Sunday features a nine-game main slate starting at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and metrics.
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Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
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NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Playing on a back-to-back, Luka Doncic is the most expensive player for this nine-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. In the Mavericks’ close loss last night, Doncic had a monster game with 42 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. He shot 17 of 25 from the field and finished with 71.5 DraftKings points. Tonight will be the Mavericks’ last home game of the season, and being currently out of the play-in tournament, expect Doncic to continue giving everything he’s got.
Doncic played 45 minutes Saturday night, and even on a back-to-back, we can expect big minutes again Sunday. The Hawks rank 22nd in defensive rating and 10th in pace, making this an exploitable matchup for Doncic. He scored 30 points in their only meeting this year, but that is normal for Doncic who is averaging a career-high 32.8 points per game. Implied for 120.25 points, Doncic looks like one of the best pay-up options on both sites Sunday.
Value
Spurs point guard Devonte’ Graham is priced under $5,000 on DraftKings and FanDuel, and the Spurs will be playing without Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan, while Keldon Johnson is doubtful. With all three players off the floor, Graham has a +4% usage rate and a +5.7 DraftKings Plus/Minus.
Graham was acquired by the Spurs at the trade deadline and is averaging 13.7 points per game, which already ranks third on the team. The Spurs are 16-point road underdogs against the Kings, but this game features the second-highest total on the slate at 243.5 points. With the third-worst record in the league, the Spurs haven’t been competitive in most games, but that hasn’t stopped Graham from scoring and playing big minutes whether he is starting or coming off the bench.
Fast Break
Winners of five of their last six games, the Warriors have climbed to the fifth seed in the Western Conference, in large part due to Stephen Curry. Leading the league with 4.9 3-pointers per game, Curry has made seven and eight 3-pointers in each of his last two games. In two games against the Nuggets this season, Curry is averaging 31 points per game while shooting 51.3% from the field and 47.6% from behind the arc.
All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the Thunder with a career-high 31.4 points per game while shooting 51% from the field. The consistency with Gilgeous-Alexander is what separates him from the other point guards. Most of his production comes from scoring the ball, but he has 30-plus points in 10 of his 12 games since the All-Star break. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points while shooting 12 of 24 from the field against the Suns less than two weeks ago.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Kevin Durant coming back has dropped Devin Booker‘s salary significantly on DraftKings, where he is now only $9,200. Even in back-to-back games that Durant has played in, Booker has scored 27 and 29 points with 5.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Not only is Booker averaging over 28 points per game for the first time in his career, he is also shooting a career-best 49.7% from the field while making 10.1 field goals per game.
The Suns have won four-straight games, as they have put themselves in a great position to host a playoff series. They are 4.5-point favorites against the Thunder, who rank second in the league in pace (101.9), so we can expect a track meet. Booker has shot the lights out in this matchup. Through three games against the Thunder, Booker is averaging 38.3 points per game while shooting 61.1% from the field. Take advantage of Booker’s cheap price tag on DraftKings.
Value
The shooting guard position has value spread out on DraftKings and FanDuel. However, the only player who ranks inside the top five on both sites is Kevin Huerter. In his first season with the Kings, Huerter is averaging a career-high 15.4 points per game while shooting 49% from the field and 41.1% from downtown. His playing time has been sporadic recently, but Huerter is projected to play 29 minutes and be one of the best value guards on the slate.
The Kings have an implied team total of 129.75 points, which is by far the highest on the slate. Not only are the Spurs resting most of their starters, but they are simply coasting into the offseason. They are allowing a league-high 122.7 points per game, which is nearly four more per game than the next-closest team. The Spurs rank last in every defensive stat, making this an excellent matchup for the Kings.
Huerter is a great way to get exposure to this high total at a very low price tag.
Fast Break
Donovan Mitchell has scored over 40 points in back-to-back games, shooting 55.4% from the field and 52.4% from behind the arc in those games. His first year with the Cavaliers has been a major success, as Mitchell is leading the team in scoring. Over the last six games, Mitchell has a 35% usage rate while attempting 22.5 field goals per game. With Myles Turner likely out again, Mitchell can get whatever shot he wants against the Pacers, whether that is in the paint or on the perimeter. Expect another ceiling performance given his high usage rate recently.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
LeBron James is listed as questionable, but it is unlikely that he is going to miss this game despite the Lakers being double-digit road favorites against the Rockets. Make sure to monitor his status, but the Lakers can’t afford to lose another game in the logjam Western Conference. Since returning from a month-long injury, James has seen his production and playing time steadily increase. Last game, James recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
James is another stud option who looks much better on DraftKings compared to FanDuel due to a $1,000 discount. Playing against the Rockets will make everyone look good. They still rank 29th in defensive rating (119.0) while allowing 118.8 points per game. In his only game against the Rockets this season, James had a near triple-double with 48 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds while shooting 16 of 26 from the field and hitting five of his 10 three-point attempts. He scored 74 DraftKings points in that game, which was his third-highest of the year. Can we get a repeat ceiling game?
