Draftkings Daily Picks 4-16-16 First Round of the NBA Playoffs

Draftkings Daily Picks-April 16^th-First Round of the NBA Playoffs

The playoffs are finally here and in the first day we get four fantastic games. The day kicks off at 9:30 am (pacific time) with an enticing matchup between the #7 Pacers and the #2 Raptors. The next game on the slate has potential to be one of the best of the day as the #8 Houston Rockets travel to Golden State to play the #1 Warriors at 12:30. After Harden and Curry duel it out, the Boston Celtics will travel to Atlanta in what should be an entertaining series between the Eastern Conferences #4 and #5 teams. The final game of the first day of the playoffs is one of the series I am most excited to watch as the Dallas Mavericks take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. I can’t wait for this series as it will be extremely entertaining to see Dirk Nowitzki battle it out against Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Overall, the first half of the first round games look to be some of the best we will see and in the following slides I will attempt to give you solid fantasy advice for April 16^th as you impart on your quest for that perfect fantasy lineup:

To the right of each of the players, after the arrow, I have displayed the opposing team’s defensive rankings over the last 10 games. These rankings are calculated by determining the average stats/Draftkings Points allowed to each specific position.

Next: Point Guards

Point Guards

To the right of each of the players, after the arrow, I have displayed the opposing team’s defensive rankings over the last 10 games. These rankings are calculated by determining the average stats/Draftkings Points allowed to each specific position.

$10,700-Russell Westbrook-(Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder) → 1^st

Like always, Westbrook has a ton of potential and could be able to do serious damage to the Mavericks. Despite the fact that Dallas has been very solid defensively against opposing point guards, I believe Westbrook has a real shot at producing enough Draftkings fantasy points to justify being the highest priced point guard of the night. It’s hard to discount Westbrook for any reason after the season he’s had, so if you’re looking to stay away from Curry I highly recommend paying up the extra $100 for the only other truly elite point guard in tonight’s slate.

$10,600-Stephen Curry-(Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors) → 21^st

Curry has been crazy good lately. (I mean come on, he hit 6 threes in one quarter against Memphis a few nights back). In the end, Curry should be a building block in almost every lineup and I believe he will be well worth the price. Overall, it’s the playoffs…it’s a great matchup…and he’s been lights out; get him in your lineup.

$7,300–Isaiah Thomas-(Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks) → 20^th

If you are looking for a slightly lower priced point guard, Isiah Thomas could be the perfect choice. Thomas has the potential to blow-up and could easily overproduce in a juicy matchup versus a Hawks team who has had trouble recently against point guards (on Draftkings their 1^st, however as you can see above in the last ten they rank 20^th overall). Coupled with the matchup, in his last four games against the Hawks this season he has averaged roughly 36 Draftkings fantasy points per game…even recording 50.75 in one of those matchups. Overall, at a slightly lower price than Westbrook and Curry, Thomas could be a solid addition in any lineup.

$6,100–Jeff Teague-(Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks) → 22^nd

Teague has been incredibly inconsistent this year, however in his last few games of the season he began turning it around. Teague has had a few good games and a few bad games against Boston and could be in for a good one, especially considering last time he played them (just three games before the season ended) he earned a total of 43.25 Draftkings fantasy points. In the end, Teague could turn into a sneaky play and end up producing enough to stay relevant among the top point guards.

$5,500–Deron Williams-(Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder) → 11^th

Deron Williams had a strong finish to the season and could keep rolling in a decent matchup against the Thunder. On top of his recently good play, Williams has been pretty successful against Oklahoma City this year, averaging roughly 34 Draftkings fantasy points in each of his games. Overall, Williams is the lowest priced point guard I would consider especially with so many other elite guys out there.

Next: Shooting Guards

Shooting Guards

To the right of each of the players, after the arrow, I have displayed the opposing team’s defensive rankings over the last 10 games. These rankings are calculated by determining the average stats/Draftkings Points allowed to each specific position.

$10,800–James Harden-(Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors) → 18^th

James Harden is clearly a must start in this game and should easily be able get enough points as the focal point of the Rockets offense. He has averaged 49 Draftkings fantasy points in his three matchups with Golden State this year. Coupled with this success, Golden State has had trouble with opposing shooting guards all year. In addition to all of this, I anticipate an extremely competitive and fast paced game, which is typically the perfect combination for daily fantasy production.

