Fantasy Basketball Week 19: Two storylines and a DFS target for Thursday's slate

Ameer Tyree goes over two key storylines and a DFS target for Thursday's seven-game slate

The NBA is finally back! Thursday's main slate will feature seven games. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons will get things started at 7 p.m. ET, and a pair of 10 p.m. games will wrap up the action. While there aren't any Wednesday games to go over, there are a few storylines and DFS targets that stand out to us. Here's what fantasy managers should take note of ahead of tip-off.

The Cavaliers' depleted frontcourt

Cleveland won't have two essential guards available for its first game after the All-Star break. Darius Garland (back) and Caris LeVert (foot) have been ruled out for the Cavaliers' Thursday matchup against the Pistons. Rajon Rondo and Brandon Goodwin are sure to get more run with such impactful ball handlers out of commission. Lauri Markannen is listed as probable after missing 11 games with an ankle sprain, though. The fifth-year wing is averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game this season and could reclaim his spot in the starting lineup.

Kemba Walker's move to the bench

Walker's return to the spotlight was brief. New York has decided to shut down the point guard for the rest of the season after just 37 games with the Knicks. Walker flourished as a scorer after being benched earlier in the year, but New York has lost eight of its last 10 games, with him averaging 7.3 points on 35.2 percent shooting. Derrick Rose hasn't played since suffering an ankle injury in mid-December but practiced in full on Wednesday and is nearing a return. He'll likely carry the bulk of the point guard duties moving forward with some help from Immanuel Quickley and others.

DFS Target

Ayton lacked consistency ahead of the All-Star break and will have to bring more to the table now that Chris Paul is set to miss six to eight weeks with a thumb injury. The Suns' starting center has only played one game without Paul since the start of the 2020-21 season and tallied 16 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks. Devin Booker will need Ayton's support on offense, and the Thunder's abysmal frontcourt has struggled to stop bigs from impacting games as scorers and rebounders in the post. OKC's given up an average of 23.4 points and 16.8 rebounds to opposing starting centers over its last five games. Ayton can build on his success in the Western Conference matchup after posting 19 points and 12 rebounds against the Thunder in December.