James Harden faces the Nets for the first time as a member of the 76ers in what should be an exciting Thursday night game.
What a difference one night can make in the NBA. After being treated to a 12-game extravaganza on Wednesday night, we only have two games happening in the Association on Thursday night. At the very least, the league did a great job of two intriguing matchups, with Andre Drummond participating in a revenge game with the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers. I'm pretty sure Drummond is the most notable player his former team faced on Thursday, right?
It's tough to maneuver a two-game slate in NBA DFS. But don't fret, I'll do my best to guide you through Thursday's main event. It can be difficult to break apart on slates like these, so taking a risk is almost necessary if you want to isolate yourself from the field. With that in mind, let's take a look at Thursday's main slate on DraftKings to see who I'm liking.
NBA DFS: Best Plays for Thursday, March 10
point guard
Pay-Up Option: James Harden ($10.400)
Even on a two-game slate where the DraftKings are trying to make sure it's possible to bring stud into your lineup, James Harden still feels a little short. The nets are abysmal on the defensive end and they're even worse when Kyrie Irving is on the floor. While Harden has scored 50 or fewer DraftKings points in three straight games, I expect him to be extra motivated against his former team. Brooklyn is allowing the sixth-most DraftKings points per game this season (49.50), with a triple-double as a valid possibility for Harden.
Value option: Monte Morris ($4,700)
I think most people want to force the Superstar players of the Nets and 76ers games, so using pieces from the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets would be somewhat of the opposite. Monte Morris is a viable value option at point guard as he has posted 26+ DraftKings points in three straight games and averages 32.6 DraftKings points in his first two meetings with the Warriors this season. If you need to save even more pay at a point guard spot, you can go to Goran Dragi.
shooting guard
Pay-Up Option: Kyrie Irving ($9,900)
Irving put up a stellar performance in Brooklyn's last game versus the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night. The dynamic point guard made nine of his 12 three-point attempts, scoring 50 points on a skillful 15–19 shooting, resulting in 69.75 DraftKings points. Even though I don't expect another 50-point outing from Irving, he is capable of scoring in bunches on any given night. Irving has provided 48+ DraftKings points in five of his last six matches and I expect him to be extremely active in the anticipated matchup to 76. Klay Thompson is also a solid choice in Shooting Guard at $6,600.
Value option: Moses Moody ($3,500)
The Warriors rested most of their opening players on the second night against the Nuggets, allowing some of their younger players to play. Moses Moody benefited from increased minutes as he scored 38.25 DraftKings points in 36 minutes of action against Denver. While he was expected to shorten his playing time, Golden State placed Moody in the starting lineup in Tuesday's contest against the Los Angeles Clippers. The rookie wing will finish on Tuesday with 26.5 DraftKings points in 30 minutes. I'd be surprised if Moody's doesn't stay in the starting lineup, making it a great value Thursday night.
small step forward
Pay-Up Option: Bruce Brown ($5,100)
Unless you are using Kevin Durant, there is no one in the short forward position for which I would go out of my way to pay. To save some pay on the position, you can turn to Bruce Brown, who has been seeing more sports teams lately. The Browns have received 28+ minutes in eight of their last 10 matches, while posting 26+ DraftKings points in eight of their last 10 matches. I think a lot of people want to pay small forward on Thursday nights.
Value option: Jeff Greene ($4,000)
Below Brown, short forward positions have limited options. Despite the lack of people to choose from, Jeff Green is a solid choice. Green has amassed 28+ minutes for the Nuggets in three consecutive games and recorded 24+ DraftKings points in two of those games. While the ceiling isn't super high for Green, I don't think he'll hit your lineup at just $4,000. For those who like to take a risk, Austin River is $3,600, though their minutes are inconsequential for nuggets.
power forward
Pay-Up Option: Kevin Durant ($10,300)
When I watched the Nets take the Hornets 132-121 on Tuesday, I was shocked to see that Kevin Durant only had 14 points. After their quiet outing, I wouldn't be surprised to see Durant have to be ultra-aggressive against the 76. Durant has bad blood with Harden due to a drop in Harden's trade, so the All-Star forward may take the game personally. Regardless of whether the 76ers throw Mattis Thiebull into Durant or not, I believe he is ready for a massive outing on Thursday night. I won't have much of Andrew Wiggins or Tobias Harris on Thursday because I'm mainly paying for Durant at one of the venues ahead.
Value option: Jonathan Kuminga ($4,300)
Along with Moody, another rookie who has played a key role for the Warriors is Jonathan Kuminga. Cuminga has become a key player for Golden State off the bench, helping to replace Drummond Green's production. While he is not the leader, defensive player or facilitator that Greene is, Kuminga has shown the ability to contribute on both ends of the floor. The rookie forward has a friendly matchup against a Nuggets squad that surrenders the sixth most DraftKings points per game (47.79) forwards this season. In the event that you need to save more salary to fit more studs, Georges Niang $3,300 is someone to consider.
Center
Pay-Up Option: Nikola Jokic ($11,200)
One of the interesting decisions we will have to make on Thursday is whether we should use Nikola Jokic or Joel Embiid. If you're an absolute lunatic, you can fade both to a two-game slate and hope for the best. Or you can take the opposite route and use both in the same lineup. Those two strategies would certainly be opposite. Between the two, I'll side with Jokic because I believe his ceiling is higher than Embiid, with Harden also seeking higher usage on the 76ers. Jokic has scored at least 60 DraftKings points in his last three meetings with the Warriors this season and produced just 75.25 DraftKings in Monday's matchup with Golden State. Also, Jokic's salary is no less than $11,400 as of November 8th, so I'll take advantage of his cheap salary on Thursday.
Value option: Kevon Looney ($4,100)
On paper, Kevon Looney doesn't have a plus matchup against Jokic and the Nuggets. But in his three matchups with Denver this season, Looney has posted 30+ DraftKings in each of them. Even though I'd be wary of expecting 30+ DraftKings points from Looney on Thursday, he's Golden State's best rebounder right now and they'll need someone to knock out Jokic. The only thing that could cause concern for Lonnie is if he gets caught wrongly defending Jokic. There's no other price center I like on Thursdays, so if you're looking to save a salary in a center position then the loonie may be the only option.