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.
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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 |
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|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ausar Thompson
DET
SG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Cade Cunningham
DET
PG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Caris LeVert
DET
SF DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Daniss Jenkins
DET
PG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Dean Wade
CLE
PF DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Dennis Schröder
CLE
PG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Donovan Mitchell
CLE
SG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Duncan Robinson
DET
SG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Evan Mobley
CLE
PF DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Isaiah Stewart
DET
PF DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
Jalen Duren
DET
C DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
James Harden
CLE
SG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Jarrett Allen
CLE
C DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Max Strus
CLE
SG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Paul Reed
DET
PF DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Sam Merrill
CLE
SG DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Tobias Harris
DET
SF DET @ CLE
Today
7:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Anthony Edwards
MIN
SG SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Ayo Dosunmu
MIN
PG SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Carter Bryant
SA
SF SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
De'Aaron Fox
SA
PG SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Devin Vassell
SA
SG SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Dylan Harper
SA
PG SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Jaden McDaniels
MIN
PF SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Julian Champagnie
SA
SF SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Julius Randle
MIN
PF SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Keldon Johnson
SA
SF SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Luke Kornet
SA
C SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
Mike Conley
MIN
PG SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
Naz Reid
MIN
C SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Rudy Gobert
MIN
C SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Stephon Castle
SA
SG SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Terrence Shannon Jr.
MIN
SG SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Victor Wembanyama
SA
PF SA @ MIN
Today
9:30 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
