Yahoo DFS Basketball: Thursday Picks

Yahoo DFS Basketball: Thursday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

After an eventful day in the NBA on Wednesday, we have just one game on the schedule Thursday. The Nets, despite all of their injuries, will have a chance to close out the Bucks on the road in Game 6 of their series. This matchup also provides an opportunity to play Yahoo's single game contest, which comes with a bit of a twist.

In addition to selecting two flex players, there are three multiplier positions. A player slotted into the Megastar spot will earn double their fantasy points scored. The Superstar spot will earn 1.5X their fantasy points scored. Finally, the Star will earn 1.2X their fantasy points scored. With that in mind, let's discuss some players to consider.

MULTIPIERS

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($54): One of the big topics that came up after the Bucks' lost Game 5 was how Giannis struggled down the stretch. He missed a late three-point attempt, struggled at the free-throw low and didn't guard Kevin Durant, who the Bucks had no answer for on the defensive end. However, with all those negative headlines surrounding him, Giannis still had a monster performance for DFS purposes, posting 34 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. He's the clear driving force behind the Bucks' offense and should continue to have an extremely high floor moving forward.

Kevin Durant ($51): Durant had a performance for the ages in Game 5. He led the Nets back from a big deficit in the first half to pull out the win despite Kyrie Irving (ankle) being out and James Harden being limited. He shot 16-for-23 from the field and 13-for-16 from the free-throw line, finishing with 49 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks. He even played the entire game. With Irving out again and Harden clearly not completely healthy, expect it to be the Durant show again in Game 6.

Khris Middleton ($29): Middleton had another strong scoring performance in Game 5, producing 25 points on 22 shot attempts. He logged 45 minutes and has now played at least 41 minutes in three straight games. With his ability to contribute in multiple area and high minutes floor, Middleton could once again provide a valuable stat line.

FLEX PLAYS

Blake Griffin ($14): With Irving out and Harden limited, Griffin was one of the supporting players on the Nets who stepped up to provided extra offense. He finished with 17 points across 29 minutes, draining three of his six attempts from behind the arc. He's scored at least 20.6 Yahoo points in all five games of this series, which makes him an appealing option at this salary.

Jeff Green ($14): Green was huge in Game 5, scoring 27 points across 35 minutes. He was 7-for-8 from behind the arc, providing key support for Durant. While hitting three-pointers at that rate is not sustainable, Green did shoot a career-high 41.2 percent on three-pointers during the regular season. Expect him to play a ton in Game 6, which should leave him with enough opportunities to provide value.

PLAYER TO AVOID

James Harden ($48): Harden went from out, to doubtful, to questionable, to playing 46 minutes in Game 5, all within a matter of 24 hours. It was a shocker to see him log so many minutes and it was encouraging that he made it through the game without making his hamstring injury worse. However, he was a shell of his usual shelf, shooting just 1-for-10 from the field. He was clearly still hampered by the injury, so even if he plays a lot in this game, his production could be limited.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NBA Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NBA fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Barner
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
NBA Player Props and Picks Today: Bets for Wednesday, December 4
NBA Player Props and Picks Today: Bets for Wednesday, December 4
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, December 4
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, December 4
Fantasy Basketball: Pick-Ups and Trade Targets
Fantasy Basketball: Pick-Ups and Trade Targets
NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, December 4
NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, December 4
Yahoo NBA DFS: Who to Play and Avoid for Wednesday, Dec. 4
Yahoo NBA DFS: Who to Play and Avoid for Wednesday, Dec. 4
Fantasy Basketball Trade Tips: Buy, Sell, Hold Options
Fantasy Basketball Trade Tips: Buy, Sell, Hold Options