$7,400-DeMar DeRozan-(Indiana Pacers @ Toronto Raptors) → 9^th

At over $3,000 Draftkings dollars less than Harden, I really like DeRozan. DeMar had a very strong year and should be looking to continue his success into the playoffs. The Raptors faced off against the Pacers three times this season and DeRozan was a vital part of their offense in all three recording 40.25, 35.25, and 43.75 Draftkings fantasy points, respectively. In the end, at his price and with his matchup history; DeRozan is easily one of my favorite options at shooting guard tonight.

$5,200–Avery Bradley-(Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks) → 19^th

Avery Bradley is a solid option in tonight’s slate, especially at his middle of the pack pricing. In his three games against the Hawks this season he has seen plenty of success, averaging 26 Draftkings fantasy points per game. Overall, he is not the most enticing offer; however, if you cannot afford one of the top priced shooting guards, but still want reliable fantasy production Bradley is the perfect fit.

$4,400–Wesley Matthews-(Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder) → 20^th

Along with Avery Bradley, Matthews is a very risky play; however, in what should be a fast paced game he should be able to get enough points to justify his low cost. In three games against the Thunder this season, Matthews has averaged 27.5 Draftkings fantasy points and should be able to come close to (if not exceed) that production once again. Luckily for fantasy players, Matthews is in the starting lineup for the first game and could end up being a highly productive shooting guard. Overall, at such a low price for a starting player Wesley Matthews, in my opinion, has the most potential of all shooting guards.

Next: Small Forwards

Small Forwards

To the right of each of the players, after the arrow, I have displayed the opposing team’s defensive rankings over the last 10 games. These rankings are calculated by determining the average stats/Draftkings Points allowed to each specific position.

$10,000-Kevin Durant-(Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder) → 9^th

Durant has been fantastic all season, I mean he scored over 20 points in all but one game this year, and I do not believe he will be slowing down any time soon. On top of his stellar play, Durant has had plenty of success against the Mavericks this season, averaging 47.75 Draftkings fantasy points per game. On top of having had success against Dallas, Durant also gets one of the best matchups for the Thunder as the Mavericks defense has excelled in the last ten games (ranking in the top 5 defenses against: point guards, shooting guards, and power forwards).  Overall, Durant is one of the safest bets in tonight’s slate, and if you’re looking to pay up at small forward Durant’s the obvious choice.

$8,400–Paul George-(Indiana Pacers @ Toronto Raptors) → 12^th

As the lead player on the Pacers, it is extremely hard to discount Paul George. He always has potential to blow-up and I believe with the extra incentive of the playoffs he could be in for a big day. In his previous games against the Raptors, George has seen limited success averaging 36 Draftkings fantasy points per game. Overall when considering his matchup history, Paul George does not seem like the best Daily Fantasy option. However, when considering the extra playoff incentive and the fact that he is the focal point of the Pacers; Paul George could be in for a big day.

$5,600–Jae Crowder-(Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks) → 11^th

Assuming Jae Crowder gets a full allotment of minutes I believe he can be one of the elite small forwards in today’s slate. Crowder had a fantastic yearnand slowly became a vital part of the Celtics offense and defense. In four games against the Hawks this year he has produced solid numbers (averaging 29.4 Draftkings fantasy points per game) and should be able to once again capitalize on a middle of the pack small forward defense. Overall, there is some risk in playing Crowder as he is still dealing with ankle issues; however, if you are looking for a reliable middle priced small forward he’s your guy.

$5,000–Kent Bazemore-(Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks) → 26^th

Bazemore ended out this season riding high with 5 very solid outings in a row; all while not seeing a ton of minutes. Last time Bazemore faced the Celtics (three games ago) he was able to accumulate 40.25 fantasy points in just 28 minutes. Although there is a good amount of downside to playing Bazemore, there is also a ton of upside and given his price he could easily overproduce.

$3,200-Andre Iguodala-(Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors) → 24^th

Iguodala could be a very, very productive fantasy option tonight. He is one of the Warriors top defenders and as a result should definitely end up seeing more minutes in the playoffs. These extra minutes come at the perfect time as the Rockets have had trouble containing small forwards all year. Coupled with the matchup, Iguodala has played Houston three times this season and averaging roughly 31 Draftkings fantasy points per game. Overall, at a price right above the bare minimum I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND looking at Andre Iguodala tonight.

$3,000–Thabo Sefolosha-(Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks) → 26^th

Thabo is a boom or bust candidate in this game due to the fact that he has not been seeing a ton of minutes lately. Although he has not been seeing a lot of minutes, he could be granted extra playing time considering his defensive ability. If he does end up seeing more time he should be able to produce enough fantasy points to be well worth his price. In his previous matchups with the Celtics he hasn’t played a lot, however he was able to garner an average of roughly 24 Draftkings fantasy points per game. Overall, like Iguodala there is a ton of potential and Sefolosha could end up having a highly productive game; which, at his price, makes him a perfect option when trying to balance out your lineups.

