RADIO
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This is it. The last two days of the regular season. It's been a tumultuous season and now all the takes and preconceived notions will be put to the test. DFS-ers are ready for more solidified lineups and game plans, because these past few weeks have been rough. Teams taking tanking to a different level and opening the door for unknown players to find their way into the heart of every DraftKings and FanDuel consumer. That has been nice, I won't deny that, but the inconsistencies have been much harder to deal with. With the amount of competition around the NBA, DFS should have been easier this year.
Unfortunately, we saw the impact wanting to win has on production. This was the year of the hustle player. Players like Josh Richardson, Otto Porter, and Gary Harris stole the fantasy spotlight with their dedication to defense and hustling, leaving DFS players disappointed and confused. I noticed this season, the matchup made less of a difference than in recent years. Playing someone against the worst defense at that position was a good strategy, but rarely worked out for that particular reason. With the influx of a more position-less basketball mindset, the 'matchup-by-defense' indicator is going to prove and be less and less of a useful premise. I can help you though.
With all this in mind, know that if a team struggles against power forwards AND centers, assume they struggle against talented frontcourts. If a team struggles to contain point guards, but always keeps wing players limited, assume the team has strength to protect the paint and limit bigger forwards, but don't have the speed to keep up with guards. There is always more to the matchup than just how many point they let up, always be willing to dive a little deeper. There will be more to come on this when playoffs start, so look for daily articles outlining which game to stack, bet on, or avoid. Just because you couldn't cash out during the regular season doesn't mean you should let the postseason go to waste. It's arguably the most predictable time of the season. In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/10/18. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on DraftKings. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports too. If you have more questions, find me in the Hoops Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter.
DraftKings DFS Guards
Shaquille Harrison- PG/SG, at DAL ($3,900)
There are six teams that are playing their last game tonight. I tweeted the all six but you can asume the Suns are one of them. With that, assume the mindset of Shaquille Harrison. Just offered a multi-year contract, still a budding player on a team that prides itself on its up and coming youth. Harrison might have gotten the contract he wanted, but he's still unproven when it comes to offense. He scores at the rim and has plenty of athletic finishes, but he's strictly an isolation scorer. Unless he plans to stay behind Devin Booker in the rotation, Harrison needs to develop into either relying on his jump shot, or learning to dish the ball more on his drives. Either way he has a ways to go but has the backing of an entire organization after just 22 games. Harrison is facing the young Mavericks backcourt and has the athleticism to make this a very enticing matchup for both Harrison and Dennis Smith Jr. Aside from Harrison's isolation scoring, he excels on defense. He's had four, four steal games already this season and his attention to defense gives him upside against a weaker opponent.
Dante Exum - PG/SG, vs CHI ($4,300)
The Utah Jazz clinched a playoff spot so hoping they decide to take whatever seeding the West gives them and rest a few players will really make this pick POP. Already a low price combined with an upward trending, lengthy guard against the Warriors and there is no reason to fade Dante Exum. His track record of production has been spotty but on the court he's been making the most of his minutes. There are few categories he doesn't contribute in and playing the Warriors always boost upside in every direction you can imagine. Seeing how the Warriors wouldn't dare waste injuring another superstar on this game, assume Exum and a few other reserves get some extra run.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - SF, at IND ($3,500)
This pick will work out. I mean it has to. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist took the title for worst DFS option ever and ran away smiling. Every game he does what needs to be done and it's the absolute worst. Watching him close out on shooters, box out for team rebounds and worst of all play defense...actually scratch that. The fact that Kidd-Gilchrist blows layups put him one peg above Tony Allen and two steps below Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Not the best company, but the Pacers have been somewhat liming through this home stretch. I don't expect tonight to be the night where the Pacers turn it on, so Kidd-Gilchrist has upside for the first time in his career.
Domantas Sabonis - PF/C, vs CHA ($5,200)
Usually younger players don't carry momentum across multiple strings of games, and Domantas Sabonis is really no different. He hasn't been able to consecutively dominate the paint like he is known for doing and tends to flounder after big games. Luckily his rebounding and style make him just about a guarantee to produce, but since earlier this season Sabonis has been struggling to get double-digit rebounds although he should. The Hornets frontcourt is pretty bad against rebounders aside from Dwight Howard, so this game should come down to two things. The Pacers grabbing rebounds and the Hornets backcourt taking way too many shots.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Aron Baynes - C, at WAS ($3,600)
One of my favorite DFS past times is waiting until this part of the season and just unapologetically rostering backups. As long as the team is content with their seeding, you need to play the backups. There is little reason for any contending team to waste the energy and workload on one of their starts, yet Aron Baynes is basically a starter. He clogs the paint and knows his role more than most players on the team. His skill level needs work but he puts himself in position to be effective an almost every possession, whether it's defense or offense. The Wizards should be focused on playing Toronto in the first round, but chances are this game will not be a good indicator of a potential first round series. Baynes should dominate but don't expect the Celtics to be sell out for this win.
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