This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Although there are four playoff games taking place on Saturday, DraftKings has elected only to use the two later games as their featured slate, so today's article will follow suit. There are some contests available for the full day, but they are fewer in number and offer smaller guarantees.
SLATE OVERVIEW
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Both games should hit the Over, and projected totals are usually less reliable for player selection in the playoffs. The team you're most likely to overlook is Detroit, and although we gave a couple of solid recommendations for them, there are some other value opportunities available on the roster that didn't garner top honors in my endorsements.
INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. There are no major injuries listed for today's contests.
ELITE PLAYERS
Luka Doncic ($10,800) is the only player listed above $10k for today's slate. Seeing Doncic below $11k is noteworthy, as one would expect his salary to be a bit higher considering his voluminous production. Five-figure targets are tough to squeeze in, but there's little doubt that he'll be a pace-maker for many lineup builds. For my money, I'm more inclined to spend down with the Lakers, so Doncic is only a borderline add for me.
The $9k range offers some talent worth considering, with Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,500) leading the way as my top center target. The position is very thin once you go below Towns, so I will lock him in as a must-have player today. Towns' former teammate, Anthony Edwards ($8,700) clocks in as my favorite option in the 8k range, although his dynamic play can only be utilized at three positions. Jalen Brunson ($8,500) rounds out selections over $8k, and the $2,300 discount off of Doncic is good value. Of course, you can't utter the word 'playoffs' and not include LeBron James ($9,700). His salary is a little high for me, but he's also difficult to fade.
EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
Austin Reaves, LAL ($7,200) vs. MIN
Reaves was a key piece of LA's late-season push last season, and I think he's poised for elite production as the Lakers aim to go deeper this time around. Denver has proven to be hemlock for the Lakers in the postseason, and the Timberwolves draw will hopefully be a better fit. Although Reaves' numbers were only average against Minnesota this season, his best total against them occurred with Doncic as part of the team. The Lakers prevailed 111-102 in that game, and Reaves posted a 23/6/5 line.
Julius Randle, MIN ($7,100) @ LAL
I had a tough call between Randle and OG Anunoby ($6,900) at this salary benchmark, but I opted for Randle due to slightly better recency data against the Lakers. I'm also utilizing Towns in many lineups, so I would probably only utilize Anunoby if he wasn't a stack. I think Rudy Gobert ($6,700) is also perfectly suitable against LA's frontcourt, and it's ok to stack either player with Edwards tonight.
Mikal Bridges, NYK ($6,200) vs. DET
Is it wiser to take the discount and go with Bridges, or should I spend up and take Josh Hart ($7,400)? After looking at both players' history against the Pistons and analyzing how we're spending elsewhere, I think Bridges is a slightly better option for Lineup construction.
Tobias Harris, DET ($5,900) @ NYK
Cade Cunningham ($9,400) is probably your best option for the Pistons, but I believe Harris will be largely overlooked, considering his recent injury. The potential for solid production is certainly possible here, and Detroit could definitely use his defensive prowess against New York's prolific offense. We need players at this salary level to offset previous spending.
Rui Hachimura, LAL ($4,500) vs MIN
No DraftKings lineup is complete without taking a couple of deep dives, and I think Hachimura fits that bill tonight. I looked at Donte DiVincenzo in this range, but his record against the Lakers was spotty, and his minutes reflected less usage in the team's rotation against the opponent. Hachimura's record isn't much better, but I think he'll see more time on the court and his presence will ultimately be more impactful.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, MIN ($3,600) @ LAL
Alexander-Walker's rock-bottom salary makes multiple elite options possible in our lineups. The salary will likely make Alexander-Walker a popular target, and although he'll come off the bench, he could emerge as the better solution, especially if Mike Conley struggles early. It's hard to fade a money-saving alternative like this, especially with so many preferred targets above the DK median.
Also consider: Ausar Thompson, DET ($5,500) @ NYK
