NBA DFS: DraftKings, FanDuel daily Fantasy basketball picks for Thursday, Nov. 9 include Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a shortened evening last night after being ejected in the third quarter following receiving two unsportsmanlike technical fouls against the Pistons. He took a seat courtside with fans for about a minute before leaving for the locker room for the remainder of the game. He only played 22 minutes yesterday, and with the Bucks playing the second half of a back-to-back on Thursday against the Pacers, will the shorter performance lead to an even more dominant outcome from Antetokounmpo as the star of the Thursday NBA DFS player pool?

The Hawks play the Magic in the second game of a two-game slate for daily Fantasy basketball players to form their NBA DFS strategies. The Thursday NBA DFS player pool is limited, but the Magic are coming off back-to-back victories. Magic forward/guard Franz Wagner totaled 42 points in those two victories, so is he someone to include in your NBA DFS lineups? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.

McClure is a DFS professional with more than $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.

This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.

On Wednesday, McClure highlighted Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Ball had 34 points, four rebounds, seven assists and a steal, returning 50 points on DraftKings and 46.3 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Thursday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top NBA DFS picks for Thursday, November 9

For Thursday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is Bucks F/C Antetokounmpo, who is listed at $10,700 on DraftKings and $10,600 on FanDuel. He had 36 points and 12 rebounds over 35 minutes against the Nets on Monday before being ejected after 22 minutes on Wednesday to limit his production. The two-time NBA MVP is the unquestioned star of the Thursday NBA DFS player pool, and his huge floor and sky-high ceiling make him worthy of his heavy price tag on Thursday.

The seven-time All-Star averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game last season. He’s averaged at least 26.9 points with at least 10 rebounds per game in each of the last six seasons. He’s a force that no team in the NBA has figured out how to truly contain. The 28-year-old has been especially dominant against the Pacers, averaging 38.5 points, 13 rebounds and 6.8 assists over his last four matchups against Indiana, making him a must-start in Thursday NBA DFS lineups. 

Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Pacers guard/forward Bruce Brown ($6,100 on DraftKings and $5,000 on FanDuel). The sixth-year wing is getting his first chance to start on a consistent basis, as he’s started all eight games this season while averaging a career-high 30.3 minutes per game. That opportunity alone provides him value in a limited NBA DFS player pool, and it comes at a price that can fit stars like Antetokounmpo into NBA DFS lineups. 

Brown has played at least 32 minutes in three of the last four games. The 27-year-old is averaging 11.3 points and four rebounds a game this season, including scoring 24 points in the season-opener against Washington. The Pacers play at the second-highest pace in the NBA, so there should be ample opportunities for Brown to contribute to NBA DFS lineups. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.

How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Thursday, November 9

McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Thursday because of a dream matchup. This pick 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 DFS pro Mike McClure putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who has over $2 million in career winnings, and find out.