SportsLine expert Mike McClure, a DFS professional with over $2 million in winnings, has released his optimal NBA daily fantasy basketball picks for Thursday's 10-game schedule. He highlights Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham as a top option due to his recent scoring surge. McClure also recommends stacking Cunningham with center Paul Reed amid suspensions for other Pistons big men.
Thursday's NBA action features a 10-game slate beginning at 7 p.m. ET and concluding at 10:30 p.m. ET. Several star players are set to take the court, including Tyrese Maxey, James Harden, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Durant, Scottie Barnes, and Victor Wembanyama.
Mike McClure, a predictive data engineer at SportsLine, uses a model that simulates every minute of games 10,000 times, factoring in matchups, trends, and injuries to identify value picks on DraftKings and FanDuel. One of his top recommendations is Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons, priced at $10,300 on DraftKings and $10,900 on FanDuel. Over his last 10 games, Cunningham has averaged 25.5 points. In a 113-95 win at Toronto on February 11, he recorded 28 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds. Two days earlier, in a 110-104 victory at Charlotte on February 9, he tallied 33 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.
McClure suggests pairing Cunningham with Pistons center Paul Reed, available for $5,700 on both platforms. Reed has shown recent form, scoring 22 points with five rebounds and four blocks in the Toronto game, and 12 points with three rebounds against Charlotte. With Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart suspended for Thursday, Reed is expected to see increased playing time.
McClure notes another high-upside player in an optimal matchup but details are available only on SportsLine. New users can access DraftKings' promo for $200 in bonus bets on a $5 wager win, or FanDuel's for $100.
