NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Thursday (10/20)

Man, how crazy was that Wednesday slate? Seeing almost every team in action is always fun, and I can’t emphasize how excited I am to see some basketball! We did really well in our first big slate of the year, but we’re being relegated to just two games here. That’s typical for Thursday cards, though, leaving us with a minimal player pool. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the odds and schedule!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Schedule and Odds

MIL at PHI (PHI -3.5) O/U: 224.5
These are expected to be two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. We should be looking at a close-fought battle, with the two MVP candidates showing out for their club.

LAC at LAL (LAC -3.5) O/U: 220
We get the Battle of Los Angeles in the opening week! These are two teams heading in opposite directions, though, and it looks like the Clippers are the better of the two teams. It remains to be seen who will receive the minutes for that deep Clips rotation, but we know who’s running things for the Lakers.

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Khris Middleton (wrist) OUT
• Thomas Bryant (thumb) OUT
• Pat Connaughton (thigh) OUT
• Dennis Schroder (thumb) OUT

Core Plays

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF – MIL): $10,700 DraftKings, $11,300 FanDuel
Giannis is always one of the top options in fantasy, averaging nearly 60 DraftKings points per game last season. That’s scary since he’s expected to see an expanded role here, gaining more usage and shot attempts in the absence of Khris Middleton. The Greek Freak has also pummelled Philly over recent years, averaging 61 DK points per game in their last nine matchups.

LeBron James (PG/SF – LAL): $9,300 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel
The Lakers struggled in the opener, but King James was his usual self. The million-time All-Star had 31 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists in that blowout loss. That sort of line is commonplace for this superstar, and there are simply not many better bets for 40-plus fantasy points. He showed that when he scored at least 43 DK points in each of his three meetings with LA last season.

Cash Game Considerations

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $10,300 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel
Embiid struggled to get going in the opener but finishing with 26 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists shows how dominant he can be. That’s why he was one of the league leaders with 59 DK points per game last year, and he should throttle this weak Milwaukee frontcourt. In their two matchups last season, Embiid averaged 35.5 points, 14 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game.

Kawhi Leonard (SF/PF – LAC): $8,400 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
This is risky, but something tells me LA will allow Kawhi to cook here. That’s what this Finals MVP always does, averaging 46 DK points per game in 2020. He’s had plenty of time to return to that form, which seems more likely since the Lakers surrendered 123 points in their debut after ranking 26th in total defense in 2021.

GPP Targets

Reggie Jackson (PG – LAC): $6,200 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
This is a risky option with a healthy Clippers roster, but R-Jax is still expected to be the Clips starting point guard. That makes him a worthy shot in this price range, particularly with the Lakers allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing point guards last year. Jackson showed that in his head-to-head matchups, averaging 43 DK points per game in their four meetings. He only needs 60 percent of that to be a good value, making him one of the sneakiest plays of the day.

Lonnie Walker (SF – LAL): $4,100 DraftKings, $4,400 FanDuel
I was surprised to see Walker start in the Lakers opener, but it looks like he will be their go-to small forward. He played 29 minutes in that surprise start, scoring 19.3 DK points. That might not sound like much, but it’s all you can hope for from such a cheap player. He did that damage despite making just two shots, and we know this sharpshooter can get hot from deep. Look for LeBron and Anthony Davis to soak up all the tough defense while Walker gets some open shots.

Value Plays

Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $4,800 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
Lopez averaged 25 DK points per game for most of last season, and he can be a great fantasy producer when given the opportunity. He will have to do more with Middleton and Connaughton both sidelined, likely playing 25-30 minutes while firing up double-digit shots. They’ll need him to play monster minutes to oppose Embiid, averaging 28 minutes per game in their seven meetings since 2020. If Lopez gets 27 minutes, he’ll be a value below $5K.

Patrick Beverley (PG – LAL): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
Beverley was glued to the bench due to foul trouble in the opener, but he still had 21 DK points, despite playing just 24 minutes. That means he’s a good bet for 30-35 minutes, and he averaged over 25 DK points per game in a similar role last season. You know he’ll be fired up to play his former team as well, and he’s one of the only Lakers with a quality individual matchup.

Advantageous Pricing

• LeBron James (PG/SF – LAL): $9,300 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel
• Tyrese Maxey (PG/SG – PHI): $5,200 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
• Josh Wall (PG/SG – LAC): $4,900 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
• Patrick Beverley (PG – LAL): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel

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