This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
There are six games on tap, a large amount for a Thursday, which gives more variety than usual. There is solid low-priced value to be found at every position. Both the Warriors-Rockets and the Clippers-Pelicans games shape up as potentially competitive, offense-friendly games.
Point Guard
Reggie Jackson, DET vs. MIN ($7,500): Jackson will be facing a Timberwolves team on the second night of a back-to-back, coming off Wednesday's home game against Utah, which finished after midnight, and then having to play in Detroit on Thursday. The Timberwolves are an average defense against point guards (12th in NBA), but their defense isn't as strong when Kevin Garnett sits, as he often does on the second half of back-to-backs. Meanwhile, Jackson is due for one of his explosive games as he has had four merely solid outings since his run of two 55+ fantasy point outings in three games.
Trey Burke, UTA vs. POR ($4,500): Burke had 23 points and four assists in 37 minutes Wednesday against the Timberwolves; he was expected to get more offensive responsibility in the wake of Alec Burks' injury, and in his last two games he has his two highest point totals of the past few weeks.
Shooting Guard
Rodney Hood, UTA vs. POR ($4,500) and/or Devin Booker, PHO at OKC ($3,600): Both of these players are value flyers who don't have a recent history of big production but have been thrust into larger scoring opportunities due to injuries. Hood, like Burke, should inherit some of the shots and responsibilities that Alec Burks was taking, while Booker is the new starting shooting guard in Phoenix now that Eric Bledsoe is done for the season.
Small Forward
Khris Middleton, MIL at IND ($6,400): Middleton has been in the zone of late, with four efforts over 30 fantasy points and three over 40 in his last five games. Middleton is fresh off of a career-high 36 points against the Thunder on Tuesday, and on Thursday he faces a Pacers defense that is only average (14th in the NBA) against opposing wings.
T.J. Warren, PHO at OKC ($4,000): On Thursday, Warren faces the same Thunder wing defense that allowed Middleton to hit his career-high a couple days ago. Warren still comes off the bench, but with Eric Bledsoe hurt, he has taken advantage to average 17 points and 3.5 boards in 24.5 minutes per game over the last two.
Power Forward
John Henson, MIL at IND ($3,900): Henson has been productive over the last 10 days, blocking between three and six shots in each of the last four games. Over that stretch, he is averaging 7.3 points, 4.5 blocks, 4.3 boards and 2.0 assists in 21 minutes per game. On Thursday he faces a Pacers defense that is 25th in the NBA in production allowed to opposing power forwards.
Jon Leuer, PHO at OKC ($4,800): Leuer had a clunker Wednesday against the Spurs, one of the top defenses in the league at defending opposing power forwards, but in the three games prior to Wednesday he was averaging 15.3 points, 8.3 boards, 2.3 assists and 1.7 combined blocks and steals in 30.0 minutes per game.
Center
Mason Plumlee, POR at UTA ($5,400): Plumlee has become a consistent force at center, scoring between 27.4 and 35.8 fantasy points in four of his last five games. He is coming off a 13-point, seven-rebound, four-assist, three-block effort on Wednesday against the Nuggets. The Jazz are a dominant defensive unit in the middle when Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert are playing, but both have been sitting out injured and both could miss out Thursday as well.
Gorgui Dieng, MIN at DET ($5,000): Dieng had a solid 12 points and nine rebounds Wednesday against the Jazz. On Thursday, if Kevin Garnett sits the second half of back-to-backs, Dieng would be in line for increased minutes against a Pistons team that is 27th in the NBA at limiting production to opposing centers.
