NBA $20k+ Thursday Line-Up

Thursday is the biggest day of the NBA week and Draftstars doesn’t disappoint as they have their NBA $20K contest ready for us to play. With just seven games on the slate, the player pool is slightly limited but the contest between the New York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks should be an exciting one, as injury permitting, it should see two of the NBA’s unicorns in Kristaps Porzingis and Giannis Antetokounmpo do battle.

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Here is a team you may consider for the NBA $20k+ Thursday competition

Point Guard

C.J. McCollum ($14,100)

McCollum has stepped up in the absence of Damian Lillard. In his last game he scored a career-high 43 points as he has moved into the point guard role for the Blazers. He comes up against the Warriors, which means there is a blowout threat but the Blazers tend to fancy themselves against the Warriors and often put up a contest. Expect McCollum to be a big reason why.

Elfrid Payton ($11,050)

When Payton was moved to the bench by Frank Vogel, many thought it was the end of Payton’s relevance as his development had apparently stunted. However, the move to the bench has rejuvenated his career, with Payton’s shooting percentages improving along with his minutes. A great passer of the ball, Payton will get plenty of opportunities against the Hawks.

Shooting Guard

Victor Oladipo ($10,550)

Russell Westbrook’s sidekick was starting to find his groove before his unfortunate wrist injury but now that he has been back two games, he appears to have picked up where he left off. Playing next to Westbrook means that he is going to see plenty of opportunities to score and the Thunder game plan is set up so that the guards rebound the ball, contributing to Oladipo’s fantasy stocks.

Tyler Johnson ($9,900)

A favourite for many Draftstars coaches, Johnson gets the job done because he has such a great opportunity in Miami. The rotation is down to nine players, meaning he is a lock for a minimum 30 minutes every night. The Sacramento Kings are hardly defensive juggernauts and Johnson will be expected to contribute off the bench and provide a base for our teams.

Small Forward

Klay Thompson ($12,400)

The Trailblazers are the worst defensive team in the NBA and that is dangerous when they travel to Oakland to take on the Warriors. A player that is likely to relish this is Klay Thompson who is prone to exploding for big scores against bad teams. This fits the bill of a high-scoring matchup and is one where Klay might produce something special for the fans to remember.

Josh Richardson ($7,650)

Similar to Tyler Johnson, Richardson has the opportunity to flourish due to the limited rotation. Starting as the shooting guard for the Heat, Richardson also takes on some ball-handling duties which means that he can bolster his assist stats. His shooting numbers have also improved, especially from deep and at the price you can’t pass him up.

Power Forward

Jabari Parker ($11,750)

Jabari Parker is one of the smoothest offensive players in the league that perhaps doesn’t get the recognition that he deserves. In a national TV game against the Knicks, it might be the time for Parker to shine for America and our Draftstars lineups. The Knicks are ranked in the bottom five for defensive efficiency and Parker will have the matchup against ‘Melo and that might mean buckets galore for Jabari.

JaMychal Green ($9,100)

The former undrafted free agent is a key part of the Memphis Grizzlies as he allows them to stretch the floor on the offensive end. He is averaging just under a double-double and he has made a real emphasis to crash the boards this season. With a trip to LA to face the Lakers, Green will get plenty of opportunities to score against a very bad defence.

Centre

Paul Millsap ($13,500)

Paul Millsap’s name is on the trade table as he comes out of contract at the end of the season, but as of yet it hasn’t affected his play. He was instrumental in leading the Hawks to an overtime win over the Spurs as he had a season-high 32 points. Against an Orlando team that still hasn’t got a real defensive identity, Millsap will have a big performance and increase his value on the trading block.

The Line Up

PG: C.J. McCollum ($14,100)

PG: Elfrid Payton ($11,050)

SG: Victor Oladipo ($10,550)

SG: Tyler Johnson ($9,900)

SF: Klay Thompson ($12,400)

SF: Josh Richardson ($7,650)

PF: Jabari Parker ($11,750)

PF: JaMychal Green ($9,100)

C: Paul Millsap ($13,500)

Salary Remaining: $0