NBA DFS Picks DraftKings + FanDuel Expert Lineup Building Strategy 4/9

It is the end of another chaotic week of NBA DFS slates, and this one in particular required constant vigilance with the revamping of lineups. For those exhausted from having to constantly pay attention to news all day every day, know that you are not alone. But that extra bit of effort can be the difference between being a winning player and, well, the opposite. With that in mind, here are a few NBA DFS picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel that can help you finish out the week strong.

Be sure to check out the Slate Starter podcast, featuring yours truly and Rynpak, to get the first look at the slate and make NBA DFS picks for DraftKings and FanDuel!

NBA DFS Slate Starter: Picks & Strategy | April 9

Friday Fireside Chat: Process Over Results

These Friday strategy session talks have been enjoyable of late, as discussing overarching strategy has always been more intriguing (and important) than simply listing off NBA DFS plays. Not that the latter isn’t important; helping put you on a player that might’ve otherwise gone overlooked or getting you off of questionable chalk is an important component of my job. But the old “teaching a man to fish” adage is true in this industry, as helping you with process is far more satisfying than giving a singular play or two. After all, long-term success is the name of the game, and it is for most of you as well.

That said, the reality of long-term success in NBA DFS tournaments is that it happens by hitting big a small fraction of the time. And “fraction” is certainly the correct word, as any honest tournament player will admit they lose on more days than they win. What makes them profitable, however, is they tend to hit big on the days they do profit. After all, who cares if you lose $1,000 six times in a week if you win $10,000-plus on one of them? That’s a heck of a profit.

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But it’s also a reality of playing daily fantasy seriously that bad stretches occur, and it can be demoralizing whenever you’re on one of those streaks of unprofitability. Last week was that for me, with one breakeven slate thrown in the middle of a bunch of losing days. Despite an outrageous amount of time and effort dedicated to every slate, coupled with access to the best data-driven tools in the industry at Awesemo, it was still not meant to be. This week has gone substantially better, but still not well enough to reach the breakeven point on last week’s losses.

However, while that sort of downswing might be demoralizing to some, the process has been solid of late. Utilizing the Boom/Bust tool non-stop has led to finding points of leverage across every single slate. I’ve tuned into shows across the Awesemo YouTube Channel even when I’m not on them, listening to top-notch analysis from the smartest people in the industry. And I’ve utilized Lineup Study on Fantasy Cruncher to learn from mistakes, as seeing what the top players in the world such as Alex “Awesemo” Baker or my friend Rayen “Rynpak” Patnaik did on a specific DraftKings slate that I might have missed is worth its weight in NFT’s.

So if you’re in the same boat, fear not. There are still a few weeks left in the regular season, which means plenty of opportunities to stay the course. So let’s go full Sam Hinkie and “Trust the Process” on Friday, because in NBA DFS, it only takes one day for all of that hard work to come to fruition.

[DUSTINGRAPHICAD]

Warriors and Wizards Should Be a Wild One

Friday makes for the fifth consecutive slate of at least seven games, and today’s nine-gamer is already shaping up to be a doozy. Breaking down this slate the night before is more difficult than most as there’s no clear-cut value spots to speak of yet besides inevitable Jalen McDaniels chalk. And as enticing as that might be for some to talk about, it’s a hard pass from me. However, something that is intriguing to talk about is the fact every Vegas total has already been released.

And to no one’s surprise, the Wizards – Warriors game is the highest on the board at 241. It shouldn’t be too surprising, as the Wizards and Warriors rank first and second in the league in pace. What is surprising, however, is that their 241 total is a full 13 points higher than the next listed game (Timberwolves – Celtics). That means offensive fireworks should be in store, and nearly everyone on both sides should be considered. Check out Awesemo’s projections tomorrow early and often tomorrow, as utilizing the correct plays from this high-flying affair could be crucial to take down a tournament.

Final Thoughts for Your NBA DFS Lineups

Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kira Lewis Jr. are all questionable back for the Pelicans. With Zion Williamson back and everyone else’s prices shot up to the moon, this could be a sticky situation to break down on Friday, although certainly with targeting if all of them are out. And with regards to Williamson, he’s playable no matter what.
It’s well noted by now that locking up roster spots in early games isn’t the favorite thing in the world to do. But if the plethora of Pacers starters that sat Wednesday are out once more for Friday, it’s impossible not to go right back to this team in bulk tonight.
Kawhi Leonard somewhat salvaged a horrendous first half against the Suns on Thursday but now draws an inept Rockets team tonight. It seems like either he or Paul George will sit on this back-to-back, but should he go he makes for a priority spend-up at a weak small forward position on both sites.
Just play Joel Embiid.

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Author

Eric Lindquist

Eric Lindquist hails from Sioux Falls, South Dakota (yes, that’s the one with Mount Rushmore). A steady diet of three SportsCenters a day at an early age led to his obsession with sports, one that 30 years later is paying dividends for him as a successful DFS player and sports bettor. Despite over half a million dollars in net career earnings, he’s most passionate about helping others achieve their financial goals, an energy you can witness on the daily in his current role as a host and analyst at Stokastic. He’s a former Division I golfer at Iowa State, wishes he was a former Minnesota sports fan, and is a proud father to a 100-pound Bernese Mountain dog named Duke that wishes he could just eat people food instead of the crap he and his wife feed him on the daily.