Monday features a small three-game NBA Playoffs 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
Jamal Murray averaged a career-high 25.4 points per game while shooting a blistering 43.5% from deep during the regular season. He picked up right where he left off in Game 1, scoring 30 points with seven assists and five rebounds, accumulating 45.8 DraftKings points despite shooting 0-8 from behind the arc.
Murray has the third-highest projected ceiling on this three-game slate behind his teammate Nikola Jokic. With his price tag at $8,600, Murray is projected to play 40 minutes and is drawing slightly lower than 30% projected ownership. He has room for upside from the last game and is an elite pay-up option tonight.
Murray has been incredibly consistent for the Nuggets down the stretch, and they are 6.5-point home favorites against the Timberwolves, implied for a slate-high 119 points. In his four games against the Timberwolves this season, Murray is averaging an impressive 31.5 points and 7.5 assists per game.
Value
Veteran CJ McCollum posted a team-high 33.3% usage rate in Game 1 for the Hawks while scoring 26 points and attempting 20 field goals. Priced under $6,000 with point guard and shooting guard eligibility, McCollum has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus and is drawing 40% projected ownership tonight.
McCollum also has a 46.1% optimal lineup rate in our NBA Sims. His dual-guard eligibility makes him stand out among his peers. He is simply too cheap as one of the key contributors on the Hawks team. This young Hawks team needs his playoff experience and leadership to have a chance in this series.
Expect another high-usage game from the Hawks’ sharpshooter, who has no problem creating his own shot. Most of his fantasy production comes from scoring the ball, but he has been incredible at that in recent weeks. At $5,900, McCollum is an elite value option in all formats for this pivotal Game 2.
Fast Break
Jalen Brunson’s projected ceiling is one point lower than Murray’s, and he is $400 cheaper on DraftKings tonight. He led the Knicks to a Game 1 victory with a team-high 28 points and a 34.1% usage rate. Brunson will be a popular high-end point guard with his playoff pedigree. He is going to play heavy minutes and has the highest projected usage rate on the slate at 32%. The Hawks have the length and perimeter defense to make life tougher for him, but playoff Brunson is a different animal. He is a fantastic pay-up option.
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
Despite being $300 cheaper than Donovan Mitchell, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has a much higher projected ceiling, even while dealing with knee soreness. Edwards does not look 100%, but he posted a near triple-double in Game 1 with 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists for 49.2 DraftKings points.
Game 1 was Edwards’ fourth game in the last 36 days. The Timberwolves are 6.5-point road underdogs in Game 2, but if they want any chance to pull the upset, Edwards needs to have a big game. His salary of $8,400 is reasonable and $300 cheaper than Saturday’s game, which makes him a strong pay-up option.
Keep an eye on Edwards’ status because he did not look great in Game 1 and is still questionable for tonight’s game. If he is unable to play, that would make Jaden McDaniels one of the best small forward options at a weak position. Assuming Edwards suits up, he is still the premier shooting guard play tonight.
Value
After ending the season with four games averaging 25.5 points per game, Brandon Ingram was slightly disappointing in Game 1, recording only 17 points and 27 DraftKings points. However, with his salary dropping below $7,000 for the first time since earlier this season, Ingram is a fantastic mid-range value.
In his first season with the Raptors, Ingram averaged a team-high 21.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. It was his seventh season in a row averaging over 20 points per game. The matchup against the Cavaliers is not like past years; their defensive rating is average this year, making this a less intimidating matchup.
The Raptors are nearly double-digit underdogs, implied for one of the lowest totals on the slate at 107.25 points. However, they stick with their starting lineup almost more than anyone else in the league. Ingram will get 35+ minutes and will have every opportunity to produce and win Game 2 on the road tonight.
Fast Break
Donovan Mitchell scored an efficient 32 points in the Cavaliers’ Game 1 victory, shooting 11 for 20 from the field, including 4-for-7 from behind the arc. He did not provide much in peripherals, posting only four rebounds and three assists, but the Cavaliers are 8.5-point favorites implied for 115.75 points. This is the team to target, and Mitchell is the head of the snake. The Raptors do not have an answer for Mitchell, who is averaging 28 points per game this season. He will likely lead this three-game slate in raw points.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The small forward position is by far the weakest on this three-game slate. No player is priced above $6,600, so there isn’t a true stud option. Leading this position in projected ceiling is the Raptors’ RJ Barrett. Despite the Raptors losing by 13 in Game 1, Barrett led the team with 24 points and a 30.4% usage rate.
Last game was Barrett’s seventh 20-point game in his last nine games. In his second full season with the Raptors, Barrett has seen his scoring dip slightly, but his efficiency has risen, shooting 49.1% from the field. Barrett shot 7-for-13 in Game 1 and 3-for-6 from behind the arc. He just needs more field goal attempts.
Barrett has been the model of consistency, which makes him a great cash-game option for tonight’s slate. He has recorded at least 30 DraftKings points in 10 of his last 11 games, and in the only game he missed, he put up 28.5 DraftKings points. Barrett is simply the most consistent play at a weak small forward position.
