There are four games on Saturday’s NBA slate as the first round of the playoffs officially begins.
This article was written on Friday night. Any changes will be updated. Keep track of all the injury news at DK Network.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets ($8,500)
Edwards may go a little overlooked on this slate due to the surrounding talent at the position and the recent history. He’s dealt with a knee issue since mid-March, causing him to miss six straight games. To close out April, Edwards only played two games primarily due to injury management. Over his last three games played, Edwards finished with 25, 20 and 28.5 FPTS while playing 23, 26 and 27 minutes. He looked like his normal self last Friday and I expect him to play in the upper-30s to low-40s in this one. The usage rate is 32% on the season and, in three games against Denver during the regular season, Edwards put up 53.5, 61.5 and 40.2 FPTS.
Other Options: Donovan Mitchell ($9,100), James Harden ($8,900), Jamal Murray ($8,800), Jalen Brunson ($8,500), Nickeil Alexander-Walker ($7,200), Brandon Ingram ($7,100), CJ McCollum ($6,100)
Value
Sam Merrill, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors ($4,500)
Merrill is an important player for the Cavaliers due to his ability to space the floor. He averaged 42% on 7.2 attempts from downtown this season. Playing alongside James Harden, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley presents many open looks from beyond the arc. He also dished out a tick under three assists per game. Merrill put up at least 20 FPTS 31 times with 11 of those over 30 and two over 40 FPTS.
Other Options: Ayo Dosunmu ($5,100), Christian Braun ($4,800), Marcus Smart ($4,600), Bruce Brown ($4,100), Ja’Kobe Walter ($4,000)
Forward
Stud
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets ($9,400)
For much of the season, James was second or third fiddle behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He was garnering a usage rate of 27.4%, which was probably the best thing for both himself and the Lakers at 41 years old. Then both Doncic and Reaves succumbed to injury and James turned back the clock, averaging 34.3 minutes, 28 points, 7.7 rebounds, 12.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.0 treys in the last three games he played, translating to 65.8, 59.5 and 63 FPTS. The usage rate was near 34%. Doncic and Reaves are out so James will have to don the cape once again.
Other Options: Jalen Johnson ($10,000), Kevin Durant ($8,400), Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,300), Julius Randle ($7,400), OG Anunoby ($6,500), Dyson Daniels ($6,400), Jabari Smith Jr. ($6,100)
Value
Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers ($4,000)
It’s a three-headed center monster in Toronto, so the ceiling is capped for all three. In addition, Murray-Boyles is a rookie and how much will he play in the playoffs? Due to his defensive versatility and energy, especially on the glass, around 20 minutes seems viable. He’s not tall at 6-foot-7, but he’s a solid 245 pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. In the last regular season game, he only played 13 minutes and finished with 7.5 FPTS. In the prior six games, though, he put up at least 23 FPTS in all with two over 30 FPTS, despite playing only around 20 minutes a night.
Other Options: Aaron Gordon ($5,800), Jaden McDaniels ($5,600), Ayo Dosunmu ($5,100), Cameron Johnson ($5,000), Marcus Smart ($4,600), Ja’Kobe Walter ($4,000)
Center
Stud
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves ($12,000)
Jokic has the highest floor/ceiling combo in the game. Really the only question comes down to roster construction. Can you find enough value to fit him in your lineup?
Other Options: Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,300), Alperen Sengun ($8,200), Jabari Smith Jr. ($6,100)
Value
Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks ($4,400)
I meditated between Robinson and Deandre Ayton and, despite Mr. Robinson likely playing 10 fewer minutes, I favor him because he’s $1,100 cheaper and there’s a good chance he matches or exceeds the fantasy production of Ayton. I know that Mr. Robinson is going to bust his butt to grab rebounds and be a presence on defense. I have no idea what kind of effort Ayton is going to exert. To close out the season, Mr. Robinson put up 23.8, 34.5 and 38.2 FPTS in 19, 20 and 23 minutes.
Other Options: Aaron Gordon ($5,800), Deandre Ayton ($5,500), Collin Murray-Boyles ($4,000)
