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NBA playoffs, NHL playoffs, and MLB daily games. This is the time of year in which FanDuel and DFS players get as giddy as Augustus Gloop receiving a golden ticket to tour the Willy Wonka Chocolate factory. So many games and so many options are available that it can be hard to keep up at times. Don’t worry, Rotoballer is here to help you with your NBA playoffs picks so you don’t drown in a metaphorical chocolate river of DFS debt.
We have provided our daily picks throughout the year and we will continue to push hard during this second NBA season. Below are our favorite FanDuel DFS picks for Saturday April 18th, 2015.
Keep in mind, fantasy basketball is a fickle game when it comes to injured players, so be sure to check all lineups prior to tip-off. If you want to chat about your roster picks, check out the DFS chat room at the bottom of this post.
Premium DFS Lineup Tools
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- Player vs. Player Comparison: Compare up to five players' recent FanDuel fantasy points to find the highest scoring players for your lineups.
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Both of these tools will show you players' points per game and points per minute over any custom date range. This information can help you gain an edge with your NBA DFS lineups.
Worth The FanDuel Investment
J.R. Smith (CLE, G) - $5,300
Go ahead and pick your stud player at the point guard position. You don’t really need anyone to tell you that. However, the shooting guard slots require some careful analysis for Sunday’s games. Evan Turner is the most expensive shooting guard, and honestly the rest of the lineup doesn’t look all that great either. So now we have to hope for luck and to exploit match-ups. J. R. Smith should definitely find his way into your primary or secondary shooting guard slot due to Cleveland’s match-up with the Celtics. We know that the Celtics will be looking to shut down inside penetration from the likes of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. However, the Celtics will have to throw their best defenders in Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart onto the Cavalier’s best players, and Smith should find himself to be the target of plenty of kick outs. Smith has shown a propensity to have huge games whenever LeBron is feeling rather generous with the ball, and it seems very likely that the King will look to get his teammates involved early in the playoffs. Smith certainly won’t shy away from his new-found opportunities.
Honorable Mentions: Kyrie Irving (CLE, G), Kyle Korver (ATL, G)
LaMarcus Aldridge (POR, F) - $9,100
LaMarcus Aldridge will absolutely have to guide his battered Portland team through the Grizzlies if he wants any chance of advancing. Lillard may be a dynamic scoring point guard, but the combination of Tony Allen and Mike Conley latched onto him on defense all game long seems like an incredible challenge for the young point guard. Look for Aldridge to step up in order to make up for his injured teammates in Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews, as well as potentially poor performances from Damian Lillard. Aldridge will have himself a much easier defensive match-up against Zach Randolph, and should look to exploit this every game through his incredible array of post-moves and mid-range shots. Aldridge also did not play in three of the team’s final seven games, and he should be well rested as the Trail Blazers look to turn some heads by upsetting the Grizzlies.
Honorable Mention: Kawhi Leonard (SA, F)
Brook Lopez (BKN, C) - $8,500
Not many people are giving the Nets any shot at winning more than one game against the Hawks, but that doesn’t mean they won’t put up an effort and at least make the scoreboard look respectable. Brook Lopez should be the key focus for the Nets offense as the center position looks to be the only match-up on the court that the Nets may look to exploit in their favor. Brook Lopez simply outmatches Al Horford in size, and he should have a huge series as the Nets look to somehow slow down the Hawks. Lopez also ended the year on a very good note. In the last month of the season, Lopez averaged 22.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.2 blocks. On April 8th when the Nets played the Hawks, Lopez definitely showed his potential to affect the series by putting up 26 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and three blocks.
Honorable Mention: Marc Gasol (Mem, C)
DFS Sleeper & Value Pick
Manu Ginobili (SA, G) - $4,000
Yeah, not a lot of stats to back up this pick either, but let’s just use history here. Ginobili brings it in the playoffs. He can very easily catch lightning in a bottle and surprise everyone with a huge game. What sets him apart from other sleeper picks at the shooting guards lined up for Sunday is his easy matchup against the Clippers. Coach Pop is aware of the Clipper’s lack of depth outside their best six players, and Ginobili should have plenty of easy matchups for isolation plays. Look for Pop to exploit all of the Clippers’ weaknesses, as Chris Paul will have to exert himself on Parker while Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan are on Tim Duncan. Who’s guarding Ginobili? He should have a fine time.
Honorable Mention: Isaiah Thomas (BOS, G)
NBA & DFS Chat Room
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