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The top DraftKings daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for 4/18/17 by Tom Vecchio. Expert NBA DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for DraftKings.
Three games on the slate for tonight's NBA playoff action and there are some good options out there. All three home teams are down 1-0 in their series, so you might want to look at players on those teams, because they need their players to step up. With that said, I tried to give some options from both sides of these games, so you can diversify your lineups. Good luck, and let's win some contests.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/18/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.
If you have any questions or comments, let me know @DFS_Tom on Twitter.
DraftKings DFS Guards
DeMar DeRozan - SG, vs MIL ($8,000)
The Raptors had a pretty poor showing in Game one, and they are going to need a big change starting in game two, and that has to begin with DeRozan. When Lowry went out with injury, he was their go to guy, and clearly the MVP of the team for this year. He has the ability to score 40 real points a game, and this is the spot they need him. Throughout the regular season, the Bucks were eleventh best in the NBA at guarding shooting guards, only giving up 39 DraftKings points per game. They have great wing defenders, but DeRozan has the ability to overcome that. He averaged 41 DraftKings points per game for the year. In Game on, he took 21 shots, and only made seven of them. He still managed to score 38 DK points, so if he can get a few more of those shot to go down, he could approach 50 points, and carry his team to victory.
Chris Paul - PG, vs UTA ($9,200)
CP3 had a great Game one versus the Jazz, but they fell short to a shot at the buzzer. Paul ended with 57 DraftKings points, and he should have much of the same production in Game two. Dating back to the last few games of the regular season, Paul has scored 40 DraftKings points or more in nine of his last ten games. That is exactly the kind of production you need from your star point guard, especially when you are down in the playoffs. He does have a tough match up versus the Jazz who were third best in the league, only giving up 43 points per game to point guards. Paul should be able to overcome that, and help his team tie up this series.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Joe Johnson - SF, @ LAC ($5,100)
Joe Jesus came through with the winning shot in Game one for the Jazz, and had himself a very strong game. He ended with 38 DraftKings points, which is his best out of his last ten games. It would be tough to say that we will see the same level of production out of the veteran, but he can certainly flirt with those numbers. At this point in the year, with only so few teams playing each night, I generally like to try and put as many top tier players in one lineup as possible. Johnson offers a bit of saving, and also has decent upside if he can replicate his Game one performance.
Derrick Favors - PF, @ LAC ($5,300)
With Rudy Gobert, going out with a knee injury in Game one, Favors had to step in and play some big minutes. He ins't know for being a big minute guy, but the Jazz need a big body in the paint to match up vs Jordan and Griffin. Favors manage to put up 26 DraftKings points in Game one, and he is in a spot to mirror that output in Game two. Gobert has already been ruled out for Game two, so Favors will likely draw the start, and should be seeing the lion's share of minutes for Utah. Should be viable in cash or GPPs.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Serge Ibaka - C, vs MIL ($5,800)
Ibaka managed to put up 44 DraftKings points in the Raptors Game one loss to the Bucks. He had a double double with 19 PTS and 14 REBS. Really strong numbers from the big man acquired at the trade deadline from Orlando. The Buks were middle of the pack during the regular season when it comes to guarding centers, they gave up 49 points per game. Ibaka did miss Monday's practice due to an ankle injury, but he is fully expected to be ready for Game two, and the Raptors are going to need every bit of effort from him to tie this series up at one game a piece.
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