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Welcome back, RotoBallers! Tonight, we have a couple of Games Two's. We only have one player questionable and it's a pretty big one. Jarrett Allen is once again sitting as questionable with his rib contusion that has him sidelined since April 27th. If he is out again expect Isaac Okoro to start in his place once again.
The key to being successful in NBA DFS comes down to making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always really important to have a game plan and the best players and spots circled first before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/9/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EDT on FanDuel and DraftKings.
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Today's NBA DFS Core Picks
As you'll see below, I prefer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as my superstar on this slate. This is not to say I won't have some Luka Doncic but I won't be prioritizing him and his very expensive salary on this slate. If Cleveland plans to keep it close it will be on the back of Donovan Mitchell, they will need him to be the superstar he is and help lead them to a win.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. DAL - PG ($9.5K DK; $10.4K FD)
- Donovan Mitchell, CLE at BOS – PG/SG ($8.8K DK; $9.4K FD)
- Jalen Williams, OKC vs. DAL – SG/SF ($7.6K DK; $7.9K FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Picks
The value on this slate is much better than our previous postseason slates so far. Daniel Gafford stepping up in Maxi Kleber's absence was big too and hopefully should take on a bigger role during the playoffs.
Top Value Plays:
- Daniel Gafford, DAL at OKC - C ($4.9K DK; $5.6K FD)
- Al Horford, BOS vs. CLE - PF/C ($5.7K DK; $5.7K FD)
- Caris LeVert, CLE at BOS - SG/SF ($4.6K DK; $4.5K FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
Getting the right superstar in this spot is going to be crucial, I lean toward SGA as he has played phenomenally throughout the playoffs. I think Luka and the Mavs are a bit tired and I believe it showed a bit where Luka was mediocre(by his standards). OKC is a tough matchup for him and I can't personally justify playing him at 11.8k. Will he go berzerk tomorrow because I said that? Probably, and if you are of the superstitious type then consider that. But I do lean SGA at 1.4k cheaper on FanDuel.
I prefer Jrue Holiday here if you have the extra salary but if you don't, I don't mind a little Pritchard action at super cheap. He got a few extra minutes due to the blowout but his role off the bench has progressively gotten bigger and has averaged close to 22 minutes a game during the playoffs. If I'm going to punt a spot, I believe Payton is a good option to do so.
Top PG Options:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. DAL ($9.5K DK; $10.4K FD)
- Luka Doncic, DAL at OKC ($11.6K DK; $11.8K FD)
- Payton Pritchard, BOS vs CLE ($4.1K DK; $4K FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
I hate to sound like a broken record here but Max nailed it on the spot with SGs on Tuesday. A lot of what is available you can also take at PG or is too inconsistent at their price. I will say I am prioritizing Donovan Mitchell quite a bit in my lineups whether he ends up in PG or SG that will be determined but he has been too good lately to avoid putting him in my lineups.
Since Kristaps Porzingis went down Derrick White has been crushing it! He has finished with 33 FP or higher over the last three games and should continue to see a larger workload while Porzingis is out. If we can see Derrick finish with 35 FP that would be worth five times his price. Luguentz Dort and Isaac Okoro are also two guys to keep an eye on who get the minutes but haven't been as consistent as we may like to go all in on them.
Top SG Options:
- Donovan Mitchell, CLE at BOS ($8.8K DK; $9.4K FD)
- Derrick White, BOS vs. CLE ($6.7K DK; $7K FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
Jalen Williams is by far one of my favorite plays on this slate, he is 7.9k on FD and has shown to be as consistent as they come, he hasn't gone below 34 minutes in a game and has 33+ FP in all five postseason games. Josh Giddey has taken a hit on his production and I think a lot of that has been picked up by Jalen Williams becoming the true third option on this team.
As for value in the SF spot, I prefer the likes of Caris LeVert or Derrick Jones Jr. Max Strus is also an option but is extremely reliant on his shooting and if it's not falling then as shown by last game he can drop quite the dud. Caris Levert doesn't get as many minutes but as shown by the last two games he can do more in less time. DJJ I see it more as a punt play as he has been pretty inconsistent in the playoffs but has the potential to pop off with his ability to get blocks and hit his shot. At 4.3k I will have him in a couple of lineups.
Jalen Williams First Round Stats
21.3 Pts
7.3 Rebs
5 Asts
53% FGFull episode out now! Link down below ⬇️ #NBAPlayoffs #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/auKWKuHIgd
— For The Love Of The Game (@loveoftgbball) May 1, 2024
Top SF Options:
- Jalen Williams, OKC vs. DAL ($7.6K DK; $7.9K FD)
- Caris Levert, CLE at BOS ($4.6K DK; $4.5K FD)
- Derrick Jones Jr., DAL at OKC ($4.7K DK; $4.3K FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
The PF position is incredibly thin as Max said on Tuesday. It is once again. I highly recommend going with Al Horford here, he has seen the biggest uptick in usage since Kristaps Porzingis went down with injury. He isn't going to get you big points but if we can get a solid 25 FP I'll consider it a win. I recommend going with Evan Mobley here if Allen is out and saving the money rather than paying the extra for Jayson Tatum who has been averaging around the same fantasy points as Mobley.
All 21 of Evan Mobley's blocks against Orlando
Quite frankly, if you don't think he's elite, you don't know ball pic.twitter.com/MTJTkkdg2v
— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) May 6, 2024
Top PF Options:
- Al Horford, BOS vs. CLE ($5.7K DK; $5.7K FD)
- Evan Mobley, CLE at BOS ($7.7K DK; $8K FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
The Center position is pretty weak especially if Jarrett Allen is out. However, I like the cheaper option in Daniel Gafford quite a bit. He had an incredible Game One against OKC where he tallied five blocks along with a double-double to cap off a 44 FP night. He got the bulk of the minutes at center finishing with 27 minutes with Dereck Lively finishing with only 13 points. At 5.6k I'll take some Gafford.
Chet Holmgren also had a great game finishing the night with 43 FP, including three blocks and two steals. He has averaged 35 FPPG so far during the postseason, he is the top-priced center on the slate tonight but I think he is one of the best options especially if Jarett Allen comes back and takes minutes away from Evan Mobley.
In the case Allen doesn't come back, that puts Mobley right back in the driver's seat. Even though the game ended up being a blowout, Mobley still finished with 39 FP in just 31 minutes. If the Cavs can keep this closer I wouldn't be surprised to see a 40+ FP performance from Mobley. The great thing is he is PF-eligible which gives us a bit more flexibility if we want to play Chet or a different center as well.
Jalen Williams First Round Stats
21.3 Pts
7.3 Rebs
5 Asts
53% FGFull episode out now! Link down below ⬇️ #NBAPlayoffs #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/auKWKuHIgd
— For The Love Of The Game (@loveoftgbball) May 1, 2024
Top C Options:
- Daniel Gafford, DAL at OKC ($4.9K DK; $5.6K FD)
- Chet Holmgren, OKC vs. DAL ($7.1K DK; $8.1K FD)
- Evan Mobley, CLE at BOS ($7.7K DK; $8K FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Mavericks at Thunder (218.5 total)
- Cavaliers at Celtics (212 total)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
- I wouldn't outright say avoid anyone on this slate, but I will say I would put more of a focus on the OKC vs DAL game as it is less likely to blow out!
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite overall play on the slate: Jalen Williams
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Shai-Gilegous Alexander
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Donovan Mitchell
- My favorite value play: Daniel Gafford
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