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We’re set for a six-game slate Thursday, one that gives us a bit of a breather from the heavy volume of decisions we had to make on Wednesday’s massive 10-game ledger. The make-up of the more condensed schedule makes things challenging in another way, however, as there’s a possibility for multiple games to turn non-competitive in their respective second halves.
Specifically, the Jazz-Wizards and Hornets-Lakers could be at greatest peril of seeing matters get lopsided for the favorites as the game goes on, with the Timberwolves-Suns also a candidate to a lesser extent. Meanwhile, even if the Magic-Knicks game is close, it’s certainly in the running for lowest scoring of the night. Luckily, the Thunder-Hawks and Pelicans-Trail Blazers tilts are highly likely to offer promising game environments for DFS purposes, and there will certainly also be viable options to work with in the other contests, even if some of them eventually end up with a heavy dose of second-unit players on the floor.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/18/21. 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
Damian Lillard, PG – vs. NO ($10,400)
Lillard just eviscerated the Pelicans for the second time this season Tuesday, posting 68.2 FD points on the strength of a 50-point outburst in a comeback win for Portland. Prior to that, Dame had accumulated 73.8 FD points on Feb. 17, largely on the back of a 43-point, 16-assist double-double. Consequently, there’s little reason to doubt Lillard is the guard to pay up for on the modestly sized slate Thursday, especially since New Orleans is now allowing an NBA-high 55.8 FD points per game to PGs over the last 15, along with the second-highest offensive efficiency (30.6 percent) to ones on the season. C.J. McCollum’s presence isn’t too much of a concern, either, as Lillard still accomplished his massive total Tuesday with McCollum logging 26 minutes and taking 11 shots.
Devin Booker, SG – vs. MIN ($7,500)
Booker is a rock-solid option if you’re not spending above the mid-tier level at guard Thursday, as the ultra-reliable sharpshooter has averaged 39.9 FD points over his last nine contests, a span during which he’s shooting 50.8 percent. Additionally, Booker hasn’t scored below 32.0 FD points in 17 of his last 18 games, and he touched up this same Timberwolves team for a season-high 57.5 FD points across 34 minutes in his one prior meeting against them Feb. 28. Minnesota will still be missing Malik Beasley’s (suspension) defense in the backcourt as well, and the T-Wolves are allowing the sixth-highest offensive efficiency (24.2 percent) to two-guards on the campaign, along with the fifth-most FD points per game (45.3) over the last five contests, all games Beasley has missed.
Jordan Clarkson, PG – at WAS ($5,200)
There’s certainly a possibility Thursday’s Jazz-Wizards game eventually gets a bit out of hand in favor of Utah, especially if Russell Westbrook sits out the second game of the back-to-back set for Washington. Clarkson is a good play at this salary under any circumstance, but even more so if he gets a bit of an uptick in playing time against a very defensively vulnerable opponent. The Wizards are allowing the eight-highest offensive efficiency to point guards (27.8 percent) for the season, along with the ninth highest (43.7 percent) to second-unit players. Then, Clarkson has scored over 30 FD points in three of the last six games, while posting 26.1 in another contest during that span. He’s also delivered at least 5x return on his current salary in 24 of 39 games, furthering his already strong case in a game that will also bring a big bump in pace for Utah.
Also consider: Russell Westbrook ($10,500); Bradley Beal ($9,500); Trae Young ($8,800); C.J. McCollum ($8,500); Donovan Mitchell ($8,300); LaMelo Ball ($8,200); Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($7,900); Anthony Edwards ($7,100); Chris Paul ($6,900); Lonzo Ball ($6,700); Gary Trent Jr. ($5,400); Jaylen Nowell ($4,600); Alec Burks ($4,500)
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FanDuel DFS Forwards
Julius Randle, PF- vs. ORL ($9,200)
Randle offers a $1,600 savings over LeBron James, and he can provide virtually the same ceiling when he’s on. That much was evident yet again in two of Randle’s last three games, a pair of contests in which he exceeded 60 FD points in each. The big man has delivered over 5x his current salary in just under half (20) of his 41 games, and he put up 42.9 FD points versus this same Magic squad back on Jan. 18. Orlando could have Aaron Gordon back from his ankle injury Thursday, but the Magic are allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency (27.7 percent) to power forwards, along with 45.1 FD points per contest to the position over the last 30 games.
