the lineup for Atlanta.

Center

Nikola Jokic (DK: $10,000, FD; $10400 Y!:$45 )

There's more Nuggets in this lineup than crushed between the back seats of a mini van but Nikola Jokic is the only C on this lineup that doesn't have the potential to lay a complete egg. Ivica Zubac is cheap - but on a back-to-back. Bam Adebayo has had some nice nights, but only got 7 shots in his first game playing with Butler. Jahlil Okafor has a whopping 24 minutes TOTAL in the last two games. Jokic has underperformed expectations basically in 3 of 4 games this season, but he still gets you 40 fantasy points on a mediocre night. There are other risks and more options to squeeze out value at other positions tonight.

🏀👍👍 Other Likes 👍👍🏀

Bam Adebayo ($7600) would be the other option for less money at the C position tonight. Adebayo has 40+ fantasy points in 3 straight games including going for 45 vs. Atlanta on Tuesday.

We close out the week and welcome November tomorrow with a very manageable 8-game card. There are only 3 games on tap tonight, but that doesn't mean the LineStar chat won't be hoppin'. You can also follow me, Carl Taylor (@dailydogsports), on Twitter for more DFS and sports betting talk.

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