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We're back down to a five-game slate Thursday night following an extremely busy Wednesday ledger. However, it shapes up as a mostly competitive night, with a pair of marquee matchups and other teams that are taking the floor growing increasingly desperate with respect to their postseason chances.
We also have a couple of typically generous defensive squads in the Pacers and Pelicans in action, and despite some key injuries, there's still plenty to like from every salary level.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 3/24/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Darius Garland - PG/SG, CLE at TOR ($9,700 DK; $9,500 FD)
Garland has shot 53.7 percent in three games versus the Raptors this season, putting up just under 40 fantasy points per game against Toronto. The star point guard has seen a salary bump in recent days, but that's a byproduct of averaging over 50 fantasy points per contest in his last five. Garland just offered a reminder of his upside against the Lakers on Monday night with a performance that netted 61 DK/58.9 FD points, and the Raptors have actually been a bit more vulnerable than usual to point guards lately while surrendering 49.0 DK/46.9 FD points per game to the position in the last seven games.
C.J. McCollum - PG/SG, NOP vs. CHI ($9,100 DK; $8,000 FD)
McCollum continues to do all he can to give the Pels a chance at the play-in level, and despite some occasional downturns recently, he has a good chance at one of his more productive performances Thursday. The Bulls have been more vulnerable to point guards the longer Lonzo Ball's (knee) absence has lingered, as they're now allowing the 11th-highest offensive efficiency to point guards (26.0 percent) and 50-plus fantasy points per game to the position in the last 15 games. McCollum also has a 32.4 percent usage rate and average of 49.0 DK/46.0 FD points per 36 minutes with Brandon Ingram off the floor, and the latter is doubtful for Thursday with his hamstring injury.
Cameron Payne - PG/SG, PHO at DEN ($6,900 DK; $6,500 FD)
Payne returned from a one-game absence Wednesday against the Timberwolves and picked up where he'd left off, scoring over 33 fantasy points on each site. The young veteran is averaging 14.2 points, 9.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals during his current 10-game starting tenure, and he's averaged 21.4 DK points across an average of 17.6 minutes per game in two contests against the Nuggets this season. Payne now gets a shot at Denver as a starter, and the Nuggets come in allowing over 48 fantasy points per game to PGs in the last 15.
ALSO CONSIDER: Devin Booker, PG, PHO at DEN ($9,300 DK; $9,400 FD); Tyus Jones, MEM vs. IND ($4,300 DK; $5,100 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF, MIL vs. WAS ($11,700 DK, $11,400 FD)
Giannis is naturally a plug-and-play type of option each time he takes the floor, and especially against a Wizards team he's already averaging over 70 fantasy points per game against in two games this season. Antetokounmpo has shot 55.3 percent in that sample, including a stellar 58.8 percent from three-point range. He's also averaging over 60 fantasy points per home game, and the Wizards will be short-handed in the frontcourt Thursday with Kyle Kuzma out due to a knee injury. The Wizards are also already allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency to power forwards (27.4 percent), along with 46.2 DK/48.7 D points per game to fours in the last 15.
Kristaps Porzingis - PF, WAS at MIL ($8,400 DK; $8,300 FD)
Porzingis makes for an especially attractive play with Kuzma out, as he already boasts a 32.5 percent usage rate and averages of 56.7 DK/57.5 FD points per 36 minutes without his teammate on the floor. The big man has begun to his stride in Washington after a delayed debut because of his knee injury, putting up over 60 FD points against the Rockets in his most recent game. Porzingis could be in for extra minutes Thursday given the importance of the game to Washington and Kuzma's absence, and Milwaukee has allowed over 56 fantasy points per game to centers in the last 15 games.
Dillon Brooks - SF, MEM vs. IND ($5,700 DK; $5,900 FD)
Brooks was back to a normal workload Wednesday against the Nets with Morant sidelined and provided 33 DK/33.6 FD points across 34 minutes with Morant sitting out. It's certainly possible his backcourt mate remains on the shelf Thursday, which would give Brooks another dose of expanded opportunity in a highly favorable matchup. The Pacers are allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency to backcourt players (48.8 percent), and the 11th highest to shooting guards specifically (21.6 percent). Indiana is also allowing 41.9 DK/40.9 FD points to SGs in the last 15, and the Pacers rank in the bottom 10 in three-point shooting allowed on the road (36.2 percent).
ALSO CONSIDER: Buddy Hield, SF, IND at MEM ($7,300 DK, $5,600 FD); Rui Hachimura, WAS at MIL ($4,500 DK; $4,600 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jonas Valanciunas - NOP vs. CHI ($8,200 DK; $8,400 FD)
Valanciunas scored 34.5 DK/35.1 FD points against the Bulls in just 33 minutes the first time he faced them this season, and he comes into Thursday's game on a tear that's seen him produce five straight double-doubles while averaging 23.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists and shooting 62.3 percent, including 41.7 percent from three-point range. The Bulls are now ranked No. 18 in offensive efficiency yielded to centers (32.5 percent) and are giving up over 56 fantasy points per game on each site to centers in the last 15.
Nikola Vucevic, CHI at NOP ($7,900 DK; $6,700 FD)
Vucevic makes for an interesting play at his salaries on the other side of the Bulls-Pelicans matchup, especially with a particularly low figure on FD. The veteran is offering his typically solid production and has put up 18.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steal across his last seven games. Vucevic is also averaging over 40 DK points per game on the road and New Orleans is surrendering the seventh-highest offensive efficiency to centers for the season (33.4 percent) despite some improved play against the position in recent games. Also consider the Pels are giving up the sixth-highest three-point shooting percentage of any team on its home floor (36.3), a relevant number considering Vucevic's floor-spacing ability.
ALSO CONSIDER: Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. PHO ($11,400 DK; $11,800 FD)
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