The playoffs are officially underway! Every game 1 has been played, with some surprising results, and some unfortunate injuries. To keep you updated and help you put something extra on the games, here is the NBA Playoffs DFS 4-18-23 DraftKings Breakdown.
The Tuesday slate features three matchups: Atlanta Hawks (#7) @ Boston Celtics (#2); New York Knicks (#5) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (#4); and Los Angeles Clippers (#5) @ Phoenix Suns (#4). This will be the second game of each of these three series. After a thrilling Game 1, it'll be interesting to see what happens in the Clippers @ Suns matchup.
I'll be basing everything off the DraftKings Classic mode, with an 8-man lineup and a $50,000 salary cap. There are plenty of different modes you can go for. I typically mix it up between the 50/50s (top half win) and some of the larger DK tournaments (higher place = higher payout). A good balance of both levels out the risk and reward.
Lastly, here's the point breakdown for DraftKings as a reminder:
- Point = +1 pt
- Made Three = +0.5 pts
- Rebound = +1.25 pts
- Assist = +1.5 pts
- Steal = +2pts
- Block = +2pts
- Turnover + -0.5 pts
- Double-Double = +1.5 pts
- Triple-Double = +3 pts
I'll be giving a couple of different options for each position in my NBA Playoffs DFS 4-18-23 DraftKings Breakdown, remember to check your lineups again closer to tipoff!
NBA Playoffs DFS 4-18-23 DraftKings Breakdown
Point Guard, Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers, $7400
Darius Garland Playmaking Talent" width="397" height="397" />
Despite playing 43 minutes last game, Garland only managed 17 points and one assist with five turnovers. His four steals and one block saved his day somewhat, but it was still a disappointment for those who picked him. I would expect a bounce-back game for Garland, especially with the Knicks' best perimeter defender, Josh Hart, likely sitting due to injury.
Above is a graph of players' playmaking talent and their assist points per 75 possessions (minimum 1600 minutes), courtesy of BBall-Index. Both are great signs of an elite playmaker. Garland, circled in blue, is elite in both categories. I'm absolutely convinced we'll see at least 5 assists in the next game from Garland.
Point Guard, Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics, $5900
I was surprised to see Smart's price down so low after his Game 1 performance, but I won't complain. He doesn't need to score a lot to be effective. He's good for both rebounds and assists, and his tenacity on defense will continue to produce stocks against a completely outmatched Atlanta Hawks team.
Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks, $5700
With Josh Hart doubtful, Quickley should be in line for more minutes and more volume after a disappointing game 1. He's the spark for the Knicks offensively off the bench, so I'd expect him to get it rolling in Game 2. He's a nice value now after being $8000 last game.
Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, $8500
Jaylen Brown today:
29 PTS
12 REB
12-23 FGLed the Celtics in points and rebounds. pic.twitter.com/CR3y1QCWZx
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 15, 2023
Brown had a double-double in Game 1, but I really see a much higher ceiling for him in terms of his scoring. 29 points are obviously nothing to disregard. But he's incredibly explosive and I could see him easily ending this game with 35+ easily, especially if the Hawks are able to keep it closer this time.
Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers, $4400
#Rockets fans definitely tried to tell y’all that playoff Eric Gordon was a thing when he was on the trade market. 🤷♂️
10 quick points pic.twitter.com/Tt5kVo45Wx
— V̷a̷t̷o̷r̷ (@Vator_H_Town) April 17, 2023
I love the minutes here for Eric Gordon. He played 33 minutes last game, and big minutes naturally lead to greater volume. He's not the craziest ceiling play, but Eric Gordon could still go for 20+ points and I wouldn't be surprised at all. He's a great value at just $4400.
Small Forward/Power Forward, Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, $9300
It's very clear that the Suns' offense is going to run through Kevin Durant if they want to win. He had a fantastic game on Sunday, nearly getting a triple-double. He only had 27 points, so I'd expect to see that jump considering he shot an uncharacteristic 7/15 from the field.
Small Forward/Power Forward, Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers, $9400
According to Second Spectrum, all of Kawhi Leonard’s 24 FGAs were contested and 16 were not assisted by a teammate; his shot quality was 39.8% and his effective field goal percentage was 60.4%.
He spent more time as Kevin Durant’s primary defender than any other Clipper. pic.twitter.com/X6EyXPscwe
— Unbiased NBA Fan (@nonbiasednbafan) April 17, 2023
Are we sure he's human? I swear he's a robot, and this last performance convinced me even further of that. The man is built to take on superteams, and he'll have to continue to shoulder the load if the Clippers want to take another game from the Suns. I'll continue to ride with Kawhi here.
Power Forward/Center, John Collins, Atlanta Hawks, $4600
Collins is a very talented player, but the box score from Game 1 doesn't show that. I'd expect more minutes and more aggression from Collins here. I'm far more willing to take the risk with his salary being just $4600, which is some really nice value.
Center, Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks, $5400
Evan Mobley when in the presence of Mitchell Robinson. pic.twitter.com/YE5MfnOKNO
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 16, 2023
Robinson only played 26 minutes, but they'll likely need him more against Cleveland's twin towers in Game 2. Robinson has a nice ceiling thanks to his elite blocking ability and rebounding. At just $5400, he's one of the cheaper center options.
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