RADIO
We have an 11 game slate today, as we wind down this NBA season. Ton of big names on the slate, along with plenty of value. This late in the season, I like to target players on teams who are still in the playoff hunt, or who are looking to clinch their spot. No resting for them, as they still have to bring it every night. I know baseball is kicking off this week, but there is still plenty of money to be won in NBA DFS.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/4/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @DFS_Tom.
DraftKings DFS Guards
Kyrie Irving – PG, vs ORL ($7,800)
Now I know the Cavs have been struggling lately, and Irving hasn’t been the most consistent. But his price has dropped and this is a good time to roster him since he is undervalued. We all know what Kyrie is capable of, and he hasn’t been showing that all too much lately. But he has had two straight games of 42 points or more and is up against the Magic who are giving up 49 points per game to the point guards. Irving has a usage rate of 32%, which is actually highest on the team, so he will be seeing plenty of action in a game that has a total set at 222. Also like this game for a bit of a game stack, you could run it back with some players from the Magic, since the Cavs haven't been playing the best defense of late. Great for cash games and decent for GPPs since I don’t think many people will be on him during this slump.
Bradley Beal – SG, vs CHA ($7,200)
Really like Beal in this spot tonight. The Wizards are back from their West Coast road trip and are still jostling for playoff position in the East. Beal has scored 33 points or more in three straight games to go along with at least three 3-pointers made in five of his last ten games. That is where the upside is for him tonight. Beal is averaging 1.02 fantasy points per minute, which is great since he has been playing 30+ minutes per game consistently. We know he can hit it from deep and going against the Hornets who are giving up 41 DraftKings points per game to shooting guards, makes him an auto lock for me tonight in all formats.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Jimmy Butler – SF, @NY ($9,800)
Jimmy Minutes aka Jimmy Buckets has somehow gotten the Bulls into a playoff spot with just a few games left to play. He has scored 44 DraftKings points or more in nine of his last ten games. That is unbelievably consistent this late in the season. The bright lights of the Big Apple should be plenty of motivation for him to continue this streak and pour on another strong game vs the weak Knicks defense. Butler also has a 32% usage rate right now since Dwayne Wade, has been off the floor with an injury. Should be fun to see him duel with Carmelo, if Carmelo plays. But even if he does play, not much Melo can do vs Jimmy.
Dario Saric – PF, vs BKN ($7,400)
Saric was just named the rookie of the month for the Eastern conference, so if you like story lines, there is one here. He has been playing great recently due to all the injuries Philly has. He has really been given the chance to prove himself on the court, and show that he is a legit scoring option night in and night out. Scoring in double digit real points in eight of his last ten games, he is up against the Brooklyn defense who is akin to a wet paper, when it comes to stopping things. The Nets are giving up 49 points per game to power forwards, which is good for second worst in the league. Just be sure to double check that he is playing, since he has been dealing with a bit of a heel issue, but I don't see that being a big problem.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Brook Lopez - C, @ PHI ($7,300)
Lopez has been on a bit of a heater right now, and you never walk away from a heater. He has scored 44 DraftKings points or more in three straight games, and is going up against the 76ers who are last in the league versus centers, giving up 56 points per game. I don't often recommend players from Brooklyn, but they are up against an equally bad team on defense, so you can really take either side of this game. Lopez looks good for cash or GPPs tonight, since he has been consistent of late, but seems to also be under priced, even with his recent performance.
Frank Kaminsky - C, @ WAS ($5,300)
Frank the tank is back from his injury and has posted four straight games of over one fantasy point per minute. For a player that is on a cheaper side, he is a solid option tonight to give you a bit of salary relief if you are trying to fit in some of the bigger names into one lineup. The Wizards are also giving up 50 DraftKings points per game to centers, so this is a favorable match up for him. I see Frank as mostly a cash game option for tonight, since there isn't a tremendous amount of upside with him.
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