The best daily Fantasy basketball players aren't just looking at the games they are most interested in watching to form a winning NBA DFS strategy. Especially late in the season when players are resting or struggling teams want to allow younger players the chance to prove themselves, this is when you can find significant advantages over others in your NBA DFS contests. Jaren Jackson Jr. (quad) is out on Friday for the Grizzlies after scoring a combined 75 points over the last two games, so who are options from Memphis that could significantly outperform their price tags for NBA DFS lineups?
Pistons guard Malachi Flynn, who is averaging 5.3 points per game this season, scored 50 points against the Hawks on Wednesday. Flynn plays the Grizzlies on Friday, so both teams could have lesser-known values that could be huge assets for NBA DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings. Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine's Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a DFS and betting expert for SportsLine, who won a DraftKings Millionaire Maker contest in 2022. He uses a combination of his background as a former college and professional athlete and his keen eye for statistical trends when making his picks and locking in his DFS lineups. Kaylor enters the 2024 calendar year with multiple five-figure tournament cashes on his DFS resume.
Kaylor's approach allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he only shares on SportsLine. They're a must-see for any NBA DFS player.
Last Friday (when Kaylor last made picks), Kaylor highlighted Pistons center Jalen Duren as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Duren had 20 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks and three steals, returning 54.75 points on DraftKings and 56.9 points on FanDuel. He was one of the best values on the day for NBA DFS lineups. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
Kaylor has turned his attention to NBA action on Friday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Friday, April 5
For Friday, one of Kaylor's top NBA DFS picks is Magic forward Paolo Banchero ($8,500 on DraftKings and $8,700 on FanDuel). Banchero had 32 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 117-108 win over the Pelicans on Wednesday. After back-to-back poor scoring performances and being held to 15 points or fewer in three of his last four contests, Banchero showcased why he's one of the best young talents in the NBA and the reigning Rookie of the Year on Wednesday. The 21-year-old is averaging 22.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game this season.
On Friday, the Magic play the Hornets, who have lost nine of their last 10 games. Banchero has scored at least 22 points in four of his last five games against Charlotte, which is allowing 115.7 points over its last seven games. The Hornets have allowed at least 130 points twice during that span, putting Banchero is position to be a huge asset for NBA DFS lineups.
Another part of McClure's optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Rockets guard Jalen Green ($8,800 on DraftKings and $8,900 on FanDuel). Green is averaging 29.2 points over his last 11 contests with three games of at least 10 rebounds over that span. Green, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, also had at least five assists in each of his last five games as he's gone from occasionally breaking the 30-minute barrier through February to averaging 27.7 points over 36.6 minutes per game in March.
Houston's rise in success has coincided with Green's expanded role. The Rockets are 13-4 since March 1, and Green is a huge reason for that success. The Rockets play the Heat, who have one of the best scoring defenses in the NBA, but Green has showcased the ability to score regardless of the matchup over the last month. Kaylor expects Green to continue his dominant scoring run as of late to be a valuable option for Friday NBA DFS lineups. See Kaylor's other NBA DFS picks right here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Friday, April 5
Kaylor is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Friday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
Who is DFS pro Jimmie Kaylor putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Friday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who a DraftKings Millionaire Maker contest, and find out.
