NBA DFS Picks & Playbook For Today: 2024 Playoffs, May 14th
Get ready for an exciting evening of basketball action as the 2024 NBA playoffs continue to heat up in the second round. Tonight's DFS lineup offers some great opportunities for daily fantasy success!
Gear up for an intense showdown as the Indiana Pacers take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, while the Minnesota Timberwolves face off against the Denver Nuggets at elevation.
With high-caliber players and playoff implications on the line, tonight's games are bound to deliver some heart-pounding moments for DFS fans. Check out my top NBA DFS picks for Tuesday, 5/14 right here!
NBA DFS Tools To Dominate Tonight's NBA DFS Slate!
Before you finalize your lineups, it's important to check out today's NBA DFS projections and NBA DFS ownership projections. Take advantage of our NBA Consistency Report to identify players who have consistently exceeded expectations this season, along with utilizing our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!
Pacers vs. Knicks DFS
Total: 217
Spread: NYK -2
NBA Injury Report Today, 5/14
Knicks NBA DFS Injuries
- OG Anunoby - OUT
- Mitchell Robinson - OUT
- Bojan Bogdanovic - OUT
- Charlie Brown - OUT
- Duane Washington Jr. - OUT
- Julius Randle - OUT
Pacers NBA DFS Injuries
- Tyrese Haliburton - QUEST
- Bennedict Mathurin - OUT
Indiana Pacers NBA DFS Breakdown
Can the Pacers win on the road? They’ve been great at home and bad on the road this postseason.
- Starters: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner
- Bench: T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard, Obi Toppin, Isaiah Jackson
Tyrese Haliburton has been great since Game 1 pouring in 20+ points in three straight games and has scored 30+ actual in two of three and he didn’t get to play the fourth quarter in Game 4. T.J. McConnell continues to lead the team in usage rate this postseason up over 26%. His price is up, but is viable.
Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard are fine final pieces if that’s where your lineup ends up. Ben Sheppard has a low-floor, but he’s playing high teens minutes.
Pascal Siakam has looked better offensively since OG Anunoby got hurt and I like the matchup here once again. He had a 37% USG rate in Game 3. Obi Toppin is going to play around 20 minutes and average 1.16 FP/min this postseason.
Myles Turner has been at 1.06 FP/min this postseason and has been pretty good since he struggled in Game 2. Isaiah Jackson is playing the backup five and is nothing more than a punt.
- Top Play(s): Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, T.J. McConnell
- Secondary Play(s): Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin, Andrew Nembhard
- Punt(s): Isaiah Jackson
New York Knicks NBA DFS Breakdown
Do the Knicks have anything left in the tank? They looked like they had absolutely nothing in Game 4 and are they worn down by all the injuries and minutes they’ve played?
- Starters: Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa, Isaiah Hartenstein
- Bench: Miles McBride, Alec Burks, Jericho Sims
Jalen Brunson has been hounded by Aaron Nesmith over the last two games and he has shot poorly. He does get to go home here and has a 38.5% USG rate without OG Anunoby and Bojan Bogdanovic this postseason. I think there’s a chance Miles McBride starts over Precious Achiuwa, which would make him one of the best values on the board.
Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart feel like a package deal. If you want to play the Knicks here and believe they have something left in the tank, they’re one of the primary reasons as to why. Alec Burks is a very viable option off the bench for the Knicks. He’s played the entire second quarter in back-to-back games.
I like Isaiah Hartenstein, but I don’t love him at $6,000 on DraftKings. I will say, $6K is perfectly fine if he approaches 40 minutes like the did in the first few games this series. If Precious Achiuwa starts, he’s OK. Nothing that really gets me going.
- Top Play(s): Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo
- Secondary Play(s): Miles McBride, Isaiah Hartenstein
- Punt(s): Alec Burks
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets DFS
Total: 206
Spread: DEN -4.5
NBA Injury Report Today, 5/14
Nuggets NBA DFS Injuries
- Jamal Murray - QUEST
Timberwolves NBA DFS Injuries
- Jaylen Clark - OUT
Minnesota Timberwolves NBA DFS Breakdown
After stealing two games in Denver, the Timberwolves dropped two games at home, and we head back to Denver tied at two.
- Starters: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert
- Bench: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Naz Reid, Kyle Anderson
Mike Conley is a really safe play at $5,700. I like him in cash and tournaments as he played 34 minutes in a competitive game. That’s where he’ll settle into at 34. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is nothing more than a GPP play at this point with how inconsistent he’s been.
Anthony Edwards is amongst one of the best spend ups as he’s scored 40+ actual points in two of the four games in this series. He played 45 minutes in Game 4 and that’s what it’ll be again in Game 5 considering the magnitude of this one. Jaden McDaniels has the opportunity to play nearly 40 minutes, but also is very foul happy and the edge of the minutes + price would instantly go away.
