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It's been a few days since we had a legitimate slate of games, so expect tonight's contest to be filled to capacity earlier than usual. As you already know, the options are limited and you are going to be forced to stack the Raptors-76ers contest. It has a higher probability of scoring more points, so while there are plenty of value options in the Spurs-Nuggets matchup, your core lineup should consist of players in the early game. In Game 1's, I try to stay away from super-risky picks and roll with starters or players guaranteed to get off the bench. Hope is nice, but since the rotations are so much smaller during the post-season, it's hard to predict a random explosion from someone who hasn't shown that type of upside.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/27/19. 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 check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. As always, don't set your lineups too early. Find me in the NBA Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Fred Van Vleet - PG/SG, vs PHI ($4,000)
Does this count as hypocritical since it's certain Fred Van Vleet will see a chunk of minutes tonight? The 76ers have the luxury of being able to run a small-ball lineup with J.J. Redick as the shortest player on the court, so even though that's still a disadvantage for Van Vleet and might cut into any minutes he might have received, I'm keen on the idea of the Raptors second-unit causing problems for Philadelphia. Undoubtedly, he will see less minutes throughout the series than he did against Orlando, but for Game 1, I expect the Raptors starters to struggle, allowing Van Vleet to see extra usage.
Will Barton - SG/SF, vs. SA ($3,900)
Will Barton is not a consistent option by any means, but the Spurs seem at a loss when it comes to guarding him. Either he does all the work himself by continually missing shots, or he becomes the Nuggets' third best perimeter threat. Either way, there is upside tonight, he simply has to make shots. Seeing how its Game 7 and he absolutely, needs to produce from beyond a DFS standpoint, I trust Barton to see his normal usage, just with better results seeing how the Spurs need to focus their defensive efforts around Nikola Jokic, and let Barton beat them with his shooting.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Marco Belinelli - SG/SF, at DEN ($3,000)
Much like Barton in terms of consistency, there is a sense of regularity about Marco Belinelli's minutes and production. Despite seeming like the odd man out in San Antonio, his 20 minute spurts are clearly impacting how the Nuggets defend the Spurs. While they don't need to specifically put a player on him to stop him, they can't just let him get uncontested shots, especially if he is getting usage early in the game. Game 7 is where you usually see the players who live up to the moment thrive, and time and time again, Belinelli has shown to be that type of player. While he shouldn't be the one saving the season for the Spurs, I trust him to exceed his projected as a major sleeper pick.
Serge Ibaka - PF/C, vs. PHI ($4,600)
The 76ers don't really have an answer for Serge Ibaka, and if every game he's played against them this year, three total, he has scored and/or scraped at a 20-point game. He always fills the stat sheet whenever he can, usually with points and rebounds, so look for that to continue to be the case this entire series. Hopefully this game turns out like the first time these teams met, where Ibaka contributes on the defensive end and boosts his DFS impact. For this price, it's hard to see rostering anyone else at power forward.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Marc Gasol - C, vs. PHI ($5,100)
Just because you rostered Serge Ibaka doesn't mean Marc Gasol needs to be faded. Playing both actually opens up your salary to play a spicy combination of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and DeMar DeRozan tonight. I like the idea of playing Jokic, but the Spurs defense is going to make a point in trying to stop Jokic specifically, expect them to force other players to produce. Jokic should still be able to score and get in the paint, but for maximum upside, we need Embiid, DeRozan, and Simmons for those versatile, potentially triple-doubling, across-the-board contributions.
