The 2022-23 NBA season continues Thursday with six games on the NBA schedule, and two of the league’s biggest surprises will square off in a standout game for everyday fantasy basketball players. The Knicks and Kings are both somewhat unexpected on their way to the playoffs and they will meet in Sacramento on Thursday in a contest where the plus/minus for total runs is 238.5 at Caesars Sportsbook. It’s the highest total of the night and with both teams playing well, this contest could be a popular source of NBA DFS stacks.
However, there are plenty of stars in the NBA DFS player pool on Thursday with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Tyrese Haliburton and Lauri Markkanen all expected to play. So which stars should you have in your NBA DFS lineups, and what are some of the most affordable options to help you stay within the salary cap? Before you make any NBA DFS picks for Thursday, be sure to check out NBA DFS tips, player rankings, stacks and top daily fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.
McClure is a DFS professional with over $2 million in career earnings. He is also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine which uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking into account factors such as matches, statistical trends and injuries.
This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal rosters that he only shares on SportsLine. They are must-haves for any NBA DFS player.
On Wednesday, McClure highlighted Suns point guard Chris Paul in his NBA DFS player pool. The result: Paul had 18 points, nine assists, four rebounds and four steals despite playing just 24 minutes, returning 46 points on DraftKings and 47.3 points on FanDuel. Everyone who included him in their lineups was well on his way to a profitable day.
Now, McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Thursday and has locked down his top daily fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by going to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Thursday, March 9
One of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks for Thursday is Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones ($6,700 on DraftKings and $7,500 on FanDuel). With Ja Morant away from the team indefinitely, Jones entered the starting lineup and produced some impressive numbers.
In the two games since regaining the point, he’s averaging 20.5 points, 7.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals. In 11 total starts this season, he’s averaging 19.1 points, 7.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. Jones has made the most of starting opportunities throughout his career and even with his NBA DFS prices rising, he remains valuable play at this spot against the Warriors.
Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes lining up Rockets guard Jalen Green ($6,400 on DraftKings, $6,800 on FanDuel). The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft made the All-Rookie team last season after averaging 17.3 points per game, and he’s raising his game in his second season.
Green enters Thursday averaging 21.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game on the season, but he’s been even more prolific as a scorer since the schedule changed. Green is averaging 22.1 points per game since the start of 2023 and he has played in 13 20-point games and three 40-point games in that span. He could be asked to contribute even more with Houston without their second leading scorer in Kevin Porter Jr. (thigh) for Thursday.
How to Set Your NBA DFS Lineups for Thursday, March 9
McClure is also targeting a player who could leave en masse on Thursday because of a dream game. This choice could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
Who is pro DFS Mike McClure putting in his optimal NBA DFS rosters for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see the best NBA DFS picks, rankings, tips and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who has over $2 million in career earnings, and find out.