NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Tuesday (5/2)

These playoffs have been incredible. We’re not even halfway through, and it feels like every night is something special. The Philly-Boston game on Monday was awesome to watch, and the Phoenix-Denver matchup after was a slugfest as well. Watching the swings in these series is wild, and we’re kicking off one of the most anticipated ones of this 2022-23 Playoffs. That’s the Warriors-Lakers matchup, so let’s get into it!

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

Schedule and Odds

MIA at NYK (NYK -6.5) O/U: 207

LAL at GSW (GSW -4.5) O/U: 227.5

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

Injury Report

• Tyler Herro (hand) OUT
• Julius Randle (ankle) Questionable
• Quentin Grimes (shoulder) Probable
• Victor Oladipo (knee) OUT
• Bam Adebayo (hammy) Probable
• Jimmy Butler (ankle) Questionable
• Jalen Brunson (ankle) Questionable

Core Plays

Stephen Curry (PG – GSW): $9,900 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel
Chef Curry painted a masterpiece on Sunday. The former MVP finished that Game 7 win with 50 points, eight rebounds, and six assists en route to 74 DraftKings points. We don’t expect him to do that again, but Curry should continue to see a bump the deeper we get into the postseason. It should be much easier against a team like LA, with the Lakers allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards. In their two matchups, Curry averaged 52 DK points per game against them.

Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $9,400 DraftKings, $9,900 FanDuel
Butler is questionable coming into this game, but he’s impossible to avoid if he suits up. The All-Star has been the most impressive player this postseason, averaging 35.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. This stud has always been one of the best playoff performers, and it’s scary since he’s being asked to do more in the absence of Herro. He’s also had his way against the Kicks all year, averaging 43 DK points per game in their five matchups.

Cash Game Considerations

Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,000 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
Davis has the potential to be the most dominant player in the NBA. His skill set at his size is unmatched, leading to some ridiculous showings. The big man has scored at least 57 DraftKings points in four of his last seven outings, generating a 52-point average in the regular season. He should feast against an undersized Warriors team, mainly since Golden State played at the fastest pace in the NBA. In their most recent matchup, AD dropped 62 DK points!

Jalen Brunson (PG/SG – NYK): $8,400 DraftKings, $8,800 FanDuel
With Randle likely sitting again, Brunson should carry the load for the Knicks. With the All-Star out, JB leads the team with a 35 percent usage rate. He’s also averaging 1.3 DK points per minute in those circumstances and should be feeling it with NY staring at an 0-1 deficit at home. This lefty guard has established a 35-point floor and a 45-point average over the last two months and should never be below $9K in such an important game.

GPP Targets

Mitchell Robinson (C – NYK): $5,600 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
Mitch-Rob is a beast on the boards. The big man has always been an elite per-minute producer throughout his career, which is amazing since he’s played 34 and 36 minutes in his two most recent outings. He’s also got at least 28 fantasy points in four straight fixtures, flashing a 48-point upside in that span. He also had back-to-back 52-point gems a few weeks ago and could be asked to do more if Randle has to sit once again.

Kyle Lowry (PG – MIA): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
This is risky, but we’re seeing some signs from Lowry. This former All-Star has struggled all year, but they need him to step up with Herro and Butler both nicked up. We’ve seen flashes of that, with Lowry scoring 44 DK points across 30 minutes in Game 1. We saw him flirt with 50 DK points in the Milwaukee series, and that sort of upside is tough to find from a $5K player. It’s less surprising since the Knicks own a 21st OPRK against opposing point guards.

Value Plays

Kevon Looney (C – GSW): $6,700 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
Loon’s price is finally getting to where it should be. The big man has been the best rebounder in this postseason, averaging nearly 20 boards per game in the Sacramento series. That absurd rebounding led to Kevon scoring at least 38 fantasy points in four of his last five games. He also had an average above 40 fantasy points in that span and needs to play big minutes to oppose AD. Facing this lackluster Lakers defense is the icing on the cake, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this year.

Josh Hart (SG/SF – NYK): $5,900 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
Tom Thibodeau is notorious for playing his favorites big minutes, and Hart looks like his BFF right now. The trade deadline acquisition has played 40 minutes in all three games since entering the starting lineup, playing 43 and 47 minutes in his two most recent outings. If this sub-$6K player will play 40-45 minutes a night, he needs to be rostered in every lineup out there. He averaged 28 DK points per game in a 32-minute role in the regular season and should be $7K on both sites in this expanded role.

Advantageous Pricing

Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,000 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel

Draymond Green (PF/C – GSW): $6,500 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel

D’Angelo Russell (PG/SG – LAL): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel

Jarred Vanderbilt (PF/C – LAL): $3,900 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel

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