Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 5/11:

Welcome to another year of the DFS Army NBA Full Court Press! Members had a ton of success using the Full Court Press along with various articles and tools that DFS Army provides last season, so we are glad to be back with another year of the all-inclusive article. You have to start your research somewhere, and oftentimes going game by game and breaking down every matchup and its key players is the first step in our process. My name is Michael aka @MadnessDFS on Twitter, make sure to give me a follow as I’ll occasionally make updates to the advice in the article. But, you’ll mostly find me in our VIP coaching forums where I provide detailed lineup maneuvers and answer all lineup questions. With that said, let’s get it started!

I want to give a quick shoutout to VIP Member “Texan9204” on their $100,000 win on Sunday!! Heading into the playoffs strong!

Denver Nuggets @ Charlotte Hornets

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: Den -5.5

We’ll kick the slate off with the Nuggets, things pretty much always start with Nikola Jokic but scored just 42 DraftKings points in this matchup earlier this season and just 44 DraftKings points last time out against the Nets. I know I’m throwing the word “just” around like 40 fantasy points are nothing, but we’ve come to expect more from him. This is a nice matchup regardless against a really poor rebounding team. Michael Porter Jr. continues to put up good numbers as well, the price has come way up on him, but for good reason, he’s the number two option now with Murray out for Denver. Aaron Gordon just feels like he’s going to be a tough guy to predict for the rest of the season, he’s more of a deep GPP guy for me. PJ Dozier and Will Barton will continue to miss time and it sounds like Monte Morris is on the doubtful side of questionable, so Facundo Campazzo’s locked-in minutes become… more locked in, but we should see a good amount of Austin Rivers with him out. Both Rivers and Campazzo have looked really good as of late and are probably still too cheap here given the matchup. I would prefer the price tag on both of them on DraftKings, the FanDuel prices are less friendly. From the Hornets, Terry Rozier is coming off a 59 point fantasy outing last time out and helped Texan9204 above win $100k, I would have a hard time not going right back to the well that won me that kind of money! LaMelo Ball had a pretty average game last time out and the price tag has definitely caught up to him, on DraftKings at least, I do like the discount you get on him over on FanDuel. Miles Bridges should continue to sit here which will open up minutes for wings like Jalen McDaniels and Caleb Martin. PJ Washington has been pretty good lately and gets a great matchup again here, he’s more of a GPP guy for me but a guy nonetheless in a tough matchup against Nikola Jokic and company in the interior.

5-star play: Nikola Jokic, LaMelo Ball (FanDuel)

4-star play: Michael Porter Jr., Facundo Campazzo, Terry Rozier, LaMelo Ball (DraftKings), PJ Washington

Deeper Value: Austin Rivers (DraftKings), Caleb Martin

GPP Sleeper: Aaron Gordon, Jalen McDaniels

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Detroit Pistons

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: Min -7.5

Starting with the Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns had a nice bounce-back game last time out against the Magic and gets another nice matchup in this one with the Pistons. His price tag has been consistently cheaper on FanDuel but I think he’s in play on both sites in this matchup. Anthony Edwards is a guy I’m going to keep getting interested in due to the number of shots and peripherals he’s able to rack up especially in a good matchup. D’Angelo Russell is finally back in that starting five which helps secure his minutes, he’s coming off a nice game last time out and a guy I’ll have some exposure to in tournaments here. We can jump off Jarred Vanderbilt now that Jaden McDaniels is back, the minutes won’t be as secure as this frontcourt can run pretty deep with guys like Vanderbilt, McDaniels, Reid, and Hernangomez. Then you can round this team off with Ricky Rubio as a GPP guy but I don’t think you need to go there on a slate this big. From the Pistons, they’re going to have their usual frontcourt guys out in Mason Plumlee and Jerami Grant along with Cory Joseph, Hamidou Diallo, and Wayne Ellington. Then the two Jackson’s come in as questionable so keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates surrounding their status. Killian Hayes is coming off one of the better games of his career last time out in 38 minutes against the Bulls and is a guy you can go right back to here, they’re going to give these young guys some run to round out the season. Sekou Doumbouya is another guy that has shown some good spurts as of late, if he gets the start here I’ll have some interest at this price tag in a great matchup with the Wolves. Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart are probably the two most consistent guys on this team if you’re looking for some cash game options. The Wolves have struggled with big men all season long so it’s tough not to like Stewart at the very least.

