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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on May 1, 2023. Juan Carlos Blanco provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
We're set for a two-game NBA playoff slate on Monday night, with the 76ers-Celtics series kicking off and the Suns and Nuggets clashing in their Game 2 battle. Joel Embiid's projected absence due to his knee injury naturally affects the player pool/lineup-building process significantly.
Besides some picks stemming from that development, there are also several other players on the three teams other than the 76ers that are in appealing scenarios.
Here are my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 5/1/23. 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.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Devin Booker, PHX at DEN (DK: $9,200; FD: $10,200)
Booker has been outstanding all postseason and carried over his momentum from the first-round win over the Clippers into Game 1 of the semifinal round, posting 48.5 DK/49.8 FD points across 40 minutes. The sharpshooting wing had underperformed against the Nuggets during the regular season, but his strong work in Game 1 and the fact he already has four tallies well over 50 fantasy points on both sites this postseason makes him worth the lofty salaries.
Jamal Murray, DEN vs. PHX (DK: $8,000; FD: $9,200)
Murray has been outstanding in his own right during these playoffs, offering about as much upside as Booker at a notably lower salary. Murray put up 59.3 DK/56.5 FD points across 37 minutes in Game 1 against the Suns. He's averaged well over 40 fantasy points on either site in three contests against Phoenix since the start of the regular season. The star guard is averaging 28.3 points, 6.8 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game overall in six playoff games, so nabbing at his salaries on Monday makes plenty of sense.
ALSO CONSIDER: James Harden, PHI at BOS (DK: $8,800; FD: $9,000)
JAMAL MURRAY HOW?!?! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/hAfHDBQU7I
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 30, 2023
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. PHI (DK: $9,900; FD: $10,900)
Tatum requires a notably higher investment than Kevin Durant, but he checks in averaging over 50 fantasy points per game since the start of the postseason. He is averaging 30.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 51.2 percent when playing with three or more days of rest. The star forward also averaged over 45 fantasy points per game against the 76ers in four regular-season games. He should naturally once again be shouldering a hefty workload in Game 1 while going against a Philly unit likely missing Joel Embiid (knee).
Tobias Harris, PHI at BOS (DK: $6,400; FD: $7,200)
Harris sees a +4.3% boost in usage rate and averages 37.9 DK/37.3 FD points per 36 minutes with Embiid off the floor. He checks in having put up 20.3 points (on 56.7 percent shooting, including 57.1 percent from three-point range), 8.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in the four-game sweep of the Nets in the first round. Harris has also been at his best when playing with three or more days of rest, averaging 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 53.7 percent shooting, including 47.1 percent from behind the arc.
ALSO CONSIDER: Kevin Durant, PHX at DEN (DK $9,500; FD: $10,100); Aaron Gordon, DEN vs. PHX (DK: $5,800; FD: $6,300)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. PHX (DK: $10,800; FD: $11,500)
Jokic is an obvious choice, but his case bears breaking down anyhow. The big man is averaging 25.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.0 steals thus far this postseason, shooting an outstanding 50.0 percent from behind the arc in the process. Jokic averaged over 55 fantasy points per contest in that first-round series against the Timberwolves, and he went off for 55.8 DK/51.3 FD points in just 33 minutes against the Suns in Game 1.
Paul Reed, PHI at BOS (DK: $5,300; FD: $6,000)
Reed projects for a spot start in Game 1 with Embiid listed as doubtful, and he's proven capable of capitalizing on such opportunities in the past. The most recent example came in Game 4 against the Nets, when he produced 36.8 DK/36 FD points across 32 minutes with Embiid sidelined. Reed is averaging 40.2 DK/42.8 FD points per 36 minutes overall without Embiid on the floor since the start of the regular season. The fact Boston sports the fourth-lowest offensive rebound percentage (23.6) since the start of the postseason doesn't hurt his case either.
ALSO CONSIDER: Deandre Ayton, PHX at DEN (DK: $6,200; FD: $6,700)
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