3 NBA FanDuel Studs to Target on 2/15/18

Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves

Price: $10,300

At 118.25 points, the Minnesota Timberwolves own the highest implied total of the slate -- and by 10 points, at that. Why? Their opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers, plays at a pace 5.2 possessions faster per 48 minutes of play than what the 'Wolves play at, and the Lakers have allowed an average of 134.5 points in their first two games without Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr..

The Lakers are entering the second night of a back-to-back and will have traveled more than 1,200 miles from New Orleans to Minneapolis overnight. They'll be playing on tired legs, and that spells trouble for a team hemorrhaging points of late. That could lead to a blowout, but with coach Tom Thibodeau at the helm, that shouldn't be a big issue for Karl-Anthony Towns' minutes.

In 2017-18, Towns is averaging 35.2 minutes per game. He's played fewer than 30 minutes just seven times this season. Even in the 12 games the Wolves have won by more than 15 points, the 22-year-old has played 32.5 minutes a game. Towns has amassed a double-double in all but one of those games, so he has the high ceiling that comes with 32-plus minutes of work.

The Lakers are 22nd in FanDuel points per minute given up to opposing centers (1.09) this year. They've allowed opponents to rebound 26.9% of their own misses and score 1.14 points per play on put-backs. Towns is a no-brainer and a top option on Thursday night.