X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Expert NBA DFS Picks for DraftKings and FanDuel (4/27/24)

Nikola Jokic - NBA DFS Lineup Picks, Betting Picks, Daily Fantasy Basketball

Free expert daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Kyle's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on April 27, 2024.

Welcome to the weekend, RotoBallers! We have an exciting four-game slate on tap in the NBA today, starting with the Cavaliers-Magic slugfest (201.5-point implied total) and wrapping up with the potential sweep opportunity in the Nuggets-Lakers (218-point implied total) matchup. The Thunder-Pelicans (209.5-point implied total) affair should be fun, and we'll need to target it as it holds the second-highest total and projected pace on the slate. The Celtics-Heat (204.5-point implied total) showdown is also intriguing after Tyler Herro went Superman mode and carried Miami to a Game 2 steal in Boston.

The key to succeeding in NBA DFS is making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always essential to have a game plan, with the best players and spots circled before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and access our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate until lineups lock!

This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/27/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 PM EST on FanDuel and DraftKings.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code WIN! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

I start my process with a "K-Grade" model shown below, which I've been fine-tuning for about three years. This model takes real metrics like the implied total, fantasy points per game allowed, defensive ratings, offensive ratings, and projected pace and applies them to a model with weights. It should be used as a directional guide for the slate, and I've had plenty of success with it, but stick to your process and DFS best practices. For example, a player on a team with a "D" K-Grade could easily be the top value on the slate due to a significant uptick in minutes and usage rate.

Today's NBA DFS K-Grades

 

Today's NBA DFS Core Plays

Let's first look at our premium projections to see who we want to target for our top spend-ups tonight.

Stop me if you've heard this before: play Nikola Jokic on every slate he's on. Nothing has changed from the regular season, as the two-time MVP still has the highest median and ceiling projection on the slate. We got a bit of a price drop on DraftKings after he put up "only" 58.25 DK points in Game 3, but his 75 and 63.5 DK point showings in the first two games give a glimpse at what's expected here. Don't get cute.

I'm splitting hairs by going with Anthony Davis over LeBron James, but I feel that AD has the more straightforward path to a ceiling game with how the defensive matchups work out. They've both had moments in this series, but I give AD the slight edge as he'll need to battle with Jokic (and win) to continue this series. Lastly, Paolo Banchero is an excellent target in the next salary tier. He started the series with two underwhelming outputs where he didn't rebound and shot poorly from deep, but he followed it up with a 61.5 DK point explosion in Game 3. If he's back to getting a bunch of rebounds and hitting shots, he's underpriced at his current salary.

Top Core Plays:

  1. Nikola Jokic vs. LAL - C ($11,200 DK; $12,000 FD)
  2. Anthony Davis vs. DEN - C ($9,600 DK; $11,200 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
  3. Paolo Banchero vs. CLE - PF ($8,300 DK; $8,600 FD)
  4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. NOP - PG ($9,100 DK; $10,400 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Value Plays

Using the same premium NBA projections, let's see what players are popping as the best values tonight.

We're stretching the term "value" to mean "mid-range" for this because it's the playoffs, and we don't get free squares. The Lakers needed a third competent player to compete with Denver, and Austin Reaves finally answered the call with 41.75 DK points in Game 3. With D'Angelo Russell struggling, they'll again lean on him as the third option. Jonas Valanciunas is an enigma but a risk worth taking on this slate. He crushed value with 44 and 43 DK points in the first two games, but the vet fell flat with 29.75 DK points in Game 3. The Pelicans would be wise to continue giving him big minutes, though, because the Thunder are subpar at defending opposing bigs (allowed the 11th-most FPPG to Cs).

Michael Porter Jr. has been as consistent as they come through three games, exceeding 5x value while scoring at least 19 points and snagging at least eight rebounds in each contest. He's shooting well, and the all-around nature of his game translates to a solid floor and a median projection that makes lineups work. The Lakers haven't found an answer for Jokic or Murray, so they aren't focused on slowing down MPJ. Lastly, I like Suggs as a contrarian mid-range option on DraftKings. Suggs has been a revelation in the playoffs, averaging 32 DK points per game and reaching 40.5 DK points in the crucial Game 3 win. He won't shoot the lights out again, but he should be able to provide value at his salary.