Their big rotation is interesting. Karl-Anthony Towns has been bad offensively in Games 3 and 4 after being great in 1 and 2. They need him to be better because their halfcourt offense is stagnant. He’s too cheap. Rudy Gobert was bullied by Nikola Jokic in Game 4 and it’s likely going to be the case in Game 5 again. That could leave some extra run on the table for Naz Reid here.
- Top Play(s): Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mike Conley
- Secondary Play(s): Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid (GPPs), Jaden McDaniels
- Punt(s): None
Denver Nuggets NBA DFS Breakdown
The series is all knotted up at two and it’s crazy that we’re here after watching the first two games.
- Starters: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic
- Bench: Justin Holiday, Christian Braun, Reggie Jackson
A big reason as to why the Nuggets are back in the position they’re in is because Jamal Murray has risen. He’s played back-to-back great games putting up 40+ DKP in each and the calf looks better and better as the postseason has progressed. Nikola Jokic finally surpassed him in USG, but he’s still at 28.6% for the entire postseason.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is nothing more than a last piece in and if he makes shots, he is viable. Christian Braun is OK as a punt, but he needs to keep defending at a high level to be on the floor. Justin Holiday is also OK as he continues to be their best bench piece due to how well he’s shooting the ball.
This has not been Michael Porter Jr.’s series, but he has upside because of how well he can shoot the rock. I actually prefer Aaron Gordon for cheaper, but I suspect Porter will be lower owned. Gordon will also never be taken off the floor for defensive purposes like MPJ has.
Nikola Jokic. That’s all. That’s the tweet. The guy is good and realized his offensive aggressiveness is required this series. Look for another game in which he gets off nearly 30 shots.
- Top Play(s): Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon
- Secondary Play(s): Michael Porter Jr.
- Punt(s): Justin Holiday
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Player News
Bennedict Mathurin (abdominals) is available for Game 5 against the Bucks on Tuesday.
Mathurin is available after sitting out Indiana’s Game 4 victory in Milwaukee. His return will likely result in fewer minutes for fellow reserve Ben Sheppard. Sheppard, who re-entered the Pacers’ rotation in Game 3 after Andrew Nembhard landed in early foul trouble, played 22 minutes in Game 4.
Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) won’t face suspension for Tuesday’s matchup against the Clippers.
MPJ left the bench area during a Game 4 scuffle but won’t face suspension if he suits up on Tuesday. He logged a series-high 42 minutes in Game 4 and will likely play a significant role in Game 5 if healthy and engaged.
Jimmy Butler returned to the lineup on Monday and contributed 27 points (7-of-12 FGs, 12-of-12 FTs), five rebounds, six assists, one block and one three-pointer in a 109-106 win over the Rockets in Game 4 on Monday.
After missing Game 3, Butler was back in the lineup on Monday. He started off slow, but he scored 23 points after halftime to help Golden State take a 3-1 lead in the series. This was “Playoff Jimmy” on full display. Excluding his early exit in Game 2, Butler had scored at least 24 points in his last six completed games, dating back to April 9. If he’s playing this well, the Warriors will be tough to beat in a seven-game series. It’s worth noting that Jonathan Kuminga, who started in place of Butler in Game 3, was back to being out of the rotation in this game. Expect Butler to continue to dominate as Golden State attempts to clinch this series in Houston in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Buddy Hield started on Monday and finished with 15 points (6-of-15 FGs), four rebounds, three assists, two steals and three three-pointers against the Rockets in Game 4 on Monday.
Jimmy Butler’s return from a one-game absence also allowed Hield to enter the starting lineup after scoring 17 points in Game 3. He really struggled in Games 1 and 2, but he was able to build on his performance from Saturday in Monday’s win. Hield is a streaky shooter, but he has been on recently and hit eight triples across Golden State’s two home games. He’ll look to carry this shooting with him to Houston for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Quinten Post provided a boost off the bench with 13 points (4-of-11 FGs), four rebounds, three assists and two three-pointers against the Rockets in Game 4 on Monday.
With Jimmy Butler, head coach Steve Kerr bumped Post back to the bench, though he still played a significant reserve role. After playing 27 minutes as a starter, he played 20 minutes off the bench in Game 4 and scored in double figures for the second time this postseason. The numbers weren’t eye-popping, but the threat of a stretch big certainly opens things up on offense for Golden State. Post will continue to be an important part of the team’s rotation moving forward.
Brandin Podziemski lit up the Rockets with 26 points (9-of-18 FGs), five rebounds, five assists, two steals, one block and six three-pointers in Game 4 on Monday.
Podziemski has made things happen in this series. He scored in double figures in Games 1 and 3, which were wins. He exited early from Game 2, which was a loss. He played 40 minutes in Game 4 and had his best game of the postseason, which helped the Warriors take a 3-1 lead in the series. Podz did a little bit of everything in this game, but he did most of his damage beyond the arc. He’ll look to stay hot in Game 5 on Wednesday to help the Warriors close out the series.