Happy Thursday May 1st, we have two elimination games in the NBA playoffs as the Detroit Pistons face elimination on their home floor against the New York Knicks and so do the Los Angeles Clippers against the Denver Nuggets.

The stars are out as Nikola Jokic, James Harden, Jalen Brunson, and Cade Cunningham are taking the floor in their most meaningful game of the year.

 

 

Before actually diving into the meat and potatoes, welcome to the NBA DFS season. If this is your first time reading our column on NBA DFS picks, I just want to welcome you and give you a few tips and tricks on what you should be looking for each night.

  • News outlets: reliable sources that give us injury news & starting lineups
  • Pace of play: who's playing fast vs. who's playing slow. Which teams get a pace-up spot (more possessions) vs. pace-down (fewer possessions)
  • Usage rates: is a percentage of how many plays that player is being used in
  • NBA DFS Projections
  • Lineup Generator
  • NBA Ownership
 

 

Pre/Post-Lock Update

This section will be used for anything that changes from the morning until right up to roster lock. 

Injury updates, players we’re higher on than we were in the morning and so much more.

All status updates after contest roster lock will be made in the Fantasy Alarm Discord: https://discord.gg/2yATJxXe8G

 

NBA Injuries, News & Updates Today, 5/1

 

 

NBA DFS Slate & Game Overviews

In the section below, I’m listing the most notable things we need to look at in Las Vegas, including notable O/U and spreads. Not every game is listed, but every game listed has the pace and defensive numbers listed.

New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons

  • Total: 214
  • Spread: DET -1.5

Knicks NBA DFS Breakdown

  • DRtg (Post All-Star Break): 11th
  • Pace (Post All-Star Break): 17th

The Knicks continue to run an eight-man rotation and their starters are playing big, big minutes. Jalen Brunson played his worst game in Game 5 and was hurt, but he's not listed on today's injury report.

My take on the wings of OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges never changes, but especially on small slates; play the lower owned guy(s). They all look very similar.

It would be nice if Karl-Anthony Towns stayed out of foul trouble and if he can't, Mitchell Robinson will be extended and has a big ceiling. But if KAT stays out of foul trouble, Robinson's role will be minimal.

Pistons NBA DFS Breakdown

  • DRtg (Post All-Star Break): 15th
  • Pace (Post All-Star Break): 7th

It's do or die time part two for the Pistons but this time, it's back at home. Cade Cunningham has been amazing all series posting a 33% USG and 1.35 FP/min and that will continue tonight. Dennis Schroder's minutes finally took a hit because Ausar Thompson played extremely well for the first time this series, so that obviously matters and we'll see how good Thompson plays. Both of those guys are GPP plays only because of it.

Tim Hardaway is clearly the preferred option to Malik Beasley right now but we know Beasley can get hot, so both guys are GPP options. In four of the five games, Tobias Harris has topped 35 minutes and has 30+ DKP in all four of them.

If Isaiah Stewart is out, Jalen Duren will be on the floor for as long as he can be until the inevitable foul trouble that's coming. Paul Reed would back him up and isn't fantasy relevant to matter. Stewart could be pretty solid here.

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers

  • Total: 212
  • Spread: LAC -6.5

Nuggets NBA DFS Breakdown

  • DRtg (Post All-Star Break): 23rd
  • Pace (Post All-Star Break): 13th

The Nuggets rotation will not change because it hasn't changed; they're barely playing anyone outside of their starting lineup. Jamal Murray had THE Jamal Murray postseason game that he has every year, but is it repeatable? Russell Westbrook was also fantastic off the bench and has the opportunity to be in the closing lineup if he's playing well and Michael Porter's shoulder is barking.

Speaking of Porter Jr., he's playing big minutes but he's basically playing with one arm and had a 12% USG in Game 5. I'd prefer to go the Christian Braun route over Porter Jr. Aaron Gordon is definitely a solid option at 5.7K.

Nikola Jokic is elite if you can get there. Don't worry too much about Game 5.

Clippers NBA DFS Breakdown

  • DRtg (Post All-Star Break): 7th
  • Pace (Post All-Star Break): 25th

The Clippers need James Harden to get back to the version of himself that he showed at the beginning of the series because he was a ghost in Game 5. If Kris Dunn can make shots, he'll stay on the floor because he's a great defender, but if he can't, he'll lose time to the likes of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones

With elimination in the cards, Norman Powell the 21 PPG scorer has to show up here. His USG was over 20% in Games 3 and 4, but dipped down to 17% in Game 5. They need the Game 3 and 4 version. Another thing the Clippers need; Robot Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has had 42+ DKP in four straight games and 50+ in two of them.

One of the most underrated aspects of this series is how good Ivica Zubac has been. He's been dominant and Nikola Jokic has no answer for him. I'd be OK if you land on Nicolas Batum as well.

NBA DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks

High

Mid

Value