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Daily Fantasy Basketball: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thursday night picks

Mike Barner
·4 min read

There may only be four games in the NBA on Thursday, but the evening will not be lacking star power. The Mavericks, Nets, Warriors and Grizzlies are among the teams that will be action, setting up the potential for an exciting night. The Mavericks and Nets will face each other, and it will be a quick turnaround for the Nets, who just played the Bucks on Wednesday. The Warriors will take on the Heat, while the Grizzlies will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings. Let's get to the task at hand and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.

GUARDS

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. LAC ($44): It's a thrill a minute with the Thunder, who can decide to rest players at a moment's notice. They had originally said that Gilgeous-Alexander would not play Tuesday against the Clippers, but not only did he take the floor, he logged 37 minutes. He's scored at least 59.7 Yahoo points in two of the three games that he's played and is a great option again for this rematch with the Clippers.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder is a fantasy star
Consider Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in your daily fantasy lineups tonight. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

Tre Mann, OKC vs. LAC ($16): Josh Giddey (ankle) did not play Tuesday, which propelled Mann to log 36 minutes. He stepped up in a big way, posting 25 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. He's been aggressive with a 22.7 percent usage rate this season, and he's an appealing option with Giddey having already been ruled out again.

Guard to Avoid

Klay Thompson, GS vs. MIA ($22): Thompson logged just 19 minutes against the Suns on Tuesday thanks to being ejected. He hasn't played more than 27 minutes in a game this season, scoring no more than 25.9 Yahoo points. The Warriors want to be cautious with him so he can be healthy for playoffs, so don't be surprised if he continues to see limited playing time.

FORWARDS

Jimmy Butler, MIA at GS ($39): Butler has been a consistent source for production, scoring at least 34.3 Yahoo points in all five games this season. He's an efficient shooter, coming off of back-to-back campaigns in which he shot at least 48.0 percent from the field. What helps give him a high floor is that he's provided at least 5.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in each of his first three seasons with the Heat.

Aaron Wiggins, OKC vs. LAC ($12): Wiggins moved into the starting lineup Tuesday, logging a season high 28 minutes. The end result was him recording 11 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and a block. His final line could have been even better if he didn't shoot just 5-for-14 from the field. With Giddey out again, Wiggins has the potential to provide significant value at such a cheap salary.

Forward to Avoid

Brandon Clarke, MEM at SAC ($16): When it was announced that Jaren Jackson (foot) would miss the beginning of the season, the door seemed to be open for Clarke to take on additional playing time. However, the Grizzlies have decided to start Santi Aldama at power forward, and he's averaged 31 minutes per game. Clarke hasn't scored more than 17.4 Yahoo points in his limited time off the bench, and his role isn't likely to change anytime soon.

CENTERS

Christian Wood, DAL at BKN ($26): Wood has yet to play at least 30 minutes in a game this season, but that hasn't stopped him from being extremely productive. He has a 31.3 percent usage rate, which has helped him average 24.3 points and 2.7 three-pointers. He's also been very active on the boards with at least six rebounds in all three games. With the Nets lack of depth up front, another juicy stat line could be forthcoming for Wood.

Ivica Zubac, LAC at OKC ($22): The Thunder don't have much talent at the center position, making this a great matchup for Zubac. He steamrolled them Tuesday, posting 10 points, 14 rebounds, two assists and seven blocks over 35 minutes. He's already recorded at least five blocks in a game twice, to go along with two double-doubles. Look for him to feast in this rematch, as well.

Center to Avoid

Kevon Looney, GS vs. MIA ($15): There isn't much to see here. Looney continues to start for the Warriors, but he's only playing 21 minutes per game. He's yet to reach double digits in either points or rebounds in a game, and he only has one total block. A matchup against Bam Adebayo isn't likely going to help his cause.