5-star play: Karl-Anthony Towns

4-star play: D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Sekou Doumbouya, Ricky Rubio, Josh Jackson and Frank Jackson (if playing)

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Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: Mia -1.0

We just saw this matchup the last time these two teams took the court so we have something to go off of here. We’ll start with the Heat, Jimmy Butler has at least 52 DraftKings points in two straight games and this is generally the point in the season where he starts to get things cooking a bit, he’s going to play huge minutes and a guy I like getting to here on both sites as a SF option. Bam Adebayo has been pretty consistent as of late but I much prefer his price tag on FanDuel, if I were playing him I would want to get my exposure over there. Outside of those two, it’s hard for me to get excited about the likes of Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and Kendrick Nunn, but you can make a case for them along with Duncan Robinson if you’re MME’ing, but just a sprinkle. They’re not guys I’m prioritizing by any means. From Boston, they got the news that Jaylen Brown will be out for the rest of the season while Robert Williams will also be out here, so let’s run some usage with these guys off the court this season:

• Jayson Tatum – 33.1% usage rate; 1.31 fpm
• Kemba Walker – 30.5% usage rate; 1.19 fpm
• Evan Fourier – 16.6% usage rate; 0.87 fpm
• Marcus Smart – 21% usage rate; 0.94 fpm

Those would be the main four guys I would have interest in, even Fournier and Smart would be pushing it honestly due to the matchup. I don’t have a whole lot of interest in trying to figure out who the target will be in the frontcourt with Robert Williams out. I’ll likely just stick to Tatum and Kemba in this one against a good defense that plays pretty slow.

5-star play: Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum

4-star play: Bam Adebayo (FanDuel), Kemba Walker

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Marcus Smart, Evan Fournier, Tristan Thompson

Los Angeles Clippers @ Toronto Raptors

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: Lac -11.5

Starting with the Clippers, I don’t have an issue with going to either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George here, but I really just haven’t played these Clippers guys all that much this season when they’re both healthy. I think we can find better options on this slate. They’re fine if you fall on them as a filler piece, but I’m not prioritizing either of them. Honestly, with them both in there I don’t have a whole lot of interest in anything from the Clippers, you can make a case for a guy like Ivica Zubac, but I think you’re reaching at that point on an 11-game slate. From the Raptors, they’ll be without Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, and OG Anunoby while Chris Boucher comes into this one as questionable. Meaning, we can fire up the bench mob again in this one. Guys like Gary Trent, Malachi Flynn, Khem Birch and Stanley Johnson should see all the minutes they can handle. Flynn is a guy I’ve been going to a lot in these situations, he’s been really consistent when all these guys have been off the court, but I think you can really get to any of them… even Stanley Steamer, he’s near min price which keeps him in play for tournaments at the very least.

5-star play: None

4-star play: Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Malachi Flynn, Khem Birch (DraftKings), Gary Trent Jr.

