NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (4/27/25)

April 27, 2025

Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Thunder Dan's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on April 27, 2025.

It's another all-day NBA slate with four games set to take place in the association, starting at 1:00 p.m. EST and concluding at 9:30 p.m. EST.

The Knicks will attempt to take a 3-1 lead on the Pistons in Detroit to start the series, followed by the marquee matinee game of the day, with the Lakers looking to rebound against the surging Wolves in Minnesota. The Celtics will attempt to take a 3-1 lead over the Magic in Orlando, and then the Pacers-Bucks showdown will serve as the nightcap to round out the slate.

This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/27/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Good luck, RotoBallers!

Today's NBA DFS Core Picks

These are your lineup cornerstones — players with the best blend of floor, matchup, and ceiling.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL - PF/C ($11.8K DK, $11.8K FD)

Giannis is the obvious starting point on this slate as he projects for the most raw fantasy points and holds the highest ceiling by a wide margin. He needs just 59 DK points for 5x value, and he has exceeded that mark in two of three games this series (62, 68.5). The Pacers truly lack the personnel to slow him down, and with Lillard back in the fold and playing heavy minutes, Giannis's ability to operate has increased, as the defense must key on the star guard.

Anthony Edwards, MIN - PG/SG ($8.9K DK, $9.4K FD)

This is still too cheap for Ant. Edwards' production has some volatility to it as he can be too scoring-dependent at times, but he has filled up the box score to exceed 5x value in two of three games so far against the Lakers. Los Angeles has the wing defenders to check him, but their guard defense isn't strong. Minnesota has several options to exploit them offensively, which leaves Edwards open to do what he does best - score on pull-up threes and drives to the bucket.

Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK - C ($8.6K DK, $9.3K FD)

Speaking of players being too cheap, what is this price on KAT? He was $10,400 earlier this month on DraftKings, so getting him at under $9,000 is a significant bargain. He needs 43 DK points for 5x value, and he has been over that mark in five of his last seven games. He has scored 58.25, 49.5, and 19.5 DK points in the series so far, and he's still playing around 40 minutes in Thibs' rotations, so I love the value and potential ceiling we're getting with this pick.

Also consider: Cade Cunningham, DET - PG ($9.5k, $9.9k), Tyrese Haliburton, IND - PG ($8.4k, $8.7k)

Today's NBA DFS Pivots

These guys might be less chalky, but they have the upside of crushing GPPs.

Pascal Siakam, IND - PF ($7.3K DK, $7.8K FD)

Siakam is a perfect GPP pivot option on this slate. He may get overlooked due to his awkward pricing and the field's desire to target Giannis, but I think running him back with Siakam makes perfect sense. The star PF has scored 41.75, 49.75, and 42.75 DK points in this series, and there's room for more upside due to the game environment being the best on the slate (highest implied total, fastest projected pace).

Derrick White, BOS - PG ($7K DK, $7.1K FD)

White sees a slight bump in usage rate and FPTS/min with Jrue Holiday off the floor, but what we're looking for with him is a steady floor and potential for a 45+ DK point upside. He has scored 46.5, 34.5, and 34.25 DK points in this series, but he hasn't shot the ball well over the last two games, and there's room for him to record more assists with Holiday out of the lineup. I hate the game environment, but White has an opportunity to surprise on this slate.

Also consider: 

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Today's NBA DFS Value Picks

These players are available for under $6,000 and offer salary relief with solid upside.

Wendell Carter Jr., ORL - C ($5.2K DK, $5.3K FD)

Carter Jr. is the starting center for Orlando, and it feels like he's not getting the respect he deserves after exceeding value with 28 and 29.5 DK points in Game 2 and Game 3, respectively. Of course, Boston is a challenging matchup for any position, and both teams playing at a league-slow pace reduces the appeal across the board, but value is value, and we have to take what we can get in the playoffs.

Donte DiVincenzo, MIN - PG/SG($4.5K DK, $5.3K FD)

Why not Donte? He's a risky DFS player, as his minutes are heavily reliant on his production, but we can capitalize on his potential if we nail the correct times to target him. He went off for 30.75 DK points over 31 minutes last game, reaching that mark despite shooting just 4-for-13 and scoring 10 points. The Wolves need his energy and shooting to shine through with Nickeil Alexander-Walker struggling, and I'm betting they lean on the former Villanova product again in a crucial Game 4 showdown.

Mikal Bridges, NYK - SG/SF  ($5.6K DK, $6.1K FD)

Bridges is a solid mid-range pick at a premium position, so I like him as a lineup filler on this slate. He put up 32.25 and 43.25 DK points in Game 2 and Game 3, respectively, so he's in great form while playing almost 40 minutes per game. The Knicks are two-point underdogs in Detroit, but they hold the fourth-highest implied total on the slate at 107.5 points.

Also consider: Mike Conley, MIN - PG ($3.7K DK, $4.2K FD), OG Anunoby, NYK - SF/PF ($6.5k, $6.7k)

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: Giannis Antetokounmpo
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Karl-Anthony Towns / Pascal Siakam
• My favorite value play: Donte DiVincenzo

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis