RADIO
We’re set for a compact six-game slate Thursday as the NBA’s increasingly intriguing stretch run continues. While there could certainly be a blowout or two, each contest has at least one team in it that has postseason aspirations.
There are some notable names on the injury report, but the biggest, Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, are considered likely to play. There’s also solid value to be had due to either matchup, opportunity due to injury, or both at the mid-salary and value levels.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 4/29/21. I’ll be providing multiple player suggestions for players at guard, forward and center on FanDuel, aiming to highlight one option apiece at the high, middle and lower end of the salary scale. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Stephen Curry, PG – at MIN ($9,600)
Curry had a down game Tuesday by his standards against the Mavericks on the surface, but with 35.2 FD points across 30 minutes, he actually was extremely efficient. Prior to that tally, the perennial All-Star had averaged 51.3 FD points across the previous 11 games, a stretch during which he drained 49.0 percent of his three-point attempts. Curry already owns a 51.3 FD-point tally against the T-Wolves this season as well, and Minnesota checks into Thursday’s matchup allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency (29.5 percent) to point guards, along with the sixth-most FD points per game (50.1) to ones for the season. The T-Wolves are also yielding the highest three-point percentage (39.2) in the league, certainly a foreboding number when facing Curry.
D'Angelo Russell, PG – vs. GS ($6,900)
Russell has picked things up over the last five games, averaging 37.5 FD points while shooting 51.3 percent, including 44.2 percent from behind the arc. Russell gets a crack at his former Warriors squad Thursday after missing the first two games against Golden State due to injury. The Dubs are allowing the eight-most FD points per game (42.2) to two-guards over the last seven contests, and they’re now surrendering elevated 37.5 percent three-point shooting. As alluded to earlier, Russell has been hot from deep recently, and he’s also delivered over 5x his current salary on 14 occasions.
Eric Bledsoe, SG – at OKC ($4,800)
Bledsoe is still underperforming overall, but he’s been better as the season has unfolded and has eclipsed 30 FD points in five of his 15 April games. The veteran guard is shooting an impressive 40.7 percent from behind the arc over his last five contests, and Thursday, he faces a Thunder team that’s he put up 25.1 FD points against on two prior occasions this season. OKC has struggled against two-guards all season, yielding the sixth-highest offensive efficiency (24.5 percent) to the position, along with the most FD points per game (46.1) to twos over the last 15 games.
Also consider: Luka Doncic ($11,000); Jrue Holiday ($7,500); Josh Jackson ($5,600)
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FanDuel DFS Forwards
Zion Williamson, PF- at OKC ($9,400)
Williamson is another Pelican who’s in an excellent positional matchup on paper Thursday, as the Thunder has been powerless to slow down power forwards all season. OKC is allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency (26.7 percent) to fours, along with the most FD points per game (48.9) to the position, including 50.6 over the last 15 games. Williamson has seen a bit of a salary drop due to a pair of sub-30-FD-point tallies in his last pair of contests, but he’d averaged 46.3 FD points across the previous 11 games. Zion already has a 44.7 FD-point tally against the Thunder this season, and he’ll also be in position to benefit from the fact OKC gives up the second-highest offensive efficiency (60.8 percent) in the paint.
Pascal Siakam PF – at DEN ($8,700)
Siakam dropped to 21.4 FD points over 35 minutes against the Nets on Tuesday, but he’d averaged 44.0 FD points per contest over the previous 10 games while shooting 49.5 percent on 19.2 shot attempts per contest. The versatile big man draws quite the matchup against the Nuggets, which have given up the highest offensive efficiency (28.7 percent) to power forwards, along with the fifth-most FD points per game (47.4) to the position. Siakam already lit Denver up for 50.6 FD points over 35 minutes in his one prior encounter with the Nuggets this season, and his usage should continue very elevated in what is yet another key matchup for the playoff-hopeful Raps.
Justin Holiday, SF – vs. BKN ($4,100)
Domantas Sabonis will remain out with his back injury Thursday, and Holiday is averaging 28.6 FD points per 36 minutes with his teammate off the floor this season. The veteran wing’s efficiency has come back down to earth after he got off to a hot start shooting-wise this season, but he’s still posting a solid 56.0 percent true shooting percentage and 37.4 percent figure from behind the arc. The Nets have had trouble with small forwards throughout the season, yielding the second-highest offensive efficiency (25.6 percent) to threes, along with the ninth-most FD points per game (43.7) to the position in the last seven games. Holiday has already delivered over 5x his currently salary on 21 occasions this season, and a game in which the pace should be extremely brisk could give him a strong chance of doing it again.
Also consider: Kevin Durant ($9,300); Christian Wood ($8,400); OG Anunoby ($7,200); Oshae Brissett ($6,800)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Karl-Anthony Towns – vs. GS ($9,700)
Towns has missed both prior meetings versus the Warriors, but he’ll be ready for his usual high-usage role against a Golden State team that’s ill-equipped to slow him down. The Dubs are yielding the seventh-most FD points per game (56.1) to centers, including 58.5 over the last 30 contests. The Warriors are also ranked in the bottom 10 in offensive efficiency allowed to fives (33.4 percent), while Towns is averaging 49.6 FD points on 49.8 percent shooting, including 41.1 percent from distance, over his last 24 games dating back to March 13.
Khem Birch – at DEN ($5,900)
Birch has been a resounding success during what is now a seven-game starting tenure, one in which he’s averaged 27.9 FD points across 28.9 minutes per game. The big man is coming off a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double in his most recent contest against the Nets, and he’s now averaging 34.6 FD points per 36 minutes with injured teammate Chris Boucher (knee) off the floor this season. The Nuggets have also been more generous to centers of late, yielding 48.3 FD points per game to the position in the last seven contests. While Birch’s salary has bumped up a bit due to his recent success, he’s still delivered well over a 5x return in each of his last two games.
Brook Lopez – at HOU ($5,400)
Lopez sports a very appealing salary for a matchup against a Rockets team that’s given up an NBA-high 56.6 rebounds per contest, as well as the fourth-highest offensive efficiency (33.9 percent) to centers. Houston is also allowing a whopping 62.9 FD points per contest to fives over the last 15 games, and Lopez has posted over 30 FD points in three of the last eight games alone. The big man has delivered over 5x his current salary in 19 games this season, and 12 of those who have notably come on the road. The fact Houston is allowing the fifth-highest three-point percentage (37.8 percent) is also relevant when considering Lopez, as the floor-spacing veteran is shooting an impressive 40.7 percent from behind the arc in 13 April games.
Also consider: Nikola Jokic ($10,900); Kelly Olynyk ($8,100); Steven Adams ($5,000)
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