NBA $20,000 THURSDAY: TIPS & SELECTIONS

Thursday NBA offers up 10 games this week with a number of high profile match ups.

Out East, we see two potential playoff previews with the first place Raptors hosting third place Philadelphia, while the fourth place Pistons visit second placed Milwaukee.

In the West the Clippers look to take back top spot when they visit another surprise team in the sixth place Grizzlies. We also have a weird NBA finals rematch between the Cavs and Warriors, while LeBron is hosting the Spurs.

There is $20,000 up for grabs in the Thursday jackpot tournament.

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Bradley Beal – SG/SF – $14,300

Despite the Wizards woes this season, Beal remains an all star caliber two guard who is an absolute sniper when in the zone. Fortunately for Beal, getting in the zone comes pretty easy against the Hawks. Atlanta continues to maintain the worst defense in the NBA, and a big contributor to that is their inability to stop the three. The Hawks are allowing the most threes per game in the league, and they’re letting those threes rain in at a league worst 38%. Beal, who is averaging 21-4-4 on the year has been putting up just shy of seven attempts from deep per game this season.

Kelly Oubre Jr – SF/PF – $8.390

Further chasing that terrible Atlanta defense, Oubre comes in at a much cheaper price, but with more inconsistent results. In his previous four games, he has put up point totals of 21, 5 ,6 and 22. He is good for around five boards a game, and has plenty to offer beyond the arc as well when he is hot as he showed in his recent patchy stretch with 5, 1 ,1 and 4 three pointers made. As noted above, nobody makes it easier from deep than Atlanta. These big nights aren’t a fluke for Oubre, we’ve seen him multiple times throughout the year put up scores in the high teens or twenties, his issue is doing it consistently. Atlanta are very much a team that can help him with that.

Trae Young – PG – $11,130

While we attack the woeful Atlanta defense, this game serves up opportunities for the Hawks on the offensive side against a Wizards team who are giving up the fourth most triples in the NBA, and at the fifth highest clip. That’s music to the ears of gun rookie Trae Young who hasn’t scored from deep in his last two games despite his already noted ability from afar. He still put up 20 in his last outing up against Golden State, and has been a stat sheet stuffer at times this year with potential to go large in the assist column. There isn’t going to be much defense seen in this game, and that spells for plenty of opportunity for Young to have a big night.

LaMarcus Aldridge – PF/C – $13,230

Still not quite back to his once all star level self, LA continues to show signs that he is still capable of putting up big numbers. He put up only 16 points in his last outing, but this came in a limited 21 minute appearance in a blowout against the Jazz. Prior to this, Aldridge had put up back to back games of over 30 minutes and over 20 points, which he had in three of his last four outings before the 16 point effort. He gets a high profile game now against the Lakers who continue to struggle on the defensive end. They remain small outside of McGree and Chandler who shouldn’t be on the court together. If the Spurs are running two bigs with LA at the four, the Lakers will struggle to contain him.

Enter the NBA $20,000 Thursday tournament.

NBA SCORING SYSTEM

Point Scored = 1 point

Missed Field Goal = -0.25 points

Missed Free Throw = -0.25 points

Assist = 1.5 points

Rebound = 1.25 points

Turnover = -0.5 points

Steal = 2 points

Block = 2 points

3 Point Made Bonus = 1 point

Double-Double = 2 points

Triple-Double = 2 points

By NBA