DFS NBA Full Court Press: FanDuel & DraftKings Main Slate - Apr. 17th, 2022

Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 04/17:

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 Mike 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!

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Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat

Vegas Total: 218.5

Vegas Spread: Mia -6.5

We’ll kick this slate kicked off with the lowest implied total on the slate by a good amount and a pace-down series for the Hawks. Speaking of Atlanta, we’ll get things started with them as they won the eight seed over the Cavs. Trae Young bounced back in a big way in that game going for 57.25 DraftKings points. That being said, he’s struggled in this matchup this season averaging just 39.8 DraftKings points per game in four games. I still think he’s a fine GPP option, but not a guy I want to go all that crazy on. Clint Capela had a scary knee injury last time out as well but seemed to have avoided a major injury, although he will still be out for this one. I would expect we see Onyeka Okongwu get the start in his place and will look like a solid mid-range option, DraftKings and FanDuel were quick to adjust his price tag but I do still think there is some meat on the bone. He’s about a fantasy point-per-minute guy with Capela off of the court this season. The Hawks will also get John Collins back here after missing over a month of game action. I would expect him to be on a minutes limit if he does play and probably not a guy I would get to. If anything he hurts De’Andre Hunter and Danilo Gallinari, but with Capela out it shouldn’t impact them all that much. Bogdan Bogdanovic had a nice bounce-back game last time out as well and would look like a solid secondary option here. From the Heat, playoff Jimmy Butler should be ready to go here in a great matchup with the Hawks and will be a guy I look to get to at a really nice price tag. Bam Adebayo will get a big boost with Capela out for the Hawks, I just don’t think Okongwu is going to be able to take 30+ minutes of Adebayo without giving in. Tyler Herro ended the season looking great and will be a guy I have no issue going right back to here either. I would expect we see big minutes from Victor Oladipo moving forward, he ended the season playing 25, 27, and 36 minutes in that order. I would guess they were trying to get him ramped up for the playoffs and would expect to see him right around the 30-minute range in this one, he’ll look like a solid secondary GPP option. Kyle Lowry will play all the minutes he can handle as well and looks like a nice option in all formats, he’s averaged 31.6 DraftKings points per game in three games against the Hawks this season. Max Strus should continue to start for the Heat and will look like a solid value option here as well to round out the team… unless we get really desperate for value, PJ Tucker can be useable due to the minutes he’ll see here.

5-star play: Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo

4-star play: Trae Young, Onyeka Okongwu, Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter, Danilo Gallinari, Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro

Deeper Value: Max Strus, PJ Tucker

GPP Sleeper: John Collins, Victor Oladipo, Max Strus, PJ Tucker

Quick shoutout to VIP member “Cenzamatic” on a massive $20k win earlier in the season! Sometimes paying up for double studs works, and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant brought it home for him with the help of some Stanley Johnson and Pistons value. Good work and congrats man!

Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics

Vegas Total: 224.0

Vegas Spread: Bos -4.0

Starting with the Nets, they won’t be getting Ben Simmons back quite yet for this one but sounds like he could make his debut in this series, so watch out for that as this series moves along. Kevin Durant ended the season on a heater and is averaging 50.8 DraftKings points per game in two games against Boston this season and will look like a top spend-up option on this slate. We know Kyrie Irving is going to show up for these Boston games as he gets some revenge on his old squad. He’s going to play 40+ minutes here and looks like a solid option as well, but if you can make the salary work and just get up to Durant, I would. While Simmons is out we should expect to see massive minutes from Bruce Brown as he attempts to glue this defense together and will look like a nice option in all formats. We saw Nic Claxton close the game against Cleveland and played nearly 30 minutes as Andre Drummond sat on the bench for most of the second half. I do think there’s a chance we could see Drummond back in there for the second half, as Al Horford is nowhere near as athletic as Mobley was for Cleveland, but I’m still not expecting Drummond to close at any point in this postseason which makes him more of a GPP option. I do think we can go back to Claxton here though, there’s a non-zero chance he closes again here. Seth Curry was getting his cardio in against the Cavs, playing 34 minutes on his way to 4.4 FanDuel points. That said, if people are going to be off of him here, I have no issue going back to the well at this price tag. Then we can round this team out with Patty Mills and Goran Dragic as a GPP flyers, I do expect Dragic to see more minutes in this one as he was limited last game. From the Celtics, I think this will be a really fun series, and think Jayson Tatum is going to try and go blow for blow with Durant. I’m expecting a huge series for Tatum and is a guy I like a lot against a Brooklyn team that can’t stop anyone right now. Jaylen Brown will be a solid enough secondary option here as well, as I said, it’s a great matchup for this Boston offense. Al Horford is averaging 30.2 DraftKings points per game in four games against the Nets this season and will look like a good option. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are more of secondary GPP options than anything, as their main purpose for being out there is defensive intensity and then whatever they can give them on offense is a cherry on top. Lastly, we should see Daniel Theis start at the five until Robert Williams comes back and will look like a solid mid-range center option if we need one.

