The entire NBA is in action Friday night entering the final weekend of the 2023-24 NBA regular season. But that doesn't necessarily mean the entire NBA DFS player pool is available with multiple star players either resting for the playoffs or sidelined with injuries or to allow younger players the chance to perform at the end of the regular season for teams out of the postseason hunt. There are countless ways to form an NBA DFS strategy on Friday with all 30 teams in action, so what's the best way to go about making NBA DFS picks?
Should you try to find cheaper options in the NBA DFS player pool on weaker teams that are allowing the younger players to showcase their talents, such as Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia who scored 32 points on Wednesday? Value plays can allow you to include stars on teams that need to win for playoff seeding, such as Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Tyrese Haliburton in NBA DFS lineups. 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.
On Thursday, Kaylor highlighted Trail Blazers power forward/center Jabari Walker as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Walker had 17 points and 16 rebounds, returning 43 points on DraftKings and 40.7 points on FanDuel as one of the best values in the NBA DFS player pool. 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 12
For Friday, one of Kaylor's top NBA DFS picks is Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards ($9,500 on DraftKings and $9.300 on FanDuel). Edwards had 25 points in a 116-107 loss to the Nuggets on Wednesday the day after scoring 51 points with six rebounds and seven assists in a 130-121 win against the Wizards. The 22-year-old is averaging 28 points over six games in April and is averaging a career-high 26.3 ppg this season.
Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is questionable to return after missing more than a month following surgery for a meniscus tear. It appears the Timberwolves want Towns to test his knee in game action before the postseason, but even if Towns plays on Friday, it likely won't be significant minutes and he won't be a huge part of the gameplan in Game 1. Edwards has taken complete control of the Minnesota offense with Towns out and that will continue on Friday whether the All-Star center is or isn't back in the lineup.
Another part of Kaylor's optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Heat forward Jimmy Butler ($8,400 on DraftKings and $8,500 on FanDuel). Butler had only 12 points on Wednesday against Dallas but was extremely efficient making 5 of 8 shots. Butler scored at least 20 points in each of the previous three games before Wednesday. The 34-year-old is averaging 21 ppg, posting at least 21 ppg for his fourth straight season. The 13-year veteran is shooting a career-best 40.6% on 3-pointers this year.
The Heat play the Raptors, who have lost 17 of their last 19 games and allowed 140 points to the Pacers on Tuesday. The Raptors have allowed at least 120 points in six of their last eight games. Toronto is allowing 118.7 ppg this season, 24th in the NBA, and rank 27th in opposing effective field goal percentage. The Raptors are 26th in 3-point percentage allowed as Butler looks to exploit the poor Toronto defense on Friday. See Kaylor's other NBA DFS picks right here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Friday, April 12
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.
