This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA has a five-game schedule on Thursday, just a bit more than the usual three or four games. There are some bad defenses going in three of them (Pelicans, Nets and the Bulls' frontcourt) and then there are two other playoff-caliber matchups in the Trail Blazers vs. Clippers and Jazz vs Thunder. The Pelicans and Pacers, in particular, provide a hotbed of potential value plays. All told, there should be some big point totals on the board Thursday.
Point Guard
Toney Douglas, NOP at IND ($5,100) or Tim Frazier, NOP at IND ($3,800): The Pelicans are in flux, including the backcourt. While Jrue Holiday is now the main option for the Pelicans, and Norris Cole has been limping (eight straight missed games with a lower back injury), Douglas and Frazier have established themselves as major scoring threats at low prices. Douglas has averaged 14.8 points, 5.4 assists, 5.0 boards and 1.6 steals per game over his last five, while Frazier has averaged 13.8 points, 4.8 assists, 3.8 boards and 1.3 steals per game in his four.
Chris Paul, LAC vs. POR ($9,900) or Damian Lillard, POR at LAC ($8,900): This is the marquee matchup for the night, with both Paul and Lillard leading their respective teams from the point guard position. While Paul and Lillard would be expected to score between 40 and 50 fantasy points apiece in a given game, when matched up directly in the final game of the night, these two have at least some chance of getting into the kind of shoot-out that produces video game numbers. Paul should be motivated, coming off another embarrassing loss to the Warriors on Wednesday and hearing the footsteps of the Memphis Grizzlies, who are only a few games behind the Clippers for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Shooting Guard
Monta Ellis, IND vs NOP ($6,500): Ellis has scored more than 30 fantasy points in six of his last eight games, a span in which he has averaged more than 31 fantasy points per outing. On Thursday, he has a plus matchup against a Pelicans defense that has struggled all season and is now without the closest thing they have to a defensive anchor in Anthony Davis.
Small Forward
Paul George, IND vs NOP ($9,000): George is a high volatility player. Over his last 10 he has three games with fewer than 30 fantasy points but also two games with more than 60 fantasy points. George has a great matchup on Thursday against a Pelicans defense that is 24th against small forwards this season and likely worse than that at the moment due to all of the injuries.
Power Forward
Dante Cunningham, NOP at IND ($3,800): Cunningham is getting starter's minutes for the Pelicans now at power forward with Davis out. Cunningham only had 12.3 fantasy points in his last game against a stout Heat defense, but the game before he exploited the Clippers for 30.2 fantasy points. If he can split the difference against the Pacers, he would still outperform his price.
Myles Turner, IND vs NOP ($5,000): Turner joins Ellis and George as Pacers who could take advantage of their plus matchup against the Pelicans. Turner has at least 10 points or rebounds in six of his last seven games, and he should perform well against the now under-manned Pelicans power forward slot.
Center
Robin Lopez, NYK vs CHI ($6,000): Lopez is always a threat for a big game, and the Bulls are last in the NBA at defending centers. Plus, Pau Gasol is on a minutes restriction, so the Bulls are even more undersized than usual.
