NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Thursday (5/4)

This series is going to be amazing. Game 1 was astounding to watch, and every matchup is going to be a blood bath. The Lakers actually grabbed a game-high 14-point lead with six minutes remaining, but Golden State ripped off a 14-0 run to tie the game with 90 seconds remaining. The Lakers responded by scoring the final five points, and it was hectic, to say the least. We expect chaos like that in every game, and we can’t wait to see what happens in this Game 2.

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

Schedule and Odds

LAL at GSW (GSW -5) O/U: 227

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

Injury Report

• Anthony Davis (?) Probable
• LeBron James (20 years) Probable

Core Plays

Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $11,400 DraftKings, $17,500 FanDuel
If Davis plays like he did in Game 1, he’s going to carry this team a long way. The big man collected 30 points, 23 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks in that masterclass performance. That’s the fifth time he’s scored at least 63 DraftKings points in his last eight outings, and he looks as healthy as ever. The matchup makes him impossible to fade, with Golden State playing at the fastest pace in the NBA. That’s allowed Davis to average 68 DK points per game in his two most recent matchups with the Warriors.

Cash Game Considerations

Stephen Curry (PG – LAL): $11,200 DraftKings, $15,500 FanDuel
Chef Curry didn’t play well in Game 1, but he still had 42 DK points. That shows just how ridiculous this guy is, averaging over 50 DraftKings points per game in the regular season. That 42-point game is likely to be his floor from here on out, with Chef Curry looking at 40 minutes and 25 shots in this must-win Game 2. The matchup with LA is brilliant also, with the Lakers allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing point guards in the regular season. That was on full display when Curry compiled a 52-point average against them during the year.

LeBron James (SF/PF – LAL): $11,000 DraftKings, $16,000 FanDuel
LeBron labored with his shot in Game 1 but dropped 48 fantasy points. This 20-year vet simply has the safest floor of any player in NBA history, scoring at least 36 fantasy points in all but two games this year. He’s also traditionally been better throughout his postseason career and should be a lock for 50 fantasy points in his expanded playoff role.

GPP Targets

D’Angelo Russell (PG/SG – LAL): $7,400 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel
D-Lo is a volatile player, but he’s got too much upside to be this cheap. He’s still the starting point guard for the Lakers and averaged nearly 35 fantasy points per game in the regular season. Russell has also scored at least 35 DraftKings points in five of his last seven outings, making it impossible to understand why he’s so affordable. He also gets one of the best matchups with LeBron and AD swallowing up so much defensive attention.

Draymond Green (PF/C – GSW): $7,600 DraftKings, $13,500 FanDuel
Draymond struggled to get going in Game 1 because of some foul trouble, but this dude will play better in this must-win Game 2. He averaged over 30 DK points per game over the final two months of the regular season and is flirting with a 40-point average throughout his playoff career. He’s also averaging 33 DK points per game in his last three matchups with LA, which is no surprise since they were 23rd in total defense during the regular season.

Value Plays

Kevon Looney (C – GSW): $8,000 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
How amazing has this guy been on the boards? Looney is actually averaging 19 rebounds per game across his last six outings, scoring at least 38 fantasy points in five of those. That’s all you can ask for from such an affordable player, and his production is a near guarantee since he’s providing so much value through rebounding. The big games should continue because the Lakers allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing centers in the regular season. They also need him out there to guard AD, and that should force him into a prominent role.

Advantageous Pricing

Klay Thompson (SG – GSW): $8,200 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel

Draymond Green (PF/C – GSW): $7,600 DraftKings, $13,500 FanDuel

D’Angelo Russell (PG/SG – LAL): $7,400 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel

Rui Hachimura (SF/PF – LAL): $3,800 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel

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