Monday features a small two-game NBA Playoffs main slate starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
Note: Projections and Leverage Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Leading this two-game slate in projected ceiling is the Pistons’ star point guard Cade Cunningham. Despite a seven-point loss in Game 3, Cunningham recorded a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, accumulating a series-high 58 DraftKings points. Cunningham is the premier ceiling option tonight.
With the Cavaliers leading most of Game 3, Cunningham’s usage rate spiked to 38.5% with a 48.3% assist rate. He attempted 27 field goals, and this was Cunningham’s second-straight game with a points-and-assists double-double. Cunningham is priced back under $11,000, and there is plenty of value to play him.
The Pistons are 3.5-point road underdogs but have a fantastic opportunity to take control of this series if they can find a way to win tonight. Cunningham is only drawing around 20% projected ownership, which is not much for a small two-game slate. It is recommended to get overweight with this superstar player tonight.
Value
Staying in the Pistons’ backcourt, Daniss Jenkins is the value point guard to target. After three-straight games of 28+ DraftKings points, Jenkins posted a dud performance in Game 3 with only two points, three assists, and one rebound in 18 minutes. He shot 1-for-5 from the field and only had 7.2 DraftKings points.
He has become a valuable player off the bench and is still coming in priced at $4,200. Jenkins has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate.
Due to his price tag and recent play, Jenkins is drawing the highest projected ownership on the slate at 60%. He is a near lock in cash-game contests and makes for a phenomenal value play in tournaments. With a usage rate of 23%, look for Jenkins to get back on track with a strong performance in Game 4.
Fast Break
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is $800 cheaper than Cunningham but has the second-highest projected ceiling tonight. The Thunder have taken a 3-0 lead over the Lakers, and they have won by an average of 19.7 points per game. Gilgeous-Alexander frankly has not been needed in this series and is only averaging 36.2 DraftKings points per game, which is 14 points lower than his season average. The Thunder are double-digit favorites to sweep the Lakers and are implied for 112.25 points. Gilgeous-Alexander is a contrarian play.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Donovan Mitchell has gotten better in every game this series and needed a 35-point, 10-rebound double-double last game to pull out the Cavaliers’ victory. It was his second-straight game scoring 30+ points. Mitchell shot 13-for-24 from the field and accumulated a playoff-high 54.5 DraftKings points.
Outside of Cunningham and Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell is projected for the third-highest usage rate at over 30%. He had a 34.8% usage rate in Game 3 and was the key to the Cavaliers getting their first win in this series. The volume will be there, and the rebounds are an added bonus to his ability to score the ball.
The Cavaliers are 3.5-point home favorites, implied 108.5 points, which is the second-highest of the four teams. James Harden’s emergence lately has helped spread the floor and create more driving lanes for Mitchell. He is drawing around 25% projected ownership, which is more than reasonable for Mitchell.
Value
Marcus Smart, priced in the lower mid-range, hasn’t had the impact he had last series against the Rockets, but he has scored double-digit points in every game against the Thunder. Smart is averaging nearly 12 field goal attempts per game this series, with most of those attempts coming from behind the arc.
At $5,400, this is the cheapest that Smart has been since the beginning of the playoffs. That is too cheap with how valuable he has been on both sides of the ball. This playoffs, Smart is averaging 13.8 points, 5.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game. Smart can fill up the stat sheet in a variety of ways.
With shooting guard and small forward eligibility, Smart is easy to fit into multiple lineup builds. He has the highest projected Plus/Minus at both positions and the third-highest on this slate overall. Smart is projected to play 34 minutes, which is more than enough playing time to pay off his cheap salary tonight.
Fast Break
Austin Reaves has been a boom-or-bust option for the Lakers against the Thunder. In Games 1 and 3, Reaves shot a combined 8-for-29 from the field and 1-for-10 from downtown, with 12.5 points and 27.7 DraftKings points per game. However, in Game 2, Reaves erupted for 31 points and 41.5 DraftKings points on 10-for-16 shooting from the field. Which Reaves will show up is anyone’s guess, but he is still priced under $8,000 with dual-guard eligibility. Reaves’ 17% projected ownership makes him a contrarian option.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The small forward position is once again the weakest on the slate. The only small forward priced over $5,500 is the Pistons’ Ausar Thompson at $6,400. He is considered the “stud” option at this position with easily the highest projected ceiling. Even with a 13.8% projected usage rate, Thompson is the best play.
Thompson has been incredibly consistent for the Pistons during their playoff run. In their 10 games played this postseason, Thompson is averaging 31.4 DraftKings points, 9.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and a team-leading 1.9 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. He can provide fantasy production on both ends.
Outside of Smart, Thompson has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus at the small forward position. Paired with the highest projected ceiling, Thompson is drawing over 40% projected ownership. Regardless of whether it is due to the weak position or his recent play, Thompson is one of the best options on this slate.
Value
Lights-out shooter Cason Wallace connected on four 3-pointers last game, scoring a playoff-high 16 points for the Thunder’s Game 3 win. Most of Wallace’s production comes from scoring and defense. He leads the Thunder with 1.9 steals per game in the postseason and is shooting 44% from long distance.
