This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA has a six-game schedule on Thursday, just a bit more than the usual three or four games. There are some bad defenses going in four of the games (the Pelicans, the Nets, the Rockets, the Magic and the Bulls' frontcourt) and then there were two other playoff-caliber match-ups (Thunder vs. Clippers, Trail Blazers vs. Celtics). However, the Clippers have decided to rest three of their starters, including Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, which knocks that game out of the ranks of playoff-caliber. All told, while there are some excellent max-level players going on Thursday, there will also be a lot of low-priced potential value plays to consider as well.
Point Guard
Austin Rivers, LAC at OKC ($3600): Rivers should get extra run on Thursday with the Clippers sitting three of their starters, including Chris Paul. Rivers has proven himself to be a solid scorer off the bench of late, averaging more than 11 points in less than 24 minutes over his last five games. With starters minutes, he should have the chance to produce solid numbers at a low price point. Teammate Jamal Crawford is another player that could step up his production on Thursday night.
Shooting Guard
Will Barton, DEN at NO ($5400): Barton has regained his form of late, with two straight strong games averaging 24 points and seven boards. The Pelicans were a terrible defense even before their starters went down with injury, and at this point their defense is barely D-league worthy.
Small Forward
Michael Beasley, HOU vs CHI ($5000): Beasley has been one of the most consistent producers on the Rockets of late, with over 20 fantasy points in seven of his last nine outings. He is coming off of a 17-points, eight rebounds effort against the Cavaliers on Tuesday and should have another solid game against a pedestrian Bulls frontcourt defense.
Nikola Mirotic, CHI at HOU ($5000): Mirotic has defined boom-or-bust of late. Five games ago he scored 35 points with six boards in 34 minutes of action. Over the next three games he scored only 17 total points, never p laying more than 24 minutes in a game. Then, in his last outing, he explosed again for 28 points and 10 rebounds in 37 minutes of play. The Bulls need offense right now, and are playing against a Rockets team that is allergic to defense. As such, Mirotic has a solid chance of replicating his larger efforts of late.
Power Forward
Ed Davis, POR vs BOS ($4600): Davis has quietly put together seven straight games of more than 22 fantasy points scored, with between 22.3 and 32.8 fantasy points in all seven outings. The Celtics have struggled at limiting fantasy production to opposing bigs all season, which bodes well for Davis' chances on Thursday.
Amir Johnson, BOS at POR ($4300): Johnson has been up-and-down of late. In his last seven outings he has four games of between 30.6 and 39.3 fantasy points scored, but he also has three games under 18 fantasy points scored, including his last two. The Trail Blazers are not strong against opposing power forwards, which bodes well for Johnson to bounce back.
Center
Ian Mahinmi, IND vs ORL ($5200): Mahinmi has been on fire of late, with three straight games of at least 18 points in which he has averaged 18.3 points, 7.7 boards and 2.0 combined steals and blocks per game. On Thursday he faces a Magic defense that is in the bottom third of the NBA at limiting production to opposing centers.
