Welcome to tonight's NBA DFS breakdown for the two-game DraftKings playoff slate. The Knicks travel to Philadelphia looking to close out the Sixers in Game 4, while the Spurs visit Minnesota with a 2-1 series lead and a chance to take control. Both matchups bring high-leverage spots and clear paths to value, with key injury questions still looming. We'll break down the elite plays at every position — including Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, and the unstoppable Victor Wembanyama — alongside chalk locks, mid-range bargains, and sub-$5K value picks. Whether you're playing cash or chasing GPP upside, here's your complete winning lineup guide.
NBA Games Today
NYK at PHI: The Knicks lead this series, 3-0.
SAS at MIN: The Spurs lead this series, 2-1.
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.
NBA Injury Report
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
NYK - OG Anunoby (hamstring) Questionable
PHI - Joel Embiid (ankle/hip) Probable
SAS - None
MIN - Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) Out
Elite Players
Guards
Jalen Brunson, Knicks ($8,300) at Sixers
The Knicks have looked like the best team in the Eastern Conference, and the play of Brunson is a major reason why. Their captain led the way with 42 DraftKings points per game during the regular season while establishing a 30-point floor. He's also scored at least 36 DK points in 11 of his last 12 outings while dropping at least 46 fantasy points in three of his last five fixtures. That culminated in a 53-point masterpiece in his most recent outing, and we could see another one of those in this closeout game since Anunoby might sit once again.
Stephon Castle, Spurs ($6,800) at Timberwolves
Castle has been one of the best guards throughout these playoffs, but he's not being priced like it. This second-year player averaged 37 DK points per game during the regular season while scoring at least 32 DK points in 14 of his last 15 outings. This guy is getting better at the most important time of the season, averaging over 40 DK points per game during that most recent stretch. Seeing him play 40 minutes in the most recent victory means he's been unleashed, and it's scary to think what he could do with that much playing time.
Forwards/Centers
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks ($8,900) at Sixers
KAT has had his hands full in this series, but he's stepped up as much as anyone. Towns scored only eight points across 26 minutes in the most recent win but flirted with yet another triple-double. He's actually averaging 16.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game over his last seven games. That sort of stat-stuffing makes Towns one of the safest options, even though he's only playing 28 minutes a game throughout that stretch. We'd expect 35 minutes in this closeout game, especially if Anunoby sits once again.
Joel Embiid, Sixers ($8,600) vs. Knicks
Embiid is clearly playing hurt, but he's still one of the most dominant players in the NBA. That shows the absurd talent this guy possesses, with Embiid scoring at least 52 DraftKings points in five of his last eight outings. That pairs beautifully with his 46-point average, but this is the spot to use him. Embiid always has his minutes limited due to injury risk, but that's not an option in a do-or-die elimination game. In his last five elimination games, Embiid has averaged 28.8 points, 11 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.
Expected Chalk
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs ($11,000) at Timberwolves
How can anybody possibly fade Wemby? This is the most talented player in the NBA, and he's unstoppable when given a full allotment of minutes. That's what we're seeing in this postseason run, with Wembanyama scoring at least 52 DraftKings points in 19 of his last 24 fixtures. The upside is even more ridiculous, scoring at least 70 fantasy points in nine of those. Having a 38 percent chance to score 70 DK points is one of the most absurd things I've seen since the Russell Westbrook triple-double days, but Wemby is just scratching the surface of a special career.
Mid-Range Money
Josh Hart, Knicks ($6,600) at Sixers
There's going to be a theme in this article with Knicks players. What New York fans love about Hart is that he plays every play like it's his last and never comes off the floor. He's played 84 total minutes over the last two games while scoring at least 26 DK points in seven of his last nine games. We saw him play 40-45 minutes in last year's postseason run, and we'd expect something similar since Anunoby looks likely to sit with NY leading this series 3-0. You simply can't fade a player below $7K who might play 40-45 minutes.
Jaden McDaniels, Timberwolves ($6,500) vs. Spurs
McDaniels actually brings some of Hart's similar assets to the table. He's the Timberwolves' horse, averaging 35 minutes a game throughout this postseason run. That even includes a 20-minute blowout, so seeing 40 minutes is way more likely. That massive role has led McDaniels to maintain a 32-point average throughout the playoffs. He's also taken 18 shots a game over the last four fixtures, so he's clearly being asked to do more in the absence of DiVincenzo.
Value Picks
Mikal Bridges, Knicks ($5,800) at Sixers
There was a ton of negative discourse around Bridges in the opening round of the playoffs, but all of that talk is quiet now. This Iron Man has scored at least 30 DraftKings points in four straight games while posting a 34-point average in that span. That's a fantastic total from a sub-$6K player, and it's likely to continue since Anunoby is a wing who typically plays 35-40 minutes a night. It's also a revenge game for Bridges against his hometown team, who drafted him and traded him, with Mikal scoring at least 30 DK points in six of his seven matchups with the Sixers this season.
Julian Champagnie, Spurs ($4,700) at Timberwolves
It's really difficult to find sub-$5K players who are worth playing on a two-game playoff slate because these rotations are pretty much set in stone. In any case, Champagnie is playing some of his best basketball of the season in this series. He's averaging over 27 DK points per game in this series while scoring at least 24 DK points in four straight outings. You can't ask for any more from a $4,700 player, especially since he's playing 30 minutes as a starter right now.
