NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: May 2
After a historical Game 7 against the Kings, look for Stephen Curry in Tuesday night’s semifinal game for the Warriors.
These playoffs have been incredible. We’re not even halfway through, and it feels like every night is something special. The Philly-Boston game on Monday was awesome to watch, and the swings in these series are wild. We’re kicking off one of the most anticipated ones of this 2022-23 Playoffs, and that’s the Warriors-Lakers matchup. So, let’s get into it!
Injury Report
As of 10:30 a.m. ET:
- Tyler Herro (hand) OUT
- Julius Randle (ankle) Questionable
- Victor Oladipo (knee) OUT
- Jimmy Butler (ankle) Questionable
- Jalen Brunson (ankle) Questionable
Core Plays
Stephen Curry (PG – GSW): $9,900 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel
Curry painted a masterpiece on Sunday, finishing Game 7 win with 50 points, eight rebounds and six assists en route to 74 DraftKings points. We don’t expect him to do that again, but Curry should continue to see a bump the deeper we get into the postseason. It should be much easier against a team like LA, with the Lakers allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards. In their two matchups, Curry averaged 52 DK points per game against them.
Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $9,400 DraftKings, $9,900 FanDuel
Butler is questionable coming into this game, but he’s impossible to avoid if he suits up. The All-Star has been the most impressive player this postseason, averaging 35.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. This stud has always been one of the best playoff performers, and it’s scary since he’s being asked to do more in the absence of Herro. He’s also had his way against the Knicks all year, averaging 43 DK points per game in their five matchups.
Cash Game Considerations
Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,000 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
Davis has scored at least 57 DraftKings points in four of his last seven outings, generating a 52-point average in the regular season. He should feast against an undersized Warriors team, mainly since Golden State played at the fastest pace in the NBA. In their most recent matchup, AD dropped 62 DK points!
Jalen Brunson (PG/SG – NYK): $8,400 DraftKings, $8,800 FanDuel
With Randle likely sitting again, Brunson should carry the load for the Knicks. With the All-Star out, Brunson leads the team with a 35% usage rate. He’s also averaging 1.3 DK points per minute in those circumstances and should be feeling it with NY staring at an 0-1 deficit at home. This lefty guard has established a 35-point floor and a 45-point average over the last two months and should never be below $9K in such an important game.
GPP Targets
Mitchell Robinson (C – NYK): $5,600 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
Robinson has always been an elite per-minute producer throughout his career, which is amazing since he’s played 34 and 36 minutes in his two most recent outings. He’s also got at least 28 fantasy points in four straight fixtures, flashing a 48-point upside in that span. He also had back-to-back 52-point gems a few weeks ago and could be asked to do more if Randle has to sit once again.
Kyle Lowry (PG – MIA): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
This is risky, but we’re seeing some signs from Lowry. This former All-Star has struggled all year, but they need him to step up with Herro and Butler both nicked up. We’ve seen flashes of that, with Lowry scoring 44 DK points across 30 minutes in Game 1. We saw him flirt with 50 DK points in the Milwaukee series, and that sort of upside is tough to find from a $5K player. It’s less surprising since the Knicks own a 21st OPRK against opposing point guards.
Value Plays
Kevon Looney (C – GSW): $6,700 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
This big man has been the best rebounder in this postseason, averaging nearly 20 boards per game in the Sacramento series. That absurd rebounding led to Looney scoring at least 38 fantasy points in four of his last five games. He also had an average above 40 fantasy points in that span and needs to play big minutes to oppose AD. Facing this Lakers defense is the icing on the cake, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this year.
Josh Hart (SG/SF – NYK): $5,900 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
Hart has played 40 minutes in all three games since entering the starting lineup, playing 43 and 47 minutes in his two most recent outings. If this sub-$6K player will play 40-45 minutes a night, he needs to be rostered in every lineup out there. He averaged 28 DK points per game in a 32-minute role in the regular season and should be $7K on both sites in this expanded role.
Advantageous Pricing
Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,000 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
Draymond Green (PF/C – GSW): $6,500 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel
D’Angelo Russell (PG/SG – LAL): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
Jarred Vanderbilt (PF/C – LAL): $3,900 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