Top Value Plays:

  1. Austin Reaves vs. DEN - PG/SG ($5,900 DK; $6,400 FD)
  2. Jonas Valanciunas vs. OKC - C ($6,000 DK; $6,800 FD)
  3. Michael Porter Jr. vs. LAL - SF/PF ($6,500 DK; $7,000 FD)
  4. Jalen Suggs vs. CLE - PG ($5,500 DK) DraftKings Only
  5. Wendell Carter Jr. vs. CLE - C ($4,300 DK; $4,600 FD)

Want more NBA DFS tools and exclusive content? Check out our premium daily content from proven winner Will Priester! Grab an NBA season pass and get access to our daily projections, optimizer, Will's personal picks, props, advice, and VIP chat rooms. Use promo code THUNDERDAN at checkout to save 10%

 

Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Point Guard

Reaves and Suggs have already been covered, but I also like taking a few other shots at point guard. Tyler Herro went ballistic to steal Game 2 from the Celtics, finishing with 56.25 DK points on 6-for-11 shooting from deep. He also provided 14 assists, five rebounds, and a steal in the masterful performance. I can't see him reaching those heights today, but the Heat must lean on him to keep this a competitive series. He's too cheap with that in mind. Lastly, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is my top spend-up target in non-Jokic lineups. He's due for a big game, and his DraftKings price has fallen about $1,500 from its peak.

Top PG Options:

  1. Austin Reaves vs. DEN ($5,900 DK; $6,400 FD)
  2. Jalen Suggs vs. CLE ($5,500 DK) DraftKings Only
  3. Tyler Herro vs. ORL ($8,100 DK; $8,200 FD)
  4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. NOP ($9,100 DK; $10,400 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Shooting Guard

Reaves and Herro also qualify here, and they're my two favorite plays at the shooting guard position. We can also mix and match value players Josh Giddey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Max Strus. However, I'll only get to that group if I need to save some salary, as I value Reaves and Herro much more on this slate.

Top SG Options:

  1. Austin Reaves vs. DEN ($5,900 DK; $6,400 FD)
  2. Tyler Herro vs. ORL ($8,100 DK; $8,200 FD)
  3. Josh Giddey vs. NOP ($5,600 DK; $5,700 FD)
  4. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope vs. LAL ($4,600 DK; $5,000 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Small Forward

It will be hard to fit him if you're getting to any of Jokic, AD, or SGA, but I won't talk anyone off playing LeBron James in a literal must-win contest to avoid losing 12 consecutive games against the Nuggets. I prefer other options today. Michael Porter Jr. was already discussed as a top mid-range option - his consistent production and favorable matchup against the Lakers are tough to pass up.

Lastly, Trey Murphy III is a sneaky play in the mid-range salary tier. He's coming off a brutal 19.25 DK point showing in Game 3, but I'm expecting more along the lines of the 39.5 and 36 DK points he put up to begin the series. The Pelicans need him to be an offensive focal point to compete with Zion Williamson off the floor.

Top SF Options:

  1. LeBron James vs. DEN ($9,500 DK; $10,500 FD)
  2. Michael Porter Jr. vs. LAL ($6,500 DK; $7,000 FD)
  3. Trey Murphy III vs. OKC ($6,600 DK; $7,100 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Power Forward

Paolo Banchero is my top target at power forward if my lineup construction allows me to get to him. His 61.5 DK point output in Game 3 opened my eyes, and I think there's a strong chance that this is the type of game we see from the star forward for Orlando moving forward. He shot 13-for-26 from the field (4-for-9 from 3PT) and collected 14 rebounds, five assists, and a steal over 29 minutes. He should see around 40 minutes tonight.