John Collins, PF – vs. OKC ($7,500)
Collins’ frontcourt mate Clint Capela is listed as questionable with his heel injury Thursday, and if the big man misses a third straight game, Collins should remain at center, a spot where he’s compiled 38.9 and 48.5 FD points in the last two contests. Collins remains a good play even if he shifts back to power forward as well, as OKC is allowing the sixth-most rebounds per game (54.6), as well as the fourth-highest offensive efficiency (27.5 percent) and the second-most FD points (48.9) per game to fours. Moreover, the Thunder gives up a robust 55.0 FD points per game to centers, so irrespective of where he lines up in the frontcourt, Collins should have a good chance of delivering over a 5x return on his current salary for the 12th time this season.
Carmelo Anthony, SF – vs. NO ($5,300)
Anthony has been a force off the bench for the Trail Blazers of late, averaging 32.9 FD points over 28.9 minutes per contest in his last seven games. The veteran has taken double-digit shot attempts in each of those contests, and he just put up 29.8 FD points versus this same Pelicans squad in a 30-minute stint Tuesday. New Orleans has been vulnerable to second units all season, giving up the sixth-highest offensive efficiency (44.4 percent) to bench players, along with 39.1 percent shooting from distance. Anthony has shot a nearly identical 39.0 percent from behind the arc in the aforementioned seven-game sample, and the Pels come in allowing the second-most made threes per game (3.3) to small forwards specifically.
Also consider: LeBron James ($10,800); Zion Williamson ($8,400); Brandon Ingram ($7,800); Gordon Hayward ($7,300); Kyle Kuzma ($6,000); Bojan Bogdanovic ($5,200); Aleksej Pokusevski ($4,300); Kenrich Williams ($4,200); Nathan Knight ($3,500)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Nikola Vucevic– at NY ($10,000)
The Knicks have been a very tough defensive team overall, but they’re not exactly formidable down low with Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson manning the five. Vucevic has already averaged 45.3 FD points in his two previous meetings against New York this season, and he’s put up between 46.9 to 58.0 FD points in five of the last six contests. As elevated as his salary is Thursday, Vucevic has managed to deliver over a 5x return on it on 13 occasions already, and with the Knicks allowing 50.1 FD points per game to centers over the last 15, I like his chances of doing it again.
Montrezl Harrell — vs. CHA ($6,700)
Harrell has mostly been outstanding in Marc Gasol’s absence due to health and safety protocols, averaging 41.7 FD points per contest over the last four games. His salary has bumped back up as a result, but Harrell has an appealing matchup that could facilitate another strong return on investment Thursday. The Hornets will be on the second game of a back-to-back set and have been vulnerable to frontcourt players all season, allowing the second highest offensive efficiency (85.6 percent) to power forwards and centers. Charlotte is also surrendering 53.5 FD points per game to centers specifically, along with the third-most rebounds per game (16.7) to the position.
Derrick Favors – at WAS ($3,500)
The Thunder’s Moses Brown (listed below in the “Also consider” section) is also very intriguing at the discount level Thursday, but the x-factor is Al Horford is slated to return to action and therefore is likely to relegate Brown to a lesser role. Meanwhile, Favors is very likely to be much lower rostered, but at bare minimum and in a pace-up game against a poor defense, he makes for an interesting large-field tournament dart throw. Favors offers much more upside than the typical min-salary player, having offered over a 5x return on his salary on 16 occasions this season, and having scored over 20 FD points in 14 of those contests. The Wizards’ struggles against second-unit players were already detailed in Clarkson’s entry earlier, and additionally, it’s worth noting Washington is allowing an NBA-high 59.6 FD points per game to centers on the season, along with the third-highest offensive efficiency (35.3 percent) to the position.
Also consider: Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,700); Rudy Gobert ($8,700); Deandre Ayton ($6,800); Al Horford ($5,900); Moses Brown ($4,400)
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