NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: May 6
In his last three games against Denver, Rudy Gobert from Minnesota scored a minimum of 36 DraftKings points.
That was a fun weekend of basketball, and we’re finally into the Conference semifinals. We have the New York-Indiana series tipping off tonight (7:30 ET, TNT), and we get Game 2 of the Denver-Minnesota series (10 ET, TNT). The Nuggets look to protect home court after the Timberwolves stole Game 1 in Denver, and it should be fun to watch these four teams go at it. With that in mind, let’s look at today’s slate!
Core plays
Jalen Brunson (PG – NYK): $9,500 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
Brunson has been standing out as the top player since the commencement of the opening round, maintaining this performance for a month now. The All-Star has managed to score a minimum of 59 DraftKings points in nine out of his last 13 games, with an average of 56 points over this period. His average of 41 minutes and 28 shots per night makes him hard to bypass. His performance is particularly impressive against a team like Indiana, given the Pacers’ ranking of 28th in total defense and their status as the fastest-paced team in the NBA. This was evident when Brunson scored at least 47 DK points in their two most recent confrontations.
Rudy Gobert (C – MIN): $7,000 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
Gobert may not frequently reach 50-points in games, but there are few safer bets for achieving 30 fantasy points. He managed to score 28 DraftKings points in 69 out of 80 games this year, with an average of 38 DK points per game. In his previous three encounters with the Nuggets, he has consistently scored a minimum of 36 DK points, averaging 41 fantasy points per game. As long as Jokic is on the court for 40 minutes, Gobert will be there to defend against him!
Cash game considerations
Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $11,000 DraftKings, $12,500 FanDuel
For the past five years, The Joker has consistently proved to be the most dependable player in fantasy, averaging a minimum of 61 DK points annually. He has set a baseline of 50 points, which tends to increase during the postseason. In 18 of his last 19 games, Jokic has scored no less than 55 DraftKings points, yielding an average of 63 points in that period. Some of these games were against Minnesota, where Jokic managed to score at least 58 DK points in their recent four encounters.
Anthony Edwards (SG/SF – MIN): $9,000 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel
After witnessing Game 1, it’s clear that everyone will be relying on Edwards. The prodigy amassed 63 fantasy points in that remarkable display and managed to score 68 DK points in the decisive match-up against Phoenix. This young player has elevated his talent, consistently scoring a minimum of 56 fantasy points in four out of his last five games. Although we don’t anticipate this streak to persist, don’t be taken aback if you see Edwards featuring in half of the lineups out there!
GPP targets
OG Anunoby (SG/SF – NYK): $5,900 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
OG, like many New York players, is currently a mainstay on the court. This defensive powerhouse played a minimum of 45 minutes in the last three games of the series against Philly, scoring 30 or more DK points in four consecutive matches. Given his price range, this is an excellent performance, especially in a game against the Pacers. During the regular season, Indiana ranked eighth in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing forwards. Their fast pace of play, the highest in the league, should provide OG with ample opportunities to rack up statistics through his energetic play.
Aaron Nesmith (SG/SF – IND): $4,800 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
It’s amusing to see both Nesmith and OG in this section considering they’re among the top defensive players in the league. Their defensive prowess has assured them significant roles, particularly Nesmith who has managed to maximize his opportunity despite being underpriced. He clocked at least 36 minutes in four out of the six games against Milwaukee, consistently putting in 30-35 minutes each night as a starter this season. Nesmith averaged 28 DK points per game in the 31 games where he played at least 29 minutes, racking up 29 and 34 DK points in his two encounters with NY.
Value plays
Josh Hart (SF/PF – NYK): $7,100 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel
Hart is deemed the most dependable player in DFS priced under $8K. His consistency can be attributed to his role, where he spent over 40 minutes per game during the last month of the regular season. In that role, he averaged 38 DK points each game. However, he surpassed that during the first round, averaging 42 DK points across 46 minutes in the series against Philly.
Michael Porter Jr. (SF/PF – DEN): $6,500 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel
MPJ has subtly emerged as one of the top performers in these playoffs, consistently scoring a minimum of 37 DraftKings points in every match. Normally, this is the lower limit you’d expect from a player worth $9K, but given his 39-minute nightly playtime and 15 shots per game, it’s hardly a shock. He’s also maintained a steady performance against the Timberwolves throughout the season, notching up at least 31 fantasy points in their last four encounters.
Advantageous pricing
- Jalen Brunson (PG – NYK): $9,500 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
- Michael Porter Jr. (SF/PF – DEN): $6,500 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel
- Anthony Edwards (SG/SF – MIN): $9,000 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel
- Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $11,000 DraftKings, $12,500 FanDuel
- Rudy Gobert (C – MIN): $7,000 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