Deeper Value: Stanley Johnson

GPP Sleeper: Ivica Zubac, Reggie Jackson

Philadelphia 76ers @ Indiana Pacers

Vegas Total: N/A

Vegas Spread: N/A

Starting with the Sixers, Joel Embiid comes into this one as questionable and they’re not going to push him here, they all but have the number one seed in the East locked up, so there is no need for him to go out and play 35ish minutes. For that reason, he’s more of a GPP guy for me simply because I don’t see him playing the huge minutes you would like to see from him. Ben Simmons isn’t a guy I’ve been getting to all that much, he just hasn’t looked that great. We know he has triple-double upside every time he’s on the court, but we just haven’t seen it. I don’t hate him for GPPs if you want to chase that upside, but I won’t go there in cash games. Tobias Harris had a nice game last time out and his price tag is getting to a more playable range, I don’t have an issue with him here. Outside of those three, I have a tough time finding a piece that I like from the Sixers, maybe Shake Milton and Seth Curry if you’re thinking blowout? I do like the pace in this one the Pacers haven’t played much defense as of late either, so someone should have a nice game here, it’s just hard to determine who and if they’re truly worth it given their price tags. From the Pacers, Domantas Sabonis is on a tear right now, he has at least 70 DraftKings points in three of his last five games and is playing massive minutes. I think you can get to him on both sites in GPPs at the very least due to the upside he’s shown as of late. Part of that production increase has been due to Malcolm Brogdon being out as of late, he hasn’t played since 4/29 and probably isn’t a guy I’ll get to here even if he does play due to being out for so long, him playing would just take the shine off guys like Sabonis and Caris LeVert. Speaking of LeVert, he’s been great lately as well but man it’s hard to stomach that price tag on him, more of a GPP guy and I would want Brogdon to sit to even have the slightest of interest in him in a tough matchup. TJ McConnell hasn’t done enough with Brogdon out lately for me to really have all that much interest in him here either even in a revenge game against his old squad.

5-star play: Domantas Sabonis

4-star play: Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Shake Milton, Seth Curry, TJ McConnell

Dallas Mavericks @ Memphis Grizzlies

Vegas Total: N/A

Vegas Spread: Dal -2.0

Starting with the Mavericks, it sounds like Kristaps Porzingis is going to be out again here so we can go right back to Luka Doncic. Luka has a 36.9% usage rate and 1.53 fantasy points per minute with Kristaps off the court this season. As weird as it sounds, he’s about as far as my interest goes on the Mavs. The frontcourt is a disaster, but if you want to throw a dart and see if you can pick the correct guy between Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell, and Willie Cauley-Stein, go for it, I’ll find somewhere else. That said, you can get to some of these ancillary pieces in GPP if you have an interest in guys like Dorian Finney-Smith, Jalen Brunson, and Tim Hardaway Jr., you can probably throw Josh Richardson in that group as well, but it’s not pretty. I will say, Hardaway Jr. has been really good and consistent as of late but the price has caught up on him. From the Grizzlies, I like the price tag on Ja Morant much more no FanDuel, it’s not the greatest matchup but he’s averaging around 37 fantasy points per game against the Mavs in two games this season. Jonas Valanciunas has three straight games of at least 46 DraftKings points and is a guy I love getting to in GPPs due to the upside he brings. I do have some interest in Jaren Jackson Jr., the minutes are trending in the right direction and it wouldn’t surprise me if he saw 30+ minutes in this one as they try and get him ramped up for the playoffs. Then you can round this team out with tournament filler guys like Dillon Brooks and Kyle Anderson, they’re not priorities, but guys I do like as secondary options.

5-star play: Luka Doncic

4-star play: Ja Morant, Jonas Valanciunas, Jaren Jackson Jr.

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson

Brooklyn Nets @ Chicago Bulls

Vegas Total: 232.0

Vegas Spread: Bkn -5.5

Starting with the Nets, I think you can continue to go back to Kevin Durant here. He’s playing around 40 minutes per game over the past two weeks and has at least 58 DraftKings points in four of his last five games. I like his price much more on DraftKings, but he helps fill a tough SF position so I don’t mind paying the extra money on FanDuel either. Kyrie Irving is another guy that’s playing around 40 minutes per game as of late and performing well. He’s another guy that’s much cheaper on DraftKings, but again I’m okay with him on both sites due to the minutes these two are playing. Blake Griffin is getting a shocking amount of usage in this offense as of late, and he’s performing pretty well, I don’t love him, but that price tag is pretty nice for the production he’s putting up. Then you can round this team out with Joe Harris, Jeff Green, and Landry Shamet as GPP guys. From the Bulls, Nikola Vucevic seems to have turned it up a notch, he has at least 56 DraftKings points in four of his last five games and doesn’t seem too bothered by having Zach LaVine back in there. It’s an elite matchup for both of these Bulls guys against a pretty bad Nets defense, so he’s a guy I like getting to. Coby White continues to produce, but I can’t stomach this price tag on him with LaVine back in there, I think we can be picky tonight and White just isn’t in the card for me. I do like Thad Young and Daniel Theis, and I’ll like Young even more if Theis ends up missing, so keep an eye out for that news. Overall, this is a pretty nice matchup for the Bulls.

