The NBA playoffs got off to a great start over the weekend, with all eight series playing Game 1 either Saturday or Sunday. On Monday, we have a two-game slate for DFS fantasy basketball as we move on to Game 2 of the Clippers-Nuggets and the Pistons-Knicks series. Even with just four teams in the player pool, several strong fantasy options stand out to consider for your lineup.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
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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
Cade Cunningham and the Pistons led for much of Game 1 but let the game slip away in the fourth quarter as the Knicks rallied for the win. On Monday’s slate, he had the highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard and the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at the position.
He was not at his best in Game 1 with six turnovers and shooting just 8-for-21 from the field, but he still posted 45.5 DraftKings points on 21 points and 12 assists. He had 36 points against the Knicks at the end of the regular season with 53.5 DraftKings points and has averaged 51.8 DraftKings points per game against New York in their five matchups this season.
Cunningham isn’t a proven playoff performer, but he was outstanding all season and will carry a huge workload as the Pistons look to level their series against the Knicks on Monday.
Value
If you pass on the four starting point guards and go with a cheaper option at the position, Kris Dunn has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of point guards under $7,000. Dunn doesn’t usually take a lot of shots but does play plenty of minutes and is a low-risk bargain option since his salary is only $3,800.
Dunn played 31 minutes in Game 1 and totaled 20.25 DraftKings points. He exceeded salary-based expectations for the ninth time in his last 12 games with an Average Plus/Minus of +2.35 DraftKings points over that span.
With so much responsibility on the defensive end, Dunn should keep getting big minutes and chipping in enough counting stats to be a great cheap play.
Fast Break
James Harden has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at point guard this Monday but is slightly more expensive than Cunningham. He had an impressive 36-point, 11-assist double-double in Game 1’s overtime loss. He finished with 60.5 DraftKings points, exceeding salary-based expectations for the sixth straight time dating back to the regular season.
In his first game of the playoffs, Jalen Brunson showed no lingering effects of his ankle injury, posting 34 points, eight assists, and 49 DraftKings points. He’s still the clear focus of the Knicks’ offense, and on this slate, he’s a solid way to save a little salary compared to Harden and Cade but still get an extremely high ceiling.
Dennis Schroder has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of non-starting point guards after he had 18 DraftKings points in Game 1 while scoring eight points in 26 minutes off the bench. He’s involved enough to be a good, cheap guard if you need to save salary for other spots.
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
Jamal Murray has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at shooting guard after a strong Game 1 performance that earned him 44.75 DraftKings points in 48 minutes against the Clippers. He is the only one of the top point guards who can also slide to shooting guard, making him a more versatile option to fit into roster constructions.
Murray had 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in Game 1 and looked ready to play big minutes despite a hamstring strain that severely limited him over the last month of the regular season. He hadn’t reached the 20-point plateau since March 24 and his strong non-scoring numbers were some of his best of the season.
With Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokic taking on playmaking responsibilities, his role in the Nuggets’ offense is not as clear-cut as the other top point guards on the slate, but he reminded everyone of how productive he can be when healthy in that big Game 1. He’s a little less expensive than the other big-name point guards on Monday as well.
Value
One of the exciting new features introduced this season on FantasyLabs has been our partnership with ShotQuality. In both the ShotQuality projections, Mikal Bridges stands out as one of the best values on the board. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at both shooting guard and small forward.
Bridges only had eight points, two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in Game 1 for 17.5 DraftKings points. He did play 29 minutes but his role was minimized with Brunson back at full strength.
Throughout the season, Bridges has been boom-or-bust, and both sets of projections indicate he won’t bust for a second game in a row. He is a great bounce-back candidate and could bring good leverage if the public is scared off by his ho-hum Game 1.
Fast Break
Christian Braun has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard in the FantasyLabs projections. He played 45 minutes in Game 1 but was fairly quiet with 11 points and 20.75 DraftKings points. With Westbrook’s big game, he took a bit of a back seat, but he’ll need to step up if the veteran can’t maintain the workload throughout the series.
In the Pistons’ Game 1 loss, Malik Beasley had 20 points for the third straight game and finished with a solid 36 DraftKings points. He has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard and can be a great mid-range target with his potential to carry the scoring load.
Beasley’s teammate, Tim Hardaway Jr. is also a cheap option to consider after pouring in 19 points in 28 minutes in Game 1. Hardaway can be a little streaky, but at barely over $4,000, he doesn’t have to do much to be a good bargain play at shooting guard.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Even though he doesn’t have the highest salary at small forward, OG Anunoby has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at the position in both sets of projections. He also has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward in the FantasyLabs projections.
In Game 1, he had a huge game with 23 points, seven rebounds, five steals, and 46.25 DraftKings points. He exceeded salary-based expectations for the eighth time in his last 11 games and has a very high ceiling and floor based on his multi-category upside.
Anunoby’s stats can fluctuate at times, but he always plays big minutes and makes a remarkable impact. He is cheaper than many of the other stud options on the slate, and working his salary into lineup constructions is a good way to give you opportunities to spend up in other spots.
Value
In many ways, Ausar Thompson is a low-cost version of Anunoby when at his best. He isn’t a consistent scorer but does bring value at just $4,500 with the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus on the slate at small forward.
