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With the NFL off for a whole week before the Super Bowl, the NBA has center stage in the sports world. We have a solid 7-game slate for a Thursday and some really compelling games to attack tonight.
Having only four teams taking the court is certainly better than nothing, but it does affect strategy. Such a small player pool leaves little room for error. It will be imperative to get guys with low ownership into your lineups in order to stand out. While none of us have a crystal ball to see into the future, there are a few intriguing guys worth considering for your lineups on Thursday.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 2/3/22. Remember to monitor NBA injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Let's cut right to the chase and dive into my favorite DraftKings and FanDuel plays for Thursday's three-game slate.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Fred VanVleet - PG, TOR vs. CHI (8,800 DK, $8,400 FD)
VanVleet has been one of the most consistent producers in fantasy when healthy this season. While he's routinely been priced in the $9k-$10k range this season his recent injury has allowed his salary to discount. Despite this, FVV has gone for at least 40 DK points in each of his last six games and the Raptors should have their hands full against a top-seeded Chicago squad. If you are looking for a safe play with elite upside, VanVleet is your guy.
Gary Trent Jr. - SG, TO vs. CHI ($6,100 DK, $7,100 FD)
Sticking with another Raptor for this pick, Trent Jr. is arguably the hottest player in the association at the moment. He's scored more than 30 points and totaled at least five three-pointers in each of his last five games. This is an obvious pick, as his recent level of play should lead to high ownership across most tournaments, but it's hard to pass him up on DK, where he's priced $1,000 less.
Davion Mitchell - PG/SG, GSW @ MIN ($4,800 DK, $5,700 FD)
Mitchell has made the most of his increased role while De'Aaron Fox has remained out of the lineup with an ankle injury. He's seen at least 30 minutes of playing time in three straight games and is averaging just under 32 DK points during that span. Fox is listed as a game-time decision for Thursday's matchup against the Timberwolves and if he's forced to sit once again, Mitchell should easily outproduce his $4,800 price tag on DK. For what it's worth, Minnesota has been middle of the pack when it comes to allowing guards to rack up FD points this season.
GPP PG:
Devin Vassell - SG, SAS vs. SAS ($4,500 DK, $4,900 FD)
Vassell is a guy who has really gone under the radar from a fantasy perspective this season. Despite all of the inconsistent lineups in San Antonio, he's managed to average just under 23 fantasy points in 25 minutes per night and has stepped up in games when Dejounte Murray is out of the lineup. Fresh off of a 14/8/4 line in Tuesday's loss to the Warriors, Murray is questionable after picking up a wrist injury and Vassell should pick up some extra minutes as a result. He's a sneaky play on both sites as he should have minimal ownership.
Others to consider: Stephen Curry ($9,500 FD), Malik Monk ($4,500 DK, $4,400 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Otto Porter Jr. - SF/PF, GSW vs. MIN (5,100 DK, $5,700 FD)
This is a sneaky play, as the masses will likely be all over Jonathan Kuminga after his 22-point performance on Tuesday. The truth of the matter is Porter has been seeing the biggest increase in playing time while Draymond Green is out and has scored in double figures in three straight games. The Timberwolves have also given up the seventh-most FanDuel points per game to opposing forwards this season.
Tobias Harris - PF/SF, PHI vs. LAL ($7,300 DK, $8,100 FD)
The elite play of Joel Embiid has caused Harris' recent level of play to slide under the radar. Harris has scored at least 4o FanDuel points in each of his last four games and has posted a double-double in his last two. The Lakers have been terrible at slowing down opposing power forwards also, giving up the eighth-most DraftKings points to the position this season. Harris is a no-brainer on DraftKings.
Furkan Korkmaz - SF, PHI vs. LAL ($4,800 DK, $4,500 FD)
Korkmaz has scored at least 20 fantasy points in four of his last five games and gets a nice matchup against the Lakers. His value is somewhat tied to the status of Danny Green, however, who is listed as questionable after sitting out since January 12th with a hip injury.
Others to consider: Andrew Wiggins ($5,700 DK, $6,000 FD), Carmelo Anthony ($4,300 DK, $5,200 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Joel Embiid - C, PHI @ LAL ($11,400 DK, $11,400 FD)
Embiid might be the highest owned player on the slate, but it's not physically possible to pass him at the moment. Forget about the price tag, Embiid is dominating the NBA and if he's not the MVP favorite by now, he should be. Check out his numbers over his last four games: 42.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.2 blocks, and a staggering 70 fantasy points per game. Unreal. The Lakers did just get Anthony Davis back recently and he's probable to play, though he could be limited again after only seeing 25 minutes in his first game back. Regardless, Embiid is a monster and a perfect option to build your team around. Don't overthink it.
Jarred Vanderbilt - PF/C, MIN @ GSW (5,500 DK, $6,100 FD)
Vanderbilt is only center eligible on DraftKings, so this is solely a DraftKings call. Regardless, he's $600 cheaper on the site and put up at least 35 fantasy points in each of his last three games. He's not often thought of as a center, so he may fly under the radar a bit, which is exactly what you want in a smaller slate.
Others to consider: Nemanja Bjelica ($3,500 DK), Kevon Looney ($4,700 DK, $4,900 FD)
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