FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Thursday 5/1/25

If you're looking for a fun way to get in on the NBA playoffs, NBA DFS on FanDuel has you covered.

With NBA DFS, you can put your hoops knowledge to the test and ride with players you think will go off in a given night.

To help you along the way, we've got a bunch of tools here at FanDuel Research. Specifically, our NBA DFS projections update throughout the day to reflect current news.

On top of all that, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

Betting lines via the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Projections and betting odds may change after this article is published.

NBA DFS Picks for Today's Playoff Games

Guards

Top Priorities

Jalen Brunson ($9,000) -- While Cade Cunningham ($10,200) is certainly viable with the Detroit Pistons returning home to try to force a Game 7, Jalen Brunson has a lower salary despite having a somewhat similar ceiling. Brunson tallied 47-plus FanDuel points (FDPs) in each of the first four games of the series versus the Pistons, and I expect him to shoot better than 25.0% from the field like he did in Game 5.

Jamal Murray ($7,700) -- Jamal Murray tends to show up when it matters most for the Denver Nuggets, and the clutch guard is coming off a Game 5 where he contributed 43 points and 70.5 FDPs. Aside from Murray's uncanny ability to play better in the postseason, the Los Angeles Clippers have surrendered the third-worst three-point percentage (38.8%) among teams in the playoffs.

Value Plays

Dennis Schroder ($4,600) -- On an inexperienced Pistons team, Dennis Schroder brings experience off the bench, earning 22-plus minutes in each of the first five games of the series against the New York Knicks. While Schroder has scored fewer than 20 FDPs in two of the first five games of the first-round matchup versus New York, he does have a consistent role off the bench and allows us to fit in more of the high-salary studs.

Kris Dunn ($4,400) -- Kris Dunn's minutes have been volatile in the series against the Nuggets, but he is still capable of racking up FDPs quickly via stocks (steals plus blocks), evidenced by him contributing 27 FDPs in Game 5 with 3 stocks in 25 minutes. There's a chance the Clippers deploy Bogdan Bogdanovic ($4,000) a bit more if Dunn's shot isn't falling, so I'd have exposure to both players if you're making multiple lineups.

Wings

Top Priorities

Kawhi Leonard ($8,800) -- A healthy Kawhi Leonard is still one of the best two-way players in the NBA, and we're getting him at a sub-$9,000 salary here in a must-win game despite the All-Star forward supplying 55.3 FDPs in Game 5. Leonard has notched 55-plus FDPs in two of his last four outings in the postseason, and the Nuggets are giving up the third-worst effective field goal percentage (56.1%) among teams in the playoffs.

Josh Hart ($7,500) -- Following a slow start to the series versus the Pistons, Josh Hart has picked things up in recent contests, posting 40-plus FDPs in three straight outings. We know head coach Tom Thibodeau isn't afraid to give his starters heavy minutes, and the Knicks will need Hart to remain active on both ends of the court if they want to avoid having to play a Game 7.

Value Plays

Christian Braun ($5,600) -- Likely due to a shoulder injury to Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun has taken on an expanded role for the Nuggets in recent games, putting up 35-plus FDPs in back-to-back contests against the Clippers. Along with Braun tallying multiple stocks in three straight outings, Los Angeles is allowing the sixth-worst effective field goal percentage (53.3%) of the teams that have played in the first round of the playoffs.

Norman Powell ($5,400) -- While Kawhi and James Harden are the primary scorers for the Clippers, Norman Powell is going to need to knock down shots from beyond the arc in Game 6 if Los Angeles wants to avoid elimination. Powell has logged 25-plus FDPs in three of the last four games of the series, and the Nuggets are tied for the third-worst three-point percentage allowed (38.8%) in the postseason.

Bigs

Top Priorities

Nikola Jokic ($11,700) -- No one has the floor/ceiling combo of Nikola Jokic on the slate, as the three-time MVP has produced 55-plus FDPs in four of the first five games of the series versus the Clippers. Despite there being a lack of value plays we can be confident in, there aren't many times we can play Jokic at a sub-$12,000 salary.

Ivica Zubac ($7,800) -- As good as Jokic is on the offensive end of the floor, opposing centers can take advantage of him on the defensive end of the court at times, with Ivica Zubac accruing 37-plus FDPs in four of the five games in this series. At the moment, FanDuel Research's projections have Zubac listed as the fourth-best point-per-dollar play (5.3x value) on the slate.

Value Plays

Aaron Gordon ($5,800) -- Aaron Gordon has registered 29-plus FDPs in back-to-back contests versus the Clippers, which is why our projections have him listed as the third-best point-per-dollar play (5.3x value) on the slate. Gordon has seen 36-plus minutes in four of the five games this series, so (assuming he can remain out of foul trouble) the forward is in store for a heavy dose of minutes with a sub-$6,000 salary.

Mitchell Robinson ($4,000) -- I don't believe there's a need to save too much salary at the center position, but Mitchell Robinson is worth a look in large-field tournaments if you wanted to go that route. Despite Robinson not getting consistent minutes for the Knicks, he proved that he can accumulate FDPs quickly in Game 5, achieving 36.2 FDPs with a double-double and four stocks in only 22 minutes.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.