NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (4/22/25)

April 21, 2025

Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Max's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on April 22, 2025.

Welcome back, RotoBallers! Tonight, we have three Game 2 matchups as the first round of the playoffs rolls on. The Pacers host the Bucks and lead their series 1-0, while the Thunder are once again heavy home favorites against the Grizzlies after blowing them out badly in game one. The Lakers are favored at home in game two of their series despite losing game one by 22 points in embarrassing fashion.

These articles focus on the best plays, typically more suited for cash games. However, some exceptions may apply, depending on the size of the slate. 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 and zero in on the best players and spots before making those adjustments.

This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/22/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7 p.m. EDT on DraftKings. Good luck, RotoBallers!

Today's NBA DFS Core Picks

Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL - PF/C ($11.3K DK, $11.9K FD)

Giannis was a one-man show during Milwaukee's Game 1 loss against the Pacers. Giannis posted an astronomical usage rate of 40.7%, the highest by any player through all Game 1s. Damian Lillard's approaching return will certainly alleviate some of the burden on Giannis, and while that's great news for Bucks fans, it's bad news for fantasy purposes.

But even with Lillard back, we should expect Giannis to lead the Bucks offense in what feels like a must-win game for Milwaukee on their home court. The Bucks can not afford to go down 0-2 and then head to Indiana. Expect the former MVP to respond tonight with a big performance in a playoff atmosphere, as he has many times in the past.

Giannis is a bargain, even at his price tag, and he'll likely be one of the most popular plays on the slate.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC - PG ($10.3K DK, $11.2K FD)

Initially, I planned to make SGA one of my featured tournament plays tonight, but at this price, he's too cheap to pass up in any format. The Thunder are (probably) not going to be up by 50 so early into the game tonight that their starters only play 22-24 minutes and have 13 total players touch the floor.

Assuming a more typical game environment, it's hard to pass up a spot where the MVP favorite is at home and priced cheaper than his season average.

Others to consider: Anthony Edwards, MIN - SG/SF, Tyrese Haliburton, IND - PG

Today's NBA DFS Pivots

Luka Doncic, LAL - PG ($10.8K DK, $10.8K FD)

In Game 1, the Timberwolves' defense prioritized slowing down LeBron James and Austin Reaves and making Luka keep the ball in his hands. This resulted in a huge scoring performance of 37 points, but only a single assist and five turnovers.

Luka Dončić was last to leave the gym after yesterday's practice before today's Game 2. pic.twitter.com/FeeKGaQFvc

— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) April 22, 2025

He still had a solid fantasy performance, but nothing slate-altering. If Luka can figure out how to get teammates more involved en route to carrying the Lakers to a tied series, it's very easy to see his path to being the high scorer of the night.

Pascal Siakam, IND - PF ($6.9K DK, $8.2K FD)

Siakam led the Pacers in scoring and shot attempts in Game 1, which is exactly what Indiana envisioned when they acquired him via trade last season. He finished with 25 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, which was good for 41 DK points. And yet, his price went down another $100 for tonight's slate!

This game has the best environment on the slate for cash games, and as a 1a/1b scoring option, Siakim is very intriguing as a tournament option. He's one of the few sub-7k players on this slate who could still put up 40+ DK points tonight.

Others to Consider: Damian Lillard, MIL - PG, Jalen Williams, OKC - SF/PF

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Today's NBA DFS Value Picks

Andrew Nembhard, IND - PG/SG ($4.7K DK, $5.7K FD)

Nemhard was one of six Pacers to score in double figures, which is a perfect result for Indiana. The Pacers lack an alpha who will be a shooting black hole that limits/prevents their teammates from producing offensively, which becomes a legitimate worry for most teams in the playoffs.

The Pacers have a few low-cost options, but I'd give the nod to Nembhard as my preference, with Aaron Nesmith as another viable option, too.

Luguentz Dort, OKC - SG/SF ($4.3K DK, $5.4K FD)

Everyone in Oklahoma City was a good value play in Game 1, with Dort as one of four players priced $5K or less that cleared the 20 fantasy point mark.

Dort is OKC's premier perimeter defender and played 29 minutes a game in the regular season. In a normal playoff game (one where a team isn't up 50 points heading into the 4th quarter), it's fair to assume Dort will see at least 30 minutes, which is all you can ask for at his price.

Donte DiVincenzo, MIN - PG/SG ($4.2K DK, $5.1K FD)

Historically, a big game player going back to his days at Villanova, DiVincenzo shot poorly from 3 but still produced 25.25 fantasy points in his Timberwolves playoff debut.

He provides valuable spacing and play-making for this Minnesota team. If the Lakers opt to play small, as they did in Game 1, he could continue to see an increased role in this series.

Others to consider: Rui Hachimura, LAL - SF/PF, Aaron Wiggins, OKC - SF/PF, Bennedict Mathurin, IND - SG/SF

My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today

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

• My favorite overall play on the slate: Giannis Antetokounmpo 
• My favorite CASH play on the slate: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Pascal Siakam
• My favorite value play: Luguentz Dort

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis