RADIO
The last Thursday of the NBA regular season is here, and for DFS grinders, the end can't come soon enough. The players that are already ruled out for rest/tanking purposes is the easy part. It's the guys that start the game and play single-digit minutes that are the minefields now. It's messy, and it makes it virtually impossible for us to only run one lineup. However, we're grinders and we keep going. Let's see what we come up with tonight.
The number of games between contenders also increases the odds of plenty of wire-to-wire battles, and fortunately, we have plenty of appealing candidates to choose from at each position across the salary cap.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for the respective main slates on DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/6/23. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineups lock, which is at 7:00 pm ET. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - at UTAH ($10,200 DK, $10,600 FD)
This is a rarity. Here we have a game that really means something. The Thunder are clinging to the 10th spot in the playoffs and the Jazz are only one game back in the loss column with three to play. The Thunder only have two games left, including this one. You know they would love to get their young core some playoff experience, so expect them to keep playing to win. That should include a heavily-involved SGA. He hasn't been under 40 fantasy points since before the All-Star break. Expect more of the same tonight.
Skylar Mays - at SA ($6,400 DK, $6,000 FD)
This might end up being one of the worst games in NBA history. No, I'm not joking. The two biggest tankers (in a league that is supposedly anti-tanking) meet in a clash of absurdity tonight. So why bother with DFS? Someone has to score. Dame, Anfernee Simons, Keon Johnson, Justise Winslow, Jerami Grant, Nassir Little, and Jusuf Nurkic are all sitting out. Shaedon Sharpe, Cam Reddish, and Trendon Watford all have questionable tags. Why use guys that you are actually paying when you can throw in a few guys on 10-day contracts and get them hurt instead, am I right?
Mays should be the one to benefit the most from this. The former homegrown LSU star (he's from Baton Rouge) is going to be playing big minutes a few hours from his hometown. Road trip! Mays should show out in front of what will be some home fans for him.
Malaki Branham - vs. POR ($5,400 DK, $5,800 FD)
As I've said, this game is going to be atrocious, but it could be a DFS gold mine. The Spurs are sitting everyone that they legally can as well. They are letting Tre Jones run as many minutes as he wants, but the rest of them are fluctuating in minutes. The one constant in all of this is Branham. His floor seems to be around 25 fantasy points. Jones has higher upside, but I'm on Branham for the stability. Hell, use both. This is going to be a weird slate anyway!
ALSO CONSIDER: Chris Paul ($7,400 DK, $7,800 FD); Markelle Fultz ($6,400 DK, $7,600 FD); Shaquille Harrison ($4,200 DK, $4,800 DK)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jimmy Butler - at PHI ($8,800 DK, $10,000 FD)
The Heat desperately want off that seven-line and not have to play at least one extra game. Their way out is through a Philly team that is locked into the three-slot, a tanking Wizards team, and an Orlando team that is out of the running, but still trying. Who the hell do they think they are? I digress. Butler has had two monsters in Miami's two-game winning streak. If he closes the season with three more, the Heat are likely a six-seed. Is Butler Batman? For this price on DK, I'm finding out! I'm not as crazy about him for five figures on FanDuel.
Talen Horton-Tucker - vs. OKC ($8,100 DK, $8,400 FD)
The Jazz long ago decided that ping-pong balls were more important than being the sacrificial lamb to Denver or Memphis in the playoffs should they even get that far. THT still has the Jazz in the thick of the playoff chase, just 1.5 games back of tonight's opponent. Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, and Jordan Clarkson are all out once again, just like in the last five games. In those five games, THT has averaged 47.1 DraftKings points per game. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the highest-scoring player on the entire slate.
Kelly Olynyk - at UTA ($6,900 DK, $7,000 FD)
Olynyk is a stalwart in the Utah front with Lauri Markkanen still out. Is Utah trying? At this point, it doesn't feel like it, but they might just back into the 10th slot anyway. Poor bastards. Imagine tanking your way to the lottery and not being bad enough, but losing the play-in game. An undecided Utah team is a mess, but Olynyk is a constant force. He has only been under 32 DraftKings points twice in the last eight games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Kevin Durant ($9,300 DK, $9,500 FD); Jalen Williams ($7,000 DK, $7.800 FD); Keita Bates-Diop ($5,300 DK, $5,500 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Joel Embiid - vs. MIA ($11,500 DK, $12,000 FD)
Philly is locked in as the three in the East, but Joel Embiid is playing for some hardware: The MVP trophy. I have a feeling that Philly lets him go, within reason. They have a really good reason in this game. They would much rather face the Nets in the first round than Miami. Beating Miami here would help keep Miami the seven so Philly might not have to deal with them at all in the postseason. Embiid dropped an 80-spot earlier this week. I'm betting he tries to do it again.
Sandro Mamukelashvili - vs. POR ($5,800 DK, $5,600 FD)
I have no earthly idea who is going to start at center for Portland or Denver, so expect some value to open up. In the very unlikely event that Jokic and/or Watford play, we'll need to turn elsewhere. There's no good reason for the Spurs to use Zach Collins. When Sandro starts, he's always a good value play. Stay tuned!
ALSO CONSIDER: Deandre Ayton($6,500 DK, $7,700 FD)
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