Looking for the best NBA DFS picks and projections today? Thursday’s slate is small, but it’s absolutely stacked, and if you’re grinding daily fantasy NBA on DraftKings or FanDuel, you’re in for a real treat. Identifying the actual DFS plays that separate winning lineups from losing ones requires more than just spotting the studs. That’s where smart NBA fantasy projections and DFS strategy come into play. Our NBA DFS picks for Thursday are always based on data, so you know you’re working with intel that actually matters. Whether you’re stacking a specific game or exploring other GPP strategies, we’ve got the top daily fantasy NBA projections and picks broken down and ready to go.
Best DFS Apps in All States
Best NBA DFS Picks and Daily Fantasy Basketball Projections Today – Thursday, Nov. 20
Let’s first take a look at our NBA DFS projections for Thursday’s slate.
NBA DFS Projections Today For DraftKings
| Player | Team | Position | Salary | Props Projection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Harden | LAC | PG/G/UTIL | $10,000 | 49.6 |
| Tyrese Maxey | PHI | PG/G/UTIL | $10,300 | 49.3 |
| Jalen Johnson | ATL | PF/F/UTIL | $9,800 | 44.9 |
| De’Aaron Fox | SAS | PG/G/UTIL | $9,300 | 42.3 |
| Franz Wagner | ORL | SF/F/UTIL | $8,800 | 41.7 |
| Ryan Rollins | MIL | PG/G/UTIL | $7,500 | 38.9 |
| Ivica Zubac | LAC | C/UTIL | $7,400 | 37.0 |
| Desmond Bane | ORL | SG/G/UTIL | $7,500 | 36.7 |
| Russell Westbrook | SAC | PG/G/UTIL | $7,900 | 36.1 |
| Myles Turner | MIL | C/UTIL | $6,700 | 34.9 |
| Santi Aldama | MEM | PF/C/F/UTIL | $5,800 | 34.8 |
| Andre Drummond | PHI | C/UTIL | $6,400 | 33.8 |
| Vince Williams | N/A | N/A | N/A | 33.6 |
| Domantas Sabonis | SAC | C/UTIL | $8,600 | 33.4 |
| Kyle Kuzma | MIL | SF/F/UTIL | $6,900 | 32.8 |
| Dyson Daniels | ATL | PG/G/UTIL | $7,300 | 32.6 |
| Cedric Coward | MEM | SF/F/UTIL | $6,300 | 32.5 |
| Onyeka Okongwu | ATL | C/UTIL | $7,600 | 32.2 |
| VJ Edgecombe | PHI | SG/G/UTIL | $6,000 | 31.8 |
| DeMar DeRozan | SAC | SF/F/UTIL | $7,300 | 30.9 |
| Bobby Portis | MIL | PF/C/F/UTIL | $6,500 | 30.9 |
| Jalen Suggs | ORL | PG/G/UTIL | $6,000 | 30.7 |
| Quentin Grimes | PHI | PG/SG/G/UTIL | $6,100 | 30.6 |
| Devin Vassell | SAS | PG/SF/F/G/UTIL | $6,600 | 30.4 |
| Zach LaVine | SAC | SG/G/UTIL | $6,900 | 30.0 |
NBA Live Odds
| Player |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anthony Black
ORL
PG LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Bogdan Bogdanović
LAC
SG LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Brook Lopez
LAC
C LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
Desmond Bane
ORL
SG LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Franz Wagner
ORL
SF LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Goga Bitadze
ORL
C LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Ivica Zubac
LAC
C LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Jalen Suggs
ORL
SG LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
James Harden
LAC
SG LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
John Collins
LAC
PF LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Kris Dunn
LAC
PG LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Nicolas Batum
LAC
PF LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Tristan da Silva
ORL
PF LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Wendell Carter Jr.
ORL
C LAC @ ORL
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
AJ Green
MIL
SG PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Andre Drummond
PHI
C PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Bobby Portis
MIL
PF PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Cam Spencer
MEM
SG SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
Cedric Coward
MEM
SG SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Cole Anthony
MIL
PG PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
De'Aaron Fox
SA
PG ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
DeMar DeRozan
SAC
SF SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Dennis Schröder
SAC
PG SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Devin Vassell
SA
SG ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Domantas Sabonis
SAC
C SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Dyson Daniels
ATL
PG ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Gary Trent Jr.
