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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/19/23. Mike Marteny provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
We are down to four teams left standing in the quest for the Larry O'Brien Trophy awarded to the NBA Champion every season. We are back for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Boston after Miami took Game 1 in the Garden on the shoulders of Butler.
Showdowns are a little different. On DraftKings, you have a "captain" that scores 1.5x points but is also 1.5x the price. On FanDuel, there are no price multipliers, but points still are for several slots. The MVP slot scores double the points. The Star scores 1.5x points. The pro slot scores 1.2x points. There are also two utility slots that score the normal point value. Are you ready?
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/19/23. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before the lineup locks at 8:30 pm EST. Good luck, RotoBallers!
DraftKings and FanDuel Captain/MVP - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jimmy Butler, MIA ($18,600 DK; $17,000 FD)
Butler was by far the best fantasy asset on either team in Game 1, so it makes the most sense to roll with him as the MVP or captain. Butler dropped 35 points in Game 1 to go with five rebounds, seven assists, and a whopping six steals. While the steals aren't likely a repeat performance, everything else is sustainable. Butler isn't even the highest-priced player on the FanDuel side. He really should be.
Marcus Smart, BOS ($10,800 DK; $10,500 FD)
Game 1 was a subpar outing by Tatum's standards and Smart scored exactly the same amount of fantasy points as Jaylen Brown at a significantly less salary. Smart's double-double in Game 1 was his first since January 14, but the rest of the output is repeatable. Just expect the assists to be in the six-to-eight range instead of double digits. He should still come close to Brown's output at a significantly lower price once again.
Also consider: Bam Adebayo, MIA ($13,500 DK, $13,500 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Utility Plays - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($10,200 DK; $15,500 FD)
Brown's skill set works well against Miami and has all season long. He has averaged 46.6 DraftKings points in four games against the Heat, including a Game 1 performance that was a touch underwhelming for Brown. Still, he was only one rebound away from his first double-double since Game 1 against the Hawks. If you talk about sustainable performances from Game 1, Jimmy Butler stands out, but Brown isn't far behind. Unfortunately, Tatum's is also sustainable, but he's not producing well for that hefty price tag.
Kyle Lowry, MIA ($6,400 DK; $10,000 FD)
The veteran continues to be a driving force for Miami in the playoffs. Lowry has seven straight games over 20 fantasy points and has topped 30 in three of those. This is the player Kyle Lowry is now, but it really works for the Heat, especially in the playoffs. The ceiling is low, but he carries virtually no risk.
Others to consider: Al Horford, BOS ($7,400 DK; $12,000 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Value Plays - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Gabe Vincent, MIA ($5,400 DK; $8,000 FD)
Vincent is still playing a lot of minutes and he seems to be more sustainable than Max Strus right now. Strus was the man in the Knicks series, but Vincent feels like he's going to be the better option against Boston. That said, Vincent scored in double figures for the first time since Game 2 against the Knicks. Vincent was hot in the first two games against New York as well, but that was without Butler. He produced even with another big game from Butler in Game 1.
Robert Williams III, BOS ($4,600 DK; $7,500 FD)
Williams was absolutely dreadful for much of the Philadelphia series, but he seems to be back on track now. Time Lord has 65.75 DraftKings points over the last three games and that price is still very affordable. He is one of the few value plays that I still feel really good about. His Game 1 output is right where it was in the regular season against Miami and the price is right.
Others to consider: Malcolm Brogdon, BOS ($5,800 DK, $9,500 FD)
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