Next: Power Forwards

Power Forwards

To the right of each of the players, after the arrow, I have displayed the opposing team’s defensive rankings over the last 10 games. These rankings are calculated by determining the average stats/Draftkings Points allowed to each specific position.

$8,300–Paul Millsap-(Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks) → 23^rd

Millsap is my favorite option in tonight’s slate, not only does he get a great matchup; but he has been playing extremely well lately. Just three games before the season ended Millsap recorded a ridiculous 31 points and 16 rebounds against the Celtics, earning him 72 Draftkings fantasy points. Overall, if you are looking to pay up for a high salary power forward, Millsap is a solid option and could easily end up producing enough to justify his high cost.

$6,200-Dirk Nowitzki-(Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder) → 6^th

I mean its Dirk…he is amazing (averaging a double-double in the playoffs in 9 of his last 14 seasons) and he should be able to capitalize in a fast paced and competitive game versus the Thunder. As if his playoff track record isn’t enough, he has been a very solid option against Oklahoma City this year even earning 44.5 Draftkings fantasy points last time they played. Overall, if you want a reliable option at power forward Nowitzki is the clear option in my mind.

$5,400–Serge Ibaka-(Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder) → 5^th

Ibaka always has potential for a big game and could be in for just that in the Thunders first playoff game. Serge has averaged roughly 29 Draftkings fantasy points per game against the Mavericks this season and should be able to continue his success, especially with the extra incentive of the playoffs. Overall, if you are looking for a middle of the pack power forward, Ibaka could and should produce enough to justify his price.

$4,400–Amir Johnson-(Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks) → 26^th  

Amir Johnson has been extremely inconsistent this season; however, he has excelled in two of his four matchups against the Hawks this year. On top of his success, Johnson gets a great matchup versus a Hawks defense who has had difficulty stopping power forwards all year. Overall Amir is the epitome of a boom or bust candidate, but at such a low price (for a presumed starter) he could end up helping balance your lineup and has potential for a highly productive game.

Next: Centers

Centers

To the right of each of the players, after the arrow, I have displayed the opposing team’s defensive rankings over the last 10 games. These rankings are calculated by determining the average stats/Draftkings Points allowed to each specific position.

$6,000-Dwight Howard-(Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors) → 19^th

Like James Harden, Howard is one of the key players in the Rockets offense and will have to play well in order for Houston to have any chance. With this in mind he could be one of the top players of the night, the fact that he is the lowest price he has been in a while is just an added plus. On Draftkings the Warriors rank 1^st in defense against centers; however, as the season ended they began allowing more and more production to opposing centers (in the last 10, as you can see above, they ranked 19^th). Coupled with the good matchup is the intensity this game should be played at, and the fact that Howard has had plenty of success versus Golden State this season (averaging roughly 39 Draftkings fantasy points per game). Overall, if you are looking to pay up for a center then I highly recommend taking a close look at Dwight Howard.

$5,300–Enes Kanter-(Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder) → 27^th

Kanter has shown an uncanny ability to blow-up in random games. In my opinion he should be a solid option this post season as he is typically utilized as a shooting center. This ability could be a vital source of points for the Thunder against a recently strong Dallas defense. Knowing that he is going to split time with Adams makes him a little less appealing; however, he has a ton of potential and could be in for a great game.

$3,700–Steven Adams-(Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder) → 27^th

Like Kanter, Steven Adams is a crucial player on the Thunders roster and with his defensive strength, he could be in for more minutes against a big Mavericks squad. Adams has a ton of potential and had been turning it up as the season came to a close, so hopefully he can keep his run going into the playoffs. At a price just above the bare minimum, Adams is a steal and should easily be able to produce enough Draftkings fantasy points to justify his price.

$3,000–Bismack Biyombo-(Indiana Pacers @ Toronto Raptors) → 13^th

Biyombo has been solid off the bench for the Raptors all year and may be able to reel in enough rebounds to justify picking a bottom of the barrel center. The big downside to picking Biyombo is the fact that he may not see enough minutes to produce anything. With that being said, in the previous matchups between the Raptors, Bismack thrived even in limited time (recording an average of 26 Draftkings fantasy points per game).

Next: FanDuel NBA Picks For April 16

Good luck out there. The NBA isn’t done yet. Check out our FanDuel and DraftKings baseball picks as well!