DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (4/18/18): NBA DFS Lineups

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on April 18, 2018. Tom Vecchio's NBA DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.

The playoffs are here and we are looking at one of the best times of the year for the NBA. Two of the three home teams are up 1-0 in their series, so we should look for a strong push from the road teams to try and tie those series up.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/18/18. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on DraftKings.

You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports too. Give me a follow on Twitter @DFS_Tom. Good luck!

DraftKings DFS Guards

Ricky Rubio - PG, UTA @ OKC (DK - $6,300)

Rubio put up a very solid 37 DraftKings points in Game 1 of this series, but the Jazz were unable to come away with the win. There are reports that Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell is listed as questionable for tonight's game, and if he is actually out, or is limited in some way, this will be a boost for Rubio and his production. On a three-game slate like this, I see Rubio as viable in all formats. He has the consistency for cash games, and the upside could be there if Mitchell is out. The good part about him is that he can produce value from other categories other than pure points, so if he has an off night, he still can be of value.

Lance Stephenson - SG, IND @ CLE (DK - $4,500)

We all know that Stephenson is a thorn in the side of many players, and despite his antics, he can be very effective when he focuses on playing. This season, Stephenson averaged 0.95 fantasy points per minute, with a 22.9% usage rate. He comes off the bench and doesn't always play a ton of minutes, but again, the time he does see on the court he can rack up the points quickly. We should be expecting much of the same from him all series, limited time, but has upside if the game flow goes in his favor.

DraftKings DFS Forwards

LeBron James - SF, CLE vs IND (DK - $11,500)

James is the most expensive player on this three-game slate, but you should be doing what you can to put him in your lineups. The Cavaliers are down 0-1 in this series, and I find it hard to believe, that LeBron won't do everything in his power to tie this series up. If you want to count out the best player in the world, do that, but I will be rolling with him. In the five games he has played Indiana this season, he has averaged 40 minutes per game while putting up 61 DraftKings points. That level of production is only matched by a small group of players on this slate. He put up 60 DK points in Game 1 of this series, and we should be expecting that on a nightly basis.

Domantas Sabonis - IND @ CLE (DK - $4,600)

Sabonis has been very productive against the Cavaliers this season, posting an average of 30 DraftKings points in 27 minutes per game. He isn't one of the Pacers go to options on offense but has a solid matchup in front of him. The Cavaliers gave up 46 DraftKings points per game to power forwards, so the upside is there due to the weak defense. We're working with a three-game slate, so if you want to roster two of the big name options, you will find some savings, and Sabonis offers those savings with production.

DraftKings DFS Centers

Clint Capela - C, HOU vs MIN (DK - $7,200)

Capela got off to a very hot start in Game 1, where he posted 24 points and 12 rebounds, which was good for 50 DraftKings points. That level of production likely won't be sustainable throughout the playoffs or this series, but if he is not right now, you want to jump on him. The Timberwolves gave up 51 DraftKings points per game to centers this season, which is about league average, but have shown to struggle with the higher pace the Rockets play at, so a good spot for Capela.