Two of the top four seeds in the Western Conference will headline the slate for Thursday night’s NBA fantasy action when the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Oklahoma City Thunder. There is a good chance that matchup will produce the highest scoring game of the night but there are 12 teams to build your fantasy lineup around in DraftKings tournaments and it would be smart to do the necessary research in order to build the optimal lineup. Here is some important fantasy advice to consider for Thursday’s NBA action.
Weak Defense To Target: Houston Rockets
It would be easy to pick on the Brooklyn Nets again but the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t have many strong value options so we will look to the Houston Rockets as the weak defense to target for Thursday night. The Rockets are one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA but they also rank 26th in the association with an average of 106.8 points allowed per game. That means a strong matchup for the visiting Chicago Bulls with Nikola Mirotic available as a strong sleeper option. Mirotic has averaged 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 three-point shots and 1.3 assists per game over the past week of action and his NBA fantasy numbers should benefit in a game against Houston’s terrible defense.
Player Who’s Hot Right Now: Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
The Celtics have played .500 basketball over their past 10 games but Isaiah Thomas has been the one constant for them with some of the best fantasy numbers in the NBA of late. Thomas has averaged 25.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 three-point shots per game over the last week of action and there is no reason to expect his production to slow against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. Thomas is available at a very reasonable price in NBA fantasy, so it definitely makes sense to ride the hot hand.
Injuries, Rest Create Opportunities For… Ian Mahinmi, Sean Kilpatrick
The Indiana Pacers are moving closer to securing a playoff spot and there is every reason to expect them to get a win when they host the Orlando Magic on Thursday night. Ian Mahinmi is a strong option whose fantasy stock has climbed recently thanks in big part to the fact that he has averaged 30.0 minutes per game for Indiana over the last week. Mahinmi has averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game over that span and should deliver another strong performance versus the Magic.
Meanwhile, as surprising as it is to be touting an undrafted second-year player from the Nets at this point in the year that is exactly what we will do with Sean Kilpatrick. The former Cincinnati guard has carved out a nice role with Brooklyn and the combination of his production and low price tag makes him a strong sleeper play. Kilpatrick has averaged 15.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 three-point shot per game over the last week so consider him as a deeper option if you need some salary cap relief in NBA Fantasy Daily Leagues.
Highest Scoring Game Of The Night: LAC @ OKC
The Clippers and Thunder combined for 228 points in their last meeting and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they hit that mark again on Thursday night. Both teams rank in the top six in the NHL in points per game this season and after resting players on Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons the Thunder should have a full lineup. Russell Westbrook has been on an absolute tear and it will be hard to pass on him in this matchup. He has averaged 22.8 points, 11.0 assists, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game over the last seven days and he has recorded 16 triple-doubles this season. There is no doubt that Westbrook is one of the more expensive options on the board but he is definitely worth the price. Meanwhile, those looking for a strong value option could consider Jeff Green in Daily Fantasy Leagues. Green has averaged 10.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game over the last week of action and is available at a very reasonable price on DraftKings.
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