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Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Mike Barner's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on April 1, 2024.
The NBA begins the month of April with six games Monday. All of them will be included in the main slates for both DraftKings and FanDuel.
The key to being successful in NBA DFS comes down to making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always really important to have a game plan, and the best players and spots circled first before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/1/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EDT on FanDuel and DraftKings.
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Today's NBA DFS Core Picks
Let's first take a look at our matchup ratings to see who we want to target for our top spend-ups tonight.
The Bulls will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set after pulling off a big win over the Timberwolves on Sunday. Regardless of the short turnaround, DeMar DeRozan should play a ton of minutes. Over their last 15 games, he has averaged 26.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.1 steals. He should have plenty of opportunities to stuff the stat sheet against a Hawks team that has played at the sixth-fastest pace in the league.
CJ McCollum has seen his role increase since Brandon Ingram (knee) went down. Over the last five games without him, he has averaged 25.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. The big difference is, he attempted 22.0 shots per game during that span. For the season, he has averaged 15.3 shots per game. Ingram won’t be back anytime soon, so expect McCollum to remain busy.
The Pacers are a favorable team to attack in DFS. They have played at the second-fastest pace and they have the seventh-worst defensive rating in the league. That should be music to the ears of Cam Thomas, who is never shy about jacking up shots. The last time he faced them, Thomas produced 22 points, eight rebounds, and two assists across 32 minutes.
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- DeMar DeRozan, CHI vs. ATL – SF/PF ($8,500 DK; $8,600 FD)
- CJ McCollum, NO vs. PHX – PG/SG ($7,700 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Cam Thomas, BKN at IND – SG ($7,300 DK; $8,000 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Picks
The Hawks continue to play without Onyeka Okongwu (toe), who has appeared in just two games since February 12. Clint Capela has been asked to pick up the slack with Okongwu out, which has propelled him to averages of 12.9 points and 11.6 rebounds over the last 12 games. The Bulls have a lot of size up front with Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond in the fold, so Capela should play enough to provide value.
The matchup between the Grizzlies and Pistons is not must-see TV. However, we can still exploit it in DFS. The Pistons have the fifth-worst defensive rating in the league and the Grizzlies continue to play shorthanded. Desmond Bane (back) will be on the sidelines again, so that should leave added shot attempts for GG Jackson II. Jackson has already averaged 20.1 points and 4.6 rebounds over his last 10 games.
T.J. McConnell does not need a lot of playing time to be worth rostering in DFS. He has proven that down the stretch. Despite logging an average of just 20 minutes over the last 14 games, he has put up 14.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals. At his cheap salary on both sites, he makes for a viable option.
Top Value Plays:
- Clint Capela, ATL at CHI - C ($6,300 DK; $7,200 FD)
- GG Jackson II, MEM at DET – SF/PF ($6,100 DK; $6,000 FD)
- T.J. McConnell, IND vs. BKN – PG ($4,800 DK; $5,400 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
In addition to McCollum and McConnell, Dejounte Murray is a point guard that stands out amongst the crowd. He has been leading the charge for the Hawks with Trae Young (finger) out, providing 28.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 2.3 steals over the last 12 games. Even in difficult matchups, he has produced some gaudy numbers. He even scored 44 points against the Celtics last Thursday.
DEJOUNTE MURRAY CALLS GAME 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ydfAiuppfq
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 29, 2024
Top PG Options:
- Dejounte Murray at CHI, ($9,800 DK; $10,500 FD)
- CJ McCollum vs. PHX, ($7,700 DK; $8,400 FD)
- T.J. McConnell vs. BKN, ($4,800 DK; $5,400 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
Bogdan Bogdanovic has also provided more scoring with Young out. He demolished the Bucks on Saturday, posting 38 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists over 37 minutes. That marked the third time over the last four games that he has scored at least 22 points. Facing a Bulls team that could be tired on the second leg of a back-to-back set leaves Bogdanovic with plenty of upside.