5-star play: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving (DraftKings), Nikola Vucevic

4-star play: Kyrie Irving (FanDuel), Blake Griffin, Zach LaVine

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Joe Harris, Jeff Green, Landry Shamet, Thad Young, Daniel Theis

Orlando Magic @ Milwaukee Bucks

Vegas Total: 229.5

Vegas Spread: Mil -14.5

Starting with the Magic,  Cole Anthony has been held under 20 DraftKings points in three of his last four games, but this is an elite game environment for him as the Bucks play extremely fast. I do like him here, but I don’t love the price tag. Wendell Carter Jr. comes into this one as questionable, but I’m going to continue to operate under the assumption that he’s out until he actually plays. Mo Bamba has filled in really well for Carter Jr. as of late, but man oh man has that price tag come up. Not to say it’s incorrect, but it’s just weird to look at, I do like Bamba a bit more on DraftKings due to the price tag. Dwayne Bacon is playing big minutes and should continue to along with RJ Hampton and Gary Harris due to how shorthanded they are. Of those three, Bacon is your safest for cash games but I love the upside you get in a guy like Hampton who has at least 30 DraftKings points in four of his last five games. Mo Wagner should continue to start and see solid minutes, this is a matchup he can cook in, this spot reminds me a lot of the one that Vucevic would always kill because the Bucks are going to leave these big men open on the wing if he can knock down some three’s I like him for GPPs. From the Bucks, keep an eye on that injury report… I have a weird feeling that this could be one of those games where all the Bucks take a seat on the back end of a back-to-back coming off a loss to the Spurs which really hurts their chances of getting up from that three seed in the East. That said, it’s just reckless speculation on my end, so we can start with Giannis Antetokounmpo but at this point, I think he’s more of a GPP guy than anything until the playoffs start, he feels similar to Embiid where they don’t have a whole lot of need to push him 35+ minutes. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are guys that are pretty similar to me, I don’t love them, but I’m okay with whatever exposure I get on him here. Donte DiVincenzo has been good over his last handful of games, he has at least 32 DraftKings points in four straight games and a guy I don’t hate at this price tag. Lastly, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez are fine GPP options as well, but not guys I’m prioritizing.

5-star play: None

4-star play: Cole Anthony, Mo Bamba, RJ Hampton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Dwayne Bacon, Gary Harris, Mo Wagner, Donte DiVincenzo, Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez

Phoenix Suns @ Golden State Warriors

Vegas Total: 231.0

Vegas Spread: Pho -5.0

Starting with the Suns, Devin Booker is a guy you can get to here and had a pretty average game in this one earlier this season, but a guy I do like with the ceiling that he provides. Chris Paul has struggled with the Warriors in two starts this season, but I still think he’s a solid cash option at the very least in a pace-up spot. DeAndre Ayton has been a bit volatile as of late but should be able to handle this Warriors frontcourt, I’m good with him in GPPs as well. Outside of those three, I think it’s just Mikal Bridges that will get some ownership from me, he’s been getting massive minutes lately and gives you a mid-range SF option. From the Warriors, Steph Curry continues to crush and a guy that should play massive minutes as we round out the season with the Warriors fighting for the playoffs. The only issue here for Curry is the matchup, I was all over him last night even in a bad matchup, but this is an even worse matchup and one that he has struggled in already this season. I’ll consider him a GPP option for now, but I won’t talk you off of him if you want to play him in cash. Draymond Green is always a guy I’ll have an interest in, I just like getting to these guys that get it done in more ways than one, and that’s Green’s specialty. Andrew Wiggins is a fine option, but generally not a guy I get a ton of especially in a tough matchup with the Suns. Lastly, Kent Bazemore should continue to see good run with Oubre still out, he’s a fine filler option for tournaments.