Value
Similar to Huerter, Harrison Barnes is another cheap Kings player worth getting exposure to on this nine-game slate. He has small forward and power forward eligibility on both sites and has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus at this position on FanDuel. Barnes has been steady for the Kings and in general for several seasons. Since leaving the Warriors, Barnes has averaged over 14 points per game in eight-straight seasons.
Despite taking fewer than 10 shots per game, which is his lowest since the 2015-’16 season, Barnes is still averaging 15 points a night. His mid-range salary makes Barnes an intriguing option on both sites. It is rare to get a ceiling game from Barnes, but he will be a solid cash-game lineup filler in this juicy game environment.
Fast Break
Kevin Durant scored 30 points in his second game back with the Suns last game, as he shot 11 of 15 from the field. The minutes should continue to rise for Durant as the Suns gear up for their playoff run. The Suns have won all five games that Durant has played, and he has averaged 25.2 points per game while shooting 60% from the field. Durant can also use his rebounding abilities against a small Thunder frontcourt that ranks 26th in rebounding percentage (48.5%). The Thunder will have no answer for Durant scoring the ball or on the glass tonight.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The Bucks got pounded by the Celtics by 41 points at home in their last game. They will have another difficult home challenge tonight against the 76ers. If the Bucks aren’t careful, they may lose the top seed in the Eastern Conference, so expect a bounceback performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo. In three games this season against the 76ers, who present a tough matchup, Giannis has averaged 26.7 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.
Due to the difficult matchup, Giannis has a cheaper salary than normal on DraftKings, which is resulting in a 79% Bargain Rating. Even though the Bucks are fully healthy, Giannis has an untouchable ceiling that he displayed last Wednesday night. He recorded a massive triple-double with 38 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists, which accumulated over 80 DraftKings points. Prioritize Giannis on DraftKings, where he is provided a respective projected Plus/Minus.
Value
Jonathan Kuminga is the best value on the slate for DraftKings and FanDuel. He has the highest projected Plus/Minus on both sites and also has the highest ownership projection at over 30%. The versatile second-year forward has seen his minutes rise as Andrew Wiggins continues to be away from the team. He has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in 14 of his last 18 games while scoring double-digit points in 13 of those 18 games.
Kuminga’s efficiency has been put on display recently, as he has shot 59.5% from the field and 44.1% from behind the arc in the entire month of March. Despite the rising salary and a more difficult matchup against the Nuggets, Kuminga is a way to get exposure to the Warriors offense without breaking the bank.
Fast Break
Domantas Sabonis has power forward and center eligibility on FanDuel, where he is leading the slate with 13 Pro Trends. His center-only eligibility on DraftKings makes him a tougher player to roster due to how loaded the center position is on this slate. Leading the league in rebounding and ranking second in triple-doubles, Sabonis will feast in this matchup against a Spurs frontcourt that is allowing the most points in the paint with 56.5 per game.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
As previously mentioned, the center position is absolutely loaded tonight. Nikola Jokic leads the way on both DraftKings and FanDuel with the highest projected ceiling in our model. He is questionable after missing each of the Nuggets’ last two games, but after back-to-back losses, Denver only has a two-game lead over the Grizzlies for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. If he plays, Jokic looks like the best pay-up option on both sites.
The back-to-back MVP is in the race again, as he is averaging nearly a triple-double with 24.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and a career-high 9.9 assists per game. Jokic has recorded a triple-double in both games against the Warriors this season while shooting 61.5% from the field. The Warriors are a below-average rebounding team, as they love to play Draymond Green at center. Jokic has notoriously crushed in this matchup, and Sunday should be no different if he suits up.
Value
The twin towers for the Cavaliers are in a great matchup against the Pacers, who rank 28th in rebounding percentage and 25th in points allowed in the paint per game. Jarrett Allen is one of the better values on the slate if he plays, but he has been out in each of their last two games. On the other hand, Evan Mobley has played 40-plus minutes in four-straight games while stuffing the stat sheet with 19.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game.
If Myles Turner is ruled out for the Pacers, like he is expected to be, this matchup looks even better. Due to his salary, prioritize Allen if he is able to play. Prior to his injury, Allen averaged a double-double with 13.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game over his last five games. Both Allen and Mobley look poised for great games against this weak Pacers frontcourt.
Fast Break
Joel Embiid dodged Nikola Jokic in what would have been an epic duel last Monday night, but he still remains the favorite to win the MVP award. He is leading the league with 33 points per game while shooting a career-best 54.4% from the field. The Bucks’ interior defense is arguably the best in the league, but Embiid has held his own in this matchup. The 76ers are basically locked into the No. 3 seed, which is the only concern if they play Embiid limited minutes or rest him.
Our projections project a big game from Embiid, so take advantage on Underdog Fantasy.
Even with LeBron James back, Anthony Davis has been a monster recently. He has scored 37-plus points in three of his last four games while continuing to be a beast on the glass. Against a taller Timberwolves frontcourt last game, Davis hauled down a game-high 17 rebounds. The Rockets have surprisingly been one of the best rebounding teams in the league, but Davis is such a mismatch for anyone they will defend him with. This spot looks great now and would look even better if James was ruled out with his foot injury.
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