NBA $20,000 THURSDAY: TIPS & SELECTIONS
As the NBA trade deadline quickly approaches, NBA Thursday features a seven game slate led by an intriguing inter-conference battle with the Nets hosting the Nuggets.
The Spurs, sixth in the West, visit first place Warriors, but will rest their two biggest stars putting a dampener on the festivities.
Staying out West, some offensive fireworks will be on display with the Rockets visiting the Kings.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – SF/PF – $21,380
The Greek Freak looks to be building up steam again, not that he had slowed down all that much by normal people’s standards. Giannis put up 30-15 in his last outing, after 37-10 the game prior. He has scored 51 or more Draftstars points in eight of his last nine games.The MVP candidate is always an appealing play, at an expensive price, but stands out on this slate with a juicy game against the Wizards at home. The Wizards are 29th in the NBA for points against per game, and were the ones who Giannis dominated for 37 points just two games ago.
Lauri Markkanen – PF – $14,590
The Bulls sniper went off in his last game for 30 points with nine rebounds, after posting three consecutive double doubles in the games prior. The Bulls host a Pelicans team who have been hit hard with injuries, particularly to their front line. Anthony Davis and Julius Randle are both listed as game time decisions for this game, but current indications point to them not playing, meanwhile Nikola Mirotic remains out also. This all makes for great news for Markkanen who remains a high usage option for the Bulls who are limited up front themselves.
Wayne Selden Jr – SG – $6,590
Still at near basement price, Selden has found himself in the starting lineup for the Bulls and logging a lot of minutes. He’s been on the floor for over 34 minutes in three of the Bulls last four games, and during that stretch has posted 20 and 15 point nights. He gets an appealing match up here with the Bulls hosting a Pelicans team that is 26th in the league for points against. Selden too is listed as a game time decision for this game, so be patient before locking him in, though he should be good to go. Assuming he is, he’s a cheap option who is set to play 35 minutes.
Dwight Powell – PF/C – $6,050
The primary beneficiary on the Mavericks lineup following the Porzingis deal is Powell. With DeAndre Jordan gone, Powell has been picking up more minutes, playing 24 in each of his last two games, he had played more minutes only once in the season prior to this. It’s realistic to think that Powell may gain even more minutes going forward. He has had some good offensive flashes through the year, putting up numbers in the mid-teens at times, so there is some upside to these minutes as well.
Marco Belinelli – SG/SF – $7,550
The Spurs are set to rest both DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge for this game against the Warriors, the first of back to back games for San Antonio. With their two biggest names sitting out, there’s a whole lot of usage that needs to be picked up and Belinelli should be a prime target for an uptick in minutes. His shooting credentials are well known, he has two 17 point games in his last four outings while playing minutes in the early 20s. It’s a tough game against the Warriors, but he should have the green light and he is more than capable of converting when given the opportunity.
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
NBA