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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on April 22, 2021. Euan Leith provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Thursday, RotoBallers! As is usually the case for the fourth day of the week, the association provides a small(ish) six-game slate to start the weekend early. Six teams will be playing the second half of a back-to-back set tonight. Phoenix, Philadelphia, Detroit, Dallas, Chicago, and San Antonio will play their second game in as many nights. This could bring about some strange lineups and cautious starting fives from any of those six squads.
My favorite game is the Philadelphia-Milwaukee contest. The 227.5 points for the over/under is the largest on the slate. Meanwhile, the Bucks are the fastest-paced team among the 12 units playing on Thursday. The rest of the slate is considerably uglier than the 76ers-Bucks matchup. I will be keeping an eye on the lineups out of Boston, however. Several stars are dealing with illnesses and nagging injuries, and their ailments will open up plenty of shots for a lot of underpriced Celtics.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/22/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. With COVID-19 a significant factor, remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Terry Rozier - PG/SG, CHA at CHI ($8,400)
Terry was too scary for me to play on Tuesday's slate, and he made me look dumb. I won't make that mistake tonight as I build my lineups around the 27-year old. Rozier is playing some of the best basketball of his career with LaMelo Ball (wrist) and Gordon Hayward (foot) on the sidelines for the Hornets. Over his last four games, the 2015 first-round pick is averaging 26 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, 4.2 triples, and 1.7 steals per contest. Rozier has gone over 20 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and two three-pointers in all four of those games. It's not up-and-down production, and he's consistently bringing his A-game. This run of form will continue tonight against a Bulls unit allowing the sixth-most DraftKings fantasy points to point guards over their last 15 games.
Marcus Smart - PG/SG, BOS vs. PHO ($6,600)
Reports are coming out of Boston that Jaylen Brown (shoulder), Jayson Tatum (ankle), and Evan Fournier (medical protocols) will all miss this game against the Suns. That leaves an enormous gap in the Celtics offense with 48.6 shots per game sitting on the trainer's table. Kemba Walker ($7,400) is another option in the Boston backcourt for this game, but I'm snagging the $800 in savings and rolling with Smart. He's topped 40 points in three of his last six appearances, and he's never been reluctant to take more shots when given a chance. Smart's season-high is 25 points, and he will have the opportunity to top that against the Suns on Thursday.
Tyrese Maxey - PG/SG, PHI at MIL ($3,100)
Maxey should only be a consideration if Ben Simmons (illness) is unable to play. Simmons did miss the first half of this back-to-back set and is considered questionable for this Eastern Conference showdown. Maxey came off the bench last night and recorded 14 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block in 31 minutes against the Suns. We all witnessed his upside in January when the 76ers gave him extended playing time. If he gets the opportunity tonight, he should be one of the first players in your DFS lineup.
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DraftKings DFS Forwards
Brandon Ingram - SF/PF, NO at ORL ($8,700)
I prefer Ingram to be a little cheaper than the $8,700 he's sitting at for tonight's slate, but the 23-year old is producing all over the box score in his last handful of games. In the previous five matchups, Ingram is averaging 28.4 points, 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.2 three-pointers. His most explosive fantasy evenings come when he is active on the defensive end. In the last two games where the All-Star reached a combined three blocks plus steals, he is averaging 57.9 FPPG. The Magic enters tonight's game as the third-worst defense versus small forwards over their last 15 games. Ingram has a good matchup and should have a great shot at returning six or seven times his salary if he can bring it defensively.
Patrick Williams - SF/PF, CHI vs. CHA ($4,300)
The Bulls are in a scrap for the play-in games and will need all their guys to step up down the final 15 games. They have another big matchup against the Charlotte Hornets tonight, and it will be a good spot for Patrick Williams. The fourth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft still has some work to do on the offensive side of the ball, but he can contribute in other ways, and it's turning him into a viable DFS option. In four of his last five games, the rookie has scored at least 23 DK fantasy points and returned five times his value. Charlotte is a bottom-third defense against forwards over the last two weeks and will give Williams the chance to continue his decent form. Over the five-game stretch I just mentioned, the 19-year old is averaging 8.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.6 blocks while shooting 60.7 percent from the field and 57.1 percent behind the three-point line.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Isaiah Stewart - C, DET at SA ($5,800)
Stewart is showing the NBA fans and DFS players what he can do on the court. The 19-year old is producing some phenomenal stat lines and, as a result, excellent DFS results. Mason Plumlee started last night versus Dallas and severely capped his teammate's upside. However, with the Pistons playing the second half of a back-to-back, they may rest their veteran and let the rookie get another long run. In the last three games where Stewart has logged at least 24 minutes, the New York native is averaging 17.3 points, 16.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 47.4 DraftKings fantasy points. Make sure to check the Piston's starting lineup before the games begin, but if Stewart gets the starting nod, he should be an all-systems-go kind of play.
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