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Happy Wednesday, RotoBallers! The NBA Playoffs are here, and we have two games slotted for tonight. Playoffs are always a different animal when it comes to sports betting, DFS, and the like. Rotations switch up, starters are all typically guaranteed 38+ minutes, so on and so forth. Fortunately, we're pretty deep into these first-round matchups now, so we can make reasonable predictions in regards to matchups, minutes, etc. So with that being said, let's get after it for tonight.
Tonight we have a mini-slate for the playoff games, with two games on tap. With now both FanDuel and DraftKings having multi-position eligibility players, we'll have to attack slates a bit differently to make our lineups as optimal as possible. That's where I come in! I'll look to find my personal top plays and values for tonight's slate. Things can change during the day as well, so I'll do my best to update as news comes out!
Here are my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 4/27/22. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s NBA injury news and also our full NBA injury report today to stay up to date before lineups are locked.
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Stephen Curry - vs DEN (FD: $9,600, DK: $9,000)
I'll start off tonight's slate with Steph Curry. This is probably the first and last time I'll ever pick someone who will be coming off the bench at this price. Steph has played 30 and 36 in the last two games of this series, respectively, and should see around 35+ minutes of action once again tonight. He's averaged more than 31 points per game over the last three games in this series, and his upside with a chance to put this series away is just too high for me to fade on a two-game slate.
Jrue Holiday, vs CHI (FD: $8,100, DK: $8,600)
Likely one of the chalkiest plays on this "mini-slate" since the Bucks lost Khris Middleton in Game 2. In these previous two games without Middleton, Holiday has averaged 21 points, four rebounds, and just over six assists. Jrue has played at least 36 minutes in three of the four games of this series, the only exception being Game 3, a 30-point blowout win. Jrue is needed on both sides of the floor and should provide solid value on this two-game slate.
Austin Rivers, at GSW (FD: $4,000, DK: $3,500)
A bit of a punt play here, but I did like what I saw from Rivers in Game 4. Sure, he was fortunate to log five steals, which accumulated most of his fantasy output. However, he played 36 minutes and was +12 in a Nuggets victory. While the 36 minutes was an outlier for this series, you would think Michael Malone would play someone who helped them stave off elimination (at least for one more game) for more than 25 minutes. We obviously can't guarantee anything, but if Rivers gets the burn and knocks down a couple of threes, he could certainly be the difference-maker in your lineups.
Also consider: Jordan Poole (FD: $6,900, DK: $7,400), Alex Caruso (FD: $4,600, DK: $4,900)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
DeMar DeRozan, at MIL (FD: $9,100, DK: $8,800)
It was announced Tuesday afternoon that Zach LaVine was placed into the NBA's health and safety protocols. While it isn't confirmed that he won't play, he is likely to miss tonight's game. This opens up the door for DeMar DeRozan, whose scoring production has been down throughout the course of this series, outside of a dazzling 41-point performance in Game 2. With that said though, the Bulls will need him tonight. DeRozan, who averaged nearly 34 points, six assists, and five rebounds in games without LaVine this season, is simply too cheap on both sites.
Aaron Gordon, at GSW (FD: $5,000, DK: $6,000)
After a slow start to the series, where he logged just 25 and 26 minutes in games 1 and 2, Aaron Gordon has certainly picked it up. He logged a double-double in Game 3, with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and followed up with a 21-point, six rebound performance in Game 4. His minutes also increased, with Gordon playing 34 minutes in each of the two previous games, and we should see that trend continue tonight as Gordon and the Nuggets fight to play another day.
Grayson Allen, vs CHI (FD: $5,700, DK: $5,200)
I would be utterly shocked if Grayson Allen isn't the most popular player on the slate tonight. After not doing much in the first two games of the series, everything changed when Khris Middleton went down. Since Game 2, Allen has played 24 and 28 minutes, respectively, and has logged 22 and 27 points, respectively. While it's obvious that the minutes' increase plays a part in this, this has been a trend for Allen all season. In 15 games without Khris Middleton this season, Allen averages 18.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and just over one assist per game. He's a lock button for me tonight.
Also consider: Giannis Antetokounmpo (FD: $11,500, DK: $11,600), Pat Connaughton (FD: $5,300, DK: $3,800)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Draymond Green, vs DEN (FD: $7,000, DK: $6,700)
While watching Game 4, I really came to the realization of how important Draymond Green is to the Warriors. While Steph, Klay, and Jordan Poole are the guys getting the buckets, Draymond is the guy setting the screens and creating the space for the shots. While this means absolutely nothing when it comes to DFS, he's been putting up quality numbers as well. He's averaging a modest 9.3 points per game in this series, as well as 6.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists. He accumulates peripherals, averaging just under three per game in the series, so I do favor this a bit more of a FanDuel play. Nevertheless, I like Draymond as a middle-of-the-pack center if you decide to pay up elsewhere.
Also consider: Nikola Jokic (FD: $11,300, DK: $11,400)
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