MIL
SG PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Harrison Barnes
SA
SF ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Jalen Johnson
ATL
PF ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Jaylen Wells
MEM
SF SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Jeremy Sochan
SA
PF ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Jock Landale
MEM
C SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Joel Embiid
PHI
C PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Julian Champagnie
SA
SF ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Justin Edwards
PHI
SF PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Keegan Murray
SAC
PF SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
Keldon Johnson
SA
SF ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Kelly Olynyk
SA
PF ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
MEM
SG SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Kristaps Porzingis
ATL
C ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Kyle Kuzma
MIL
PF PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Luke Kornet
SA
C ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Malik Monk
SAC
SG SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Myles Turner
MIL
C PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
ATL
SG ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Onyeka Okongwu
ATL
C ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Paul George
PHI
SF PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Precious Achiuwa
SAC
PF SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Quentin Grimes
PHI
SG PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Russell Westbrook
SAC
PG SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Ryan Rollins
MIL
SG PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Santi Aldama
MEM
PF SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Tyrese Maxey
PHI
PG PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Vince Williams Jr.
MEM
SG SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
VJ Edgecombe
PHI
SG PHI @ MIL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Zaccharie Risacher
ATL
SF ATL @ SA
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Zach Edey
MEM
C SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Zach LaVine
SAC
SG SAC @ MEM
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - |
Top NBA DFS Picks Today
Who’s going to smash tonight? We’ll dive into our favorite NBA DFS picks this morning. There could be a ton of news that breaks later, but we’ll check out the best early plays on the board.
Top NBA DFS Stud: James Harden
With just four games on the Thursday NBA DFS slate, high ceiling options may be hard to come by. However, one option stands above the rest, and that is James Harden of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Harden has been a one-man show for the Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and Bradley Beal out of the lineup. Beal is out for the season, and Leonard is not yet ready to return from his ankle injury, with both already ruled out for Thursday night’s matchup with the Orlando Magic. Derrick Jones Jr. and Jordan Miller have also been ruled out by the Clippers, which puts even more of the load on the shoulders of Harden.
In six games this season with Leonard and Beal inactive, Harden has posted an elite 33.6% usage rate, and he is averaging nearly 60 fantasy points per game. He has averaged 31.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 7.7 assists during those contests.
Harden proved just what his ceiling can look like in this setup last week when he dropped a 41-point triple-double on the Mavericks and finished with 87 fantasy points.
Tonight’s matchup against the Magic does not look great on paper, with Orlando playing at only the 22nd fastest pace in the league.
However, their number two-ranked defense from a season ago has slipped to 14th this year, and they will be without Paolo Banchero in this game. Harden brings triple-double upside and massive fantasy appeal into any matchup, and that is even more true when his team is shorthanded without a star like Kawhi Leonard.
Expert Mid-Tier Pick: Santi Aldama
The Memphis Grizzlies are going to be a very popular target on Thursday, as they have already ruled out Ja Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr. is listed as doubtful on the injury report. Without their two highest usage players, Memphis will be forced to lean heavily on several players who are under-priced for their expanded roles.
Morant has missed three games so far this season, and in those contests, Santi Aldama has seen a meaningful bump in opportunity, including a 2 percent increase in usage up to 23.3%, which ranks second on the team behind Jackson, who is unlikely to suit up.
Aldama should step into the starting lineup for Jackson and has a legitimate chance to lead the team in usage. For the season, he is averaging 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 25.6 minutes per game. The 24-year-old was already beginning to see an expanded role with Morant out, and now he has a clear path to serve as the focal point of the Memphis offense with Jackson also sidelined.
Tonight’s matchup also adds to his appeal. The Sacramento Kings play at the fifth-fastest pace in the league and rank just 27th in defensive efficiency. That environment should boost both possessions and scoring opportunities for Aldama.
He looks locked into a starting role with a very realistic path to 30 minutes or more, and the role he is stepping into suggests he can easily outperform his mid-range price tag. With both volume and matchup working in his favor, Aldama profiles as one of the strongest value plays on the slate.
Top NBA DFS Value Play: Vince Williams
We’re sticking with another Memphis player as our early pick for top value on Thursday. Vince Williams started at point guard in place of Ja Morant in the last game and came incredibly close to posting a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists in nearly 30 minutes of action. With Jaren Jackson also expected to miss this game, Williams could be even more involved in the offense.
Tonight’s matchup is even more favorable. The Kings rank 27th in defensive efficiency, and both Memphis and Sacramento play at a top‑10 pace, contributing to a massive 234.5-point total for the game.
Williams should see the ball in his hands constantly, acting as both a scorer and playmaker. This combination gives him high usage, plenty of scoring opportunities, and a chance to rack up assists, making him an extremely attractive fantasy option.
The role Williams is stepping into is far too good for his current price tag. With his expanded minutes, ball-handling responsibilities, and the favorable matchup, he should be a core piece in DFS lineups on Thursday and has the potential to easily outperform expectations.
Editor’s Note: This article was published in the morning. These core picks could change based on more daily news and injuries.
Looking for more NBA DFS News and Picks? We’ve got you covered all season:
- Fantasy Basketball News Today
- Best Player Props Today
- First Basket Predictions
- NBA Betting Hub (Game Predictions & More)
- Daily Promo Roundup
