NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (5/17/25)

Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Koby's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on May 17, 2025.

Welcome back, RotoBallers! It's time for the final game of the conference semifinal round, a pivotal Game 7 between the battle-tested Denver Nuggets and the young, hungry Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder are currently 8.5-point favorites as the top seed on their home floor, and we're still waiting to hear whether Aaron Gordon can play on the hamstring he injured at the end of Game 6. The winner will move on to play the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals.

I will help you dive into the slate and hopefully bring in some more cash for the rest of the playoffs! This article will focus on the top guys to play at MVP, some flex guys to put in your utility spots, and a couple of value options to make the rest of the lineup work! 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 5/18/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 3:30 p.m. EDT on DraftKings. 

Today's NBA DFS MVP Picks

These are the guys you want headlining your lineups at the MVP position.

Nikola Jokic, DEN - C ($20.7K DK, $25.8K FD)

Yes, the pricing for MVP Nikola Jokic is absurd. No, I don't want to put my hard-earned money on lineups that don't have the best player in the world at the MVP spot. He's still clearly the only player on the slate capable of putting up 60 - 70+ DK points, which is precisely what he did in Game 5 (77.25 DK points) and Game 6 (66 DK points). He's playing all the minutes he can handle with Denver's season on the line, and the Thunder don't have the personnel to slow him down.

Jalen Williams, OKC - SF/PF ($14.4K DK, $14.1K FD)

"J-Dub" has shot about as poorly as he has all season over the last three games, combining to finish 10-for-43 (23%) from the field while averaging 34.4 DK PPG during that stretch. He's still contributing in the counting stats across the board, so as long as he can get his shot to fall, he can provide significant value - and potentially major leverage on the field - in Game 7.

Others To Consider: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Today's NBA DFS Utility

These players are ones you may want to add to your Utility spots!

Russell Westbrook, DEN - PG ($5.6K DK, $4K FD)

Russell Westbrook is the ultimate "pivot" pick with his current form and Gordon ailing. He hasn't shown up in this series, but the mercurial veteran produced useful games of 34, 37, and 39.75 DK points during the first-round series against the Clippers. He's simply not making shots anymore, but that's something that can snap back into place and find some regression in the right circumstances. If Gordon is out, I like our chances of seeing some "Game 7 Russ" stepping up to help the Nuggets compete to move on in this one.

Chet Holmgren, OKC - PF/C ($8.8K DK, $8.6K FD)

The rookie has yet to produce an actual "ceiling" game in these playoffs, but he's knocking on the doorstep with games of 40.75, 46.5, and 42.25 DK points in the conference semifinal round to this point. He's hitting shots at a high rate and snagging 10.8 rebounds per game, but his monster games come when he racks up blocks. He has 12 blocks for the series and had four in Game 1, but this could be his opportunity to go off with the big and sturdy Aaron Gordon potentially off the floor.

Others To Consider: Jamal Murray, Isaiah Hartenstein, Christian Braun

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Today's NBA DFS Value Picks

Julian Strawther, DEN - SG/SF ($1.5K DK, $1.8K FD)

The Nuggets found the lightning in a bottle they had been searching for all series in Game 6, and it came from an unlikely source in Julian Strawther. The second-year wing out of Gonzaga was efficient in 20 minutes, finishing with 15 points and two boards on just eight shot attempts in the victory. Aaron Gordon will likely have his minutes monitored even if he does suit up, so I love riding with Strawther as a dirt-cheap value option on this slate.

Cason Wallace, OKC - PG/SG ($3K DK, $2.2K FD)

Wallace isn't an exciting name, but he typically sees at least 20 minutes of action as a reserve, and he can sometimes play near-starter level minutes like he did in Game 6. He's averaging 16.3 DK PPG during this series, but the hope is that he sees a few threes drop and we get one of his 20+ DK point games off the bench.

Others to Consider: Alex Caruso, Peyton Watson

As the NBA playoffs heat up, so do the opportunities to win more in Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) on DraftKings and FanDuel. Staying informed on late-breaking NBA injury news is critical for success, so leverage RotoBaller’s expert insights and tools throughout the day to gain an edge on the field.

Whether you're grinding out GPPs or locking in safe cash game picks, a smart NBA DFS strategy can make all the difference. Good luck tonight, and may your lineups crush!

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