NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, April 11

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, April 11

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

CHI at DET: Bulls on two-game slide; Pistons on five-game slide 

NYK at BOS: Knicks 6-4 in last 10 games; Celtics 7-3 in last 10 games 

HOU at UTA: Rockets 12-26 on road; Jazz on 13-game slide

GSW at POR: Warriors on two-game win streak; Trail Blazers on two-game slide

NOP at SAC: Pelicans on two-game win streak; Kings 5-5 in last 10 games 

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Injuries to Monitor  

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report       

CHI - Ayo Dosunmu (quadriceps), Andre Drummond (ankle): OUT
Javonte Green and Torrey Craig should see more minutes.  

DET - Cade Cunningham (knee): Questionable; Simone Fontecchio (toe): OUT 
Marcus Sasser, Malachi Flynn Troy Brown, and Chimezie Metu are in line for more playing time.      

BOS - Xavier Tillman (knee), Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring):, Jrue Holiday (knee) Questionable
Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet could be in line for greater roles.     

HOU - Alperen Sengun (ankle), jae'Sean Tate (ankle): OUT
Jeff Green and Jock Landale must continue to step up. 

UTA - Kris Dunn (foot), Jordan Clarkson (back), John Collins (back), Walker Kessler (nose), Lauri Markkanen (shoulder), Collin Sexton (illness): OUT
Keyonte George, Johnny Juzang, Taylor Hendricks, Brice Sensabaugh and Omer Yurtseven are expected to start. Darius Bazley and Talen Horton-Tucker could also step up.   

GSW - Dario Saric (knee), Klay Thompson (knee): Questionable: Draymond Green (knee): OUT
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Moses Moody and Gary Payton are in line for more minutes. 

POR - Dalano Banton (ankle): Questioanable; Jerami Grant (hamstring), Anfernee Simons (knee), Malcolm Brogdon (elbow), Matisse Thybulle (ankle): OUT
Jabari Walker, Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert remain up for bigger roles.     

NOP - Naji Marshall (shoulder): Questionable; Brandon Ingram (knee), Larry Nance (personal): OUT
Dyson Daniels and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl remain in line for a boost. 

SAC - Keegan Murray (calf): Questionable; Malik Monk (knee): OUT
Trey Lyles could get a boost if Murray is out. Keon Ellis and Davion Mitchell must step up without Monk.  

Elite Players

Guards

CJ McCollum, Pelicans ($8,300) at Kings 

McCollum is on a roll, going over 40 DK points in each of the last four games, including a high of 60.5, while averaging 31.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals over that span. He must continue to carry an extra load on the offensive end in the absence of Ingram, and he should find room to succeed against the Kings, who give up the league's fourth-highest shooting percentage to opposing point guards. 

Jalen Green, Rockets ($8,400) at Jazz

Green is coming off a relatively quiet performance, with 29.8 DK points in the most recent game, but he is averaging 24.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals across the last 10 outings, including six games with more than 40 DK points and a high of 67. He faces a great opportunity to thrive against the Jazz, who are shorthanded in the backcourt, and who give up the league's second-most points per game to opposing shooting guards. The Jazz also give up the league's most three-pointers per game. 

Forwards/Centers

DeMar DeRozan, Bulls ($8,100) at Pistons 

DeRozan continues to lead the charge as his squad gets set for the play-in tournament and hopes to avoid dropping into 10th place in the conference. He is averaging 27.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.3 steals over the last 10 games, including eight with more than 40 DK points and a high of 50. He is up for a great chance to fill it up against the Pistons, who give up the league's fifth-most points per game. 

Zion Williamson, Pelicans ($8,900) at Kings

Williamson continues to shine for his shorthanded squad, averaging 24.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.4 blocks over the last five games, including a high of 63.5. He should keep up the strong play and stand out against the Kings, who give up the league's sixth-highest field-goal percentage per game. He is also averaging 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.0 steals over three meetings with the Kings this season.

Deandre Ayton, Trail Blazers ($8,400) vs. Warriors 

Ayton is on a roll, averaging 26.0 points, 13.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals over the last five games, including four with more than 45 DK points and a high of 63.3. He is up for another opportunity to take the lead for his shorthanded squad, and he should prosper against the Warriors, who give up the league's seventh-most points per game to opposing centers. 

Expected Chalk 

Jayson Tatum, Celtics ($9,900) vs. Knicks 

Tatum remains dominant, averaging 26.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.2 steals across his last 10 appearances, including five with at least 50 DK points and a high of 60.5. He enters a favorable matchup against the Knicks, who remain shorthanded in the frontcourt. Tatum is also averaging 28.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals over four meetings with the Knicks this season. 

Mid-Range Money 

Amen Thompson, Rockets ($6,400) at Jazz

Thompson continues to impress, averaging 11.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals though his last 10 appearances, including five games with at least 30 DK points and a high of 52.8. He faces an excellent opportunity to stand out against the Jazz, who are severely shorthanded, and who give up the league's 10th-most points per game to opposing small forwards. 

Jabari Smith, Rockets ($6,200) at Jazz 

Smith is averaging 18.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 blocks with a high of 43.6 DK points across the last five games, as he continues to step up for his squad's shorthanded frontcourt. He is up for an ideal chance to prosper against the Jazz, who are significantly shorthanded in the frontcourt, and who give up the league's most points per game to opposing power forwards.  

Value Picks

Dyson Daniels, Pelicans ($4,500) at Kings 

Daniels has looked solid, averaging 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals, with a high of 29.8 DK points among six games, since returning from a nearly seven-week absence. He should find an advantageous matchup against the Kings' shorthanded second unit, and he should also pad his stats at the foul line as the Kings also give up the league's third-most free throws per game to opposing point guards. 

Talen Horton-Tucker, Jazz ($3,700) vs. Rockets 

Horton-Tucker played in the last game, where he delivered 34.8 DK points on 24 points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in 32 minutes of action. He has been in-and-out of the rotation for more of the season, but he is likely to pick up a good amount of playing time for a second consecutive game, as the Jazz are missing six of their top players. 

Omer Yurtseven, Jazz ($4,500) vs. Rockets 

Yurtseven amassed 40.8 DK points in the last game and is averaging 13.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals over three consecutive starts, as he fills in a major role for the Jazz's shorthanded frontcourt. He has a good chance to keep rolling against the Rockets, who also remain shorthanded in the frontcourt, and who give up the league's second-most free throws per game. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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