NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (5/27/25)

May 27, 2025

Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Max's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on May 27, 2025.

Welcome back, RotoBallers! Tonight, the Pacers look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, while the Knicks look to win both games in Indiana and steal back home-court advantage. The big story for the Knicks is how Tom Thibodeau, notorious for his tight rotations and giving his starters heavy workloads, decided to add some fresh faces to the mix and gave us two potentially legitimate options at the salary floor. Aaron Nesmith is listed as a game-time decision for the Pacers after rolling his ankle in Game 3. Should Nesmith miss the game, that would open up a spot in Indiana's starting lineup, so be sure to monitor the situation.

I will help you dive into the slate and hopefully bring in some more cash for the rest of the playoffs! This article will focus on the top guys to play at MVP, some flex guys to put in your utility spots, and a couple of value options to make the rest of the lineup work! The key to succeeding in NBA DFS is making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available.

But it's always essential to have a game plan and zero in on the best players and spots before making those adjustments. This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/27/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 8:00 p.m. EDT on DraftKings. 

Today's NBA DFS MVP Picks

These are the guys you want headlining your lineups at the MVP position. FanDuel has now adopted the same pricing dynamic as DraftKings, where the MVP is priced at 1.5x their salary.

Jalen Brunson, NYK - PG ($17.4K DK, $21.9K FD)

Going into Game 3, if you said Brunson would have his worst fantasy performance of the playoffs, but the Knicks win, you would be called absurd. However, that's exactly what happened. Brunson sat out a large chunk of the fourth quarter, which was a pretty extreme anomaly compared to his 42.5% fourth-quarter usage rate so far in these playoffs.

Brunson has been the guy all year for the Knicks, and there's no way he won't be heavily involved in the fourth two games in a row.

Tyrese Haliburton, IND - PG ($16.5K DK, $20.7K FD)

Haliburton is the engine that powers the Pacers' high-powered offense. He's been facilitating the ball superbly these playoffs, rocking a 4.52 Assist/TO ratio and a 34.5% Assist Ratio. Haliburton may be a pass-first PG, but he is the guy the Pacers choose to take those huge shots late in games (see his Game 1 heroics for reference).

Haliburton has scored 57, 47, and 41 fantasy points in these first three games against the Knicks. He has the safest floor/ceiling combo on the slate.

WHAT A SHOT BY TYRESE HALIBURTON 🤯🤯🤯 https://t.co/8wEwdkeRwZ pic.twitter.com/s497GwRWi9

— NBA (@NBA) May 22, 2025

Others To Consider: Karl-Anthony Towns

Today's NBA DFS Utility

These players are ones you may want to add to your Utility spots!

Pascal Siakam, IND - PF ($8.8K DK, $10.2K FD)

Siakam is the second most likely candidate in the Pacers lineup to have a blow-up, slate-changing performance, as he did in Game 2. When evaluating both teams' second option, Siakam provides a healthy $1.8K discount from his Knicks counterpart, although his ceiling is notably lower in comparison.

OG Anunoby, NYK - SF/PF ($8K DK, $7.6K FD)

Anunoby has been the Knicks' most consistent fantasy option thus far in this series. He's posted scores of 34.25, 28.25, and 31.5 while scoring exactly 16 points in each game. Anunoby has been excellent in his three-and-D role, generating 12 total steals/blocks through three games while also hitting multiple three-pointers in each game.

Others To Consider: Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart

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Today's NBA DFS Value Picks

T.J. McConnell, IND - PG ($4K DK, $2K FD)

McConnell has been solid as a rock this series, playing his role as Haliburton's relief perfectly. McConnell's three box scores in this series are nearly identical, and I wouldn't expect his role to be any different tonight. He's easily the best value play for cash games tonight.

Landry Shamet, SG and Delon Wright, PG - NYK ($1K DK, $1K FD)

These are the two players I was referencing in the opening paragraph, and they provide a fascinating wrinkle to the slate. You can comfortably play three of the top four players if using one, or if you want to get wild and play both, you can fit all four. There's a decent chance neither sees close to as much playing time as they did in Game 3, making them viable for tournaments only.

Others to Consider: Miles McBride, Obi Toppin

As the NBA playoffs heat up, so do the opportunities to win more in Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) on DraftKings and FanDuel. Staying informed on late-breaking NBA injury news is critical for success, so leverage RotoBaller’s expert insights and tools throughout the day to gain an edge on the field.

Whether you're grinding out GPPs or locking in safe cash game picks, a smart NBA DFS strategy can make all the difference. Good luck tonight, and may your lineups crush!

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