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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on May 12, 2019. Jake Finnen provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
Hopefully you have been enjoying these playoffs as much as I have, and while DFS has been tougher than ever, it's still a good time seeing how you stack up with such limited options. You should not be gambling if you are short on money, so don't forget to see the fun in DFS basketball. Taking risks will pay off, but still make sure you are setting yourself up for success with your lineups.
It's been a minute since my last article, and I apologize. I was too busy doing a research proposal that didn't even turn into anything but wasted hours getting mad at myself, so typical research. But tonight, in two Game 7's, we need the players that will step up, and that means Damian Lillard needs to be in nearly every lineup. Even if the Nuggets end up winning, Lillard is going off for something special.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/12/19. 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 @BalesSJustin on Twitter.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Ben Simmons - PG/SF, vs TOR ($6,700)
Not many good options outside of Damian Lillard, but I feel fairly confident in Ben Simmons being able to produce in Toronto. He's going to be one of those players whose upside is more reliant on the defense than himself. We know what he is going to do and what he is capable of, but we've also seen defenses exploit him, forcing him to have games where he posts a dud, when you needed triple-double-esque stats.
I can't put money on Kyle Lowry. I just won't simply because of his track record. By all means, I hope he finds a way to play his game and play with composure, but he's really yet to do that and I don't see him being worth the price when Simmons is right there for only $300 more.
Torrey Craig - SG/SF, vs POR ($3,300)
If you are looking for a cheap option that should squeak out 20-23 FPTS tonight, Torrey Craig has been gaining more and more exposure off the Nuggets bench. He scored 10 points last game which is great, but is a little uncharacteristic, seeing how it's only the third time he's scored at least 10 points in his 13-game playoff career. While scoring 10 points each night is possible for him and he will see the minutes, he needs to hit his shots and that isn't really his strong suit.
I have faith he will get to the basket and rebound when running the half court offense, but I'm assuming most of his production will come from fast breaks. He is one of the better defensive options Denver has, so if Gary Harris isn't on the court, Torrey Craig needs to be.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
J.J. Redick - SG/SF, at TOR ($4,700)
J.J. Redick is the head sharpshooter on the 76ers, so when he has a bad game, it makes it easy for the defense to focus their attention elsewhere. While I think he got those one or two bad games out of his system, he still needs to hit his shots if Philadelphia wants to stand any chance today. I fully expect his teammates to give him every opportunity, especially early on this game, but like I said, he needs to convert. He's only scored above 20 points once this playoffs, and I expect him to break that through that 20-point barrier again tonight.
Serge Ibaka - PF/C, vs PHI ($3,900)
Both coaches have proven they are willing to adapt, so while the Raptors should have to play some of their bigger lineups, I still don't think Serge Ibaka will see more that 25 minutes. If he starts hitting all his midrange shots and is an immediate force, of course he is going to stay on the court, but he hasn't really done all that much this series. He's been good, but he hasn't been consistently good, despite coming in for a few clutch plays.
His production could be better and it should be tonight, but if he just ends up missing his open shots then it will be another modest night for Ibaka. His floor is actually fairly high regardless of his efficiency, but if he can manage to score it will make all the difference in the final standings.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Enes Kanter - C, vs DEN ($5,000)
Enes Kanter is just too dominant in the frontcourt, where even if the Blazers can't keep up with the Nuggets down the stretch, Kanter should still be able to get to his spots. He's produced all series, and outside of missing a few shots, there has only been one game against the Nuggets where he has underproduced.
If the Blazers attack Denver with a Lillard-Kanter combo right off the bat, it should come easy for C.J. McCollum to do whatever he wants. The Nuggets aren't the team you want to get in a shootout with, but the Blazers have such few options that Lillard, Kanter, McCollum and Rodney Hood are all guaranteed to have green lights every second they are on the court.
