Monday’s NBA Playoff action gets underway at 7:00 p.m. ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. There are several options in the player pool worth analyzing to find the top NBA DFS building blocks and NBA DFS picks. Let’s dig into the NBA DFS picks and core plays like Nikola Jokic and Jonathan Isaac, along with a variety of secondary players as premium targets.
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NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Monday, April 22
NBA DFS Picks: Building Blocks
Nikola Jokic: Nuggets vs. Lakers
Stokastic’s Fantasy Point Projections
DraftKings: 63.86 | FanDuel: 61.32
Stokastic’s Rostership Projections
DraftKings: 14.8% | FanDuel: 21.1%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $11,500 | FanDuel: $12,000
The decision point comes down to Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid at the center position, with the two-time NBA MVP getting the edge over the reigning MVP. The $1,000 premium for the Joker on DraftKings has this duo separated by just 5% in the projected popularity, though on FanDuel that gap narrows to $500, which correlates to Embiid coming in at less than half the popularity of his counterpart.
Defensively, the Lakers did not have an answer for Jokic. There is no shame in that, as most teams do not, with the big man also being one of the best passers in the league; when he is double- or triple-teamed, he simply finds the open man time and time again. The only real question tonight is whether or not he tallies a triple-double.
Anthony Davis had a strong Game 1 with 32 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks. He played a massive 45 minutes in the loss, with LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell each getting 41 minutes of run. Davis has power forward eligibility on the two main NBA DFS sites, which is an added layer of flexibility for lineup construction.
Rui Hachimura played 31 minutes, and he looks like solid discount dandy, with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope earning that distinction for Denver. Jamal Murray would be the preferred play over Russell and Austin Reaves, though that comes at a price. Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon are secondary options, while Taurean Prince, Christian Braun and Peyton Watson serve as punt plays.
Jonathan Isaac: Magic at Cavaliers
Stokastic’s Fantasy Point Projections
DraftKings: 26.25 | FanDuel: 27.98
Stokastic’s Rostership Projections
DraftKings: 69.1% | FanDuel: 33.6%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $4,500 | FanDuel: $6,200
DraftKings rosters should come preloaded with Jonathan Isaac, as he is the best fantasy point-per-dollar option in the player pool. FanDuel at least boosted his salary in anticipation of another start, though he is a fine play on the blue site.
Game 1 was a rock fight, with Cleveland earning a win at home 97-83. Expect more of the same tonight, which is perfect for Isaac’s skillset.
Gary Harris had an empty 33 minutes on Saturday, missing all six field goal attempts, though he did have three steals. He is another decent discount dandy, particularly if he falls out of favor with the masses. Paolo Banchero was a focal point of the offense, but the nine turnovers were alarming. With as good as Cleveland is on defense, it makes sense to only play one of Banchero or Franz Wagner per lineup, as it is a risky gambit to put too much salary cap towards this game environment.
Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen each had double-doubles, while Donovan Mitchell dropped 30 points on the Magic. This trio, along with Darius Garland, are all in play with the usage heavily consolidated among the starters. Max Strus had a surprising nine rebounds, though that is not likely to be a sticky stat and he will need to reach fantasy relevance via his scoring … that could prove tricky since he is unlikely to get more than 10 shots, though most will be from beyond the arc.
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Today’s Top Sports Betting Pick
Joel Embiid is never fun to target against, but today we’re looking at the under on his 10.5 rebounds prop.
By using OddsShopper to do the heavy lifting when researching favorable bets, we can quickly spot inefficient lines like this one, and having accounts at multiple sportsbooks allows us to pivot to the best number quickly.
The under on the 10.5 for this wager is currently available at -112 on DraftKings and SuperBook, and with true odds of -127 (how OddsShopper measures the potential expected ROI of a given wager), there is a steady 5.8% expected ROI with the current line.
NBA Bet Pro has Embiid projected for 36.1 minutes and 10.39 rebounds. That is right in line with the current benchmark, though it does not take into account a variable range of outcomes. There is a 56% probability that this under comes to fruition, so this is still a savvy wager.
This season, Embiid averaged 33.6 minutes and 11.0 rebounds, which was his second-highest total for that category in the last four years. Keep in mind that the playoffs are slower and more methodical, with key players getting more minutes but also fewer overall possessions. New York has no problem muddying things and making this a slog of a matchup, plus the Knicks have one of the best rebounding frontcourts in the game. In his last 31 playoff games, Embiid has averaged 36.0 minutes and 10.3 rebounds. This won’t be a fun wager to sweat out, but it is a prudent one at the -112 line.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today
Get all the latest news and updates for NBA DFS picks today on the Stokastic NBA Live Before Lock Show at 6:00 p.m. ET on YouTube, breaking down all of the key elements for today’s slate. Brought to you by Sleeper – new users, use this link to receive a $500 first deposit match! Full details here.
