In the final game of the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament, the eighth-seeded Timberwolves (-5.5) look to punch their ticket to the NBA Playoffs against the 10th-seeded Thunder (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Timberwolves had a chance to pull off an upset in the 7-8 game against the Lakers, but had trouble executing their offense in the latter stages of regulation and overtime, ultimately losing 108-102. The Thunder fared the exact opposite, outplaying the ninth-seeded Pelicans down the stretch en route to a potential playoff appearance.
For SuperDraft players searching for NBA DFS lineup advice, our Friday night prime-time lineup aims to help boost your bankroll when it the final buzzer sounds. We've selected a high-usage Champion with an enticing multiplier and matched him with four other players who'll likely log close to 35 minutes each, giving them a chance to stuff the stat sheet.
SuperDraft offers salary cap DFS contests, but the majority of its tournaments feature no restrictions like caps or tiers. The strategy involves points multipliers — the higher a player's average fantasy score, the lower their multiplier. The lower their average fantasy output, the higher their multiplier. A winning lineup will feature a good mix of stud fantasy contributors with 1x-1.5x boosts, as well as matchup-based sleepers with larger multipliers.
MORE TIMBERWOLVES-THUNDER: Betting preview
Before we break down all of our picks, here are the most notable scoring rules for SuperDraft contests: Made three-point shot (+0.5 points), rebound (+1.25 points), assists (+1.5 points), steals and blocks (+3 points), double-double (+1.5 points -- max one per player) and triple-double (+1.5 points -- max one player). Additionally, your Champion player gets his point total increased by an additional 50 percent.
MORE NBA: Spreads, moneylines, props, parlays -- get it all with BetMGM!
SuperDraft NBA DFS Picks: Timberwolves vs. Thunder
Lineup consists of a Champion player scoring an additional 50% of its multiplier and four FLEX players. Lineup must include players from at least two different teams. Draft all of your favorite players based on their multiplier value with no restrictions.
Champion (50% more points): C Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves (Multiplier: 1.9x)
Towns scored a team-high 24 points in Tuesday's overtime loss to the Lakers, but only attempted 12 shots from the field (eight-of-12 FG). Although he was efficient given his workload, expect the big man to hoist more shots on Friday night with Minnesota's season on the line. He should fare well against an undersized Thunder defense that ranks 15th in three-point percentage defense (35.8 percent) and 18th in two-point percentage defense (55.3 percent), making him a worthwhile Champion pick with his juicy 1.9x multiplier.
UTIL: PG Mike Conley, Timberwolves (Multiplier: 1.55x)
We're not chasing points with the veteran guard even though he splashed in a season-high six three-pointers against Los Angeles. We're enticed by his availability, logging 44 out of 53 potential minutes against the Lakers on Tuesday night, with Chris Finch trusting the seasoned guard to play as many minutes as possible. We mentioned above how the Thunder's perimeter defense is exploitable, ranking 15th in three-point percentage defense, which could translate to Conley once again splashing in a handful of threes.
UTIL: SG Luguentz Dort, Thunder (Multiplier: 1.8x)
Dort put together a masterful effort in Wednesday night's upset win against the Pelicans, scoring 27 points on eight-of-14 shooting from the floor while also grabbing five rebounds in 36 minutes. Dort likely won't be as efficient from the floor on Friday night, but can still score 20-plus points while aiding on the glass. He'll need to do his part as a rebounder against the Timberwolves frontcourt, giving him an outside chance of posting a double-double via points and rebounds.
UTIL: PF Jaylin Williams, Thunder (Multiplier: 2.05x)
Williams is another Thunder player who needs to do his part to limit the Timberwolves effectiveness on the glass, also having an chance to post a double-double via points and rebounds. The ex-Arkansas Razorback is worthy of an add to DFS lineups with a juicy 2.05x multiplier, especially since he'll likely log close to 40 minutes assuming he stays out of foul trouble. Williams made only three-of-nine shots from the floor, but still racked up eight assists to go along with eight rebounds. His ability to aid in multiple facets of the game warrants a start.
UTIL: SG Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves (Multiplier: 1.15x)
Edwards was ice-cold against Los Angeles, but we're banking on a much better output from the Wolves' superstar on Friday night. Edwards drew a tough matchup with Los Angeles' Jarred Vanderbilt draped on him for the majority of the night, and while he's likely to face another solid defender in Dort, he's still averaging 21.5 points per game 47.3 percent shooting against OKC this season. Although he couldn't get much of anything going as a scorer, he still grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists. In a game that's projected to have lots of possessions (over/under 227.5), Edwards makes for a stable addition to SuperDraft lineups.
