This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
There are five games on Thursday night, making this a relatively sparse schedule but still with enough options to differentiate your team. The game of the night, fantasy-wise, has to be the Rockets at the Trail Blazers, pitting two of the most explosive guards in the league against each other in Damian Lillard and James Harden. And if Harden is at all paying attention to the MVP race, he can't help but be challenged by Russell Westbrook's 57-point triple-double on Wednesday.
The other big story of the night is the Cavaliers, and whether they are really as fragile as they've looked in recent games. This seems like a day for focused LeBron James, but on the other side of the ball we've been seeing some big games out of Jimmy Butler and even Rajon Rondo since Dwyane Wade went down. And the Timberwolves, who have several fantasy-friendly players, face arguably the most fantasy-friendly defense in the NBA in the Lakers, which could also lead to some nice scores.
Damian Lillard, POR vs HOU ($9,300): Lillard has scored between 39.7 and 56.7 fantasy points in eight straight games, and is playing at an extremely high level as he tried to lead the Trail Blazers to the eighth playoff spot out West. On Thursday, he faces the Rockets, an elite offense and fast-paced team that operates from the perimeter. This kind of game shapes up to be right in Lillard's wheelhouse, especially against a team that has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to point guards in the last 10 games.
C.J. McCollum, POR at HOU ($7,200): McCollum is Lillard's running mate, and is more up-and-down than his teammate. McCollum is coming off a 50.5 fantasy point effort in his last game and a 40.8 three games ago, but those sandwiched a 16.7 fantasy point effort. But again, the Rockets are perimeter-based and fast paced, which fits McCollum's strengths as well. The Rockets have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to shooting guards in the last 10 games.
Kris Dunn, MIN vs LAL ($3,900): Dunn has been getting heavy run lately, perhaps because the Timberwolves have faded from even the dimmest playoffs hopes and now need to see what they really have in their lottery rookie. Dunn has scored between 25.9 and 32.4 fantasy points in three straight games, and on Thursday faces a Lakers defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to point guards in the last 10 games.
Jimmy Butler, CHI vs CLE ($10,000): Butler has scored between 44 and 66.9 fantasy points in six straight games, as he became the clear and solo focal point for the Bulls defense after Dwyane Wade went down for the season. On Thursday, Butler faces a Cavaliers team that has looked vulnerable of late, and that has allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to shooting guards in the last 10 games.
T.J. Warren, PHO vs LAC ($6,600): It breaks tradition to have the top two forwards as small forwards, but Warren has been playing flat-out better than similar-priced power forwards of late. Warren has played mega minutes of late when health has allowed. He had played between 37 and 45 minutes in three straight games, scoring between 33.7 and 41.3 fantasy points, then injured himself against the Heat and missed two games, before returning to score 44 fantasy points in 39 minutes and 40.1 fantasy points in 40 minutes. On Thursday, he faces a Clippers team on the second half of a back-to-back that has allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to small forwards in the last 10 games.
Nikola Mirotic, CHI vs CLE ($5,200): Mirotic is high variance, but has been more good than bad since re-joining the Bulls rotation eight games ago. Over that stretch he has four games over 36 fantasy points, including his last game against the Bucks. When he's off he can be really off, such as in the 8.8 fantasy point effort he turned in against the Jazz, but his upside is to be the high scoring power forward for the night.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs LAL ($10,600): Towns struggled to only 22 fantasy points against the Trail Blazers on Saturday, but bounced back with a more expected 55.9 fantasy point effort against the Pacers on Tuesday. Outside of that Trail Blazers game, Towns has scored between 37.8 and 67 fantasy points in his other 17 most recent games. On Thursday, he faces a terrible Lakers interior defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to centers in the last 10 games.
Jusuf Nurkic, POR vs HOU ($7,500): Nurkic has played at a high level since becoming the starting center for the Trail Blazers, but lately he has found more consistency without losing the upside. He has scored at least 30.5 fantasy points in his last eight games, but has three games over 40 fantasy points in that stretch including a 58.2 fantasy point detonation in his last outing on Wednesday. On Thursday, he faces a Rockets defense that has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to centers in the last 10 games.
Alan Williams, PHO vs LAC ($5,200): Williams has been riskier of late, with a 13.6 fantasy point effort in only 15 minutes in his last outing, three games after scoring only 8.4 fantasy points against the Nets. However, in his 15 other most recent games he has scored between 18.5 and 45.5 fantasy points with eight games over 30, so he's still a better bet than not at his price point. The Clippers have allowed the 11th-fewest fantasy points to centers in the last 10 games.
