Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Targets, Values for April 24

We’ve already had one team punch their ticket to the second round of the postseason, with the 76ers completing a sweep of the Nets on Saturday. None of the four teams on Monday’s slate can join them, but the Heat and Lakers could take commanding 3-1 series leads if they win. That makes these essentially must-win games for the Bucks and Grizzlies.

Monday’s NBA slate gets underway at 7:30 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into some of my favorite plays at each position.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]

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Guard

Studs

Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks at Miami Heat ($8,400) – The Heat have jumped out to a 2-1 lead over the Bucks, which makes Game 4 a virtual must-win for Milwaukee. Teams that take a 3-1 series lead have historically won the series at a greater than 95% clip, so the Bucks need to do everything possible to avoid falling into that hole.

Of course, the big story for Milwaukee has been the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. He left Game 1 early with a back injury and hasn’t suited up in either of the past two games. He’s questionable for Game 4, and his return would obviously have a tremendous impact on the Bucks’ chances.

Without Giannis in the lineup, Holiday has had to take on a much larger burden. He racked up 52.75 DKFP in Game 1 and followed that up with 50.75 DKFP in Game 2. Holiday came crashing back to reality in Game 3, but he has consistently produced with Giannis off the floor all season. He increased his usage rate by 5.7% with Giannis off the floor during the regular season, resulting in a team-high average of 1.35 DKFP per minute.

Giannis’ return would clearly be a negative for Holiday’s fantasy prospects, but he’s still put together some big games alongside Antetokounmpo recently. He had 53.75 DKFP in his last full game with Giannis, so he can still provide value in that scenario.

D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($5,800) – The backcourt options are pretty thin on Monday, which vaults Russell into the stud conversation. He hasn’t exactly produced like a stud since arriving in Los Angeles, averaging just 0.90 DKFP per minute over the past month. However, he has given the team some solid production during the postseason, scoring at least 34.5 DKFP in two of his past three games. His price has decreased to a very reasonable $5,800 for Game 4, and Russell has proven he can pay off that salary. He’s one of the better per-dollar options at guard.

Other Options – Ja Morant ($9,600), Desmond Bane ($7,800)

Value

Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($5,400) – Reaves burst onto the scene in 2022-23, establishing himself as a vital part of the Los Angeles rotation. “Hillbilly Kobe” has averaged 0.82 DKFP per minute for the year, and he’s increased that figure to 0.86 over the past month. Most of his elite performances came while the team was playing without LeBron James and/or Anthony Davis, but he’s settled in as an excellent role player. Reaves has played at least 35.4 minutes in back-to-back games, and that much playing time gives him a solid chance to return value.

Other Options – Kyle Lowry ($4,900), Duncan Robinson ($4,000)

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Forward

Studs

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks at Miami Heat ($10,400) – It sounds as though Antetokounmpo will return to the lineup for the Bucks on Monday, which is a massive development. Antetokounmpo turned in another amazing season for the Bucks, averaging a career-high 31.1 points per game with 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists. The result was an average of 57.5 DKFP per game, and his average of 1.80 DKFP per minute was the top mark in basketball.

Giannis has been even more productive than usual when on the floor recently, increasing his production to 2.01 DKFP per minute over the past month. He’s scored at least 63.25 DKFP in his past two full contests, despite playing no more than 32.8 minutes. Giannis averaged approximately 4.5 additional minutes per game during the playoffs last season, so he has the potential for even better numbers during the postseason.

His price tag has also dipped to just $10,400, and while that might be expensive for most players, it represents a massive steal for Giannis. He hasn’t been priced below $10,500 since October of 2021, so his current salary is a massive outlier. There’s always a chance he could be limited in his first game back, but this salary is too good to pass up.

Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks ($9,400) – Butler suffered a glute injury in Game 3 vs. the Bucks, but he was able to finish out the game. He’s listed as questionable for Game 4, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Butler sits out a playoff contest.

Butler is the type of player who saves his best performances for big games, and he has not disappointed to start the postseason. He racked up 63.75 DKFP in the Game 1 upset, and he had 47.25 DKFP in just 28.2 minutes in Game 3. He struggled a bit in Game 2, finishing with just 37.75 DKFP, but he played just 28.3 minutes in the blowout loss. Butler will likely play closer to 40 minutes if Monday’s game is more competitive, which should lead to a bigger performance.

Butler isn’t quite as strong of a value as Giannis, but expect him to return value in a massively important game.

Other Options – Jaren Jackson Jr. ($8,200), Khris Middleton ($7,500)

Value

Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers ($3,500) – If we’re going to pay up for guys like Antetokounmpo and Butler, we’re going to need to save some salary somewhere. Enter Aldama. He hasn’t been a huge part of the Grizzlies’ rotation through the first three games vs. the Lakers, but he’s averaged a solid 0.90 DKFP per minute for the year. The team is also basically out of big men, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Xavier Tillman serving as the Grizzlies’ only other options in the frontcourt. Don’t be surprised if Aldama approaches 20 minutes in this contest, giving him the potential to be one of the better per-dollar options on the slate.

Other Options – Rui Hachimura ($5,200), Dillon Brooks ($4,700)

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Center

Stud

Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($10,000) – Anthony Davis may not play as much as some NBA fans would like, but he is still a dominant force when he’s on the floor. He’s gone for at least 61.5 DKFP in two of his first three games vs. the Grizzlies, including a masterpiece in Game 3. He finished with 31 points, 17 boards, two assists, two steals, and three blocks, resulting in 65.75 DKFP. While LeBron James is still arguably the greatest player in NBA history, this is AD’s team now.

Overall, Davis’ average of 1.52 DKFP per minute trails only Antetokounmpo on this slate. His ceiling isn’t quite as high, but Davis is another outstanding pay-up option to consider.

Other Options – Bam Adebayo ($7,700)

Value

Kevin Love, Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks ($4,400) – The Heat acquired Love after he was cut by the Cavaliers, and he’s given the team some quality minutes during the postseason. He’s not playing a ton, but he has seen at least 20.5 minutes in each of the team’s two wins. That’s enough for Love to do some damage, given his average of 1.01 DKFP per minute this season. Love also displayed a ceiling of more than 30 DKFP in Game 1 of this series, so he has some upside for his price tag.

Other Options – Brook Lopez ($6,100)

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mlamarca) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.