It’s Friday, April 4th. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has 10 total games on the schedule. The Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics meet up at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV. The Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors tangle at 10:00 p.m. ET in the second half of an NBA TV doubleheader.
Here are our top NBA DFS lineup picks and advice for tonight’s slate.
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer
NBA DFS Core Plays
Domantas Sabonis (C – SAC)
- DraftKings: $10,100
- FanDuel: $9,900
Domantas Sabonis is a fabulous option to build your DFS lineup around on Friday night in Charlotte. The Hornets allow 113.6 points per game (PPG) to rank 15th in The Association, while also checking in 15th in defensive field-goal percentage at 46.7%.
The Hornets have an opponent rank of 25. Sabonis is racking up 48.3 fantasy points per game. He should approach the 50 fantasy points mark in a game the Kings are heavily favored.
Deni Avdija (SF, PF – POR)
- DraftKings: $9,400
- FanDuel: $9,200
Deni Avdija’s DFS salary continues to slowly rise, but he remains a pretty decent value at this price point. Compared to others in this salary range, his fantasy points per game (34.4) don’t look impressive. However, it’s what he has done lately that is reason to pinpoint him.
Avdija is averaging 29 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists per game in two April contests against the defensively challenged Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors. He has scored 24+ points in four in a row. Avdija also has at least two successful three-pointers in 12 straight games since March 10th.
LeBron James (SF, PF – LAL)
- DraftKings: $10,200
- FanDuel: $9,800
We haven’t used LeBron James very much, if at all, this season, but this is a tremendous spot to play the legendary player. Looking at either James or Luka Doncic, you save a good chunk of salary going with James, without losing too much in fantasy points per game. Doncic is averaging 55.1 fantasy points per game, to 50.8 for James. The difference in savings on salary makes the five points manageable.
James is coming off a 33-point showing against Golden State on Thursday, hitting 10-of-15 from the field and 5-of-8 from downtown. He also had nine assists, five rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal. While a back-to-back isn’t always an optimal position for any player, let alone a 40-year-old, the New Orleans Pelicans have an opponent rank of 28.
NBA DFS Cash Game Targets
Ivica Zubac (C – LAC)
- DraftKings: $8,000
- FanDuel: $8,100
Ivica Zubac has been a rebounding machine lately. He helped me in the FanDuel Daily Shuffle on Wednesday by hitting double digits in boards.
Zubac has become a big part of the Clippers’ offense, posting 10+ rebounds in nine straight games, while going for 14+ points in 16 consecutive outings. The Mavericks don’t figure to offer much resistance, especially if Anthony Davis (adductor – questionable) doesn’t play on Friday night. Even if Davis is active, Zubac will hold his own.
Darius Garland (PG – CLE)
- DraftKings: $8,000
- FanDuel: $7,600
Darius Garland is averaging a solid 37.2 fantasy points per game and faces a Spurs defense with an opponent rank of 26. It’s a solid spot to use Garland, as Cleveland should have an efficient night on offense.
Garland is averaging 19 points in the past three games, while posting 6.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game in that span. He has eight total three-pointers in the three-game stretch, too. Against San Antonio in the first meeting at Rocket Arena on March 27th, Garland was just 4-of-15 from the field, but he managed 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals with two three-pointers.
Derrick White (PG – BOS)
- DraftKings: $7,800
- FanDuel: $7,200
If Darius Garland’s recent showing against the Spurs gives you pause, consider Derrick White against the Phoenix Suns instead. The Suns have an opponent rank of 24 and you save a little salary over the Cleveland point guard.
White is coming off a solid showing against Miami, posting 16 points with six assists, four rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal with a pair of three-pointers. He has at least two successful triples in 11 consecutive outings since March 10th.
NBA DFS GPP Targets
Jarrett Allen (C – CLE)
- DraftKings: $6,900
- FanDuel: $7,600
Jarrett Allen is averaging 33.2 fantasy points per game and this is a solid spot to use him against a Spurs team with an opponent rank of 26. Allen won’t have Victor Wembanyama clogging up the paint, either, as he is long gone due to deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder. Look for Allen to experience very little resistance against the Spurs.
Allen had a monster game in Cleveland against the Spurs in the first matchup, March 27th, going for 29 points with 15 rebounds on an efficient 10-of-11 shooting night. He might not be able to replicate those sparkling numbers, but it’s a rather promising sign for Friday’s matchup.
Jrue Holiday (PG, SG – BOS)
- DraftKings: $6,600
- FanDuel: $5,800
Jrue Holiday is a good value, especially on FanDuel. The Suns are allowing 116.6 PPG (22nd in the NBA), while teams are hitting 36.8% (26th) against them from behind the three-point line. That bodes well for Holiday, who is averaging 18.3 points per game in the past three games with a total of 11 three-pointers in the span.
Payton Pritchard (PG, SG – BOS)
- DraftKings: $6,100
- FanDuel: $5,400
Sticking with the same positions and the same team, Payton Pritchard is also a good play for DFS purposes. Both he and Holiday could each put up healthy numbers. If you wanted to build your backcourt around them, nobody would blame you.
Pritchard has been a little off with his shot lately and he isn’t as sure of a thing as Holiday, but he is just a few games removed from a 22-point showing with five three-pointers against the Kings. The Suns have a leaky defense, particularly along the perimeter, so Pritchard could regain some confidence here.
NBA DFS Value Plays
Andrew Nembhard (PG, SG – IND)
- DraftKings: $5,200
- FanDuel: $5,400
Andrew Nembhard is an attractive low-cost option against the defensively-challenged Utah Jazz on Friday. He has been a little erratic lately, posting single-digit scoring totals in the past two games. However, he is averaging 24.3 fantasy points per game and faces a Utah team with an opponent rank of 29. If Bennedict Mathurin (calf – questionable) sits, it’s a tremendous time to green light Nembhard.
Kris Dunn (PG, SG – LAC)
- DraftKings: $4,000
- FanDuel: $4,500
Kris Dunn is another salary saver who could exceed DFS expectations. The 31-year-old veteran out of Providence had 11 points with seven rebounds in a rout of the New Orleans Pelicans last time out. He has played 19+ minutes in seven consecutive games. Dunn has 14 three-pointers in that seven-game span.
Royce O’Neale (SF, PF – PHX)
- DraftKings: $4,000
- FanDuel: $5,000
While Royce O’Neale and his Suns teammates do not have a great matchup in Boston, he should see a little extra run with Kevin Durant continuing to miss time. If you’re looking for a salary saver to squeeze in a stud, O’Neale could exceed expectations.
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