NBA Sleeper Picks Today, 4/17: Best DFS Plays & Projections Wednesday
Tonight, there are two thrilling NBA games scheduled, presenting a plethora of chances to emerge victorious with our Sleeper Fantasy NBA picks.
NBA DFS Sleeper Picks For Tonight, 4/17
In this article, we shine the spotlight on Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Garrison Mathers, sharpshooter for the Atlanta Hawks. So, let's officially delve into our carefully curated selection of top NBA Sleeper picks for DFS on Wednesday, April 17th!
*Editor's Note: Exciting news! By securing a place in the top-5 of our Daily Pick'Em contest on BettorEdge for the Play-In Tournament games, you'll have the opportunity to score fantastic FREE FA SWAG! Don't miss out on this incredible chance to win big!
Garrison Mathews - Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are quite short-handed tonight and Mathews is going to be one of their primary bench options, possibly their most important bench option. He checks in the game to do one thing and that’s space the floor and knock down threes.
His minutes have been up lately as he’s topped 20 in four straight and with Vit Krejci ineligible for the postseason, he could continue to see an uptick there. He’s made two or more threes in six of seven games and faces a Bulls defense that can’t stop three-point shooters.
Since the All-Star break, they’ve allowed 15.1 threes per game, the second most in the NBA, while allowing them to shoot 37.7%, the sixth-worst mark in the league.
Joel Embiid - Philadelphia 76ers
Even though his status is questionable, it's almost certain that Joel Embiid will be in action tonight. Every time he's stepped on the court this season, he's shown dominance. Averaging 34.7 points per game, he would have been the league leader if he qualified.
Furthermore, on a per-36 basis, he was putting up 37 PPG. Given the significance of this game, we should expect Embiid's playing time to go up as the team looks to secure a win. The team that emerges victorious in this matchup will avoid a first-round showdown with the Boston Celtics.
- SLEEPER SPECIAL – Sleeper has made Joel Embiid’s points+rebounds a 20% discount from now until roster lock. It’s a 1.7X multiplier. It’s a no-brainer to select this prop on Sleeper if looking at anything Joel Embiid-related!
Total Multiplier: 3.6X
NBA Schedule Today, 4/17
After exploring our exclusive NBA Sleeper picks for today, uncover the comprehensive NBA Play-In Tournament schedule for Wednesday, April 17th:
- Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers - 7:00 pm ET
- Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls - 9:30 pm ET
Player News
Buddy Hield had 15 points (5-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and four three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Hield moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup in the first round and the team became somewhat reliant on his scoring. With Stephen Curry (hamstring) out in Game 2, Hield started and played 29 minutes. The 32-year-old shooting guard led the Warriors in field goal attempts, though no one in a Golden State uniform was able to reach 20 points. The Warriors weren’t able to overcome a double-digit first half deficit. Despite the four made three-pointers, they’re going to need more from Hield as the series shifts to Golden State, especially if Curry remains out.
Jimmy Butler had 17 points (6-of-13 FGs), seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Butler couldn’t get it done without Stephen Curry (hamstring) on the road in Game 2. The Warriors fell behind by double-digits early and never recovered. Butler had 17 points on 13 shots, which wasn’t far off from the 20 points he had in Game 1. Still, the Warriors have to regroup as they head home for Games 3 and 4 as they try to figure out a way to keep this series close until Curry can return to the court.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four three-pointers in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Alexander-Walker was a key scorer off the bench in Game 2. He, Naz Reid and Donte DiVencenzo combined for 10 made three-pointers off the bench. In a game where the Warriors were desperate for scoring without Stephen Curry (hamstring), those bench points were too much to overcome as the Timberwolves won by 24 points.
Julius Randle had 24 points (10-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, 11 assists and one three-pointer in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Randle led the Timberwolves in scoring in the Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old power forward was just three rebounds away from a triple-double. He was a steadying presence in his 33 minutes as Anthony Edwards dealt with an ankle injury towards the end of the first half. Edwards recovered from his injury to play 34 minutes, but Randle is still the next most important player in this series for the Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards had 20 points (6-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block and two three-pointers in the Timberwolves’ 117-93 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Thursday.
Edwards appeared to suffer a sprained left ankle towards the end of the second quarter as the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his foot. Edwards turned the same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and appeared to re-aggravate the injury. The 23-year-old shooting guard would go on to start the second half and play a team-high 34 minutes in the Game 2 victory. Edwards will only have one full day off before the series resumes in Golden State for Game 3 on Saturday.
Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post in Game 2 against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
No surprise here as Curry was always a long shot to make it back for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with hamstring injury. While there has been a report that the 37-year-old point guard is expected to miss a week, there is no firm timetable for his return. The Warriors will go big with their starting lineup for Game 2 with center Quinten Post entering the lineup in Curry’s absence.