Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 5/12:

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!

Washington Wizards @ Atlanta Hawks

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: NA

We’ll kick the slate off with the Wizards, and guess what, SOUND THE ALARMS – Russell Westbrook got a price boost on DraftKings over $11k. About time, although I still think he’s pretty close to a must for me again here even at $12.4k and $12.6k on FanDuel. He has at least 80 fantasy points in four of his last five games and playing 40ish minutes per night along with Bradley Beal being out, so he’s going to soak up all the usage in this one. Rui Hachimura is a guy I like here as well, the price tag is nice on him and his minutes have come up over the past few games, they’ll need him offensively with Beal out. Davis Bertans has at least 30 minutes in three straight games and is a guy I like for tournaments due to his upside if he can get hot from the field. I like Ish Smith as a value option as well with Beal out, he should get an extended run and coming off a 23-minute game last time out. Guys like Raul Neto and Daniel Gafford are secondary options for me, with Neto being my preferred side. From the Hawks, Trae Young makes for a nice run back option if you’re restoring Westbrook on the other side of this one. He’s playing big minutes as well and has at least 50 fantasy points in two straight games and the price tag is nice on both sites. I was all over Clint Capela in this spot last time out and he ended up going for 48 DraftKings points in 35 minutes. I do like his FanDuel price tag much more, but you’re also not getting that double-double bonus assuming he hits it over there, a good option nonetheless.  Bogdan Bogdanovic and John Collins are more GPP guys than anything for me due to the price tags and the volatility, Bogdan has been a bit more consistent, however, so you can make a case for him in cash games. Lastly, Danilo Gallinari came down to Earth last time out, his minutes came down as well, but the matchup is nice, I like him for GPPs… I just don’t like the price tag all that much.

5-star play: Russell Westbrook, Trae Young

4-star play: Rui Hachimura, Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic

Deeper Value: Ish Smith

GPP Sleeper: Raul Neto, Davis Bertans, Daniel Gafford, John Collins, Danilo Gallinari

San Antonio Spurs @ Brooklyn Nets

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: NA

Starting with the Spurs, DeMar DeRozan threw up a dud last time out, but if people are going to jump off here, I’ll go right back to him in an elite matchup with the Nets. Jakob Poeltl had a really nice game last time out and really stuffed the stat sheet against the Bucks, I don’t think the Nets will have an answer for him down low. Keldon Johnson looked really good last time out as well I just wish they’d throw him out there for 30+ minutes and see what he’s capable of. Lastly, Lonnie Walker is a solid value option if you need one, his minutes should be pretty secure with Derrick White out for the remainder of the season. From the Nets, we’re going to need some news on this team before we can really break them down as both Kyrie Irving and James Harden come in as questionable here. If I had to guess I would think Irving sits and Harden gets limited run to help get his legs under him for the playoffs, but they don’t have much reason to push Kyrie if he’s not good to go. The Nets are a game up on the Bucks for the two seed in the East, but the Bucks have the tiebreaker, so they’ll be out there trying to win, but they’re not going to mortgage the playoffs to do so. Outside of that big three, I do think Blake Griffin is interesting. He’s been getting much more work than I expected when he came over from Detroit at a nice price tag. Lastly, Bruce Brown had like 30 DraftKings points at half last night and ended with 36 fantasy points, I don’t hate him as a GPP option on a short slate.

***Leaving Harden, Irving, and Durant off the below until we get a status update on Harden and Kyrie***

5-star play: None

4-star play: DeMar DeRozan, Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Lonnie Walker, Blake Griffin, Bruce Brown, Joe Harris

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Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: NA

Starting with Boston, they got the news that Jaylen Brown will be out for the rest of the season while Robert Williams comes into this one as questionable. I’m going to assume Williams is out again here as he missed last night’s game, but keep an eye on that Breaking News Feed for updates surrounding this team. Let’s run some numbers with these guys off the court:

• 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. One guy I’ll touch on that I touched on in the Coaches Notes/Cheat Sheet yesterday is Evan Fournier. He has now shot at least 50% from three-point range in four of his last five games, that’s going to regress at some point. But the guy put up 30 first-half fantasy points last night and it’s hard not to go back to him at this price tag with Brown out. From the Cavaliers, Darius Garland is going to miss this one meaning Sexton should see a nice boost in the backcourt. Collin Sexton has a 30.3% usage rate and 1.12 fantasy points per minute with Garland and Nance off the court this season but I do like his price a bit more on FanDuel. I am okay getting to some Jarrett Allen as well here, the Celtics don’t exactly have a great interior defense especially if Robert Williams ends up missing as well. Kevin Love missed the last game but has at least 35 DraftKings points in two of his last three games and a guy I like getting to in GPPs. Then you can round this team out with Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman, Osman has more upside but Okoro’s minutes are more locked in, but more GPP guys than anything for me.

