DraftKings Early NBA Picks April 2

There are four afternoon games for the early DraftKings tournament today. The best part is that they all tip at the same time! This is a tournament where we can finally play on skill and research again while not having to worry about late scratches!

Point Guards

Best Bets:

Russell Westbrook ($13,300): Don’t use him. I dare you. So does Russ. He has four straight games of more than 70 DraftKings points. It is becoming harder and harder to cash without him in your lineup. The good thing is that there are bargains popping up everywhere this late in the season. Of course, the fallout from this is having Westbrook alone isn’t enough since he is so widely owned. You have to choose right on the bargain players too.

Mike Conley ($8,300): Conley has only been held under 5x value at this price point by the Pelicans and Spurs over the last ten games. Both of those teams are in the top ten against point guards. Conley has been carrying the team with Marc Gasol out. Gasol will not play this afternoon either. Look for Conley to have another big game against the rebuilding Lakers.

Honorable Mention:

Kemba Walker ($8,000): Walker picked up 41.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Thunder. He has hit three or more three pointers in five straight and seven of the last eight. He is scoring at a high level right now. Add that to his above average passing ability, and you have a double-double waiting to happen.

Dark Horse:

Shelvin Mack ($3,900): Mack has at least 6x value in both games George Hill has missed. Hill is out again today, and thought he doesn’t start, Mack is a very solid bargain play. He is certainly more reliable than Dante Exum.

Patty Mills ($3,400): Mills has actually averaged 19.8 DraftKings points per game against Utah this year, which is well above value and his season average. With George Hill out again, Mills should have an easier go of it this time around. He will be one of the better value plays of the afternoon set.

My picks: Westbrook(PG), Mack(G); Westbrook(PG), Conley(G)

Shooting Guards

Best Bets:

Nicolas Batum ($6,800): Batum racked up 37.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting against a solid Thunder defense. Batum rebounded a little on Friday after poor performances against Toronto and Milwaukee, but he still isn’t at the level he was before those games. At any rate, this is a small slate of games, and there isn’t a lot to choose from at the position. Batum may not reach value, but he should outscored everyone else at SG.

Victor Oladipo ($5,700): Oladipo had 31.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Hornets this year. He has hit at least 5x value in six of the last ten games. Teams like San Antonio and Orlando held him in check this week, but he should be back on track here.

Honorable Mention:

Wesley Matthews ($5,100): Matthews has been able to top 5x value in each of the last five games. However, he has very little upside since he is mostly an offensive afterthought. That said, Dallas is fighting for playoff positioning, so Matthews will continue to get his run of minutes even if Seth Curry is able to start playing more.

Rodney Hood ($4,300): Hood is about as inconsistent as they come, but he does have 60 DraftKings points in two games against the Spurs this year. Hood’s crazy upside keeps DFS players coming back for more, but he can single-handedly ruin your lineup if he struggles.

Dark Horses:

Jeremy Lamb ($3,400): Lamb will take on his former team today. He put up 19.25 DraftKIngs points on them in the first meeting. The problem here is that Lamb’s minutes fully depend on how effective Marco Belinelli is. If Belinelli struggles, Lamb plays more. If not, Lamb barely plays. Will he get more run since it is his former team?

David Nwaba ($3,300): Nwaba had a big game yesterday against the Clippers after an uninspiring performance against the Timberwolves on Thursday. Such is the trek of a young player. Memphis isn’t all that good against shooting guards, but the overall defense is good. Don’t be all that surprised if Nwaba struggles again.

My pick: Batum(SG), Hood(UTIL); Nwaba(SG)

Small Forwards

Best Bet:

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($9,500): It will be mostly impossible to get Giannis and Westbrook in the same lineup, but is it worth trying to? He dominated a good Detroit team on Friday, and played well against a good Boston team before that. Dallas isn’t all that great up front, and Dirk can’t really guard him anymore. That means he will tower of a solid Harrison Barnes. Will he hit 50 again? It is possible.

Kawhi Leonard ($8,600): Statistically, Utah is the fourth best defensive team in the league against small forwards. Someone forgot to tell Kawhi. He has 101.5 DraftKings points in two games against the Jazz so far this year. He also had a big game against a solid Thunder team on Friday. Leonard has only been below 5x value once in the last four games after missing in four straight games. He looks safe to use again.

Honorable Mention:

Khris Middleton ($6,300): Middleton has been a huge offensive boost over the last two games with Malcolm Brogdon ailing. He will continue to be a big part of the offense going forward. He racked up a double-double against a good Pistons team on Friday. Middleton is a good pivot option if you can’t afford Giannis.

