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DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (4/17/16): NBA DFS Advice

By Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA (LeBron James) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Playoffs have begun. NBA Daily Fantasy has continued. This is where things get tricky considering every team is playing extra basketball for a reason. There really aren't too many lopsided matchups, nor is any team facing the Philadelphia 76ers or the Los Angeles Lakers.

It's equally important to focus on players not starting. Plugging them in will free up the needed cap space for guys like Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. From this point on, there will likely be only three to five games played on a given day so it's important to spend big where necessary instead of rounding out your team strictly with $6,000-7,000 guys.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy NBA lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/17/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players, to mid-priced options, and value plays on DraftKings.

 

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DraftKings DFS Point Guards 

Austin Rivers (vs POR, $3,300)

Even though CP3 will likely play close to 40 minutes, Rivers should get in the game enough to hit projection for his price. Rivers has had some nice performances down the stretch, including 32 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder and finished the season with back-to-back double-digit scoring games.

This will be an interesting series, specifically the matchup between CP3 and Damian Lillard. But the Los Angeles Clippers have more depth and could receive a ton of help from their bench.

Goran Dragic (vs CHA, $6,500)

Dragic has become a big part of the Miami Heat offense and really started to come into his own once the team lost Chris Bosh to injury. Dragic is a consistent double-digit scoring threat and is capable of flirting with a double-double every night. Dragic also picked up a steal in each of his last five games and is a generous stat spreader. He is an affordable option and will be tested guarding and playing against Kemba Walker.

DraftKings DFS Shooting Guards

Jodie Meeks (at CLE, $2,000)

After missing nearly all of the season, Jodie Meeks returned on the last game of the season and scored 20 points in 27 minutes. He also added three rebounds, three assists and four from downtown on nine attempts. Meeks is undoubtedly fresh, while the Detroit Pistons will need all the help they can get, from their starters and bench players, to keep up with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a seven game series.

Meeks is relatively unproven this season but has proved that he's capable of scoring in double-digits on a consistent basis in the past. Meeks had some of his best years with the Los Angeles Lakers and, now healthy, could be a big threat off the bench, especially if Kentavious Caldwell-Pope struggles from the field.

Dwayne Wade (vs CHA, $6,500)

Wade is one of the most playoff-experienced to take the court on Sunday. Even though the Heat are the higher seed, the Charlotte Hornets finished with the same record. Wade and the Heat will be tested, but this is the stage Wade has shined in the past. He and Dragic will have the responsibility of taming Walker and Nicolas Batum while leading the charge offensively. I'll go with experience this time of the year over anything.

DraftKings DFS Small Forwards 

LeBron James (vs DET, $10,000) 

Speaking of playoff-experienced. James is looking to get back to the finals for the sixth time in his career. First, in his way, are the Detroit Pistons. You can only imagine how hungry The King is, and is coming off the best postseason of his career. My money is on him producing similarly and leading the Cavaliers back to the NBA Championship series. LeBron scored 30, 20, and 12 points in three games against the Pistons this season, but I'd look for him to replicate performances more similar to his first two.

Justise Winslow (vs CHA, $3,700) 

Guys like Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow will play a big role for the Heat in their series against the Hornets. It's often those coming off the bench that impact a series as much as those penciled into the starting five. Winslow won't blow you away with his stats but he's an affordable option that will free up cap space for others on this list.

DraftKings DFS Power Forwards

Zach Randolph (at SA, $6,100)

Randolph is the one and only true scoring threat on the Memphis Grizzlies and will do all he can to avoid San Antonio mopping the floor with his team. Because that's where this series is likely headed, a sweep, and a quick advancement to the second round for the Spurs. Zbo is a rebounding threat and will likely be pinned up against the aging Tim Duncan or the man below.

LaMarcus Aldridge (vs MEM, $7,800) 

Aldridge has really evolved this season and, alongside, Kawhi Leonard, leads an impressive Spurs offensive unit. This is also where San Antonio shines the most, playing extra basketball in April. This is certainly the most lopsided matchup on paper and could prove to be lopsided on the court as well. Aldridge is in line for a big game and big series against a depleted squad taking the court without Marc Gasol.

DraftKings DFS Centers

DeAndre Jordan (vs POR, $7,300)

I like this matchup the best, as DeAndre Jordan will likely be toe-to-toe with Mason Plumlee. Jordan has had an impressive season and is a one of the most consistent double-double threats next to Andre Drummond.

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  • DFS Value Picks Tool: Helps you find, sort and filter the best lineup values and DFS sleeper picks every day. Premium stats like "Usage Rate", "Trend" and "Value" give you a leg up on the DFS competition.
  • Daily NBA Projections: Our secret sauce - DFS points projections for FanDuel and DraftKings scoring.

And don't forget, all Premium NBA subscriptions also get you access to our NHL, MLB and NFL Premium tools, cheat sheets and DFS lineup picks automatically - access to almost 20 Premium tools and DFS resources!

 

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