NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Primer (Friday)

That Game 1 was as good as it gets, and it truly feels like we’re in for a lengthy series. These teams are matched up as evenly as possible for the Western Conference crown, and it’ll be fun to see who ends up playing Boston in the Finals. You’d have to expect Minnesota to come out with some fury after that choke in Game 1 because they don’t want to go down 0-2 at home again.

They did overcome that deficit in the last round, so let’s go ahead and dive into this Game 2! Here are our top NBA DFS picks for tonight’s playoff game between the Mavericks and Timberwolves.

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

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Primer

Schedule and Odds

• DAL at MIN (MIN -4.5) O/U: 205.5

Check out our consensus game odds and the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• Maxi Kleber (shoulder) OUT

NBA DFS Picks: Core Plays

Kyrie Irving (PG/SG – DAL): $9,800 DraftKings, $14,000 FanDuel
Irving struggled mightily in the Oklahoma City series, but that won’t happen this round. The All-Star had 43 DraftKings points against Minnesota in Game 1, taking 23 shots in that win. The workload is significant because Kyrie will go off in any game he takes at least 20 shots. It’s not surprising when looking at his last game against the T’Wolves, dropping 64 fantasy points in that masterpiece earlier in the year.

Anthony Edwards (SG/SF – MIN): $11,400 DraftKings, $15,500 FanDuel
ANT wasn’t scoring much in the Game 1 defeat, but he’s showcasing why he’s one of the best players in the NBA. The 22-year-old fell two assists shy of a triple-double, scoring 51 DK points in that game. Those stat lines have been a regular thing for this stud, averaging 49 DK points per game across his last 12 outings. He’s also showcased a 56-point upside in five of those and could have a similar output in this must-win Game 2. Not to mention, ANT had at least 62 DK points in two of his last three meetings with the Mavs before Game 1.

NBA DFS Picks: Cash Game Considerations

Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $13,400 DraftKings, $17,500 FanDuel
It’s impossible to fade the best player on a single-game slate, especially a superstar like this. Luka led the NBA with 65 DraftKings points per game during the regular season, establishing a 50-point floor as well. No player in the league can match this stud, scoring 60 DK points in Game 1. Amazingly, Doncic has scored at least 52 fantasy points in 70 of 78 games this season, generating a 70-point average since the All-Star break. Don’t be the guy who fades Luka.

NBA DFS Picks: GPP Targets

Jaden McDaniels (SG/SF – MIN): $6,000 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
McDaniels was Minnesota’s best player in Game 1, which has been a trend since the end of the Denver series. This defensive stud has at least 35 DraftKings points in three straight games, posting a 38-point average in that span. That’s one of the best three-game stretches of this guy’s career, and it’s clear there are plenty of chances for him with ANT and the big men swallowing up so much attention. We also don’t mind that Dallas ranked 19th in total defense during the regular season!

Daniel Gafford (C – DAL): $5,200 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
We talked about this in the last article, and we’re going to keep using Gafford. This is one of the best per-minute producers in the NBA, averaging 37 DK points per game when he plays over 24 minutes. That’s been more common with Maxi Kleber sidelined, and DG should be locked into 20-25 minutes against the largest team in the NBA. Gafford will be held below that 25-minute total a few times, but he’ll be one of the best per-dollar players out there when he surpasses it.

Value Plays

Rudy Gobert (C – MIN): $8,400 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
Gobert had a +9 plus-minus in Game 1 and completely dominated the paint when he was in there. He played 37 minutes in that defeat but scored just 28 DK points. It was only his second game with fewer than 30 DK points over the last two months, averaging 37 fantasy points per game in that span. A guy with a 30-point floor and 40-point average should never be this cheap, making him one of the best value plays out there.

Dereck Lively (C – DAL): $5,400 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
Lively has been playing more than Gafford the last few games, scoring at least 26 DraftKings points in four straight fixtures. He’s also averaging 33 DK points per game across 26 minutes a night in that span and played like that for weeks at a time during the regular season before Gafford arrived. It’s unclear who will get the bigger workload between these centers, but both are usable for DFS since Dallas needs these big bodies to match up with Minnesota.

Advantageous Pricing

• PJ Washington (PF/C – DAL) $8,000 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel
• Naz Reid (PF/C – MIN): $4,600 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
• Mike Conley (PG – MIN): $7,000 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel

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