Trey Murphy III is a very good three-point shooter. For the season, he is shooting 37.2 percent from behind the arc. He has also been racking up rebounds, averaging 7.2 of them over the last nine games. With a starting role and plenty of minutes coming his way, he makes for an appealing option with his reasonable salary on both sites.
Top SG Options:
- Cam Thomas at IND, ($7,100 DK; $8,000 FD)
- Bogdan Bogdanovic at CHI, ($6,700 DK; $7,400 FD)
- Trey Murphy III vs. PHX, ($6,400 DK; $6,700 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
DeRozan is a top-tier small forward to consider, while Jackson can provide value at cheaper salaries. For those looking in the middle tier, don’t sleep on Mikal Bridges. His inconsistency can be frustrating, but he does have a good matchup against the Pacers and is still averaging 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game for the season.
Top SF Options:
- DeMar DeRozan vs. ATL, ($8,500 DK; $8,600 FD)
- Mikal Bridges at IND, ($7,000 DK; $7,500 FD)
- GG Jackson II at DET, ($6,100 DK; $6,000 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Outside of Jusuf Nurkic, the Suns don’t have a ton of size up front. That could be a major problem against Zion Williamson. The last time these two teams met, Williamson scored 24 points on 11-for-17 shooting from the field. With the potential for even more shot attempts with Ingram out for this rematch, Williamson could be in line for one of his better scoring performances of the season.
Zion Williamson (12 PTS, 3 REB) and CJ McCollum (10 PTS, 4 AST) get the Pelicans off to a hot start in the 1Q with these two rim rockers on NBA TV! 🔥 https://t.co/G61Y9Jsr4I pic.twitter.com/J4XCcC5sjt
— NBA (@NBA) March 30, 2024
After being held to 14 points in a matchup with the Bulls, Pascal Siakam bounced back to record 22 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists versus the Lakers on Friday. That marked his sixth double-double over the last 10 games. Expect him to continue to have a high floor.
Cameron Johnson made his return to the Nets on Sunday after missing three straight with a toe injury, The quick turnaround is a bit worrisome, so be sure to monitor for updates if he is going to play. If he does, his three-point shooting prowess and favorable matchup versus the Pacers makes him a viable option in tournament play.
Top PF Options:
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- Zion Williamson vs. PHX, ($8,700 DK; $9,200 FD)
- Pascal Siakam vs. BKN, ($8,200 DK; $8,500 FD)
- Cameron Johnson at IND, ($5,300 DK; $5,600 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
Jaren Jackson Jr. had been playing well before running into the Magic and their stifling defense on Saturday. He was held to four points and four rebounds in that matchup, playing just 26 minutes in the lopsided loss. Prior to that, he had averaged 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.0 blocks over his previous six games. A much better matchup against the Pistons, and Bane being out, should help Jackson bounce back with a better stat line.
Nurkic has already appeared in 69 games this season. That puts him on pace to play at least 70 games in a season for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign. While he is averaging 27 minutes per game for the season, he could play more on Monday, with the Suns needing his size against the Pelicans. The last time the Suns faced them, Nurkic played 35 minutes. He took advantage of his added minutes, posting five points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, and one steal.
Top C Options:
- Jaren Jackson Jr. at DET, ($8,000 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Jusuf Nurkic at NO, ($6,600 DK; $6,900 FD)
- Clint Capela vs. CHI, ($6,200 DK; $7,200 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Nets at Pacers (229.5 total)
- Suns at Pelicans (225 total)
- Hawks at Bulls (224.5 total)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
- There isn’t a lot to like about the matchup between the Magic and Trail Blazers. The Magic are one of the best defensive teams in the league, so playing anyone on the Trail Blazers isn’t appealing. Since there is blowout potential, the starters for the Magic also come with significant risk as they might not play much in the second half.
- Keep an eye on the injury report for the Celtics, who could rest players in a matchup versus the underwhelming Hornets.
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite overall play on the slate: DeMar DeRozan
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Zion Williamson
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Jaren Jackson Jr.
- My favorite value play: GG Jackson II
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