MPJ is another heavy target here, while you can also reach LeBron or Jayson Tatum if you're swerving away from Jokic. Aaron Gordon gets the last shoutout here as he profiles similarly to Porter Jr. He's a mid-range option locked into heavy minutes on a team with Jokic and Jamal Murray. He can get whatever he wants against this Lakers team, and I think he should also be mixed into lineups.

Top PF Options:

  1. Paolo Banchero vs. CLE ($8,300 DK; $8,600 FD)
  2. LeBron James vs. DEN ($9,500 DK; $10,500 FD)
  3. Michael Porter Jr. vs. LAL ($6,500 DK; $7,000 FD)
  4. Aaron Gordon vs. LAL ($6,300 DK; $6,700 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Center

It's Nikola Jokic. What else do I need to say? He's an absolute monster in daily fantasy formats, which has been the case for about three years straight. His ceiling is unmatched on this slate, and I can't think of any reason why we'd see a letdown performance from him, even with Denver up 3-0 in the series.

I wouldn't advocate pivoting to anyone else at the position, but we'll include a few more because we can play one in the Utility slot on DraftKings. Anthony Davis is my pick to finish second on the slate in raw fantasy points, and he feels slightly underpriced at $9,600 on DraftKings. Wendell Carter Jr. is an intriguing value option, but I wouldn't go too crazy with it. He started Game 3 and played 25 minutes but scored 8.25 DK points. That's scary. However, I'll continue to roll the dice at his salary if he receives another start.

  1. Nikola Jokic vs. LAL ($11,200 DK; $12,000 FD)
  2. Anthony Davis vs. DEN ($9,600 DK; $11,200 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
  3. Wendell Carter Jr. vs. CLE ($4,300 DK; $4,600 FD) Prefer on DraftKings

Today's Top NBA DFS Game Environments

  1. Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets (218 implied total)
  2. Oklahoma City Thunder @ New Orleans Pelicans (209.5 implied total)

 

Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids

  1. I won't be able to have Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, or Jaylen Brown in my lineups today. I will prioritize other high-end players in Jokic, Davis, Banchero, and Herro, preventing me from getting the aforementioned studs.
  2. CJ McCollum isn't doing it for me. He's in a weird higher mid-range salary tier, and we need him to reach 36.5 DK points for 5x value, a mark he has only hit once in this series. He's shooting poorly and not contributing enough in the other counting stats for me to believe a better performance is on the horizon - I'd instead take shots on Brandon Ingram, JVal, and Murphy III in this spot.

 

My Favorite NBA DFS Lineup Picks for Today

Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.

  • My favorite overall play: Nikola Jokic
  • My favorite CASH play: Nikola Jokic
  • My favorite GPP play(s): Jalen Suggs / Tyler Herro / Trey Murphy III
  • My favorite value play(s): Jalen Suggs / Michael Porter Jr. 


Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nick Jensen

in Danger of Missing Start of Season
Brandon Montour

to Miss Two Weeks After Ankle Surgery
Gabriel Landeskog

a "Full Go" for the Season
Samuel Girard

Avalanche Hope to Have Samuel Girard Available for Start of Season
Mackenzie Blackwood

Out Week-to-Week
Alex Tuch

Day-to-Day With Undisclosed Injury
Jordan Greenway

to Sit Out Training Camp
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Considered Day-to-Day
Simon Edvinsson

to Miss a Couple of Weeks
Mikael Backlund

Signs Two-Year Extension
Connor Ingram

to Be Waived by Mammoth
Zach Hyman

Misses Start of Training Camp
Nick Paul

Out Until November
Kris Letang

Cleared for Training Camp
David Pastrnak

Out for Start of Training Camp
Matthew Tkachuk

Expected to Be Out Until December
NBA

Trevelin Queen Joins Chinese Team
Damian Lillard

Not Rushing His Return
NBA

Keon Johnson Waived by Nets
Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Jonathan Kuminga

Receives New Offer From Warriors
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Emil Heineman

Aiming to Take the "Next Step" This Season
Braeden Cootes

Good to Go for Camp
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP