NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, May 16

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, May 16

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

DEN at MIN: Nuggets lead series 3-2

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       

DEN - Jamal Murray (calf): Questionable

MIN - Mike Conley (Achilles): Probable 

Elite Players

Guards

Jamal Murray, Nuggets ($9,600) at Timberwolves

Murray played through a questionable tag in Game 5 and came up with a relatively modest performance, while his squad pulled off the convincing home win. Despite finishing with just 24.3 DK points in the game, Murray delivered a couple of clutch plays down the stretch to help ensure his side maintained the momentum. He will likely play through the pain once again and bring a full-on effort to help close out the series. He is averaging 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals in the second round.

Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves ($11,600) vs. Nuggets 

After surpassing 60 DK points in Games 1 and 4, Edwards was limited to less than 40 DK points for the second time in the series in the Game 5 loss. He faces a good opportunity to reignite to his dominant potential at home, where he shot a slightly better field-goal percentage compared to on the road this season. He also has the added motivation of his season being on the line and is likely to stand out in the do-or-die scenario.  

Forwards/Centers

Aaron Gordon, Nuggets ($8,000) at Timberwolves 

Gordon is coming off back-to-back impressive outings, as he totaled 27 points on 11-for-12 shooting in Game 4, and followed up with 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Game 5. He is averaging 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals in the series and is likely to continue to stuff the stat sheet thanks to his hard-nosed effort on both ends of the floor. 

Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves ($9,400) vs. Nuggets

Towns finished with 23 points in the Game 5 loss, which marked the third time he scored at least 20 in the series. He is averaging 19.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists over the five games and must deliver at the top of his ability in order to help his squad avoid elimination. He should continue to establish solid numbers by making the most of his size advantage at power forward. 

Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves ($8,400) vs. Nuggets 

Despite the loss, Gobert is coming off his best performance of the series, as he logged 18 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks for 45.3 DK points in Game 5. He is averaging 10.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks through four appearances in the series and will play a critical role in the fate of his squad, depending on whether or not he can limit the production of three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic

Expected Chalk 

Nikola Jokic, Nuggets ($14,000) at Timberwolves 

Jokic exceeded 70 DK points for the third time this postseason and first time in the second round, as he logged 40 points, seven rebounds, 13 assists, two steals and a block in Game 5. He finished with less than 50 DK points just once in the second round and has shown no mercy in dominating the competition over three consecutive wins. Jokic must keep up the high-level play to take his squad over the hump, as he remains the point of origin for most of the Nuggets' offense.

Mid-Range and Value Picks 

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Nuggets ($5,800) at Timberwolves 

After the Nuggets' poor start to the series, Caldwell-Pope helped turn things around by producing more than 20 DK points in two of the last three outings, including a playoff high of 31.3 in Game 5. He is shooting 50 percent from the field, including 45.5 percent from long range over the last three games and should continue to bolster his stats with steals and blocks. 

Christian Braun, Nuggets ($4,000) at Timberwolves 

Braun saw at least 25 minutes of playing time in each of the last two outings after averaging 14.1 minutes through the first eight games of the postseason. He made the most of the extended opportunity by scoring in double digits in both games, including a postseason high of 25.3 DK points in Game 5. He should continue to see significant playing time as his high-energy play style has proven valuable for the Nuggets' success. 

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Timberwolves ($5,000) vs. Nuggets 

Alexander-Walker picked up the start in place of Mike Conley in Game 5 and provided a solid contribution totaling 29.5 DK points. Conley is expected back in action for Game 6, but Alexander-Walker must find a way to build off the last game in order to provide the Timberwolves much-needed support from their second unit. 

Jaden McDaniels, Timberwolves ($5,200) vs. Nuggets 

McDaniels is averaging 9.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks through 10 appearances this postseason, including three games with more than 20 DK points. He is coming off his most productive game of the second round with nine points, three rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks in Game 5, and he should continue to boost his DK totals by making an impact on both sides of the ball. 

Naz Reid, Timberwolves ($5,600) vs. Nuggets 

After going over 25 DK points in the first two games of the series, Reid has been quiet with an average of 8.3 points and 2.7 rebounds over the last three outings. He remains a crucial part of the Timberwolves' second unit and must step up as a difference-maker if the Timberwolves hope to see Game 7. 

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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