NBA DFS: DraftKings, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (5/18/24) - Today's Top Lineups

Welcome to a Saturday Showdown slate in the NBA, RotoBallers! We have an exciting Game 6 on tap tonight, with the Dallas Mavericks looking to spring the upset on the #1-seeded Thunder with a series-clinching win on their home court. The Mavericks are 3.5-point favorites tonight and hold a 57.6% chance of winning (according to ESPN's "Matchup Predictor"). Luka Doncic and P.J. Washington have picked up the slack that Kyrie Irving left behind, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needs more from Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren if they want to extend the series.

The key to succeeding in NBA DFS is making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always essential to have a game plan, with the best players and spots circled before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and access our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate until lineups lock!

This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/18/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 3:30 PM EST on FanDuel and DraftKings.

Today's NBA DFS Core Picks (Captain/MVP/STAR)

Having Luka Doncic on a showdown slate is similar to having Nikola Jokic as an option in the same scenario. The best advice I can give you is to play them. They're the best of the elite in fantasy production and hold the high usage and FPTS/minute metrics that make their insane production sustainable. Doncic has the highest median and ceiling projection on this slate, and we have to do everything we can to get his raw points in our lineups tonight. He's also starting to feel himself in this series, increasing his DK points output in three consecutive contests (52.25, 56, and 67.5 DK points).

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is another option to consider at the high end, though the rest of your lineup will be risky plays if you try to pair him up with Doncic. SGA has seen his production steadily decline over the last four matchups, but he has the type of all-around game and high usage that we DFS players like to build around. Something is wrong with Kyrie Irving, as he has failed to exceed 37 DK points in four of five games in this series and finished with less than 13 real-life points in three of his last four games. He'd be a contrarian option, but he's not one I'll be pursuing on this slate.

Chet Holmgren is the final piece I'll be rotating in as a contrarian Captain/MVP play tonight. The "rookie" hasn't been as impactful on offense as expected in this series, but his work on the boards and getting blocks has kept him as a valuable DFS piece (aside from Game 5). The Thunder need someone to step up and bring the noise if they want to tie up the series on the road, and Holmgren is versatile enough to put up a big game on Daniel Gafford, Derek Lively III, and P.J. Washington.

Top Captain/MVP Plays:

1. Luka Doncic ($20,100 DK CPT; $16,500 FD)
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($18,900 DK; $16,000 FD)
3. Chet Holmgren ($13,200 DK CPT; $13,500 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Value Picks (Utility/PRO)

Getting to Doncic while sidestepping SGA allows you to select more comfortable players in the remaining slots. Getting to Doncic and SGA in a lineup forces you to play the ultra-cheap guys. We'll cover both, as I'll likely get exposure to both builds tonight. I like Washington, Derrick Jones Jr., and Lu Dort as the mid-range pieces tonight. Washington is a bit expensive, but he has earned that after averaging 43 DK PPG over his last four contests while playing around 40 minutes per night. He has become the de-facto second option with Irving struggling. Jones Jr. could play anywhere from 28 to 36 minutes, and that's the type of volatility we need to embrace on a slate like this. He popped for 30.25 and 27.25 DK points in Games 4 and 5, and I'll keep riding with him tonight. Lastly, Dort is a solid play, as he should see around 40 minutes in the 3-and-D role.

The cheap pieces are a lot more dicey, as you'd expect. Cason Wallace has all but disappeared since Game 2, scoring less than 9 DK points in three straight games. He played 27 minutes in Game 5, though, so the Thunder seem to want him on the floor taking shots in the second unit. He's worth the dice role at his rock-bottom salary tonight. Josh Green is ever cheaper, and he has been more productive, so I'll be mixing in the Mavs' forward as well. Tim Hardaway Jr., Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins are more expensive than Wallace and Green, and they don't exactly profile as must-plays. However, we'll have to get different on this slate, and hitting on one of these cheap, low-owned players will be vital in taking this down. My money is on Wallace, but covering your bases on Showdown slates is good practice.

Top Value Plays:

1. Cason Wallace ($2,800 DK; $7,500 FD)
2. Lu Dort ($6,000 DK; $9,500 FD)
3. P.J. Washington ($8,200 DK; $11,00 FD)
4. Derrick Jones Jr. ($5,200 DK; $8,500 FD)
5. Josh Green ($2,400 DK; $7,000 FD)

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Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids

1. As mentioned above, I won't be playing Irving until further notice. He has been in a funk all series long, and it seems to be getting worse as he hasn't exceeded 24 DK points in two straight games. P.J. Washington has become the #2 option in the offense, which I never thought I'd type out. Things can change on a dime in the NBA, but we can't pay up for him with the form he's in.
2. Jalen Williams. SGA's sidekick hasn't been awful in this series, but he's not exactly putting up performances we can utilize in winning DFS lineups. He's averaging 35.5 DK PPG but has only exceeded the 40 DK point mark once against Dallas, and I don't like targeting players who don't have a clear path to a ceiling game. He's too spendy for what I want to do with my lineups, so I'll let others chase his "big" game.

My Favorite NBA DFS Lineup Picks for Today

Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.

• My favorite overall play: Luka Doncic
• My favorite CASH play: Luka Doncic
• My favorite GPP play(s): Cason Wallace
• My favorite value play(s): Lu Dort

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

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