5-star play: Steph Curry

4-star play: Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Draymond Green

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: DeAndre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Andrew Wiggins, Kent Bazemore

New York Knicks @ Los Angeles Lakers

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: NA

Starting with the Knicks, Julius Randle is a solid option in a revenge game against the Lakers, he scored 57.5 DraftKings points in this spot earlier this season, and a guy I’m okay getting to on both sites due to the minutes he’s going to play. RJ Barrett is a guy I like more a little more as a streamer in a way, I don’t love the matchup, but SF can be tough at times if you need a guy I think you could do worse. Derrick Rose is a fine option, he’s coming off a big game last time out where he dropped 45.5 DraftKings points and a guy I think you can get to here at these price tags. Both Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley are listed as questionable, but I’ll just operate under the assumption they’re both out again. Elfrid Payton and Reggie Bullock are probably the main beneficiaries in terms of minutes, but not guys you need to get to on a big slate. From the Lakers, Anthony Davis is starting to heat up, he has at least 61.5 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, and LeBron is expected to miss this one again, I have no issue going right back to Davis here. Really the only other guy I have interest in on the Lakers is Alex Caruso with James and Dennis Schroder still out. He’s been good as of late and playing good minutes at a pretty cheap price tag. Then you can round this team out with GPP guys like Andre Drummond and Kyle Kuzma.

5-star play: Julius Randle, Anthony Davis

4-star play: RJ Barrett, Derrick Rose, Alex Caruso

Deeper Value: Elfrid Payton

GPP Sleeper: Elfrid Payton, Reggie Bullock, Andre Drummond, Kyle Kuzma

I want to give a quick shoutout to VIP Member “TheSoprano12” on their $100,000 win earlier this season!! Better go buy a Boban jersey after that one!

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Sacramento Kings

Vegas Total: 224.0

Vegas Spread: Sac -11.0

We can round this slate off starting with the Thunder, we’ll have to keep an eye on Lu Dort and Ty Jerome who both come into this one as questionable, if they miss there will be additional minutes to go around to some of these peripheral guys. Darius Bazley continues to look pretty solid but the price has caught up with him. He scored 29.5 DraftKings points in this spot last time out. I do like getting to Moses Brown as a GPP, spend down, option at center. He’s averaging 31.6 DraftKings points in two games against the Kings this season and has shown a nice ceiling this season as well. Then there are a handful of wings that make sense as MME fillers who would see a boost if Dort and Jerome ended up missing in guys like Aleksej Pokusevski, Isaiah Roby (he’s been terrible as of late), Gabriel Deck, and Kenrich Williams. From the Kings, I’m going to operate under the assumption that De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes are both out again here, so let’s run that data with these guys out!

• Delon Wright – 25.2% usage rate; 1.24 fpm
• Terence Davis – 19.9% usage rate; 0.88 fpm
• Buddy Hield – 28.3% usage rate; 1.13 fpm

These would be my three favorite options on the Kings, but you can obviously get to some of these other guys like Richaun Holmes, Marvin Bagley, and Moe Harkless. These guys are crushing with Fox, Barnes, and Haliburton out so we can go right back to well here in a good matchup against the Thunder. People may see Wright’s last game and jump off him a bit due to the price increase, but he was crushing it before getting removed due to a blowout. This game should have plenty of fantasy options in it.

5-star play: Delon Wright, Richaun Holmes

4-star play: Darius Bazley, Moses Brown, Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Aleksej Pokusevski, Gabriel Deck, Kenrich Williams, Terence Davis, Moe Harkless

NBA Lock of the Day: Cheat Sheets/Core 4

We’re at that point in the NBA season where finding a lock of the day happens much closer to lock rather than earlier in the morning due to how fluid the injury reports are, so I’ll keep the lock of the day for our VIP members. Come get signed up and take a look at our Core plays on our Cheat Sheets/Coaches Notes for tonight, maybe take a gander at the DraftKings tiers notes while you’re in there as well! These notes include Core plays, player ranks, and tiers notes, so come check them out! Tweet me (@MadnessDFS) your lock predictions and if your player gets over 5x tonight I’ll give you a shoutout on Twitter, let’s have some fun with this!

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Editor’s Note – However, if you are more interested in simply betting the games, NBA is full of crazy action.  And, our dynamic modeling over at SportsBetArmy adjusts in real time to help identify Vegas inaccuracies you can exploit.  Follow Ryan, Anthony, and Statsational for models and coaching advice that help you build any bankroll for any sport…