Wednesday marks the middle of the work week with the NBA action tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET on FanDuel and DraftKings. Let’s get into the top NBA DFS picks and building blocks, including Trae Young as a key contrarian play, with Domantas Sabonis a tremendous foundational play in all formats.
These picks are based on the latest available data. For real-time lineup updates, check out our NBA DFS Starting Lineups Page!
NBA DFS Picks Today – Building Blocks: Wednesday, April 2
NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks
Trae Young: Hawks at Mavericks
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 46.02 | FanDuel: 42.69
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 17.9% | FanDuel: 14.7%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $9,800 | FanDuel: $9,600
Denver lost in double-overtime, as the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves squeaked out a 140-139 victory on last-second free throws. Nikola Jokic had a career-high 61 points, with a triple-double in a whopping 53 minutes. He was forced to carry the load with Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal) both out. This duo is questionable tonight and it sounds like Aaron Gordon is getting a preemptive night off, with the oft-injured forward having logged 47 minutes last night.
The Nuggets are hosting the San Antonio Spurs, who will be without Jeremy Sochan (back) and having lost five straight. Jokic has indicated he will play tonight, though expecting a quick hook from coach Mike Malone if at all possible is likely. Denver is on the road against Golden State on Friday, then back in the Mile High City face the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. This is the last easy win on the schedule and while it is not a “must win” situation, it is key as the Nuggets have only a half game lead on the Lakers and a 2.5 game lead on the Warriors, with only two of these teams getting homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
There is a lot up in the air, so to get all of the current news, be sure to tune into the Stokastic NBA Live Before Lock Show at 6:00 p.m. ET on YouTube, since there should be plenty of players from both teams, worthy of consideration depending on how things sort out.
Atlanta also has a lot to play for, with the team currently tied with Orlando at the top of the Play-In Tournament standings. The Magic currently have the tiebreaker, which would allow them to host the first game of the Play-In Tournament, though these teams still square off twice before the end of the regular season.
Dallas has been installed as 3.5-point favorites, which underscores the impact of having Anthony Davis available, even if it is for 27-to-28 minutes. This is a winnable game for Trae Young and company, who still have to face the Knicks and Nets, in addition to the Jazz to wrap up the season. Orlando has things a little tougher, which makes this a key game for the Hawks.
Young doesn’t have the highest of median projections, though he still has cleared 50-fantasy points in five of his last seven games, with 42 and 48 in the other two. The 26-year-old is leading the league with a career-high 11.5 assists per game and he has picked up his scoring, with 26.9 points per outing, over his last 11 appearances.
Caris LeVert is the next best Atlanta option on DraftKings, while Onyeka Okongwu and Dyson Daniels hold that honor on FanDuel.
If Jokic ends up being out, then things thin out at the top of the fantasy projections list, which would put Davis potentially in play, though he would need to be efficient to get to 50 fantasy points. Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II are close to returning, which would squeeze minutes and opportunities away from the likes of PJ Washington and Naji Marshall. If that pair of pivotmen remain out, then Washington and Marshall are tournament differentiation options.
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NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks
Domantas Sabonis: Kings at Wizards
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 47.61 | FanDuel: 44.78
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 18.1% | FanDuel: 14.2%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $9,500 | FanDuel: $9,700
Sacramento is holding on to the final Western Conference Play-In Tournament slot, with a 1.5-game lead over Phoenix. The Kings are only half a game behind Dallas, for the ninth-best record in the conference, which comes with the bonus of homecourt advantage in the first Play-In game.
On tap is a matchup against the Wizards, who have at least pushed opposing teams into the second half from time-to-time on their home court. The weak Washington frontcourt is not equipped to handle Sabonis, who is once again the rebound king, leading the league with a personal-best 14 boards per game.
DeMar DeRozan stands out on FanDuel ($7,600, 23.5%), where he is among the five most popular players in the early projections. That is definitely not the case on DraftKings ($8,100, 4.3%), which even has two-fewer teams in the player pool. Zach LaVine also looks good on the blue site, with a $7,000 salary and representation on nearly one-in-five tournament entries.
Per the F-R-E-E Stokastic Starting Lineups page, it looks like AJ Johnson is going to remain with the first five, which is key for the rookie to continue to receive 34-plus minutes. In the last four games, he has three starts, playing 34, 42.3 and 36.7 minutes, with only 26.6 minutes in his lone game off the bench. We have seen the Wizards unceremoniously move players from the starting lineup to surprise DNP-CDs without any warning, several times over the last couple of weeks. If Johnson isn’t starting, then he too carries that extra, though unspoken risk.
Depending on your DFS site of choice, Colby Jones, Jaylen Martin, Carlton Carrington III, Tristan Vukcevic and Alexandre Sarr are potential salary savers, though trust is thin in actual minutes. The same goes for Jordan Poole, who has averaged only 22.8 minutes and 12.3 field goal attempts in his last nine games for this not-so-quietly quitting team.
Today’s Top Sports Betting Picks
Once more, it looks like Novig is being aggressive with a lofty +112 odds for the under on Josh Hart’s 27.5 points + rebounds + assists (PRA) prop on the road in Cleveland, on a back-to-back.
With the combination of today’s matchup variables and the +112 odds, there is an elite 8.4% expected value when factoring in the -105 “True Odds,” which indicate this wager is closer to a coinflip.
Portfolio EV does all the heavy lifting when sorting through the endless opportunities across the various sports wagering operators, highlighting the best spots quickly and effortlessly.
Stokastic’s Advanced NBA Statistical Projections have Hart projected for 35.5 minutes, 13.04 points, 9.11 rebounds and 5.26 assists for a 27.41 PRA. That is right in line with the median threshold, though this does not account for variable outcomes, against a strong defense.
Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) received a rare maintenance game off on Tuesday, though he is expected to play tonight. Jalen Brunson remains out for at least another week, while Miles McBride (groin) and Cameron Payne (ankle) are out as well. Mitchell Robinson is also unlikely to play on the back-to-back as the Knicks will need him to make a deep run in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Cavaliers are only without backup guard Ty Jerome and everyone else should be well-rested, having last played on Sunday. New York is currently listed as 11-point road dogs, which adds another wrinkle, with this game also being the third contest in four days. The team is then off until Saturday, when they are in Atlanta, followed by a game on Sunday, back in New York against Phoenix. Though coach Tom Thibodeau is known for his pedal to the metal ways, he could take his foot off the gas if things are untenable in the final frame. That would help those attacking the under on this wager for Hart.
Cleveland has all but clinched the top seed in the East, holding a four-game lead over Boston. Catching Oklahoma City for the best record in the league will be tricky, as a three-game deficit is hard to make up with only seven games remaining on the schedule for each team. That said, it would appear that nobody will be resting for the Cavs, so they could quickly dispatch the Knickerbockers, if they come out hitting on all cylinders at home.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today
Tune into the Stokastic NBA Live Before Lock Show at 6:00 p.m. ET on YouTube for expert analysis, key insights and winning strategies to dominate tonight’s NBA DFS slate!
