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This might be the last multi-game slate of the NBA season. Denver tries to advance to the Western Conference Finals in Phoenix while the 76ers could dispose of the Celtics in Philly tonight.
Let's enjoy more than the showdowns while we still can! Fret not. Even when the multi-game slates are over until October, us here at RotoBaller will still be attacking those showdown slates with the same fervor for the duration of the playoffs. We won't leave you hanging!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for the DraftKings and FanDuel slate beginning at 7:30 pm ET on 5/11/23. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome new NBA injuries report tool as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Good luck RotoBallers!
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
James Harden - PG, PHI vs. BOS ($8,700 DK, $9,600 FD)
Harden has picked it up after a miserable Game 2 in Boston, flirting with a triple-double in each of the last two games. Harden isn't always asked to score for Philly, but his peripheral numbers have been strong enough in Games 3-5 to give him a good floor. There's not much savings between Booker and Harden on FD, so I would still lean toward Booker there. However, the $1,300 difference on DK is significant, especially if CP3 returns for the Suns.
Jamal Murray - PG, DEN at PHX ($8,200 DK, $8,800 FD)
FD is a lot more lenient with prices as these series go on. Booker and Murray both went up on DK and down on FD. This is a tough lineup to build on DK for that reason. Murray has only had one game against Phoenix, but that was in Game 2 when most players whose strength is offense struggled for both teams. Other than that, Murray has cleared 45 fantasy points in three of the other four games. He doesn't have the upside of Harden or Booker, but right now, I think Murray is my cash guy at the guard positions. Denver is playing a tight eight-man rotation, so the minutes are there for Murray and they aren't going anywhere.
Marcus Smart - PG, BOS at PHI ($5,400 DK, $6,000 FD)
The three-headed guard monster for the Celtics is annoying from a DFS standpoint, so we have to look at what separates the three since pricing isn't really an issue. They are all about $200 apart on DK and not much more than that on FD. So what is that defining factor? Minutes. Smart has played at least 34 minutes in four of the five games of the series. Brogdon has hit that mark twice while White only hit that mark once. Positional eligibility could force our hands since Smart is only eligible at PG on both sites. Brogdon is the next-best option if positional requirements are cramping your roster style.
Others to consider: Devin Booker ($10,000 DK, $9,900 FD); Tyrese Maxey ($6,300 DK, $7,200 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Kevin Durant - SF/PF, PHX vs. DEN ($9,900 DK, $11,000 FD)
Durant and Booker have carried the team with Paul out. Paul is officially listed as questionable for Game 6 and if he plays, it will stunt Booker's output more than Durant's. If you are using one of the two big Phoenix players, Durant is the safest even though his upside isn't quite as great. Paul is going to siphon assists from Booker if he plays. KD will continue to stuff the stat sheet like he has all series. He has cleared 50 fantasy points in four of the five games so far.
Michael Porter Jr. - SF/PF, DEN at PHX ($6,100 DK, $6,700)
Us DFS players have been crushed by Porter before. Every time he shows flashes of his upside, he usually comes crashing back to earth, sometimes descending all the way to Hell within the next game or two. That's the risk we take and that's why I've avoided Porter for much of the playoffs so far. What I have missed is a consistency from Porter that we haven't really seen before. He has between 35 and 42 fantasy points in each of the last three games. That's a great return for the price. Porter's aggressiveness on the boards has been a big reason for this. His scoring is up as well, but that doesn't explain the precipitous jump since Game 2. I want to trust Porter. I really do. Considering he put up 36.5 fantasy points in Game 5 despite playing only 28 minutes, I think I'm finally ready to take the plunge.
Al Horford - PF/C, BOS at PHI ($5,500 DK, $7,000 FD)
I won't be touching Horford on FD, but his price on DK is still low enough for me to consider him. Horford was downright awful in Game 5. He missed all seven shots he took, maybe because all of them were from beyond the arc. While the 3-ball has always been an important part of Horford's game, having that be the only part means Philly didn't have to pay attention to him on offense at all if he wasn't a threat to go to the rim. I expect the veteran to correct that ahead of Game 6 and perhaps have one of his best games of the series. At the very least, he should be back in the 30's for fantasy points where he belongs.
Others to consider: Jayson Tatum ($9,800 DK, $10,800 FD); Tobias Harris ($5,600 DK, $6,000 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Jokic - DEN at PHX ($11,500 DK, $12,200 FD)
Go ahead. Complain about the price and say Jokic isn't worth. You had better have something to back that statement up with. Jokic has been otherworldly in this series, eclipsing 70 fantasy points in all but Game 1 of the series – a game which Denver won by 18. What part of his game do you want to stop? In Game 4, Jokic only had four rebounds. He still hit 70 because he scored 53 points and dished out 11 assists. In Game 2, he only had five assists. He still topped 70 because he had 39 points and 16 rebounds. No matter what Phoenix has done to stop him, the only thing that has was Game 1 getting out of hand fairly early. If this game is close, which this series says it should be, Jokic is probably going for 70 again. Find a way to get him in your builds.
Others to consider: Joel Embiid ($9,600 DK, $11,400 FD); Robert Williams III ($3,600 DK, $4,800 FD)
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