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Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Mike Barner's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on April 12, 2024.
The NBA closes out the final Friday of the regular season with a loaded 15-game slate. There are a lot of back-to-back situations, which could lead to rest days for several players. Both DraftKings and FanDuel will include the first 11 games of the evening in their main slates.
The key to being successful in NBA DFS comes down to making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always essential to have a game plan, and the best players and spots circled first before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/12/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EDT on FanDuel and DraftKings. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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Today's NBA DFS Core Picks
Let's take a look at our premium projections to narrow down some of our core plays for the day!
After sitting out the second game of a back-to-back set on Wednesday, Victor Wembanyama is not on the Spurs’ injury report for their matchup with the Nuggets on Friday. These two teams faced each other 10 days ago, and Wembanyama emerged with 23 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, and nine blocks. Expect him to have an extremely high floor in their rematch.
When Immanuel Quickley has played recently, he has put up monster numbers. Over his last five games, he has averaged 24.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.4 steals. As long as he takes the floor for the tanking Raptors, he stands out as one of the top guards to target.
We may have seen the last of Kyle Kuzma (ankle) for the season. He won’t play Friday, marking his fourth straight absence. Over the last three games without him, Deni Avdija has averaged 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks. Look for him to exploit a Bulls team that will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set.
- Victor Wembanyama, SA vs. DEN – PF/C ($11,500 DK; $11,900 FD)
- Immanuel Quickley, TOR at MIA – PG ($8,800 DK; $9,000 FD)
- Deni Avdija, WAS vs. CHI – SF ($7,600 DK; $7,800 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Picks
The Celtics did not rest any of their key players in Thursday’s matchup with the Knicks. They will face the floundering Hornets on Friday, so expect several starters to get the night off. Enter Payton Pritchard, who has averaged 18.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists across 11 games in which he has logged at least 30 minutes this season.
As the Pistons limp toward the finish line with a limited depth chart, they have turned to Chimezie Metu to take on an expanded role. Over the last 10 games, he has logged an average of 30 minutes. That helped him produce 11.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. The Pistons likely won’t be getting any reinforcements Friday, so expect Metu to remain busy.
The Bulls are not only playing the second game of a back-to-back set, but they clinched the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference with their win over the Pistons on Thursday. This could be a great opportunity for them to rest some of their starters. Even if they do play, Javonte Green still has the potential to provide value. Since becoming a regular in their rotation, Green has averaged 15.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks over the last four games.
Top Value Plays:
- Payton Pritchard, BOS vs. CHA – PG ($5,400 DK; $5,500 FD)
- Chimezie Metu, DET at DAL – PF/C ($5,400 DK; $5,800 FD)
- Javonte Green, CHI at WAS – SF/PF ($4,700 DK; $4,800 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
Even though the Knicks just played Thursday, don’t expect them to rest Jalen Brunson. They are still battling for playoff seeding and can move up to as high as the second seed. Brunson has been providing ridiculous numbers down the stretch, averaging 35.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 7.2 assists over his last 15 games.
Jalen Brunson scored 39 (15/23 FG) in 3 quarters in the win over Boston and is averaging 38.5 PTS over his last 8 games 🔥
Kenny Smith: “Brunson has been the best basketball player in the eastern conference by far.” pic.twitter.com/gDQIXWoLKR
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 12, 2024
Top PG Options:
- Jalen Brunson vs. BKN, ($9,700 DK; $9,900 FD)
- Immanuel Quickley at MIA, ($8,800 DK; $9,000 FD)
- Payton Pritchard vs. CHA, ($4,500 DK; $5,500 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
The Hawks are generally a fantasy-friendly matchup. They have played at the sixth-fastest pace, and they have the fifth-worst defensive rating in the league. Don’t expect them to be able to slow down Anthony Edwards, who scored 31 points against them earlier this season.
Tyler Herro has not looked rusty after missing more than a month with a foot injury. Over four games since making his return, he has averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. The Raptors have the sixth-worst defensive rating in the league, potentially setting up Herro to remain hot.
A move into the starting lineup has done wonders for Corey Kispert. While he has averaged 13.3 points and 2.3 three-pointers per game for the season, he has averaged 17.4 points and 3.2 three-pointers over the last 17 games since becoming a starter. While his underwhelming production in other categories does somewhat limit his upside, his salary is cheap enough to still make him a viable option.
Top SG Options:
- Anthony Edwards vs. ATL, ($9,500 DK; $9,300 FD)
- Tyler Herro vs. TOR, ($7,100 DK; $7,100 FD)
- Corey Kispert vs. CHI, ($5,700 DK; $5,800 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
Another potential value option at small forward is Sam Hauser. Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford both played Thursday and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they both sat out Friday. At a minimum, one of them likely won’t take the floor. That should lead to added minutes and shot attempts for Hauser, who is shooting 42.9 percent from behind the arc this season.
Top SF Options:
- Deni Avdija vs. CHI, ($7,600 DK; $7,800 FD)
- Sam Hauser vs. CHA, ($5,100 DK; $5,200 FD)
- Javonte Green at WAS, ($4,700 DK; $4,800 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Josh Hart “only” logged 32 minutes in the Knicks blowout win over the Celtics on Thursday. Still, he recorded 16 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists. With his high minutes floor and the Knicks still having something to play for, Hart could provide another valuable all-around stat line versus the Nets.
Josh Hart is 2013 LeBron on a fast break pic.twitter.com/SJJutcOopE
— Big Knick Energy (@BigKnickEnergy_) April 12, 2024
It might be easier to list who will actually be available for the Grizzlies on Friday, rather than mention everyone who has already been ruled out. As a result of their limited options, Jake LaRavia has logged an average of 29 minutes over his last 17 games. His averages of 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals during that span aren’t exactly off the charts, but at his cheap salary on both sites, it still makes him worth considering in tournament play.
Top PF Options:
- Josh Hart vs. BKN, ($6,900 DK; $7,400 FD)
- Chimezie Metu at DAL, ($5,400 DK; $5,800 FD)
- Jake LaRavia vs. LAL, ($5,300 DK; $5,700 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
Another member of the Grizzlies to consider at a cheap salary is Trey Jemison. He’s basically the last many standing for them at the center position. He has logged at least 30 minutes in each of the last four games, averaging 10.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.3 blocks during that span.
The Hawks are locked into the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, so they have nothing left to play for. Clint Capela has been listed as questionable for rest purposes, and I’d be surprised if he plays. With Onyeka Okongwu (toe) also out, that could lead to plenty of minutes for Bruno Fernando. He has shown promise when given an opportunity, averaging 8.1 points and 7.2 rebounds over 13 games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes this season.
Top C Options:
- Victor Wembanyama vs. DEN, ($11,500 DK; $11,900 FD)
- Trey Jemison vs. LAL, ($5,100 DK; $5,800 FD)
- Bruno Fernando at MIN, ($4,100 DK; $4,900 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Pacers at Cavaliers (233 total)
- Hawks at Timberwolves (226 total)
- Lakers at Grizzlies (225.5 total)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
- Even if the Bulls decide not to sit DeMar DeRozan, Coby White, and Nikola Vucevic, they will likely have their minutes limited, making them a trio to avoid.
- The Lakers are heavy favorites against the Grizzlies, so if they race out to a big lead early with the playoffs on the horizon, they could sit LeBron James and Anthony Davis for a good portion of the second half.
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: Victor Wembanyama
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Anthony Edwards
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Immanuel Quickley
- My favorite value play: Payton Pritchard
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