Sunday night continues an exciting opening weekend of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, with the Suns hosting the Clippers at 8:00 p.m. ET and the Nuggets hosting the Wolves at 10:30 (both on TNT). There will be no shortage of stars in this evening double-header, including two-time Finals MVPs Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard and reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic. We have assembled a DraftKings DFS lineup for this great slate of hoops, which we will discuss pick-for-pick today.
Phoenix and Denver must be pretty gassed to draw Los Angeles and Minnesota in the first round. The Clippers will most likely be without star guard Paul George (ankle) for the entirety of the opening series, and the Timberwolves have fallen into disarray with Rudy Gobert punching Kyle Anderson last weekend, Jaden McDaniels punching a wall and breaking his hand, and Naz Reid out for the season. Making matters worse, Gobert (back) has been listed as questionable tonight.
We already told you how to bet the Suns-Clippers series as well as Nuggets-Wolves. Now we will talk about our optimal DFS lineup from Game 1 of each of these respective series. Let's dive into our DraftKings NBA $200K Fadeaway lineup for Sunday night.
Before we break down all of our picks, here are the most notable scoring rules for DraftKings contests: Made three-point shot (+0.5 points), rebound (+1.25 points), assists (+1.5 points), steals and blocks (+2 points), double-double (+1.5 points -- max one per player) and triple-double (+3 points -- max one player).
NBA DraftKings Play-In Tournament Picks 4/14: DFS lineup for Friday's GPP contests
Friday night main slate — $50,000 budget
PG Jamal Murray, Nuggets vs. Wolves ($7,600)
We may never see 'Bubble Jamal' again, but Murray can still heat up in short order under the bright lights. He also averaged 21 points and four assists against the Wolves this season, and we have no doubt that Chris Finch and the Wolves will double Nikola Jokic plenty this evening. The increased attention on Joker will open the floor and create space for shooters and playmakers like Murray, who never met a shot attempt he didn't like. He may not always be efficient, but he's well worth $7,600. The Wolves surrendered the sixth-most DK points to point guards this season.
SG Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Wolves at Nuggets ($4,000)
NAW has stepped up in many ways since Jaden McDaniels hurt his hand, and his performance in Minnesota's play-in win over the Thunder was a prime example. The young swingman put up 12 points, six assists, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, good for a robust 36 DK points. He's being priced like he's still a deep reserve, but Alexander-Walker yields plenty of value entering Game 1 against a weak Nuggets defense. His defensive counting stats are just a cherry on top of a very tasty DFS sundae.
SF Kyle Anderson, Wolves at Nuggets ($7,000)
SloMo always makes my DFS lineups, simply because he knows how to play smart basketball and he contributes in a number of different ways (he also takes punches from 7-footers like a champ). He put up 54.25 DK points in Minnesota's play-in loss to the Lakers, and followed that up with 26 DK points on Friday against OKC. That perfectly illustrates his ceiling and floor, and proves his worth as a $7,000 DFS investment.
PF Aaron Gordon, Nuggets vs. Wolves ($6,900)
Gordon was a borderline All-Star this season, and he remains a solid, consistent option for Denver going into the playoffs. In the last three games in which he logged 30-plus minutes, the veteran forward averaged over 43 DK points. If Gobert is out or even banged up against the Nuggets, Karl-Anthony Towns will battle with Jokic all night and Gordon will feast down low against Anderson and Taurean Prince.
C DeAndre Ayton, Suns vs. Clippers ($6,500)
Ayton might be the fourth scoring option on the Suns, but he's arguably the best fourth scoring option in the Association. And he will need to step up big time against Ivica Zubac and Mason Plumlee with Paul George sidelined for L.A. We expect the former No. 1 overall pick to have a strong Game 1, setting the stages for a strong series on the interior.
G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Nuggets vs. Wolves ($5,100)
We love the Nuggets' role players, what can we say!? KCP is an elite steals producer, a dead-eye three-point shooter, and an underrated passer. He's a gift at $5,100, as his upside could push us into DFS jackpot territory.
F Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets vs. Wolves ($6,200)
Are we drafting too many Nuggets? NOPE! We love the Nuggets to beat down the Wolves in Game 1, and we think Denver's perimeter shooters will play a big part in the onslaught. MPJ has quietly been a midrange and outside assassin this season, and casual hoops fans are about to finally see what the young man is capable of on the big stage.
UTIL Mike Conley, Wolves at Nuggets ($6,400)
Conley has been a best for Minnesota since he got traded from Utah, and we can't imagine where the Wolves would be without him. The veteran point guard creates for others, knocks down clutch treys, and plays great defense from end to end. He's a solid finishing touch to a DFS lineup we think has plenty of potential to bring us a big DFS payday.