Wallace has scored double-digit points in three of his last four games, with 50% of his field goal attempts coming from behind the arc. He has recorded 20+ DraftKings points in four-straight games and is still conservatively priced at $4,300. With how well he has played recently, his playing time has also increased.
Wallace is drawing over 30% projected ownership, and his shooting guard and small forward eligibility make him easy to fit in all lineup builds. In order to fit in the expensive point guards on this two-game slate, options like Wallace become easy lineup fillers, especially at this very weak small forward position.
Fast Break
Rui Hachimura has been one of the best players for the Lakers this postseason. He is averaging 16.7 points per game while shooting a blistering 54.2% from the field and 58% from downtown, including 3.2 made 3-pointers per game. Hachimura has averaged four made 3-pointers per game in this series against the Thunder. His size has been a mismatch, and he is still favorably priced at $5,300. Hachimura is going to need to continue to play well for the Lakers to extend this series, which makes him worth targeting.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
With Luka Doncic still nursing a hamstring injury, LeBron James was good enough to take care of the Rockets in their first-round series but is struggling against the defending NBA Champions. He has taken a step back against the Thunder, averaging 41 DraftKings points per game in the three games of this series.
To get this series to go back to Oklahoma City, James and the Lakers need to overcome being a double-digit home underdog. It will need to be James leading the way for a Lakers victory tonight. With Doncic off the floor this season, he has a +5.28% usage rate increase and a +6.32 DraftKings Plus/Minus.
James has the third-highest projected ceiling on this two-game slate and is drawing over 10% more projected ownership than both Cunningham and Gilgeous-Alexander. James is going to play nearly 40 minutes if this game is competitive. If the Lakers pull off this upset, it will be a historic performance from James.
Value
Tobias Harris, priced in the upper mid-range at $7,100, has scored 20+ points in eight straight postseason games. Outside of Cunningham, Harris is clearly the Pistons’ second-best scoring option. He has increased his scoring output from 13.3 per game during the regular season to 21.8 in the playoffs, which is amazing.
Harris is also contributing on the glass, averaging 7.7 rebounds per game, with one points-and-rebounds double-double this postseason. Among the teams remaining, the Cavaliers have one of the worst rebounding rates, making a points-and-rebounds double-double firmly on the table for Harris tonight.
The Cavaliers are also allowing opponents to shoot 37.3% from behind the arc, which is the highest 3-point percentage allowed among the playoff teams left. This is a strong matchup for Harris, who has been phenomenal for the Pistons this postseason. At $7,100, Harris is a fantastic option in the mid-range.
Fast Break
Chet Holmgren had a disappointing Game 3 and still produced 18 points and nine rebounds for 32.2 DraftKings points. In Games 1 and 2, Holmgren recorded over 50 DraftKings points in both games while shooting 57.1% from the field and 71.4% from behind the arc. With Jalen Williams still out due to injury, Holmgren has been the second option to Gilgeous-Alexander. The power forward position is stacked, but Holmgren has the highest projected Plus/Minus and the highest projected ownership at nearly 50% tonight.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Not only does Evan Mobley have power forward and center eligibility, but he also has the highest projected ceiling at the center position. Mobley has provided two near points-and-rebounds double-doubles against the Pistons and has seven blocks and three steals in their first three games of this series.
Mobley’s usage rate has taken a back seat with Mitchell and Harden demanding most of the ball, but he does have a mismatch with the Pistons’ lacking size outside of Jalen Duren. He is stuffing the stat sheet, even contributing 4.3 assists per game this series. The best part is Mobley is only $7,500 on this slate.
The potential is there with Mobley, who averaged 18.2 points and nine rebounds per game during the regular season. Projected for over 40% ownership and a 20% usage rate, Mobley is a strong play in all formats tonight. He has the highest salary at this position, but it is deserving given his projected ceiling.
Value
Arguably a better option in the Cavaliers’ frontcourt is Mobley’s twin-tower teammate Jarrett Allen. Priced at $5,700, Allen has the highest projected Plus/Minus on this two-game slate by a wide margin. He is projected for the second-highest ownership at over 55%, making him an elite value play in all formats.
Allen has averaged 20 points per game in back-to-back games while shooting 7-for-9 in both contests. His Game 1 was a disaster with only two points and three rebounds in 18 minutes, but Allen’s potential is through the roof if he can stay out of foul trouble. He is simply too cheap for how well he is playing lately.
The center position is lacking star power, but getting Allen at this price tag feels like an incredible value. Playing Mobley with Allen is not recommended, but one of them has a chance to spike in this matchup. Mobley is the contrarian of the two, with Allen being clearly the better option at his fantastic salary.
Fast Break
Jalen Duren, opposite of Mobley and Allen, has double-digit points and rebounds in three of his last four games. He posted a double-double in Game 1 and has a great opportunity for another tonight with the Cavaliers’ 50.5% rebounding rate in the playoffs. He has the second-highest projected ceiling at the center position behind Mobley and is drawing around 35% projected ownership. Duren will play around 35 minutes and will have plenty of opportunity to provide value at his sub-$7,000 salary for this slate tonight.
