As the NBA playoffs continue to heat up, today's main slate showcases two electrifying matchups set to captivate both fans and fantasy basketball enthusiasts alike. With stakes higher than ever and every possession holding the potential to swing the tide of a series, the intensity on the hardwood is palpable, and so are our NBA DFS picks. 

 

 

 

As DFS managers, navigating this landscape requires keen insight into player form, team dynamics, and strategic matchups. From perennial powerhouses to rising underdogs, tonight's slate promises a thrilling spectacle of athleticism, skill, and drama.

So, buckle up as we delve into the matchups and unearth the hidden gems that could propel your DFS lineups to victory on this pivotal night in the NBA postseason.

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Don't forget to review the NBA DFS projections and NBA DFS ownership projections for today before locking in your lineups. Take advantage of our NBA Consistency Report to pinpoint players who have been outperforming their price tags this season, and don't miss out on our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!

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Heat vs. Celtics DFS

Total: 200.5

Spread: BOS -14

NBA Injury Report Today, 5/1

Heat NBA DFS Injuries

Celtics NBA DFS Injuries

 

 

 

Miami Heat NBA DFS Breakdown

What will the Heat rotation look like tonight now that Jaime Jaquez is ruled out? The likely scenario is Haywood Highsmith or Delon Wright slide into the starting lineup. The Heat are down three starters and Duncan Robinson is extremely limited. 

What we do know: Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Caleb Martin are going to play as many minutes as they can handle. Likely over 40. Everything else is a crapshoot.

Delon Wright, whether starting or not, will likely play somewhere in the mid-20’s to low-30’s minutes and has a very low floor because he’s not a high-volume offensive player. When he makes shots, he has a very solid ceiling.

Haywood Highsmith is very solid and there’s a high probability that he approaches 30 minutes again. He’s another low-floor player, but he is VERY active defensively and can knock down the three ball.

The primary question marks are Nikola Jovic and Patty Mills. Jovic was basically benched in Game 4 after playing 25+ minutes in four straight games, including over 30 in Game 3. Will Jaquez’s absence get him back to that or has Erik Spolstra found lineups he likes better than the ones that have Jovic included. Mills played 22 minutes and 17 straight in the second half, basically when JJJ left.

Boston Celtics NBA DFS Breakdown

So obviously things have changed for Boston as Kristaps Porzingis will miss this game and beyond with a right soleus strain. That sigh of relief you heard was all of Boston that it wasn’t his Achilles. 

Without Porzingis in the lineup, there’s two guys above the rest in terms of usage and FP/min. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Tatum has a 34% USG and averages 1.4 FP/min without Zinger. Brown’s at a 31% USG and 1.2 FP/min.

After that, the likes of Derrick White, Al Horford, and Jrue Holiday are solid options. What happens with the rest of the Boston rotation is interesting. I assume Luke Kornet operates as the backup center because he played six minutes in the second half of Game 5. I’m not sure how much double-big they run, but that is something Boston has deployed that lineup for 24 minutes this postseason.

Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser are the top two members of the Boston Celtics bench that will actually play minutes, but every Boston starter (including Horford here) played at least 20 minutes in the second half, so they’d have to get their work done early or get run in a blowout.

 

 

 

Mavericks vs. Clippers DFS

Total: 209.5

Spread: LAC +3

NBA Injury Report Today, 5/1

Mavericks NBA DFS Injuries

Clippers NBA DFS Injuries

 

 

 

Dallas Mavericks NBA DFS Breakdown

The Mavericks have a core three guys that are going to play 40 minutes and then everyone else is going to fill in the gaps. Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and PJ Washington are those three. Obviously, Doncic and Irving are head and shoulders the best two plays from the Mavs here. Washington is someone I’m OK landing on, too.

With Tim Hardaway Jr. out, we should see Derrick Jones Jr.’s minutes solidified as they’ve been from Game 2 on. He’s been pretty productive when extended in this series.

The center room for Dallas has been, well, messy. Daniel Gafford starts but hasn’t been effective. Maxi Kleber comes off the bench but has basically closed every game this series. Dereck Lively II has played 15-to-21 minutes in every game this series and sits at 1 FP/min. Lively is my favorite option of the three.

Los Angeles Clippers NBA DFS Breakdown

The Clippers are the most interesting team of the day and my personal favorite to stack. Without Kawhi Leonard, there’s a lot to like. They only played eight games in Game 4 and Mason Plumlee is in the low-teens as the backup center.

Without Leonard this year, including the postseason, James Harden and Paul George both average 1.28 FP/min. George has a 29.9% USG and Harden sits at 23.7%. They’re the top two plays with a bullet.

The rest of the rotation is interesting though. Other than Game 4, Ivica Zubac has been great in this series posting a 22.3% USG while averaging 1 FP/min. You can take a shot on Plumlee too, but there’s a chance he only plays 10 minutes like he did in Game 3.

The rest of the rotation is mostly all in play too. Outside of Amir Coffey. He has the lowest floor ever. Naturally, he’ll do great tonight because I said that.  Anyways, it’s hard to imagine Norman Powell does literally nothing in 30 minutes again after watching him the entire regular season on this team. 

Terance Mann has been great defensively against Luka Doncic and he’ll continue to be on the floor as long as he stays out of foul trouble to guard him. He’s also 7-for-14 from three this series, so if he continues to knock shots down, he has a ceiling. Russell Westbrook has NOT shot the ball well in any capacity, but if the shot falls, there’s value at just $5K on DraftKings.

 

 

 

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