This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Unlike the past couple weeks where Thursday meant, "Ok, how do I make Russell Westbrook fit into my lineup without being forced to use Matthew Dellavedova?," there are five games on the slate this week with a lot more viable bargain options. The Lakers-Knicks tilt figures to have tons of cheap plays waiting to be made, and there are plenty of other good options for your lineup that don't carry staggering price tags.
Thursday Value Plays
Tony Parker, SA, $6,300: Parker has started to play more like himself lately, and that's reflected in his 41.3 FanDuel average in his last three outings. While his scoring output may diminish a little on Thursday with Manu Ginobili (illness) possibly returning, Parker should still be on the floor enough to produce very solid numbers against Cleveland. Even if his shot totals may not match the 16.2 shot attempts he's been firing at over his last five outings, Parker's field goal percentage in that span, 53 percent, is enough to where he doesn't need a particularly high shot volume to reach the mid-teens.
George Hill, IND, $6,200: Hill has been tearing it up since the All-Star break, averaging 28.6 FD points in that nine-game span. He didn't quite reach the level of production that he was expected to against Orlando, but he had his worst rebounding night (one) since well before the break. He's a solid rebounder for a point guard, ranking 10th since the break and second among point guards playing Thursday. Milwaukee hasn't been as stingy against opposing point guards since the trade deadline, allowing almost seven more points over the last five than they have for the season. Hill has been a big part of Indiana's recent turnaround and should be in line for another solid outing Thursday.
Alexey Shved, NYK, $5,600 and Jordan Clarkson, LAL, $5,800: Shved is coming off a season-high 21-point outing against Utah on Tuesday and is averaging 15.6 points and 11.4 shot attempts over his last five. The Knicks are thin in the backcourt, and if Tim Hardaway (back spasms) is unavailable again Thursday, Shved becomes a great value play for late contests. Clarkson is another great late-contest option going against the second worst team in defensive efficiency. Both of these players are decent plays in all contests but are really good options if playing them in the late contests.
Shooting Guard
Rodney Stuckey, IND, $6,300: Stuckey went off to the tune of 54.7 FD points Tuesday, canning six of his nine attempts from beyond the arc. He's been coming off the bench lately, but he's still getting enough run (at least 26 minutes per game in eight of his last nine) to be highly productive. The shooting guard crop outside of James Harden is pretty thin, which leaves Stuckey as one of the best options out there at just over $6K.
Small Forward
Khris Middleton, MIL, $6,500: Middleton scored 30 points for the second time in his last three outings Wednesday, finishing with 44.1 FD points. He has been a little up and down lately, alternating between 40 and 20 FD points over his last five outings. Still, the floor is pretty high for Middleton, who has scored in double figures in 17 straight games. His consistency in rebounding and assists makes him a low-risk play.
Power Forward
Andrea Bargnani, NYK, $5,500: Thursday's marquee matchup, a clash of the titans between the Knicks and Lakers, features value plays a plenty, and Bargnani is one of the best among them. He has at least 20 points in three of his last four games and is averaging 25.9 FD points over the last 10 games, and that number is deflated by a 6.5 FD point clunker against Sacramento last week. Bargnani gets to play against a porous Lakers frontcourt that's in the top 10 for most FD points allowed to opposing power forwards over the last 10 games. Although Bargnani's rebounding is well below what you'd expect from a big man, he's a good enough scorer to make up for it. If you're looking to save at one of your power forward spots, Bargnani is a solid option.
Center
Marcin Gortat, WAS, $6,700:Marc Gasol was in this spot until the Grizzlies decided to rest all their best players on the second night of a back-to-back Thursday. Most daily games players will look toward Marc Gasol's replacement, Kosta Koufos, but Koufos doesn't glisten. He's a big sweaty burrito that can't score in bunches and only does enough in the rebounding and blocks departments to keep the masses from chasing him out of town with pitchforks. Where you should turn your attention is to the delicious Polish sausage on the flipside of this fight card. With Gasol and Zach Randolph no longer creating all kinds of problems for the Wizards frontcourt, Gortat should be able to capitalize on their absence and produce adequately for his salary. There aren't a lot of safe options at the center spot Thursday, but Gortat should help protect you from the monsters under the bed and keep you warm throughout the night. He's our security blanket of the night.
