FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks and Helper: Thursday 2/15/24

Since NBA DFS is easier to predict than baseball or football, it would likely get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Basketball players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right? Trust me -- it's not!

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up to date with key injuries. Our projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- update throughout the day to reflect current news. You can also turn to numberFire for player news updates as well as a matchup heat map and lineup optimizer to help give you an edge.

On top of all that, here at FanDuel Research, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

NBA DFS Picks

Thursday's main slate on FanDuel features just three games but one stands out as a superior game environment.

For a full breakdown, see numberFire's matchup heat map. Lines and totals via the NBA odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Top matchups:

• Golden State Warriors @ Utah Jazz | +2, 239 total

Other games:

• Milwaukee Bucks @ Memphis Grizzlies | +11.5, 223 total
• Minnesota Timberwolves @ Portland Trail Blazers | +9, 214.5 total

Guards

Top Plays

Stephen Curry ($9,400) -- Stephen Curry is on an absolute heater right now. After nailing nine triples last night, Steph became the first player in NBA history to hit nine threes in four straight games. He notched at least 48 FanDuel points (FPs) in all four outings, so roster him with confidence against a Utah defense that's given up the second-most FPs to PGs, according to FantasyPros. Curry's threes prop is set at 5.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook, juiced to +116 toward the over.

Vince Williams ($7,000) -- Having exceeded 40 FPs in two of his last four games, we can confidently turn to Vince Williams Jr. in a pace-up spot with Milwaukee. He's really turned on the playmaking of late, dishing out 7 assists in four straight games. The Bucks don't scare anyone on defense, so there's more upside here than Memphis' 106.25 implied total would suggest.

Keyonte George ($5,400) -- Keyonte George bounced back after a rough starting debut earlier this week, notching 33.5 FPs last night. He filled up the box score, totaling 13 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals over 32 minutes. George's ability to contribute in multiple categories gives him a nice floor in the slate's top game environment.

Others to Consider

Damian Lillard ($8,500) -- I'm fine saving some salary with Damian Lillard as your top guard. Dame is coming off a pair of duds, but we know what the ceiling is. A lopsided spread is a tad worrying for his upside, but Memphis has given up the ninth-most FPs to PGs over their last 15 games.

Mike Conley ($6,000) -- Mike Conley has only scored double-digit points once in his last six, but he's still averaging 29 FPs over that span thanks to a hefty dose of rebounds, assists, and steals. Portland has fared well against PGs, but they're still a bottom-10 defense. Conley's floor is worth targeting.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker ($4,800) -- Nickeil Alexander-Walker continues to produce even with Conley healthy, notching 25 FPs in back-to-back games. He played 26 minutes in Tuesday's win over Portland and could see a similar run considering the lopsided spread.

Wings

Top Plays

Anthony Edwards ($9,300) -- Anthony Edwards feasted on Portland the last time out, totaling 41 points and 55.8 FPs. That marked ANT's fourth consecutive game with 45 FPs, and I'm bullish he stays hot tonight. Edwards is questionable, but he carried the same injury designation into Tuesday's game before playing 34 minutes. If he's ruled out, Kyle Anderson ($5,200) would have some appeal. He's gone for 20 FPs in three straight games and averages 21.2 FPPG when Edwards sits, per RotoGrinders CourtIQ.

Brandin Podziemski ($5,900) -- Rookie Brandin Podziemski went for 47.4 FPs last night, his second-best fantasy output of the season. He's been trending up of late, averaging 12.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 34.5 FPs over his last eight games. A matchup with Utah should allow him to continue this ascent. The Jazz have given up the ninth-most FPs to SGs while the Warriors boast the highest implied total (120) of the slate.

Jae Crowder ($4,500) -- As of Thursday afternoon, numberFire projections have Jae Crowder as the top point-per-dollar value on the board, pegging him for 27.7 FPs. He's only reached that mark twice this season, but both came in the last five games. Though he's failed to reach 10 FPs in each of the last two, a date with Memphis should lead to better results tonight. Over their last 15 games, the Grizzlies have given up the fourth-most FPs to SFs.

Others to Consider

Jonathan Kuminga ($7,300) -- Jonathan Kuminga has cooled off after a torrid stretch, failing to eclipse 30 FPs in four straight games. He's still seeing 30-plus minutes, and this cold spell has coincided with Curry's hot streak. Better days are on the horizon, perhaps as soon as today. The Jazz have given up the second-most FPs to SFs, after all. Kuminga's points prop is set at 19.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook, a number he's exceeded in 10 of his last 15 games.

Malik Beasley ($5,400) -- Milwaukee's matchup with Memphis should lead to plenty of looks for Malik Beasley. The Grizzlies have given up the sixth-most FPs to SGs over their last 15 games, while Beasley has totaled 25 FPs in four of his last six. He's a nice salary saver on a slate lacking reliable mid-range options.

Luke Kennard ($4,900) -- Luke Kennard is coming off his best game in nearly a month, scoring 19 points and posting 25.4 FPs over 29 minutes last night. Memphis is still down several key players, so Kennard should see a full workload against Milwaukee. Despite a low implied total, there's upside here considering the Bucks have allowed the sixth-highest three-point field goal percentage over the last 15 games.

Bigs

Top Plays

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,700) -- Giannis Antetokounmpo is the highest-projected player tonight with the numberFire model projecting him for 60.4 FPs, 14 more than the next-closest player. That makes him well worth the hefty salary, especially given the matchup. Memphis has solid numbers against PFs but has given up the third-most FPs to Cs over their last 15 games, so they aren't exactly dominating the interior. FanDuel Sportsbook has Giannis' points + rebounds + assists prop all the way up at 48.5.

Walker Kessler ($7,100) -- Walker Kessler has played 25 minutes in all three games since Utah dealt Kelly Olynyk. He'd only reached that mark once in the previous seven games. He continues to produce on a per-minute basis and has gone for 41.8, 39.3, and 28.9 FPs since the trade deadline. That puts him in a nice spot tonight against Golden State. Over their last 15 games, the Warriors have given up the sixth-most blocks to Cs.

Draymond Green ($6,500) -- Draymond Green continues to fill up the stat sheet, averaging 8.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists over his last 10 games. He's exceeded 30 FPs five times over span, including a 41-FP effort against the same Utah team he'll face tonight. The Jazz have given up the fourth-most FPs to PFs and the most to Cs over their last 15 games, so Draymond has a strong floor tonight.

Others to Consider

Lauri Markkanen ($8,400) -- Lauri Markkanen has failed to reach 30 FPs in six of his last eight games, but there's room for optimism against Golden State. Not only is this the slate's top game environment, but the Warriors have been a below-average fantasy defense for opposing PFs all season.

Gregory "GG" Jackson ($6,100) -- Gregory Jackson didn't miss a beat after missing a game due to suspension, posting 38.8 FPs over 24 minutes last night. "GG" has now gone for at least 28 FPs in five straight games, so there's upside even in a tough matchup against Milwaukee.

Dive into the action with FanDuel Sportsbook's No Sweat Same Game Parlay for the upcoming Bucks vs Grizzlies game on February 15th. See the promotions page for more information.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.