A three-game NBA schedule on Thursday, Oct. 29, presents a limited daily fantasy sports (DFS) pool, with notable matchups including Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers against C.J. McCollum and the Atlanta Hawks. Other prominent players available for DFS lineups include James Harden, Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Ty Jerome, Dyson Daniels, Jrue Holiday, Evan Mobley, Zion Williamson, and Jarrett Allen.
SportsLine's Mike McClure, a DFS professional with over $2 million in career winnings and a predictive data engineer, has released his top NBA DFS picks for Thursday. McClure's model simulates every minute of each game 10,000 times, factoring in matchups, statistical trends, and injuries to identify optimal values on DraftKings and FanDuel.
One of McClure's top picks is Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine, priced at $6,600 on DraftKings and $6,300 on FanDuel. LaVine has been in strong form, averaging 27.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and one steal through four games this season, including a 37-point performance against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
McClure is stacking LaVine with Kings guard Darius Acuff Jr. ($7,100 on DraftKings, $6,500 on FanDuel), the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Acuff Jr. has averaged 21.5 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in four games, highlighted by a 33-point outing against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. McClure views the matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans as favorable for the Kings' backcourt duo.
McClure has also identified an additional player who could deliver massive numbers due to an optimal matchup, which he says could be the difference between winning tournaments and cash games. His complete lineup recommendations, rankings, and stacks are available exclusively on SportsLine.
