April 18, 2016

Demetri Raftopoulos highlights the top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for 4/18/16. These are the top value and sleeper plays for your DraftKings NBA DFS lineups.

Playoffs are underway and there are already a couple of storylines that can affect Daily Fantasy. Stephen Curry's playing status is in question. Plenty of others can take advantage of his absence.

Prices have dropped for certain players, specifically punt-candidates. This will allow you to free up cap space for the necessary big names. Keep an eye on the status of Curry and other injury updates.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy NBA lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/18/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players, to mid-priced options, and value plays on DraftKings.

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DraftKings DFS Point Guards

Shaun Livingston (vs HOU, $3,400)

If Steph Curry sits, Livingston is kind of a no-brainer, as his minutes will see a large boost for sure. The Houston Rockets haven't defended point guards too well this season either. Livingston filled in pretty nicely once Curry left game one with an ankle injury, scoring nine points, tallying three rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal.

Livingston could still see a boost in minutes even if Curry plays, depending on how healthy Curry is. He can do just enough, and has posted 20+ fantasy points in two straight games.

Devin Harris (at OKC, $2,700)

J.J. Barea is officially out for Monday's game while Deron Williams remains doubtful to appear as well. Harris won't blow anyone away by any means but can also do just enough to reach or exceed projection. His minutes will undoubtedly increase in the absence of Dallas' two other one guards, and frees up a ton of cap space.

DraftKings DFS Shooting Guards

James Harden (at GS, $10,500) 

If the Rockets have any chance to compete with the Golden State Warriors, it's up to James Harden. Harden struggled in game one, but so did the entire Rockets offensive attack. If Stephen Curry sits, Harden could have an easier time producing as well. Harden is one of the top options Monday night and could break out on any given night.

Klay Thompson (vs HOU, $6,700) 

While we're on the subject of Curry potentially missing game two, Thompson is another player that could benefit greatly. Expect Thompson to be the beneficiary of a ton of shot attempts, leading to a bloated fantasy stat line. Regardless, the Rockets haven't defended the shooting guard position too well all season. This game, and series, has high scoring written all over it.

DraftKings DFS Small Forwards

Kevin Durant (vs DAL, $10,100)

Kevin Durant is another top option for Daily Fantasy on Monday, and is coming off a relatively impressive performance in a shortened slate. Durant scored 23 points, and gathered five assists and five rebounds in only 27 minutes. The Mavericks struggled big time and were no match for the Thunder, scoring only 70 points in game one. It's unlikely that the Mavericks will go down that easily each game of the series so we can expect Durant to go back to a full slate of over 30 minutes of playing time. Get ready for Durant to lead the charge alongside Russell Westbrook again.

Trevor Ariza (at GS, $5,700) 

Ariza is coming off a productive performance against the Warriors in game one, scoring nine points, grabbing eight boards, tallying four steals, one assist, and two three pointers in 36 minutes; good enough for 28.5 fantasy points. For his price, that's all we can ask for. Expect him to be in the mix again, on both sides of the ball.

DraftKings DFS Power Forwards

Patrick Patterson (vs IND, $3,200)

Patterson did just enough during game one to exceed projection. He scored nine points, tallied six rebounds, one block, one assist, and one three pointer; good for 20 fantasy points. Patterson played 28 minutes, is another affordable option, and should see close to the same amount of playing time as well. Indiana has struggled at times this season when defending the four spot.

Draymond Green (vs HOU, $8,900) 

Draymond is the last player on this list that could potentially benefit from the potential absence of Steph Curry. The Rockets struggle defensively in general, and Draymond could very well post a Draymond-like, triple-double performance in game two. He's coming off a double-double, while posting four blocks and two steals to go with it. If Curry sits, more scoring opportunities will go to Draymond.

DraftKings DFS Centers

Jonas Valanciunas (vs IND, $5,500) 

Valanciunas has posted two straight double-doubles, including one in game one of Toronto's first round series against the Indiana Pacers. Valanciunas is cheap, and can really boost lineups in tournaments and GPP contests. Missing games earlier in March has kept him fresh and he is a consistent blocks threat, posting seven in one game earlier in April.

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