NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Wednesday (4/19)

This could be an interesting slate. The injury reports have been tiny through the opening days of the playoffs, but this one could be chaotic. We have numerous big-name players on the injury report, and we’re unsure if any of them will be ready to go. That makes things challenging, but we’ll buckle down and provide some solid picks!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Schedule and Odds

LAL at MEM (LAL -0.5) O/U: 226.5

MIA at MIL (MIL -9) O/U: 221

MIN at DEN (DEN -8.5) O/U: 223.5

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Ja Morant (hand) Questionable
• Brandon Clarke (Achilles) OUT
• Steven Adams (knee) OUT
• Tyler Herro (hand) OUT
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) Questionable
• Rudy Gobert (back) Questionable
• Jaden McDaniels (hand) OUT
• Naz Reid (hand) OUT
• Nikola Jokic (wrist) Questionable
• Kyle Lowry (knee) Questionable

Core Plays

Jrue Holiday (PG – MIL): $8,200 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
This might seem like a strange core play, but Jrue always goes off in the postseason. That’s what he showed us in Game 1, providing 16 points, seven rebounds, and 16 assists. He did that damage despite shooting 33 percent from the field, and it’s scary to think how good he could be if Giannis has to sit again. He’s also scored at least 45 DraftKings points in three of his five meetings with Miami this year and shouldn’t be this cheap in a must-win game.

Jamal Murray (PG/SG – DEN): $7,600 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
Murray has been one of the best point guards in the NBA for two months now. The bubble star is averaging nearly 40 DraftKings points per game in that span, totaling 50 DK points in the opening game of this series. He also had 41 fantasy points in his last matchup with Minnesota, which is no surprise since the T’Wolves allow the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.

Cash Game Considerations

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $10,900 DraftKings, $12,100 FanDuel
The Joker didn’t even have to do anything in Game 1. He dropped 43 DK points across 28 minutes, but we expect him to play 35-40 minutes as long as these games stay close. This former MVP is unstoppable in that sort of role, leading the NBA with 60 DraftKings points per game. He’s also established a 50-point floor, scoring 67 and 69 DK points in his two previous meetings with Minnesota.

Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,100 DraftKings, $11,900 FanDuel
AD needs to be this team’s best player if they’re to go as deep as fans hope, and if Game 1 is any indication, he knows that. The big man has at least 50 fantasy points in eight of his last nine games, collecting 22 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and seven blocks in Game 1. That sort of stat-stuffing is what makes Davis so dangerous, and he’s got at least 61 fantasy points in all three matchups with Memphis this year. That’s scary since two of their big men are sidelined!

GPP Targets

Tyus Jones (PG – MEM): $6,700 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
This play is all predicated on the health of Ja Morant. Jones should be locked into every lineup if the superstar has to sit. If Ja is able to play, Jones is impossible to use. That’s why Tyus is in this section because he’s been an $8K player when starting for Morant this year. In his 22 starts, Jones averaged 38 fantasy points per game. That’s obviously absurd from a player in this price range, and he’ll be impossible to fade if he gets this expanded role.

Max Strus (SG/SF – MIA): $5,500 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
With Tyler Herro out for the remainder of the series, Strus must step up. That injury should guarantee Mad Max 30-40 minutes and 15-20 shots a game. This guy was above $6K with that sort of role throughout the regular season, averaging 27 DK points per game in the 31 outings he played over 30 minutes. That would be stellar from such an affordable player, and we’ve seen him play at least 38 minutes in three of five matchups with Milwaukee.

Value Plays

Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $6,200 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel
Lopez has seen a price drop because of a slump, but this Defensive Player of the Year runner-up should never be this cheap. He had a bounceback season in Milwaukee, averaging over 32 DraftKings points per game. That alone is incredible from a player in this price range, especially since Bro-Lo has showcased a 50-point upside numerous times this year. A few of those came with Giannis out, and his value would rise even more if the former MVP has to sit.

Dillon Brooks (SG/SF – MEM): $6,100 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
Brooks isn’t a great basketball player, but he’s tough to fade in this sort of role. The feisty forward will be locked into 30-35 minutes and 10-20 shots. That sort of opportunity is outstanding from such a cheap player, and we’ve seen Brooks play even better when Ja has been out this year. All we need is 25-30 fantasy points for Brooks to be an immense value, and that’s not far off of his season average.

Advantageous Pricing

Jamal Murray (PG/SG – DEN): $7,600 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $10,900 DraftKings, $12,100 FanDuel

Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,100 DraftKings, $11,900 FanDuel

Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $6,200 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel

Jimmy Butler (SF – MIA): $8.900 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel

Bam Adebayo (C – MIA): $7,400 DraftKings, $8,400 FanDuel

Karl-Anthony Towns (C – MIN): $7,500 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel

Anthony Edwards (SG – MIN): $7,800 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel

Mike Conley (PG – MIN): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel

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