The majority of the NBA returns to action on Thursday following the All-Star Break with a nine-game slate on Thursday’s NBA schedule. Joel Embiid, who has only played 17 of 54 games for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, isn’t listed on the injury report as one of the bevy of options in the NBA DFS player pool who should feel rejuvenated off extended rest. Embiid is averaging 24.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in his limited action this season, and the 76ers have a tough matchup against Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis and the Boston Celtics. So, how should the former NBA MVP factor into your Thursday NBA DFS strategy?
Embiid has averaged at least 30 points in each of the prior three seasons. But with other centers such as Nikola Jokic, Evan Mobley and Jaren Jackson Jr. available, who should daily Fantasy basketball players feature in NBA DFS lineups? Before making any NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.
McClure is a DFS professional with more than $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account. This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.
On Tuesday, February 11 (when McClure last made NBA DFS picks), McClure highlighted Suns forward/center Kevin Durant as one of his top NBA DFS picks from the NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Durant had 34 points, three rebounds and three assists, returning 55.2 points on DraftKings and 59.1 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups could have been well on the way to a profitable day.
McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Thursday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Thursday, February 20
For Thursday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, who is listed at $9,700 on DraftKings and $9,900 on FanDuel. Towns had 44 points and 10 rebounds in a 149-148 overtime victory against the Hawks in New York’s final game before the All-Star Break for his second-straight 40-point performance. Towns averaged 42 points, 11 rebounds and four assists over his final two games before the break and although he played in the All-Star Game, the 29-year-old should feel rested which could lead to more minutes from head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Towns is averaging 24.7 points per game, the most since the 2020-21 season, and a career-high 13.4 rebounds per game in his first year in New York. The Knicks play the Bulls, who are allowing the second-most points (120.7 ppg) this season and Towns had 44 points and 46 points in his first two games against Chicago this year.
Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox ($7,900 on DraftKings and $8,900 on FanDuel). The Spurs acquired Fox at the NBA Trade Deadline as a complementary piece with Victor Wembanyama, but beginning Thursday, Fox will be the main offensive playmaker as the 7-foot-3 center is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a blood clot in his shoulder. Fox averaged 21.6 points and 7.8 assists over his first five games in San Antonio heading into a matchup against the Suns.
Fox is averaging 24.6 ppg overall this season and has averaged at least 23 ppg in each of the last five seasons. He averaged 25 points, 8.5 rebounds and 9 assists over his two games against the Suns with the Kings this season, and with the need to take on more offensive responsibility, the 27-year-old could have a huge performance at a reasonable price for NBA DFS lineups. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Thursday, February 20
McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Thursday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
Who is DFS pro Mike McClure putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who has over $2 million in career winnings, and find out.
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