NBA DFS Picks Breakdown on DraftKings (Friday, April 24)

Friday features a three-game main slate starting at 7 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

The 76ers managed to steal Game 2 in Boston, evening the series at 1-1 heading into Game 3. The team is still without Joel Embiid, but they got dynamic games from their star young backcourt in the Game 2 victory.

Tyrese Maxey has emerged as the 76ers’ best player, and he finished with 53.5 DraftKings points in nearly 40 minutes on Tuesday. He should be locked into another huge workload on Friday. He’s currently projected for 40.5 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged 1.34 DraftKings points per minute with Embiid off the floor this season.

Maxey owns the top ceiling projection at point guard, and he’s fifth in that metric for the entire slate. His price tag remains reasonable at $9,000, and he’s second at point guard in projected Plus/Minus.

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Value

Scoot Henderson has had a tumultuous start to his NBA career. He was selected third overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, but he’s yet to really get it going on a consistent basis. His jump shot remains his biggest hurdle, with Henderson knocking down just 40.4% of his field goal attempts and 34.3% of his 3-point attempts for his career.

That said, Henderson is a dynamic athlete, and he’s capable of getting buckets without a reliable jump shot. He put that on display in Game 2 vs. the Spurs, finishing with 27.75 DraftKings points in 27.1 minutes.

The Blazers are going to need Henderson if they’re going to compete with San Antonio, and the matchup might be better than it seems on paper. Victor Wembanyama is officially questionable for the Spurs, and their defense is much more vulnerable without their star big man. The Blazers are just 2.5-point home underdogs on Friday, and they have the third-highest implied team total.

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Fast Break

No one is projected for more playing time than Amen Thompson on this slate. He’s logged at least 42.2 minutes in each of the first two games vs. the Lakers, and he’s projected for another 42 minutes on Friday. That makes him an appealing option at $7,900. His price tag comes with a 97% Bargain Rating, and he leads all point guards with 11 Pro Trends.

If Wembanyama is unable to go for San Antonio – he is currently in the concussion protocol – the rest of the offense is going to have to pick up the slack. De’Aaron Fox should be one of the biggest beneficiaries. He’s seen a +3.95% usage bump with Wembanyama off the floor this season, which is the second-largest boost on the team. He’s averaged 1.23 DraftKings points per minute in that split, giving him significantly more upside in that scenario.

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

Jrue Holiday has had a nice season for the Blazers when he’s been healthy enough to suit up. He averaged 16.3 points and 6.1 assists per game, both of which were way up from his marks in his final year with the Celtics. He’s past the prime of his career at 35 years old, but he’s still got some gas left in the tank.

Holiday is coming off nearly 39 minutes in the Blazers’ Game 2 upset. He finished with 16 points, nine assists, and five rebounds in that contest, and he added a steal and two blocks. Holiday also didn’t shoot the ball particularly well in that outing, knocking down just 6-17 shots from the field. With some better shooting luck, he has the potential to increase his production in Game 3.

Holiday ultimately has the third-highest ceiling projection at shooting guard, trailing only Jaylen Brown and Stephon Castle. However, Holiday stands out as the best value of the bunch at just $7,300. He ranks third at the position in projected Plus/Minus, and he has the top mark among SGs priced above $4,500.

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Value

Reed Sheppard has struggled to earn the trust of head coach Ime Udoka this season. He’s one of the few guys on the team who can consistently create offense, but he gives it all back on the defensive end. He was thrust into the starting lineup and saw 36 minutes in Game 1 vs. the Lakers without Kevin Durant, but he logged just 11 minutes off the bench in Game 2.

If the Rockets are going to come back in this series, they’re going to need to generate more offense. They’ve scored just 94 and 98 points in their first two outings, and that’s simply not going to get the job done. Giving Sheppard more playing time alongside Durant feels like a logical adjustment.

Sheppard is currently projected for 24 minutes in our NBA Models, and that should be enough for him to return value at $4,400. His price tag comes with a 99% Bargain Rating, and he’s averaged 1.07 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. Sheppard has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.02 with a comparable salary and minute projection (per the Trends tool), and he ranks second at the position in projected Plus/Minus on Friday.

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Fast Break

Despite the loss in Game 2, Jaylen Brown still put together an excellent fantasy performance. He posted a massive 37.5% usage rate in his 38.3 minutes, and he finished with 55.75 DraftKings points. He has the top ceiling at shooting guard by a pretty wide margin, and he leads the group with an average of 1.33 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. Even with Jayson Tatum back in the fold, Brown has maintained his status as the team’s top offensive option.

Keldon Johnson took home the Sixth Man of the Year award this season, and the Spurs would need a bit more than usual from him if Wembanyama is out. Even if Wemby does suit up, Johnson would still have a chance to return value. He’s currently projected for 20 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged 1.02 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s yet to really get it going vs. the Blazers, but that could change on Friday.

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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks

Stud

There are lots of strong pay-up options in the frontcourt on Friday, but Deni Avdija stands out as the best of the bunch. Avdija has blossomed into an elite fantasy producer for the Blazers, capable of racking up stats in every category across the board. He’s averaged 1.40 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s turned in some huge games to start the postseason. He had 72.25 DraftKings points in the Play-In Tournament win over the Suns, and he followed that up with 55.5 DraftKings points in Game 1 vs. the Spurs.

Avdija’s performance wasn’t nearly as impressive in Game 2, but he remains one of the best fantasy producers on this slate. He owns the top ceiling projection at a loaded SF position, and he’s also first in projected Plus/Minus. Avdija remains a bit underpriced at $9,100 on DraftKings, resulting in an 87% Bargain Rating.