Harrison Barnes ($5,700): Barnes put up a huge 51.5 DraftKings points in his first game against Milwaukee. However, that game went in to double overtime, and Middleton was injured. This is going to be different this time around, but don’t be surprised if he flirts with 6x value.

Dark Horses:

MIchael Kidd-Gilchrist ($4,800): MKG had 30.75 DraftKings points in the first game against the Thunder. Things have changed since then, but I am inclined to think that he can do it again. Especially since the Thunder have been pummeled by small forwards lately. MKG could be a nice value play for you cost-conscious.

Joe Ingles ($4,400): Despite coming off of the bench in the last couple of games, Ingles has still easily surpassed 5x value by pacing the second unit in scoring. Gordon Hayward will likely struggle with Leonard on him, which could lead to a few more minutes for Ingles, and a few more shots. Can he convert that into value for us?

My Pick: Middleton(SF); Kidd-Gilchrist(SF)

Power Forwards

Best Bets:

Zach Randolph ($7,000): Randolph has at least 29 DraftKings points in all four games that Gasol has been out. The Lakers are one of the weakest teams in the league in the middle, and now Ivica Zubac is out of the lineup as well. Blake Griffin dominated them yesterday. It’s Randolph’s turn today.

Julius Randle ($6,100): Memphis is usually tough on the interior, but Randle has 74.5 DraftKings points against them in two prior games, and that was with a healthy Marc Gasol. Randle had an impressive game against the Clippers yesterday. Can he make it two in a row against two good defenses?

Honorable Mention:

Marvin Williams ($6,000): Williams keeps right on rolling. He has at least 5x value in four of the last five games. The only team to hold him under was Giannis and the Bucks. The Thunder don’t play Taj Gibson enough to really alter Williams’ game, so expect him to be above 5x value yet again.

Frank Kaminsky ($5,100): Frank the Tank racked up 33.5 DraftKings points in just 24 minutes against the Thunder in the first meeting. Even though he isn’t starting, he has shown that he can do a lot with little minutes in this rotation. There is risk involved, but he could have a very nice game today.

Dark Horses:

Brandan Wright ($4,100): As the primary backup at both frontcourt slots with Gasol out, Wright has at least 4x value in every game Gasol has missed. He lacks upside, but he could be a solid value play if you need it.

Thomas Robinson ($3,300): Robinson had his best game as a Laker yesterday against the Clippers. He is still coming off the bench, but he racked up 35 DraftKings points. That is 10x value! I doubt he gets quite that many against Memphis, but you can bet he will see good minutes in this one!

My pick: Randolph(PF), Robinson(F); Randle(PF), Williams(F), Robinson(UTIL)

Center

Best Bet:

Rudy Gobert ($7,800): Rudy has been dreadful against the Spurs this year. As in just 37 DraftKings points in TWO games awful. However, LaMarcus Aldridge is out, which could help Gobert out a little bit. I still don’t like this matchup at all, but there aren’t a lot of good options at center today. I could still see Gobert outscoring most at the position, but there is no way he reaches value.

Greg Monroe ($5,100): Monroe had an impressive 35.5 DraftKings points in the first game against Dallas. They are supposedly tough on centers, but Monroe had no issues with them. He still doesn’t start, but that may be to Monroe’s favor. Due to Dallas’s defensive stats in the post and the fact that Monroe doesn’t start, it could keep a lot of people off of him. That’s fine with me!

Honorable Mention:

Nerlens Noel ($5,000): Noel is still a work in progress. Dallas is finally playing him around 25 minutes per game. While with the Sixers, he racked up 37.25 DraftKings points in 28 minutes against the Bucks. He could have similar success today.

Enes Kanter ($4,800): Kanter racked up 32 DraftKings points in just 19 minutes in the first meeting against Charlotte. Kanter could see more minutes this time around, and he could have similar success. He has topped 30 DraftKings points in three of the last five games.

Dark Horses:

Pau Gasol ($4,500): Gasol should see plenty of run with Aldridge out, and with Danny Green and Manu Ginobili also sitting, he could be asked to shoulder some of the scoring load. It wont be easy against Gobert, but I would rather take a flier on Gasol for roughly half the price of Gobert than Gobert himself.

Tarik Black ($4,000): Black didn’t see as big of a game because of what Robinson did, but he still reached value for this price. Black has very little upside, but he is the more reliable of the two, at least right now.

My pick: Noel(C); Kanter(C)

Stay tuned for our FanDuel picks, and our picks for NHL and the PGA tour! We even have some EPL picks coming your way! Once again, make sure to follow our Twitter feed leading up to tipoff!