Value
Josh Hart is one of three players on this slate who are drawing over 40% projected ownership. His shooting guard and small forward eligibility makes it easy to fit him into any lineup build. Hart was incredible for the Knicks in Game 1, recording an 11-point, 14-rebound double-double with five assists and three steals.
Last game was Hart’s best in over a month. His versatility makes him one of the best value plays available tonight. He is only $5,500 and is going to play as many minutes as he can handle. Hart can provide fantasy production in a variety of ways and is coming off a patented stat-stuffing performance.
Hart has been amazing all season, averaging 12 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 50.8% from the field and a career-high 41.8% from behind the arc. He did not connect on his one 3-point attempt in Game 1, but this is still a player who is going to pop in our NBA Models tonight.
Fast Break
Dyson Daniels, priced $400 cheaper than Barrett, is drawing slightly more ownership given his recent spike in production. Similar to his teammate Jalen Johnson, Daniels can stuff the stat sheet. He posted a triple-double in his last regular season game, and in Game 1 he had a near rebounds-and-assists double-double. He recorded 11 assists, nine rebounds, four points, and three steals. Projected for over 30% ownership, Daniels is another great mid-range small forward option that is worth targeting on this slate.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Jalen Johnson is priced over $1,000 cheaper than he was at the end of the regular season. His production has taken a little bit of a hit with the addition of CJ McCollum, but Johnson still had a respectable 24.7% usage rate in Game 1 for the Hawks. He finished with 23 points on 8-for-19 shooting and seven rebounds.
Among the pay-up options, Johnson is clearly the contrarian option. He is currently drawing less than 10% ownership with the Hawks’ low implied team total. However, he still has the highest projected ceiling at the power forward position and did average a near triple-double in his career season with the Hawks.
This is a difficult matchup for Johnson with the Knicks’ size and defense. They rank fifth in rebounding percentage and seventh in defensive rating this season. He will have his work cut out for him but is a solid tournament option with his ownership. For the Hawks to compete, they need a big Johnson game.
Value
Aaron Gordon dealt with three fouls in the first quarter and was the only Nuggets starter to play less than 30 minutes. He still was able to produce 17 points, eight rebounds, and three assists for 31.5 DraftKings points. It was one of Gordon’s better games since working his way back from a long hamstring injury.
Gordon has the highest projected Plus/Minus at the power forward position and the fourth-highest on the entire slate. His power forward and center eligibility makes him one of the easiest value plays to plug in. Gordon has also averaged 16 points and six rebounds in his games against the Timberwolves this year.
Our NBA Model has Gordon projected to play a modest 32 minutes, but he will play much more if this Game 2 is competitive and he can stay out of foul trouble. Even with his minutes projection now, Gordon is expected to draw around 35% projected ownership. He is one of the best value plays on the board.
Fast Break
Other than his perimeter shooting, Scottie Barnes had an uncharacteristic game against the Cavaliers. He was able to connect on 3-for-4 from behind the arc, but Barnes hauled in a season-low one rebound in 32 minutes. He did have seven assists, but Barnes is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game this season. The Cavaliers present a difficult test for Barnes, but he did average a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double against them during the regular season. Look for a bounce-back game from Barnes in Game 2 tonight.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Nikola Jokic is in a class of his own when it comes to his price tag and ceiling. The problem is all the value on the board is priced in the mid-range. There are no super-cheap value pieces that are reliable. Jokic is projected for 15% ownership, but you will need to take on a good amount of risk in his lineup builds.
Playing Jokic is always beneficial given his incredible upside. In his 40 minutes of action in Game 1, Jokic recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists for 62.8 DraftKings points. He had 34 triple-doubles this season, 21 more than the next closest player, making him fourth on the all-time list.
The Timberwolves have a strong defensive frontcourt but no answer for Jokic. He excels in this matchup, averaging 35.8 points, 15 rebounds, and 11.3 assists in his four games against the Timberwolves this season. His teammates are more popular, but Jokic is difficult to get away from given his high ceiling.
Value
Tasked with guarding Jokic is Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who has the highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate. Priced at $6,000, Gobert is arguably the best value option available. He battled Jokic for 38 minutes in Game 1 and recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds for 34.5 DraftKings points.
Scoring has been up and down recently for Gobert, but his rebounding numbers have been consistent. He has hauled down double-digit rebounds in 11 of his last 12 games. The Nuggets are one of the best rebounding teams in the league, but Gobert lives around the rim and will get plenty of opportunities.
Gobert shot 8-for-9 from the field and was the second-leading scorer on the team with 17 points. At this cheap salary, it will not take much for Gobert to return value tonight. Gobert is drawing over 40% projected ownership and a slate-high 47.7% optimal lineup rate. He is an elite value option in all formats.
Fast Break
Karl-Anthony Towns has one of the best playoff matchups for big men. The Hawks rank 20th in points allowed in the paint at 51.8 per game, which is the highest among any playoff team. They also rank 17th in rebounding percentage. Towns stuffed the stat sheet in Game 1 with 25 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and one steal despite dealing with foul trouble. With power forward and center eligibility, Towns is easy to fit into any lineup build and is drawing close to 30% projected ownership.