5-star play: Jayson Tatum, Evan Fournier (DraftKings)

4-star play: Evan Fournier (FanDuel), Kemba Walker, Marcus Smart, Collin Sexton, Jarrett Allen

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, Isaac Okoro, Cedi Osman

New Orleans Pelicans @ Dallas Mavericks

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: NA

Starting with the Pelicans, Brandon Ingram comes into this one as doubtful while Zion Williamson and Josh Hart remain out, so let’s run some usage numbers with these guys off the court:

• Lonzo Ball – 22.1% usage rate; 1.08 fpm
• Eric Bledsoe – 24.5% usage rate; 1.04 fpm
• Nikeil Alexander-Walker – 25.7% usage rate; 1.12 fpm
• James Johnson – 19.7% usage rate; 1.13 fpm
• Naji Marshall – 15.6% usage rate; 0.79 fpm

You’ll also want to keep an eye on the status of Steven Adams as he comes into this one as questionable and has been missing quite a bit of time lately. If he’s out, Willy Hernangomez will likely start and Jaxson Hayes becomes a solid GPP guy off the bench. From the Mavericks, Kristaps Porzingis comes into this one as questionable, but I’m just going to operate under the assumption that he’s out until we get definitive word that he’s playing, 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.

5-star play: Luka Doncic, Lonzo Ball

4-star play: Eric Bledsoe, James Johnson

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Nikeil Alexander-Walker, Naji Marshall, Jalen Brunson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Richardson

Portland Trailblazers @ Utah Jazz

Vegas Total: 235.0

Vegas Spread: Utah -3.0

Starting with the Blazers, they need to win this game to help stay out of that play-in game, they’re currently a game up on the Lakers and tied with the Mavericks for the 5th/6th seed in the standings so guys like Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are going to play all the minutes they can handle, they’re both great options here, they’re both slightly cheaper on FanDuel as well if you’re looking to go heavier over there. Jusuf Nurkic has looked good over his past four or so games and gets a tough matchup with the Jazz in this one. That said, they’ll need his size down low to deal with Rudy Gobert, so I don’t mind taking a GPP shot on him. Then you can round this team out with Norman Powell as a tournament-type player. From the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley will continue to be out for this team. Rudy Gobert is averaging 47.9 DraftKings points per game in two games against the Blazers this season and a guy I think you can get to on both sites on a short slate. His price tag is much more friendly on FanDuel as well. Jordan Clarkson will continue to be a solid option, I just don’t love the price tag, but he feels pretty safe and has a solid ceiling with Mitchell and Clarkson off the court. Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles have been the guys to own lately, they’re both in really good form, and guys you can get to here while Royce O’Neale is more of a GPP guy.

5-star play: None

4-star play: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Rudy Gobert, Jordan Clarkson

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Jusuf Nurkic, Norman Powell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale

Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers

Vegas Total: 224.0

Vegas Spread: Lal -13.0

Starting with the Rockets, this team is going to be a bit of a mess for this final week, Christian Wood comes in as questionable but I’m just going to operate under the assumption that he’s out until he’s not anymore… as obvious as that may sound. Let’s run some data with Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., and Eric Gordon off the court over the past four weeks:

• Kelly Olynyk – 25.6% usage rate; 1.43 fpm
• KJ Martin – 19.6% usage rate; 1.01 fpm
• Jae’Sean Tate- 25.5% usage rate; 1.18 fpm

These three would be my favorite options on the Rockets along with DJ Augustin who should continue to start for them here. From the Lakers, it sounds like LeBron James should return in this game. I wouldn’t be surprised if they eased him back a bit just to get the legs under him, but this team needs to fight like hell to get out of that play-ingame, so I could be off on that thinking. Anthony Davis came down to Earth last time out and now will have to deal with LeBron taking usage from him as well, as weird as it sounds, it’s kind of a stay-away spot for me in cash. That being said, it’s an elite matchup for both of these guys, so no issue with going to them in GPP or even SE tournaments if you’re feeling risky. LeBron James especially on FanDuel is far too cheap at under $9k. Dennis Schroeder is still out and Alex Caruso comes in as questionable after leaving last game early. I would have some interest in Talen Horton-Tucker if Caruso ends up missing, he played 34 minutes last game on his way to a big fantasy night. Then you can round this team out with Andre Drummond and Kyle Kuzma as deeper GPP options.

5-star play: Kelly Olynyk, DJ Augustin, LeBron James (FanDuel)

4-star play: KJ Martin, Jae’Sean Tate, Anthony Davis, LeBron James (DraftKings)

Deeper Value: DJ Augustin

GPP Sleeper: Talen Horton-Tucker, Alex Caruso, 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!

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!

The only thing you are missing at this point is the key to unlock the next level of your game.  Come inside and check us out!!  We have experts sharing their secrets and experience on a daily basis.  Combine that with the actual ability to ask them questions and get quick answers in return gives you a recipe for success that puts our army hats on leaderboards all over the face of DFS.

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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…