This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA has a five-game schedule on Thursday, a slightly above-average number for Thursdays. The Rockets against the Trail Blazers shapes up as the most fantasy-friendly game of the night, as both teams should be able to score and both have guards with explosive upside eery night. The Knicks at the Wizards also looks fantasy-friendly, and overall there are several injuries that might allow for some solid production from low-priced players on the night.
James Harden, HOU vs. POR ($11,700): Harden is clearly the biggest fish going on Thursday, even on the second half of a back-to-back. Harden produced arguably his worst game of the season on Wednesday and it still consisted of a double-double that was three boards shy of a triple-double and produced 40.9 fantasy points. Before that game, Harden had seven straight games of more than 50 fantasy points and he's only been under 50 fantasy points three times in 11 games. Harden also has a plus match-up on Thursday against a Trail Blazers team which scores a lot of points but doesn't play a ton of perimeter defense.
Josh Richardson, MIA vs. MIL ($4,300): Richardson has started the last three games in place of Goran Dragic, and on Tuesday both Dragic and Justise Winslow sat, which set the table for Richardson to produce his best game of the season: 19 points, four boards, three blocks, two steal and two assists. It is possible that both Dragic and Winslow return on Thursday, but odds suggest that at least one may sit and that Richardson is likely to get 30-plus minutes in either case.
Jerian Grant ($4,000) OR Shelvin Mack ($4,000), CHI at UTA: Grant and Mack have both been getting extra run due to injuries to their team's respective starting point guards. Rajon Rondo and George Hill are both questionable for Thursday, and if either ends up sitting, that opens the door for increased minutes for Mack and/or Grant.
Jimmy Butler, CHI at UTA ($8,500): Butler has been exploding of late with five straight games of more than 36 fantasy points, including four with over 41 FPs and another two over 62 FPs. He's averaged 28.6 points, 6.6 assists, 6.6 boards and 3.2 steals over those five games and could have a larger-than-usual role if Rajon Rondo has to sit a second game with his ankle injury.
Jabari Parker, MIL at MIA ($6,400): Parker barely edged out Kristaps Porzingis for this spot by dint of being $500 cheaper. But either young forward makes for a strong moderately priced option Thursday, as both players have been performing well of late and outproducing their price tags.
Maurice Harkless, POR at HOU ($4,600): Harkless has scored more than 21 fantasy points in five of his last six games, taking on a larger role with Al-Farouq Aminu struggling through a calf injury. Harkless has picked up his presence on the glass and has also scored at least 17 points in three of his last six games as well.
Hassan Whiteside, MIA vs MIL ($8,900): Whiteside has grabbed double-digit boards in every game this season and is averaging 19.5 boards to go along with 19.3 points, 2.0 blocks and 1.3 steals over his last four games. He is in a zone right now and should be too much for the Bucks in the middle on Thursday.
Joel Embiid, PHI at MIN ($5,600): Embiid sat out Wednesday for rest but is expected to return to the starting lineup on Thursday. Even with his minutes cap, Embiid is a daily start when healthy with averages of 18.4 points, 8.4 boards and 2.6 blocks in just under 24 minutes per game in his last five outings.
Robin Lopez, CHI at UTA ($4,600): Lopez has a tough matchup on Thursday against Rudy Gobert, but he has been playing very well of late. Over his last three games, Lopez has averaged 13 points with 11 boards and 1.3 blocks to outproduce his ultra-modest price tag.
