FanDuel NBA: Thursday Value Plays

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Published on March 31, 2022

Thursday's five-game slate begins at 7:00 p.m. with some very obvious games to smash. Let's begin with the Vegas numbers.

SLATE OVERVIEW

PHI (-10.5) @ DET O/U: 223

BKN (-1.5) vs. MIL O/U: 240

ATL (-5) vs CLE O/U: 222.5

CHI (-3.5) vs. LAC O/U: 222.5

UTA (-12) vs. LAL O/U: 225.5

They are a rarity, but we have a projected total of 240 on the docket, so it makes sense to find every avenue you can into the Bucks and Nets. I also love the Sixers and Jazz in lopsided games that could still be competitive.

INJURIES

CLE Evan Mobley (knee) - OUT

CLE Jarrett Allen (finger) - OUT

This spot should still be good for Kevin Love ($6,300), but it was actually Moses Brown ($4,300) who saw the biggest boost in the last game.

ATL Danilo Gallinari (elbow) - QUESTIONABLE

ATL John Collins (finger) - QUESTIONABLE

Collins' status has been upgraded, but Gallinari is the more likely player to see the floor. Kevin Huerter ($5,500) and De'Andre Hunter ($5,000) are great inexpensive options in this spot.

LAL LeBron James (ankle) - OUT

LAL Anthony Davis (foot) - DOUBTFUL

Things continue to spiral out of control for the Lakers, and they are huge underdogs against Utah. Malik Monk ($5,800) is the only lower-cost Laker I would play with confidence.

ELITE PLAYERS

As mentioned previously, it's rare to see a projected total of 240 among the Vegas odds, so it only makes sense to begin there in hopes of reaping the maximum benefit. Kevin Durant ($10,900), Kyrie Irving ($9,600) and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,900) are therefore at the forefront of our elite endorsements. I like Durant and Irving a bit better than Giannis, as Antetokounmpo has more elite talent to siphon some production from him.

Joel Embiid ($11,500) and James Harden ($10,200) are also in play against Detroit, but Harden is a touch too expensive for my taste and we can find better value at guard. Embiid is a nightly consideration, however.

We'll round out the elite section with two veteran playmakers, DeMar DeRozan ($,8300) and Donovan Mitchell ($8,100). It will be interesting to see how DeRozan handles Paul George ($9,700), and Mitchell is poised to have a field day against the Lakers.

Also consider: Russell Westbrook, LAL ($8,000) @ UTA, Rudy Gobert, UTA ($7,800) vs. LAL

EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS

Khris Middleton, MIL ($7,500) @ BKN

It only makes sense to hammer away at this game. Durant is a good defender, but Middleton has proved to be a tough-shot maker. Middleton also has a solid history against the Nets this season, averaging just under 38 FDFP over three games.

Marvin Bagley, DET ($6,200) vs. PHI

With Jerami Grant out for the season, Bagley is one player who should have an excellent couple of weeks as the season dies down. It would be surprising to not see Bagley in a Pistons uniform next season, helping build a core around Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey ($5,700), who I also like in this spot. Isaiah Stewart will likely be Joel Embiid's primary focus, leaving Bagley to potentially take advantage.

Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($5,900) @ DET

Maxey is substantially cheaper than Harden, but the Philly backcourt is a bit too good to pass up. Harden will command more of the focus for Detroit's defense, and Maxey's upside could become a prominent value play on the slate due to his tremendous upside. Maxey has a top total of 50.7 FDFP this season, and although we can't expect a night like that, he recently enjoyed a three-game run of 40-FDFP games before cooling off a bit. In two games against Detroit, he scored 37.3 and 34.2 FDFP.

Mike Conley ($5,400) and Royce O'Neale ($3,900), UTA vs. LAL

Next to the Nets and Bucks, it makes perfect sense to hammer in as many Utah players as possible against the Lakers defense that could best be described as 'porous'. The only thing keeping me from diving deeper into Utah's rotation is the sheer necessity for L.A. to make this game competitive, but I think Conley's sharpshooting skills and O'Neale's shooting alongside Gobert should yield superior value.

Caris LeVert, CLE ($5,200) @ ATL

LeVert makes the list again for a second consecutive night. The needle didn't move on this salary despite a bounce-back 32-point effort against the Mavericks. Potential for this type of game makes LeVert a massive value, and although you should expect exposure percentages of 50 percent or more in some contests, he's a hard player to fade for salary cap relief.

Also consider: D.J. Augustin, LAL ($3,500) @ UTA, Isaac Okoro, CLE ($4,400) @ ATL

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.