DraftKings NBA: Thursday Cheat Sheet

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Published on May 9, 2019

Here we go with a two-game playoff slate for Thursday, May 9.

There's no major injury developments to monitor this evening. Pascal Siakam is healthy for the Raptors after coming off a surging Game 5 performance. Enes Kanter will continue to play through a shoulder injury, and that has clearly slowed him down in the scoring department.

With that, I'll be breaking down the best fantasy choices on DraftKings for Thursday. The following write-ups contain a blend of cash game staples, bargain fillers, and tournament pivots.

GUARDS

Jamal Murray – DEN at POR ($6,900): Murray has come up huge for Denver, posting a 47-fantasy-point average over the past three games. He's playing with a ton of confidence at the moment, and that should translate to more success in the box score. Murray checks in at a fraction of Damian Lillard's cost, and the Denver guard makes for an excellent value through all formats.

Gary Harris – DEN at POR ($4,900): Harris has been a steady value filler throughout this series, and that will continue tonight. He's seeing 36-40 minutes per contest, which boosts his floor to around 25-28 fantasy points. There's upside if he posts a strong shooting percentage, but Harris makes for a respectable bargain either way. After all, this is only a two-game slate, so we can't be too picky.

Also Consider: C.J. McCollum – POR vs. DEN ($6,800), Kyle Lowry – TOR at PHI ($6,500)

FORWARDS

Jimmy Butler – PHI vs. TOR ($8,000): I'm taking Butler over Kawhi Leonard tonight, and that will save me $1,500 in cap space. Philadelphia has their backs against the wall in tonight's elimination game, and Butler has been their most consistent player in this series. He has notched 52 or more fantasy points in three of his past four, representing better "per dollar" upside than Leonard.

Paul Millsap – DEN at POR ($6,200): Millsap had several disappointing lines in the first round against San Antonio. Those days are clearly behind him, as he has owned this series with Portland. Millsap holds a strong 40 FPPG average through the first five games of this series, and I'm expecting more of the same tonight. Denver clearly has the upper-hand in the frontcourt, and I'm looking to exploit that susceptibility with Millsap.

Also Consider: Kawhi Leonard – TOR at PHI ($9,500), Al-Farouq Aminu – POR vs. DEN ($4,700)

CENTERS

Nikola Jokic – DEN at POR ($10,300): Speaking of Denver having the frontcourt advantage, Jokic is a premium fantasy option you'll want to prioritize. I'm looking to take him over Lillard, Leonard, and Embiid in this slate. This should be a competitive game that brings out the best in Jokic, and we should see another line of 60-plus fantasy points.

Zach Collins – POR vs. DEN ($3,100): Collins is a minimum salary filler who can round out your lineup. He's seeing around 20 minutes per contest, which has translated to 19 or more fantasy points in two of his past three games. Collins is not a safe bet by any means, but he'll enable you to roster the players you can actually get excited about. We are hoping for something in the neighborhood of seven points, seven rebounds, and a block or two.

Also Consider: Joel Embiid – PHI vs. TOR ($9,000)

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.