5-star play: Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum

4-star play: Kyrie Irving, Bruce Brown, Seth Curry, Nic Claxton, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford

Deeper Value: Patty Mills, Goran Dragic

GPP Sleeper: Andre Drummond, Patty Mills, Goran Dragic, Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Daniel Theis

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Chicago Bulls @ Milwaukee Bucks

Vegas Total: 229.0

Vegas Spread: Mil -10.0

Starting with the Bulls, DeMar DeRozan has looked good in this matchup this season averaging 44.1 DraftKings points per game in four games against the Bucks, and looks like a nice option at a good price tag. The price on Nikola Vucevic has fallen too far and a guy I will love in this spot, he’s a Bucks killer in the playoffs as well… Milwaukee is going to give him the wide-open three at the top of the key all day long. Zach LaVine would be more of a GPP option due to the volatility he shows, but he’s performed well in this matchup as well this season with 45.1 DraftKings points per game in two games against them this season. Patrick Williams was able to get his legs under him at the end of the regular season and should be good to play 30+ minutes here and looks like a nice mid-range option… he’s not a big usage guy at just a 13.4% usage rate and 0.74 fantasy points per minute but has shown some nice upside as of late. Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White would be more of GPP options than anything as they’ll play off of the bench but I do like Alex Caruso as one of the better value options on the slate. He’s going to need to play all the minutes he can handle, similar to Bruce Brown from the Nets, he’s a huge part of what they’re trying to do defensively. From Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be able to do whatever he wants here… the Bulls just have no answer for him defensively. He’s averaging 55.3 DraftKings points per game in four games against the Bulls this season and is the top spend-up option on the slate. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday feel a couple of hundred dollars too cheap considering how many minutes they’ll play going forward and look like nice secondary options. I’m going to keep going underweight on Bobby Portis until his price comes down, his minutes aren’t going to be there to pay off this salary with Brook Lopez back… especially in this series, Portis is one of the worst drop defenders in the league which is where Vucevic will eat him up. That being said, Lopez will look like a great option at this price tag. Then we can round this team out with Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton as value options who can light it up in a hurry.

5-star play: Nikola Vucevic, Giannis Antetokounmpo

4-star play: Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez

Deeper Value: Alex Caruso, Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton

GPP Sleeper: Patrick Williams, Bobby Portis, Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton

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New Orleans Pelicans @ Phoenix Suns

Vegas Total: 225.0

Vegas Spread: Pho -10.5

Starting with the Pelicans, I keep looking at the NBA injury report hoping to see Zion Williamson questionable… but we’ll have to wait another day. CJ McCollum came crashing down to Earth against the Clippers to snag the eighth seed, but I have no issue going right back to him here, they’ll need his scoring if they want to compete in this series. Jonas Valanciunas was held down in that game as well as both teams went small, I would expect a nice bounce back from him here at a really nice price tag. Brandon Ingram had the big game for the Pels in that Clippers game and will be a solid option in all formats again here, he’s never really a guy that I’m in love with but will be fine with whatever exposure I land with on him. I do think Herbert Jones will look like a nice mid-range value again, he’s going to play all the minutes he can handle, as he’s their best defender so he should have no issue running into some fantasy points. Larry Nance had a coming-out party in that Clippers game in just 24 minutes of action he dropped a 16 rebound double-double. I would think he’s right around that 20-25 minute range again here, but Joe Val will get some of those minutes back as well. From the Suns, Devin Booker is averaging 45.4 DraftKings points per game in four games against the Pelicans this season and will look like a solid option in all formats. The same can be said for Chris Paul who has looked good in a revenge game (?) against his old old old squad… he’s been around. Deandre Ayton was huge for the Suns last postseason in their run to the finals and would expect more of the same this year, I like the price tag on him as well. I’m never a huge Mikal Bridges guy simply because he’s not a great per-minute producer, but if you land on him as a filler piece I would have no issue with it. I do really like the price tag on Jae Crowder and Cam Johnson, they’ll do the scoring on the wings as Bridges handles the defensive responsibilities. Then we can round the team out with Cam Payne and JaVale McGee… but they’re too priced up for me to want to get to them here.

5-star play: Jonas Valanciunas

4-star play: CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herbert Jones, Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson

Deeper Value: Larry Nance

GPP Sleeper: Larry Nance, Mikal Bridges

I need to give VIP Member “TTG2436” a massive shoutout for his $100k takedown earlier in the season, congrats man! Our NBA Domination Station lineup optimizer is Powered by DFS Army proprietary projections. The Domination Station will help you create 150 of the highest projected lineups in a matter of minutes. With features that allow you to Like  Love  or Dislike  a player, you can create a fully unique pool of players to generate your lineups from every day. Combine the power of the Domination Station with our VIP Only Articles and the NBA Research Station to really take your game to the next level.

NBA Lock of the Day: Nikola Vucevic (DK – $7.7k; FD – $6.9k)

I’m chasing the price tag on Vuc here, he’s simply too cheap for the role he’ll play in this series. He’s averaging 41.1 DraftKings points per game in nine games against the Bucks since 2020 and will look to keep it rolling here. Milwaukee is going to play drop defense and give him that wide-open three at the top of the key all game long, so if he can knock down his shots he’ll be in for a massive game. At this point in the day, I would think he makes my core, but check out our VIP Cheat Sheets as we get closer to lock for staff picks on Core plays, 8x locks of the day, and tiers notes as well!

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