Looking for the top NBA DFS picks for Sunday's slate? RotoWire expert Joel Bartilotta breaks down key matchups, injury updates and the best DraftKings plays to help you build winning lineups.
This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
ORL at NOP: The Magic have won eight straight and 13 of their last 15 games over the Pelicans.
CHA at MIN: The Timberwolves have won three straight in this series.
UTA at OKC: The Thunder have won 13 of their last 14 games against the Jazz.
LAL at DAL: The Lakers have won five straight in this series.
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Injuries to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
ORL - Anthony Black (abdomen)
NOP - Dejounte Murray (Achilles)
CHA - Moussa Diabate (ankle)
MIN - Jaden McDaniels (knee)
UTA - Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson, Keyonte George, Jusuf Nurkic, Walker Kessler, Isaiah Collier (tanking)
LAL - Luka Doncic (hamstring), Marcus Smart (ankle), Austin Reaves (ribs)
DAL - Kyrie Irving (knee)
Elite Players
Guards
Cooper Flagg, Mavericks ($9,800) vs. Lakers
We just saw this rookie have a historical performance in his most recent outing, and it's been a remarkable season. Flagg finished that game with 51 points, six rebounds and three assists en route to 74 DraftKings points. That might feel like an outlier, but Flagg is now averaging 40 DK points per game. He's also got at least 37 fantasy points in 10 of his last 11 outings. That's no surprise with all of the injuries on this roster, and we should continue to see Flagg run the show for the Mavs over the closing week. In two matchups with LA this season, Flagg finished with 39 and 44 DK points!
Desmond Bane, Magic ($7,200) at Pelicans
It's difficult to understand why Bane remains at just $7,200. This guy has been incredible in his debut season in Orlando, averaging 35 DraftKings points per game. That alone is an amazing average from a $7,200 player, but he's been even better recently. Bane had 51 DraftKings points in his most recent outing and has a 38-point average across his last 25 fixtures. That's hard to overlook since they face the Pelicans, who surrender the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wings.
Forwards/Centers
LeBron James, Lakers ($) at Mavericks
LeBron is a safe option no matter what, but he's easily one of the best options on the board with Luka and Reaves sidelined. This 41-year-old has a 33 percent usage rate with Doncic off the floor, averaging 26.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. Those are prime MVP numbers for LeBron, and we can't overlook the fact that he had 28 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in his last matchup with the Mavs back in February.
Paolo Banchero, Magic ($9,000) at Pelicans
Banchero got off to a slow start this season, but he's been one of the most reliable players over the last two months. He took over this offense once Franz Wagner got injured, scoring at least 34 DraftKings points in 21 of his last 24 fixtures. Banchero also has a 43-point average in that span while showcasing a 60-point ceiling. That upside comes into play against a team like the Pelicans because New Orleans ranks 23rd in defensive efficiency and 24th in points allowed.
Expected Chalk
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder ($10,500) vs. Jazz
SGA is the only player over $10K on this slate, and he'll likely be rostered more than anyone else because of that. When we don't have anyone else that expensive, it's much easier to fit a guy like Gilgeous-Alexander into your lineup. It's easily the safest option on the slate, too, because SGA has a 35-point floor and 51-point average. The only real concern is the blowout potential, but Utah still ranks 29th in defensive efficiency and dead-last in points allowed. In their last matchup, Gilgeous-Alexander scored nearly 70 fantasy points!
Mid-Range Money
Brandon Williams, Mavericks ($5,200) vs. Lakers
This Dallas roster has been hampered by injuries all season, but Williams has been a pleasant surprise. He's been the primary point guard for this team over recent weeks, scoring 35 DK points in two of his last three fixtures. He had a similar production before an injury on March 16, posting a 29-point average across his previous 12 games. That's all you can hope for from a $5,200 player, and Dallas needs to lean on him with how shorthanded this rotation is right now. Not to mention, he scored 29 and 32 DK points in his last two matchups with LA.
Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans ($5,100) vs. Magic
New Orleans' season has been slipping away since November, but Fears has quietly been a nice find for them. The rookie has been playing much more over recent weeks, scoring at least 26 DraftKings points in five of his last six outings. That culminated in a career-high 46 fantasy points in his most recent outing, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the Pels let him loose over the final week of the season. If Murray is ruled out, Fears is also a must-roster player.
Value Picks
Derik Queen, Pelicans ($4,600) vs. Magic
Queen has been volatile throughout his rookie season, but if the Pels don't play him now, when will they? That seems to be the rationale recently, with Queen scoring 34 and 36 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. Most importantly, he played 28 minutes in both of those. Queen was a king with that type of role earlier in the season, averaging 36 DK points per game in the 44 games he's played at least 25 minutes. It would be surprising if Queen doesn't play at least 25 minutes a night for the final week, and getting 35 fantasy points from a $4,600 player is absurd.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Hornets ($4,000) at T'Wolves
This is only a viable option if Diabate misses this game, but Kalkbrenner is a must-roster player if that's the case. That'll put Kalkbrenner into a starting center role, and he's been a $6K player with that type of opportunity all season. Kalkbrenner has scored 26 and 28 DraftKings points in the two most recent outings since that injury. He's also got a 29-point average when playing at least 25 minutes a night. That will be his floor if Diabate is out, especially since they need his big body to oppose Rudy Gobert.
