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We have the usual modestly-sized slate on tap Thursday night, as there are just five games on the ledger. However, as is typical this time of season, there's some sort of postseason implication attached to each, and a case could be made for each game having a reasonable opportunity of remaining close.
The player pool remains solid with 10 teams in action, and while some big names like LeBron James populate the injury report, the recent return of Paul George and Kyrie Irving's availability for the Nets' home games helps keep the top end well-stocked.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 3/31/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineup lock, which is at 7:00pm ET tonight. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
James Harden - PG/SG, PHI at DET ($10,200 DK; $10,200 FD)
Harden is a high-upside target that naturally won't come cheap Thursday, but one that is particularly well-suited to thrive in the matchup he draws. The Pistons have been especially vulnerable on the perimeter, allowing the fourth-highest three-point shooting percentage (36.6 percent) for the season, including 37.4 percent over the last three games. Harden has certainly exploited it already as well, having drained 58.3 percent of his three-point attempts in two prior games against Detroit while averaging over 50 DK points in that sample. He's also eclipsed 50 fantasy points in two of his last three games, and the Pistons are allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency to SGs (23.1 percent).
Donovan Mitchell - PG/SG, UTA vs. LAL ($8,800 DK; $8,100 FD)
Mitchell's salary is especially appealing on FD relative to his upside, but it's certainly not unreasonable on DK either. The sharpshooter is draining 47.1 percent of his attempts over the last five games, and he's averaged over 45 fantasy points per game in two encounters with the Lakers this season. Mitchell has been a better shooter overall at home as well, and the Lakers are certainly even more vulnerable defensively than usual with James' absence. Los Angeles is also already allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency (22.5 percent) to twos, along with the third-most DK (45.6) and most FD (45.2) points per game to the position in the last 15.
Reggie Jackson - PG/SG, LAC at CHI ($6,600 DK; $6,300 FD)
Jackson compiled 34.8 DK/34.1 FD points in his first game in months with George available Tuesday, despite the fact he went just 8-for-24 from the field against the stingy Jazz. The veteran draws a less resistant matchup Thursday, as the Bulls are now allowing the 12th-highest offensive efficiency to point guards (26.1 percent) in Lonzo Ball's extended absence with a knee injury. Additionally, Chicago has given up 49.1 DK/48.0 FD points per game to ones as well, leaving Jackson poised for potentially overdelivering on his current salaries.
ALSO CONSIDER: Darius Garland, PG/SG, CLE at ATL ($10,100 DK; $9,300 FD); Paul George, SG, LAC at CHI ($9,400 DK; $9,700 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Kevin Durant - SF/PF, BKN vs. MIL ($11,400 DK, $10,900 FD)
Durant has shot 52.3 percent and averaged over 55 fantasy points per game in two prior encounters with the Bucks this season, and he's averaging 59 DK/58 FD points over his last five games. Kyrie Irving's availability for home games hasn't dinged Durant's production at all over the first two instances it's transpired, as KD has one tally over 50 and another over 70 in those contests while averaging 23.5 shot attempts per game. Consequently, he can be rostered without the slightest hesitation Thursday despite the sky-high salaries for what should be a wire-to-wire slugfest with Milwaukee, which ranks No. 18 in offensive efficiency to PFs (26.1 percent). Milwaukee is also allowing the fifth-most DK (47.8) and sixth-most FD (45.8) points per game to the position, further cementing Durant's case.
Cade Cunningham - SF, DET vs. PHI ($8,700 DK; $8,200 FD)
Cunningham continues to stuff the stat sheet nearly every time he takes the floor as the season winds down, most recently producing 48.8 DK/46.2 FD points against the Nets on Tuesday night. The dynamic rookie has eclipsed 40 on both sites in four of his last six games alone, a stretch during which he's shooting 50.0 percent overall while putting up a well-balanced 21.8 points, 7.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 block per contest. Cunningham also scored 39 DK/36 FD points in his one game against the Sixers this season and Philly comes in allowing an elevated 38.9 percent three-point shooting in the last three games.
Robert Covington - SF/PF, LAC at CHI ($4,200 DK; $5,300 FD)
Covington makes for an intriguing value play Thursday for an interconference clash against the Bulls, which have allowed the seventh-highest offensive efficiency to power forwards (27.4 percent) on the season, along with over 45 fantasy points per game to the position in the last seven games. Covington certainly won't be highly rostered even at his salaries after having turned in 10.3 DK/9.2 FD points against Utah on Tuesday, but he'd eclipsed 20 fantasy points in eight of the prior nine games while shooting 47.0 percent, including 45.5 percent from three point range. Covington has also shot 63.6 percent, including 55.6 percent from distance, in two games against the Bulls this season while averaging 28.0 DK/29.3 FD points in those contests.
ALSO CONSIDER: Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF/PF, MIL at BKN ($11,800 DK, $11,900 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Vucevic - CHI vs. LAC ($8,100 DK; $7,700 FD)
Vucevic has eclipsed 40 fantasy points in three of the last four games on both sites, shooting 56.4 percent, including 38.5 percent from three-point range, in that span. The floor-spacing big man has averaged 43.2 DK points per home game as well, and he's tangling with a Clippers team that's allowed the 11th-highest offensive efficiency to centers (32.8 percent), along with over 62 fantasy points per game to the position in the last seven. Vucevic is also well equipped to take advantage of L.A.'s issues defending the perimeter, with the Clippers having allowed 43.9 percent three-point shooting in the last three.
Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. LAL ($7,700 DK; $7,800 FD)
Gobert has been about as reliable as they come at center all season, and he'll enter Thursday's game averaging over 40 fantasy points per home contest on both sites. The Stifle Tower has averaged over 35 fantasy points in two games against the Lakers this season as well, and the short-handed L.A. frontcourt could have a difficult time keeping Gobert from another successful outing Thursday. Los Angeles has also been especially vulnerable down low recently, yielding 60.7 DK/60.4 FD points per game to centers in the last 15 games. Moreover, the Lakers give up the third-most points in the paint per contest (51.5), while Gobert is scoring 71.3 percent of his points in that part of the floor.
ALSO CONSIDER: Joel Embiid, PHI vs. ($11,500 DK; $11,500 FD); Brook Lopez, MIL at BKN ($3,900 DK; $4,700 FD)
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