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Today marks the official beginning of the playoffs in the NBA - what a wonderful time to be alive. The slate kicks off at noon (central time) with the Jazz-Mavericks matchup, which already figured to be slower-paced and lower-scoring even with Doncic in the lineup. The Wolves-Grizzlies affair profiles as the top game to target for daily fantasy contests, grading out at an "A+" due to its inflated implied total, fast projected pace, and highest-on-the-slate combined fantasy points per game allowed. The Nuggets-Warriors game should be a fun one to target with two former MVP's duking it out, while the Raptors-76ers contest is also going to figure into the mix with plays on both sides.
There isn't a whole lot of injury news to monitor today. Luka Doncic has already been ruled out and Stephen Curry is listed as questionable but is fully expected to play. Taurean Prince is the only other fantasy-relevant player who is questionable tonight.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/16/22. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our live-updating NBA injury updates tool as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. As always, feel free to follow my Twitter (@RING_DFS) - I post about a variety of things but mainly NBA DFS with my K-Rate model. Let's get to it - good luck RotoBallers!
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Spencer Dinwiddie - PG/SG, DAL vs. UTA ($6,300 DK, $6,900 FD)
As evidenced by the game model table above, this game environment will not be a pretty one and it's generally a matchup to shy away from for DFS purposes. However, All-World point guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) will miss at least Game 1, and that gives us a chance to get to some Mavs players who will be soaking up the massive chunk of usage he's leaving behind. With Doncic off the floor this season, Dinwiddie is averaging a 29.4% usage rate (second on the team behind Brunson) and a 1.30 FPTS/min rate (first on the team). The team's implied total is gross and the Jazz are not a fun team to try to target against, but you simply don't get usage rate and per-minute production increases like this in the playoffs too often and we have to take advantage of that when we can.
Patrick Beverley - PG, MIN vs. MEM ($5,400 DK, $5,000 FD)
Everyone's favorite pesky chatterbox gets a chance to continue his pestering ways against a young and hungry Memphis Grizzlies squad. This matchup rates out as an elite one to target for fantasy purposes as it holds the highest implied total, fastest projected pace, and most combined fantasy points per game allowed. This is all great news for Beverley, who's certainly a player who benefits from a game being fast-paced and full of fantasy points. He's right at 1.00 FPTS/min for the season, and that will more than get the job done as long as he sees his typical 30-minute role tonight. The Grizzlies rated out well against point guards this season, but they have allowed the 7th-most fantasy points per game to the position over their last seven games.
Dillon Brooks - SG/SF, MEM vs. MIN ($6,200 DK, $5,200 FD)
Brooks led the Grizzlies in scoring during the regular season and he's at a great price to provide value as a key cog today in the aforementioned best fantasy matchup on the board against the Wolves. There are a few factors at play that push Brooks to the front of my priority list for this slate, on top of the game environment being incredible. First, the Wolves allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to shooting guards this season, and the fifth-most fantasy points per game to small forwards. Second, Brooks went nuts in his lone playoff series last year, slashing 25.8/4.2/2.2 with 1.8 "stocks" per game over five games against the Jazz. Third, he's priced at a very reasonable mid-range salary, and I don't think that should be overlooked on a slate with little value outside of Dallas.
James Harden - PGSG/SF, PHI vs. TOR ($9,200 DK, $9,000 FD)
Others to consider (FanDuel): Desmond Bane ($5,900), Reggie Bullock ($3,900), Jordan Poole ($6,300), Jalen Brunson ($7,300), Klay Thompson ($6,800)
Others to consider (DraftKings): Jalen Brunson ($7,200), Donovan Mitchell ($8,100), Mike Conley ($5,700)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Joel Embiid - PF/C, PHI vs. TOR ($10,400 DK, $11,300 FD)
For the first time all season, we can play both Embiid and Jokic in the same lineup on both sites tonight. You should absolutely do so if you have the chance, though you might have to get a little uncomfortable with value plays like Kleber, Looney, Bullock, Clarke, O'Neale, and Vanderbilt. Embiid is right there with Jokic in regards to the potential ceiling that he possesses being unmatched on this slate, so clearly, that's something we should be interested in. In three games against the Raptors this season, Embiid averaged 29 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. You know he's going to want to take revenge on his perceived slight at (very likely) not getting the MVP, and what better way to do that than by going absolutely bonkers on the national stage to kick off the playoffs?
Maxi Kleber - PF/C, DAL vs. UTA ($3,300 DK, $3,800 FD)
Doncic's injury opens up minutes and production throughout this lineup, and Kleber is one beneficiary as he's extremely cheap and holds a solid 0.97 FPTS/min rate with Doncic and Hardaway Jr. off the floor this season. He should play somewhere in the mid-to-upper 20's minutes in Luka's absence, and we just can't ignore that kind of value on a slate that's starving for it. The matchup is brutal, but take the value and move on.
Draymond Green - PF/C, GSW vs. DEN ($6,100 DK, $6,400 FD)
Scottie Barnes - SF/PF, TOR vs. PHI ($5,500 FD) | Better on FanDuel
Jaren Jackson Jr. PF/C, MEM vs. MIN ($6,800 DK, $6,100 FD) | Better on FanDuel
Others to consider (FanDuel): Brandon Clarke ($4,000), Dorian Finney-Smith ($4,800), Andrew Wiggins ($5,800), Will Barton ($5,200)
Others to consider (DraftKings): Jarred Vanderbilt ($4,000), OG Anunoby ($5,500), Royce O'Neale ($3,600), Pascal Siakam ($8,900)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Pics
Nikola Jokic - PF/C, DEN vs. GSW ($10,600 DK, $12,000 FD)
For some crazy reason, the two sites are doing whatever they can to force us into playing Nikola Jokic. Don't fight it. He's way underpriced on DraftKings and FanDuel decided now was the time to give the 7-foot Serbian power forward eligibility. It has been said a million times but I'll say it again - Jokic has the highest ceiling in the entire NBA and that's not a situation where you should be scrambling to make excuses to get away from. He's averaging a slate-high 1.74 FPTS/min this season and while the Warriors did defend centers well during the regular season, the Joker is (obviously) on another level and the playoffs are a whole different beast. Fire up the most valuable player in the NBA.
Others to consider (FanDuel): Kevon Looney ($3,700), Dwight Powell ($4,900), Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,400)
Others to consider (DraftKings): Kevon Looney ($3,400), Steven Adams ($5,600), Brandon Clarke ($3,800)
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