Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 4/20:
April 17, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) celebrates against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter in game two of the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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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Philadelphia 76ers @ Brooklyn Nets
Vegas Total: 209.5
Vegas Spread: Phi -4.5
We’ll start with the Eastern Conference where the Sixers will head on the road looking to take a 3-0 series lead. Joel Embiid bounced back in a big way last time out and will look like a top raw option on the slate again. I would think the Nets try and go small and beat them from the wings in this one, so Embiid will do whatever he wants in the paint. James Harden came down to Earth last time out but is still averaging 43.9 DraftKings points per game in four games against the Nets this season. Tyrese Maxey had a big game last time out as well and is playing big minutes for them, I don’t hate the price tag either, he’ll look like a nice option here. Tobias Harris has been better than expected in this series as well, I have no issue going right back to him in the mid-range. Then guys like De’Anthony Melton and PJ Tucker are fine flyer options to round out this team. From the Nets, Cam Johnson was the guy last time out going 5-11 from three-point range, and couldn’t miss in the first half. He’s going to play big minutes yet again here and feels too cheap. Mikal Bridges won’t do much outside of scoring but he’s going to look to score early and often, he’s been a guy I’ve gone to quite a bit since coming over from the Suns. Spencer Dinwiddie has been fine in this series, it’s a tough matchup for guards against the Sixers but he should play big minutes yet again and the price tag is more than fair, he’s going to look like a nice option in all formats. I do like going underweight on Nic Claxton, as I mentioned, I think they go small and try to beat them from the outside like they did last time out where he saw just 21 minutes. Guys like Royce O’Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Seth Curry will benefit from this team going small.
5-star play: Joel Embiid, Cam Johnson
4-star play: James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, Royce O’Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith
Deeper Value: Seth Curry, PJ Tucker, De’Anthony Melton
GPP Sleeper: De’Anthony Melton, PJ Tucker, Seth Curry, Nic Claxton
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Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors
Vegas Total: 240.0
Vegas Spread: GSW -6.0
On to the Kings who will take the road with a 2-0 series lead. Domantas Sabonis isn’t on the injury report after getting stomped out by Draymond in game 2, so he’ll be good to go here and will get a nice matchup boost with Draymond suspended in this one. I like going to Sabonis here at a cheap price tag, we’re used to seeing him over $10k. De’Aaron Fox has been the guy in this series with at least 52.7 FanDuel points in each game, I like his price tag better on DraftKings but he’s in play on both sites. Malik Monk kept it rolling last time out and I would think he continues to play around 30 minutes as it doesn’t seem like Keegan Murray is quite ready for the physicality of the playoffs. Speaking of Murray, he’s played just 16 minutes in each game of this series, I’ll be underweight on him even as his price tag drops. I’ll never have a problem getting to Kevin Huerter, he’s going to play around 30 minutes with multi-position eligibility and can always get hot from three-point range in a hurry. I’m not sure what’s going on with the Trey Lyles price tag, but he feels like a fade to me, just go to Harrison Barnes in a similar price range on both sites… he’s actually cheaper on DraftKings which is wild. From the Warriors, as I mentioned, they’ll be without Draymond Green here as he serves his one-game suspension for stomping on Sabonis’ chest in game one. I would expect Donte DiVincenzo to slide into the starting lineup and will look like a nice value option in all formats. Jordan Poole and Gary Payton are also live to see additional minutes as well and make sense at their respective price tags. Steph Curry is averaging 48.6 DraftKings points per game in six games against the Kings this season and is going to have to step up in a big way if they want to avoid going down 0-3. The same can be said for Klay Thompson who has been in good form in this series, I have no issue with him in all formats. Lastly, Kevon Looney got into foul trouble last time out but would expect he plays nearly 30 minutes again in this one is a solid mid-range center option to round out the team.
5-star play: Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Steph Curry
4-star play: Harrison Barnes, Malik Monk, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Donte DiVincenzo, Kevon Looney
Deeper Value: Donte DiVincenzo, Gary Payton
GPP Sleeper: Jordan Poole, Gary Payton
Phoenix Suns @ Los Angeles Clippers
Vegas Total: 226.5
Vegas Spread: Pho -3.0
Starting with the Suns, who head into Los Angeles looking to steal back homecourt advantage. Kevin Durant came down to Earth a bit last time out but is going to play 40+ minutes and has one of the better floors on the slate and we know the ceiling is there. He’s going to look like a top raw option in all formats. Devin Booker got hot in the second half of the last game and had a nice outing, he’s also going to see 40+ minutes as this team lacks depth, he’ll look great as well. Torrey Craig was knocking down wide-open corner threes all night and is going to look like a nice mid-range option as well as the Clippers look to focus on the “main” pieces of this team. Chris Paul was solid in game two, he’s always going to look like a good option due to the floor he brings as well. Then Deandre Ayton is going to look good as well, the ceiling probably isn’t what it was pre-Durant, but the floor is there and he’s going to play 30+ minutes in a nice matchup. From the Clippers, they’ll continue to be without Paul George here which means we probably see Nic Batum in the starting lineup until he’s back. Below is how this team has operated over the last month with him off of the court:
- Russell Westbrook – 26.7% usage rate; 1.25 fpm
- Eric Gordon – 19.6% usage rate; 0.78 fpm
- Kawhi Leonard – 28.9% usage rate; 1.32 fpm
- Nic Batum – 11.0% usage rate; 0.75 fpm
- Ivica Zubac – 17.2% usage rate; 1.12 fpm
- Norman Powell – 27.0% usage rate; 1.02 fpm
Westbrook bounced back nicely from the field last time out and is going to continue to play big minutes due to the defense he’s been playing on Durant, he looks great again in this one. Kawhi looked great and is the top raw option on the team, and one of the better raw options on the slate. Powell bounced back as well and is a nice scoring option off of the bench for them. Then Eric Gordon looked solid and will make sense as a cheaper option who should play good minutes.
5-star play: Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard
4-star play: Torrey Craig, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac
Deeper Value: Terance Mann, Mason Plumlee
GPP Sleeper: Nic Batum, Terance Mann, Mason Plumlee
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