Thursday’s NBA action keeps the week moving with a four-game main slate starting at 7:00 p.m. ET on both DraftKings and FanDuel. There are several options in the player pool worth analyzing to find the top NBA DFS building blocks and NBA DFS picks for DraftKings and FanDuel lineups, including Kawhi Leonard.
NBA DFS Picks Today: Thursday, Mar. 2
Core Play of the Day — Kawhi Leonard: Los Angeles Clippers-Golden State Warriors
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 42.78 | FanDuel: 42.5
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings 10.5% | FanDuel: 10.2%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $9,300 | FanDuel: $10,000
Tonight is a key game for both the Clippers and Warriors who are tied with the fifth best record in the Western Conference. The standings are tightly bunched with 10 teams, separated by just four games, representing the fourth through 13th records in the conference.
Over his last 10 games played, Kawhi Leonard is averaging 38.1 minutes and 19.7 field goal attempts with a 48.7% conversion rate. This has culminated in 27.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.9 combined blocks and steals. Four of his performances in this timeframe have been for 50 or more fantasy points, including two of 60-plus.
Golden State has been league from a defensive efficiency and pace perspective over the last three weeks and they have won three consecutive games. The Clippers are 3.5 point road favorites, which should make for a spirited contest that hopefully goes down to the wire.
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Luka Doncic: Dallas Mavericks-Philadelphia 76ers
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 57.38 | FanDuel: 55.29
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings 22.5% | FanDuel: 19.2%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $11,900 | FanDuel: $12,000
This is a back-to-back for the 76ers who topped the Heat 119-96 in Miami last night, without Joel Embiid. This is also the third game in four days for Philadelphia, with the next game coming on Saturday in Milwaukee. It would make sense that last night was a preemptive rest day for Embiid, leading into this highly contested matchup.
Dallas has lost five of six and the team is now 3-4 when Kyrie Irving suits up. In the last three games, all with Irving, Luka Doncic continues to see heavy usage, averaging 34.8 points and 21.0 field goal attempts with a 50.8% success rate. This works out to 31.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.0 combined blocks and steals for a tick shy of 50 fantasy points per game.
Doncic is averaging a ridiculous.1.85 fantasy points per minute in 128 minutes alongside Irving. Small sample size alert, though it is comforting seeing Luka rack up 55 or more fantasy points in four of his last five games.
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Additional NBA DFS Building Blocks Pick – Sports Betting Opportunities
Delon Wright looks intriguing in the betting market tonight, with his 1.5 over/under steals prop. This season he is averaging 2.9 steals per 36 minutes and though he does not have a steal in his last two games since moving into the starting lineup, he had four consecutive games with multiple steals off the bench before Monte Morris was knocked out with an injury.
NBA Bet Pro has Wright projected for 2.6 steals, with a 56% likelihood that surpasses the over, BetMGM currently has this wager available at +105, giving it a stellar 15% expected ROI.
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Indiana Pacers-San Antonio Spurs
There are 19 games left on Indiana’s schedule and currently the Pacers are 12th in the Eastern Conference. They are one of five teams separated by 3.5 games for the final three Play-In Tournament slots. Tonight looks like a winnable game as the Spurs have lost 16 of their last 17 games and are three point home underdogs. However, there is still just a 3% chance that the Pacers make the Playoffs — meaning they successfully navigate the Play-In Tournament — so there is no reason to push Tyrese Haliburton who is dealing with a sore calf.
If Haliburton is starting, those with an above average appetite for risk should assume he is a full-go. If he is out, then we know that T.J. McConnell will become one of the best fantasy point per dollar producers in the player pool as a starter or off the bench
Buddy Hield and Jalen Smith are the two best point per dollar options on FanDuel. Myles Turner is always in play on the Blue site for tournaments, but he will cost us a chance at Joel Embiid and Jakob Poeltl. The rest of the Pacers are tertiary options, unless Haliburton is out.
Over on DraftKings all of the aforementioned Indiana options are in the mix and we can also include Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard, regardless of Haliburton’s availability.
San Antonio is filled with uncertainty, with Keldon Johnson (foot), Malaki Branham (hip), Tre Jones (foot) and Devin Vassell (knee) all listed as game-time decisions. The first two have not missed any time recently, so if they are in the starting lineup, they are good to go on this short slate.
Vassell has been out for two months and it should be noted that after his last injury in early-December, he came off the bench for a few games as he saw his minutes limit increase. Jones has missed the last five games and with Devontae’ Graham now in the fold, it would be hard to trust Jones unless he is in the starting lineup.
One overarching thing to remember is that when the Spurs are back to full health, there will be no reason for Coach Gregg Popovich to play anyone more than 30 minutes.
Update: Keldon Johnson (foot) out Thursday.
Zach Collins and Charles Bassey have carved out defined roles with Poeltl now in Toronto. Collins is particularly appealing on FanDuel where he has power forward eligibility. This duo has shared the court for only three possessions this season, so Bassey’s path to upside on anything other than efficiency is based on minutes not occupied by Collins.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks Building Blocks Today
Thursday we have two games tipping off in the first 30 minutes, followed by an island game a 8:30 p.m. ET, leading into the 10 o’clock “late night hammer” matchup between the Lakers and Warriors in Golden State. Be sure to get all the latest analysis and information by tuning in to the Stokastic Deeper Dive and Live Before Lock shows at 5 p.m. ET on YouTube, brought to you by Sorare.
