NBA DFS First Look & Optimal Lineup Picks Today

The Slate Starter is a daily first look at the day’s NBA slate to get your daily fantasy basketball lineup-building process started before lock tonight. Each day, we will go through some of the best NBA DFS picks, top stacks and optimal lineup construction for DraftKings and FanDuel. Be sure to check Awesemo’s NBA Starting Lineups page, as it will be updated throughout the day as the NBA injury reports are released and breaking news surfaces. Let’s dive into some players who stand out as key options on Thursday’s five-game NBA slate.

Want to see how your lineup stacked up against yesterday’s winning NBA DFS lineups for DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo fantasy basketball? Check out Awesemo’s Optimal Lineup Review, which uses Fantasy Cruncher Rewind to analyze the winning plays from the night before.

DraftKings & FanDuel NBA DFS Lineup Advice Today

Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers

Thursday’s slate features just five games, but it is absolutely loaded with star power. Embiid, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo square off in a three-way battle for the top spot on the slate. All three players have massive upside, but I’m giving a slight edge to Embiid, especially since he’s the cheapest option of the group.

Embiid is coming off his worst performance in ages in his last outing, finishing with just 39.75 DKFP over 26.4 minutes in a blowout loss vs. the Celtics. However, that is the only blemish on his record. He had scored at least 59.0 DraftKings points in 11 of his previous 12 games, including an 83-DraftKings point performance just two games ago.

Embiid should also continue to thrive given the 76ers’ depleted roster. James Harden is still out due to an injury, and Seth Curry and Andre Drummond are now in Brooklyn. Embiid has seen a team-high usage bump with Curry off the court this season, so expect him to command another monster usage rate vs. the Bucks.

It will be interesting to see how Embiid, Antetokounmpo, and Doncic fare in terms of projected ownership. Embiid often checks in with lower marks than his stud counterparts, giving him further appeal in tournaments.

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Nicolas Batum, PF/C, Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers are in one of the best spots of the day vs. the Rockets. They rank last in defensive efficiency and second in pace, giving the team much more offensive upside than usual. The team will also continue to play without Norman Powell, opening up additional minutes and usage for the rest of the roster.

Batum is someone who should be able to take advantage. He’s increased his production to 0.87 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s racked up at least 31.5 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. He’s logged at least 25.1 minutes in three of his past four games, making him too cheap at $4,200. Expect him to earn one of the better value marks in our NBA Projections.

Gabe Vincent, PG, Miami Heat

The Heat are another team with an excellent matchup on Thursday. They’re taking on the Hornets, who have played at the fastest pace in the league. They’re also weak on the defensive end, and the Heat’s implied team total of 115.0 represents a sizable increase from their season average (108.9).

The Heat are also a bit shorthanded at the moment. Tyler Herro has been ruled out for the second straight game, while Jimmy Butler is questionable. Butler has routinely played through questionable designations this season, but the absence of Herro should give Vincent a boost. Vincent has logged at least 28.1 minutes in his past three games without Herro, including 29.4 in his last outing. He managed just 15.5 DraftKings points, but he shot a dreadful 1-9 from the field. With some better shooting luck, he has the potential for a much better performance.

Vincent’s expanded role could also create some value in the player prop market. Make sure to take advantage of the Awesemo Player Prop tool, which highlights the most exploitable prop bets each day.

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