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Value

Tari Eason stands out as the top value target at the position, and he’s projected to be the highest-owned player on the entire slate. Eason had 39.0 DraftKings points in Game 1 vs. the Lakers, and despite Durant returning to the lineup, he saw more minutes in Game 2. He didn’t have quite the same impact in that contest, but he was still able to provide positive value with 24.0 DraftKings points.

Eason’s price tag hasn’t really budged since the start of the series, and he’s projected for another 26 minutes on Friday. As long as he continues to see that much court time, he’s a great bet to pay off his $4,500 salary. He’s averaged 0.98 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and his price tag comes with a 98% Bargain Rating.

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Fast Break

Despite missing Game 1 and being questionable for Game 2, Durant still logged 41 minutes vs. the Lakers on Tuesday. He wasn’t quite as effective as usual, finishing with just 36.5 DraftKings points, but the volume is still a positive development for his fantasy outlook. Durant is questionable once again for Game 3, but as long as he’s in the lineup, expect him to handle his usual workload.

Paul George has taken a backseat to Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe during the postseason, but he still has the potential for a big performance of his own. He’s seen the top usage bump on the team with Embiid off the floor this season (+3.78%), and he’s averaged 1.20 DraftKings points per minute in that split. He’s priced at a solid discount compared to the other top SFs on the slate, making him an interesting pivot for tournaments.

NBA DFS Power Forward Picks

Stud

It is remarkable how quickly Tatum has recovered from the torn Achilles tendon that ended his playoff run last year. That type of injury normally takes more than a year to recover from, and it can take two years for that player to look back to “normal.” It took Tatum roughly 10 months.

He’s delivered excellent fantasy value of late, posting an average Plus/Minus of +7.25 over his past 10 games. He’s had at least 53.0 DraftKings points in each of his first two playoff games, and he’s averaged an elite 1.54 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.

While Brown has been the team’s top scoring threat, Tatum has found other ways to make an impact. He’s had double-digit rebounds in each of his first two playoff contests, and he’s also averaged eight assists per game. One way or another, expect him to continue to pile up the fantasy points. He leads all power forwards with 13 Pro Trends, and he owns the top ceiling projection among all players outside of Wembanyama.

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Value

Jabari Smith is another player who has carried a massive workload for the Rockets, despite Durant’s status. He’s had at least 39.1 minutes in the team’s first two playoff contests, and he’s finished with at least 30.0 DraftKings points in both games. He’s averaged 0.92 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he should continue to deliver value with that much playing time. He ultimately ranks third at power forward in projected Plus/Minus, trailing only Tatum and Avdija.

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Fast Break

It is impossible not to marvel at LeBron James’ longevity. He’s been in the league now for 23 seasons, and it’s clear that he can continue to play for as long as he wants. By the time all is said and done, his records are going to feel pretty untouchable. James has been forced to carry the load for the Lakers with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out to start the series vs. the Rockets, and he’s responded with at least 50.0 DraftKings points in both games. Reaves has been upgraded to questionable for Game 3, but Doncic remains sidelined. Expect another elevated usage rate for James on Friday, and he’s proven that he can still get the job done.

Rui Hachimura is a cheaper potential option for the Lakers. He’s been forced into a big workload with the team’s injuries, and he’s projected for another 38 minutes on Friday. That’s a ton of volume for someone priced at just $5,200. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling – he’s averaged just 0.78 DraftKings points per minute over the past month – but he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in his first two games vs. the Rockets. He’ll have a good chance to make it three in a row.

NBA DFS Center Picks

Stud

I’m extremely skeptical that Wembanyama will be able to suit up for the Spurs. He took a nasty fall in Game 2, and a concussion is not something that an NBA player can typically get cleared from this quickly. However, he did travel with the team, and they’ve yet to officially rule him out.

If Wembanyama suits up, it goes without saying that he’s worth considering. He has truly lived up to his “alein” moniker of late, averaging an absurd 2.18 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s capable of doing things on a basketball court that no other human on the planet can, and he’s scored at least 71.25 DraftKings points in four of his past six full games.

Wemby doesn’t grade out as a particularly strong value on this slate, but he owns the top ceiling projection by a decent margin. If he handles a full workload, he has the potential to be a slate-breaker every time he takes the floor.

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Value

Robert Williams hasn’t logged a ton of minutes for the Blazers recently, but he’s still found a way to make an impact. He’s scored at least 25.0 DraftKings points in four of his past games, including both playoff contests vs. the Spurs.

Williams saw a slight bump in minutes in Game 2, getting up to nearly 23.5 minutes. That was nearly an identical workload to starting center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal, and he’s averaged 1.17 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.

Williams isn’t projected for quite as much playing time on Friday, but his 18.5 projected minutes should still be enough to pay off his meager price tag. He ranks first at the center position in projected Plus/Minus.

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Fast Break

Alperen Sengun has led the Rockets in usage during the playoffs, and he had 54.25 DraftKings points in Game 2. His average of 1.36 DraftKings points per minute trails only Wembanyama’s over the past month among Friday’s centers, and he’s significantly cheaper at $8,300. His price tag comes with a 98% Bargain Rating, and he stands out as the superior value if paying up at the position.

Andre Drummond continues to see a bump for the 76ers with Embiid sidelined. He’s not nearly the same player he was in his prime, but he had 25.0 DraftKings points in 26.3 minutes in Game 2 vs. the Celtics. He’s averaged 1.14 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he should continue to provide value with a boost in playing time.

Pictured: Jayson Tatum
Photo Credit: Imagn