NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups, Injuries & More Today: Thursday Playbook

Luka Doncic is starting to look reallllllly good as he plays more and more games since returning from a serious calf strain. He's topped 53+ DKP in back-to-back games, has shot the ball well in each, which hasn't been the case since he came back. The peripheral stats continue to be elite and when the shot is falling, he has the highest ceiling on the slate.

This is the BEST game on the board. Bar none. I've said the same thing about Trae Young all year long; if he makes shots he has a MASSIVE ceiling because of the assist numbers are always there.

Haliburton is questionable, but we're operating that he's going to play. He has been excellent since the All-Star break, notching six straight double-doubles and 47+ DKP in seven straight games. There are 248 implied points in a matchup between two of the top-eight teams in pace.

With Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine out of the lineup, Josh Giddey's been elite on a FP/min scale. He leads the team at 1.4 FP/min and has a respectable 23% USG too. It's a tough matchup, but because he's such a good fantasy player. GPPs.

The 76ers chose to role with Grimes as their starting point-guard last game and he was really solid. He played 38 minutes and scored 30 points again. Without Maxey and Embiid this year, Grimes (in 122 minutes) has a +6.3% USG, 27.3% USG, and 1.12 FP/min.

Nembhard isn't a great FP/min producer, but if he continues to play 35+ minutes, it's definitely helpful. Nembhard, if he plays 35 minutes at the .82 FP/min producer he is, would put average 29 DKP. It's a pace up spot, best game environment on the board.

FVV is out and without him this year, Green has a 28.9% USG and 1.07 FP/min and faces a Pelicans defense ranking 29th this year. Any defense ranking worse than the Washington Wizards is worth targeting.

We're going to see Oubre play monster minutes against a beat up Boston squad. Without Embiid, Maxey, and McCain this year, Oubre has a +4.6% USG bump to 23.6% USG and .88 FP/min. The minutes are what we really love here because 40 is on the table in a competitive setting.

LeVert has been fantastic since joining the team. He's put up 25+ DKP in five straight, 33+ DKP in three straight. With the team overall, he averages 21.2% USG and 1.05 FP/min. He's closing games despite coming off the bench and is in a 248 implied total game.

Zion Williamson is on one right now and tough spot or not. He scored 37 actual and 55 DKP in just 26 minutes against the league's best defense since February 1st last time out. He's now put up 48+ DKP in three straight and had his first career triple-double mixed in too.

Wide range of outcome guy but he's playing extremely well recently and you could ride the hot hand in GPPs. Is listed as questionable.

Bruh. He's just incredible. LBJ, without AD, DLo, and Hachimura this year, has a 37.4% USG and averages 1.5 FP/min. The Knicks are 18th in DRtg on the year and 22nd over the last 15 games, so it's gotten worse on that end.

There's actually a 240 minute sample without Horford, Brown, Holiday, and Porzingis on the floor for Tatum this year and the numbers look..elite. +10% USG, 40.7% USG, 1.58 FP/min. Hard to pass on.

Things are trending upwards for Banchero despite how bad it's been for the Magic as a whole. Paolo has twice scored 41 actual in two of three and three times since the break he's scored at least 36. Great pace up spot against a bad defense. He has a very high ceiling.

Yabusele is pretty popular here and it's not all too surprising because the value hasn't looked great and also, his role is safe. He plays big minutes at both the four and five and has the potential for more depending on what happens with Paul George.

I think people shy away from Sengun because of the price and while I 100% understand that, he has been quite good lately. He's put up 50+ twice in five games and we know, with FVV out, the offense flows through him.

ADDED - We're likely going to get Kornet starting here and playing big minutes and although he hasn't been the best per minute player this year, if he gets 30 he can be very productive. I prefer Queta if he's starting.

Okongwu has been awesome this year and has really thrived from a per minute basis averaging 1.13 FP/min. He has a massive ceiling at this price in this extremely fun game environment.

ADDED - Man, what a game last night and the thing is, this isn't chasing going back to the well. Especially if Tatum gets ruled out. Pritchard, without Brown, Holiday, Porzingis, and Horford, Pritchard has a 23.7% USG and 1.15 FP/min. He's going to play 40 minutes again here.

Turner's been a different player since the All-Star break. He's put up 31+ DKP in all seven games since the break and has also shown a 50 FP ceiling. In a 248 implied point total against the team that protects the rim the worst in the league, Turner's a very solid play.

ADDED - Derrick White will be much more popular tonight than he was on Wednesday, that's for SURE. I think the problem is it's impossible to expect him to score 40+ actual points again. If you get past that, he's a 1.28 FP/min player and a 28.7% USG guy without Brown, Porzingis, Holiday, and Horford.

Green's been REALLY good peripherally, the minutes are way way up, and if you get double-digit scoring out of him, he has a ceiling.

ADDED - Whether or not Josh Giddey is out, Coby White stands out. Without Ball, LaVine, Vucevic, and Dosunmu this year, he has a +3.16% USG up to 26.8% USG and is averaging 1.14 FP/min. He's been very good lately, too, so we're getting him in prime form.

With Paul George ruled out, I feel really confident in Drummond's minutes in this game. We'll see Yabusele primarily operate as the PF, leaving nearly 30 minutes for Drummond. Without Embiid, Maxey, and George, Drummond averages 1.13 FP/min.

I think Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard look awfully similar and I might just play the guy lesser owned. Nesmith is that guy as of now and has better positional eligibility while being cheaper on both platforms.