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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on April 7, 2022. Juan Carlos Blanco provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
We're set for a six-game Thursday night slate that will likely provide further clarity on the postseason picture. However, entering the night, there are still several teams with positioning to play for, and the Celtics are actually trying to remain in contention for the Eastern Conference's top seed.
Watching for late-breaking news on personnel usage during the last week of the regular season is especially important, as developments such as the Thunder going with a lineup full of backup players as was the case Tuesday can always pop up among the non-contending, tanking squads in particular.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/7/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineup lock, which is at 7:00pm ET tonight. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
LaMelo Ball - PG/SG, CHA vs. ORL ($9,200 DK; $9,000 FD)
The Hornets can still improve on their current No. 10 seed, which means that Ball should be in for a normal allotment of minutes Thursday. The star point guard has averaged 34.7 DK points per game against the Magic in three games this season, and he's put up over 48 fantasy points in four of the last five games on DK. Orlando comes in allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to PGs (27.0 percent) for the season, along with the third-most DK (55.8) and second-most FD (54.5) points per game to the position in the last seven.
D'Angelo Russell - PG/SG, MIN vs. SAS ($6,800 DK; $6,800 FD)
The Timberwolves are another team with a solid amount of incentive Thursday, as Minnesota can still escape the play-in level and move into the No. 6 seed if it wins out and the Nuggets falter. That puts Russell in play as an intriguing mid-salary option Thursday after putting up over 30 fantasy points on either site in the last three games. Russell has averaged 37.6 DK points in two games against the Spurs this season as well while shooting 41.2 percent from three-point range, and San Antonio is yielding the seventh-highest offensive efficiency to shooting guards for the season (22.7 percent), as well as 42.8 DK/41.7 FD points per game to twos in the last 15 games.
Kris Dunn - PG/SG, POR at NOP ($5,100 DK; $4,800 FD)
Dunn has encouragingly logged a solid 24.8 minutes per game over his last 12 games, putting up over 25 fantasy points on either site in half of those contests. Dunn drew the start in Portland's most recent game against the Thunder on Tuesday as well, and he scored 29.8 DK/30 FD points in his one prior game against the Pelicans this season. Portland is virtually certain to see another big role Thursday with Portland going with an array of backup players, and New Orleans checks in having allowed over 48 fantasy points per game on both sites to PGs in the last 15.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tyus Jones- PG, MEM at DEN ($6,200 DK; $6,600 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jayson Tatum - SF/PF, BOS at MIL ($10,500 DK, $9,300 FD)
The Celtics remain in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference but need to prevail in Thursday's game to have a chance, and Tatum therefore makes for a safe floor play if you're paying up. The All-Star forward had a rough shooting night against the Bulls on Wednesday but still posted a 16-point, 10-rebound, eight-assist performance, and he's posted over 40 fantasy points on either site in three previous games against the Bucks while shooting 47.1 percent, including 44.4 percent from distance. Meanwhile, defending the small forward position has been far from Milwaukee's strong suit, as the defending champs allowing the highest offensive efficiency to the position (25.1 percent), along with over 44 fantasy points per game on either site to the position in the last 15.
Brandon Ingram - SF, NOP vs. POR ($8,300 DK; $8,300 FD)
Ingram has shot 47.1 percent and averaged over 40 fantasy points on either site in two games against the Blazers this season, while Portland, as mentioned earlier, is in tank mode and going with a bevy of backups to play out the string. Portland has allowed the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to small forwards on the season (24.2 percent), as well as the most DK (50.4) and FD (49.7) points per game to the position in the last 15. Ingram also comes in hot, having put up 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists over the last five games after overcoming a hamstring injury.
P.J. Washington - PF, CHA vs. ORL ($5,600 DK; $5,400 FD)
Washington is another Hornets player to give some consideration to Thursday, as the Magic remain short-handed in the frontcourt with Wendell Carter Jr. (wrist) unavailable. Orlando is allowing the third-most DK (49.7) and second-most FD (47.9) points per game to power forwards, along with the eighth-highest offensive efficiency to the position (26.9 percent). Washington is also averaging a well-rounded 12.5 points (on 52.6 percent shooting, including 36.4 percent from three-point range), 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals across his last 10 games, a stretch during which he's been at 22 fantasy points or more on each site.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jaylen Brown -SF, BOS at MIL ($8,900 DK; $8,700); Keldon Johnson- SF/PF, SAS at MIN ($6,800 DK; $7,100 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Karl-Anthony Towns - MIN vs. SAS ($9,600 DK; $8,900 FD)
Towns already has two massive games against the Spurs this season, averaging 70.6 DK points per game while shooting 59.6 percent, including an elite 66.7 percent from three-point range. Like Russell, the big man should be in for a normal workload Thursday night and has scored 49.8 to 51.8 DK points in three straight games. San Antonio's problems against centers have extended way beyond Towns as well, as the Spurs allow the seventh-highest offensive efficiency to fives (33.7 percent), as well as over 56 fantasy points per game to the position on both sites for the season.
Mo Bamba, ORL at CHA ($6,900 DK; $6,400 FD)
Speaking of teams with weaknesses against centers, the Hornets qualify as much as any club. Charlotte has yielded the third-highest offensive efficiency to the position (34.2 percent), along with an Eastern Conference-high 59.6 DK/58.0 FD points per game to fives for the season. Bamba just came off putting up an eye-popping 56.5 DK/57.9 FD points against the Cavaliers on Tuesday, and he's averaged 36 DK points versus Charlotte this season. The big man has provided some spike performances recently, and although the Hornets have something to play for, he could still dominate down low and qualify for the double-double bonus on DK.
ALSO CONSIDER: Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. MEM ($12,100 DK; $11,800 FD)
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