We have a two-game schedule in the NBA on Thursday, which includes a doubleheader on TNT. At 7:30 p.m. ET, the Los Angeles Lakers will play the Philadelphia 76ers, and then to wrap up at 10 p.m. ET, the Minnesota Timberwolves will take on the Golden State Warriors. Unlike NFL DFS, where one pick can make or break your lineup or it’s tough to find quality low-tier value, NBA DFS differs.
In NBA DFS, you can find quality value plays $5K or under that can give you a quick 10 points off the bench, grab some rebounds, or stuff the stat sheet. It does not matter if you are playing a 50/50 or Double-Up contest, we are going to provide you with three players that you need to put in your lineup.
Gary Payton II, Golden State Warriors, $3,900
At the guard spot, we are going to go against the grain and take Golden State Warriors backup point guard Gary Payton II. With it being only two games tonight, most DFS players will put Malik Monk in their starting lineup at $4,500.
While Monk will be one of the top scoring options off the bench for Lakers, it seems like a consensus pick. Payton II won’t score a lot of points, but will stuff the box score. In his last five games, Payton is averaging 16.04 fantasy points per game. He has also grabbed at least four or more rebounds in four out of his last five games.
Furkan Korkmaz, Philadelphia 76ers, $4,800
Korkmaz has put together back-to-back solid games, which is good news for the Sixers as they’re missing multiple players to injury. In the Sixers’ last game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Korkmaz had 13 points (3-10 FG, 2-7 3pt), three rebounds, and two assists (22.8 fantasy points).
Even though he didn’t shoot the ball well, Korkmaz still found a way to make an impact in the game, which help him reach the 20 fantasy point threshold for the fourth time in the last five games.
Nemanja Bjelica, Golden State Warriors, $3,500
The veteran stretch big is another under-the-radar value play that many DFS players will likely skip over for the likes of Jonathan Kuminga and Carmelo Anthony. However, Bjelica can still provide some value as he showed on Tuesday night against the Mavericks. He had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists for 32.5 fantasy points.
The last time Bjelica scored 30-plus fantasy points was a couple of weeks ago against the Chicago Bulls, where he had six points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. We are going to take a shot on him against the Timberwolves, who are ranked 24th against PF/Cs (OPRK) this season.