Two of the hottest teams in the league will be facing off tonight with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic have won six of their last seven after a slow start to the season. Even though the Magic are without their best player in Paolo Banchero, they still have played great basketball and have taken teams off guard with how well they are playing. The Lakers have won six in a row which has the Lakers as the three seed in the Western Conference. The balance of veteran and young players has taken the Lakers to a new level this season.
Orlando Magic at Los Angeles Lakers DFS Start’em
Here are a few of the players we heavily lean on in this game. These players are in a good spot to have a solid performance and a favorable DFS matchup.
Magic PG Anthony Black($5,000 on DraftKings)
The new Magic point guard has surprised many NBA fans with his all-around production. His minutes have been increasing and he has seized the opportunity. Black isn’t just a reliable scorer but he also is showing good consistency in the assist department. Black has been coming off the bench but what is important is that he is playing starter minutes, which is all that matters to DFS players. This value that DraftKings gave him is extremely low. With the combination of both of those things, this is the best value pick for this nightcap.
Lakers G Dalton Knecht($6,600 on DraftKings)
The one rookie who is getting some real national attention is the Laker’s first-round pick out of Tennessee. Having a head coach in J.J. Redick who played similarly to the rookie has given Knecht some real confidence to let the ball fly. Knecht has had a monstrous last two games, which has opened the eyes of many. With the injuries at the forward position for Los Angeles, he has either gotten more minutes or found his way into the starting lineup. The veterans and the coaching staff have the utmost confidence in him and if you are a DFS player, you should as well.
Orlando Magic at Los Angeles Lakers DFS Sit’em
Magic C Goga Bitadze($6,800 on DraftKings)
With the injuries to the Magic, the one position that has had opportunities for more minutes has been the center position. Bitadze has stepped into that role quite well as he has been the starting center over the last week or so. But the problem with tonight’s matchup is the fact that the Lakers have Anthony Davis. Bitadze is already a player who isn’t known for his scoring prowess but now he will face off against a top 10 player in the league in Davis. Not only will Bitadze struggle offensively but he could be in foul trouble. This is the easiest sit for tonight’s game.
Lakers G D’Angelo Russell($5,000 on DraftKings)
This has not been the year for the Lakers point guard. Russell had a great 2023-24 season and everyone thought that it would be sustainable after the Lakers didn’t move off of him in the offseason. It’s been so bad for the former Ohio State player who hasn’t had a 20-point performance this season. Russell is no longer in the Lakers starting lineup and he has been getting passed up by other new Lakers supporting pieces. There has been no inkling that Russell has begun to turn his season around so until that happens, keep him out of your lineup.
Conclusion
To wrap things up, this is the game of the day in the NBA on a quiet Thursday night. These two teams have so much momentum, which makes this matchup all the more fascinating. The Magic continues to overperform to most people’s expectations while the Lakers have so many storylines that are of the interest of many sports fans. Following Thursday Night Football, many sports fans will be ending their evenings with a bang and this game should deliver. There are tons of high-level talent but also some under-the-radar players that could win you some money heading into the weekend.
