There are only two NBA games on Thursday, one of them a showcase for superstars. Daily fantasy contests begin with a critical decision at SF: LeBron James $11800, Kevin Durant $10500 — or neither.
Cleveland has won eight in a row. Forget that wheel-spinning 5-7 start; the Cavs are headed to the top of the East. Something’s gotta give, as the Thunder can’t afford many losses on their climb back into a playoff spot. As exciting as Russell Westbrook $10700 vs. Kyrie Irving $9200 will be, it makes for another tough call in DFS.
Plays of the Day
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With different styles, Serge Ibaka $7200 and Kevin Love $9300 are both effective. OKC needs sixth man Reggie Jackson $6100 and Jeremy Lamb $4000 to contribute. Tristan Thompson $5100 is in a productive timeshare with Anderson Varejao $5000 and Dion Waiters $3500 provides bench scoring. If you need a very small ‘puzzle piece’ consider Matthew Dellavedova $3000.
The nightcap is a battle of attrition. James Harden $11400 played through back spasms on Saturday and gave his all last night — 34 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 4 STL — in 40 high-intensity minutes against the league’s best team. If you believe he can do that again on the road, 24 hours later, he’s by far the best SG available. Jason Terry $5800 had a horrible game against the Warriors (1-7 with a -20 in 27 minutes) but could atone, and might even thrive if Harden’s minutes are limited.
Daily fantasy hoops is like a bagel this evening, with a big hole in the middle. It’s the worst selection imaginable at the C position. DeMarcus Cousins (meningitis) is out indefinitely. Dwight Howard (knee) might return this weekend. That means Varejao, Tarik Black $4400 and Steven Adams $3900 are starting centers. Kudos to DK for making Reggie Evans $5000 C-eligible. A 34-year-old part-time PF (generously listed at 6’8”) might rebound his way into fantasy relevance tonight.
While Rudy Gay $8900 and Darren Collison $6800 have been outstanding, their stamina is being tested. The Kings have had just one day to recover from playing four games in five nights. Jason Thompson $4600 needs to bounce back and rookie Nik Stauskas $3000 has seen an uptick in minutes recently. For the Rockets, Patrick Beverley $5600 is a solid play and Donatas Motiejunas $5400 has steadily improved since injuries increased his role. Trevor Ariza $6200 is a consistent source of 3-pointers and rebounds.
Having already forgotten Wednesday’s disaster, I’m optimistic about this Short List including some winners. Good luck with all your teams.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Russell Westbrook $10700 | Darren Collison $6800 | Patrick Beverley $5600 |
| SG | James Harden $11400 | Jason Terry $5800 | Dion Waiters $3500 |
| SF | Kevin Durant $10500 | Rudy Gay $8900 | Shawn Marion $3600 |
| PF | Kevin Love $9300 | Serge Ibaka $7200 | Jason Thompson $4600 |
| C | Reggie Evans $5000 | Anderson Varejao $5000 | Kendrick Perkins $3000 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.