Thompson only had 17.5 DraftKings points in Game 1 but has scored double-digit points in nine of his last 10 games. He isn’t as reliable with his rebounding and defensive stats as Anunoby, but he did flash the ability to stuff the stat sheet with 36+ fantasy points in four straight games early in April.
Fast Break
The Nuggets won Game 1 despite a disappointing game from Michael Porter Jr., who had just three points and four rebounds in 27 minutes. He averaged 18.0 points and 33 DraftKings points per game on the season and should be able to bounce back on Monday, although with everyone healthy again for the Nuggets, his role is a little uncertain. He definitely brings a high ceiling, though.
While he wasn’t quite as low-scoring as MPJ, Norman Powell also had a down game in Game 1 since his teammates are carrying so much of the offensive workload. Powell has finished below salary-based expectations in three straight and 14 of his last 16. His salary is dropping, though, and he does still get plenty of minutes in the Clippers’ rotation.
The best ultra-cheap option at small forward is Derrick Jones Jr. (discussed below), but you can also consider Tim Hardaway Jr. (discussed above) or Bogdan Bogdanovic if you opt to go with a bargain small forward.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
In both sets of projections, Kawhi Leonard has the top median, ceiling, and floor projections at power forward by a wide margin. He’s a little overpriced compared to other power forwards, based on his Projected Plus/Minus, but there’s no arguing with his ceiling.
In Game 1, Kawhi had 22 points and 35.5 DraftKings points, but he had been even more productive coming down the stretch during the regular season. He had over 44 DraftKings points in each of his last four games of the regular season, culminating in 56.5 DraftKings points against the Warriors in the regular-season finale.
Leonard has scored at least 20 points in 16 straight games with multiple steals in 10 of those games to go with his average of 26.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 45.7 DraftKings points per contest. Harden carried more of the offense in Game 1, but if Leonard is more aggressive early in Game 2, it could be his chance to step up with a monster stat line.
Value
In the ShotQuality projections, Tobias Harris has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward after going off for 25 points and 38 DraftKings points in 40 minutes in Game 1.
The veteran forward has been a stabilizing presence for the rising Pistons all season, and he stepped up in their first playoff game with a huge performance. He has a very high ceiling for a play just over $6,000.
He had 22 of those 25 points in the first half and faded down the stretch with the rest of the team in the second half. He’ll look to maintain his production over the whole game in Game 2 and should be a good value with so many minutes coming his way.
Fast Break
Josh Hart is almost always a good play since he does a little bit of everything. He had 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and 32.25 DraftKings points in Game 1 and played just 30 minutes, which is low for him since he’s usually a workhorse in the Knicks’ rotation. If he gets closer to his usual minutes on Monday night, he’ll be a very solid mid-range option.
If you need a cheap play at forward, Derrick Jones Jr. is one of the best punt plays. He chipped in four points, four rebounds, and 15 DraftKings points while playing 24 minutes in Game 1. He has 15+ DraftKings points in six of his last seven games and typically gets enough work off the bench to chip in good counting stats and a few points to be a low-salary option that can help unlock some of the bigger-salaried players and still deliver solid Pts/Sal.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Nikola Jokic brings an immensely high ceiling to every matchup since he can put up absolutely incredible stats in any game. In Game 1, he fell one rebound short of a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds, and 67.25 DraftKings points in 46 minutes. He was dealing with foul trouble but still posted great numbers.
He racked up 34 triple-doubles in his 70 games this year, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists for 67.8 DraftKings points per contest.
On Monday, he has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections on the entire slate by a wide margin. If you can afford to pay his hefty salary, he definitely brings the most upside of any option on the board. It’s been a tumultuous past few weeks for the Nuggets, but The Joker is still capable of taking them on a deep playoff run with huge numbers along the way.
Value
The FantasyLabs projections give Aaron Gordon the highest Projected Plus/Minus at center on the entire slate, and he comes at a nice price with his salary under $6,000.
With MPJ off in Game 1, Aaron Gordon stepped up big-time with 25 points, eight rebounds, and 39.5 DraftKings points. He exceeded salary-based expectations for the fourth straight game and continues to play well despite nursing a calf injury that has him probable again on Monday.
His health is one of the key factors for the Nuggets if they are going to make a run in the Western Conference, but he showed how good he can be in his 46 minutes on Saturday. If he keeps getting that much playing time, he will be a great mid-range option at either power forward or center on this slate.
Fast Break
Karl-Anthony Towns had another solid, 20-point double-double in Game 1 of the Knicks’ series as he has regularly turned in all season long. On Saturday, he had 23 points and 58.25 DraftKings points by adding five assists, four steals, and two blocks to his 23 points and 11 rebounds. If you can’t quite scrape together enough salary to get Jokic, Towns has proven to be a very solid alternative, and since he comes at $2,000 cheaper, he could actually be a better Pts/Sal option as long as Jokic doesn’t totally go off and break the slate.
Ivica Zubac is a good option too, but he doesn’t quite keep up with the ceilings of Jokic and Towns. He does have the highest Projected Plus/Minus at center in the ShotQuality projections, though, and the second-highest in the FantasyLabs projections.
Isaiah Stewart (knee) is questionable for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with a knee injury after 19 minutes. If he’s out, Paul Reed would likely step up and serve as the primary backup to Jalen Duren. Whoever Duren’s backup is will be a solid punt play if you pay up in other spots and opt to spend under $4,000 at center.
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Pictured: Cade Cunningham
Photo Credit: Getty Images
