FanDuel: FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Saturday 4/19/25

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. All injury news comes from the NBA's official injury report . NBA DFS Picks for Today Guards Top Priorities Tyrese Haliburton ($9,000) Despite battling injuries, Tyrese Haliburton made an imprint at several spots in last year's playoffs, and he'll have a modest chance to do the same as the Milwaukee Bucks hovered around the league average in pace and defensive rating (DRTG) this season. The Indiana Pacers ' implied team total (115.5) is high, and Hali is coming off one of his better efforts of the season with 23 points, 10 dimes, and 8 rebounds against a quality Cleveland Cavaliers defense. Jamal Murray ($8,200) The Denver Nuggets ' playoff chances largely hinge on Jamal Murray 's health and effectiveness, so expect him ready for Game 1. The Los Angeles Clippers ' elite defense isn't ideal, but Murray topped 35 FanDuel points (FDP) in three of four games against them in the regular season to provide a decent floor. If L.A.'s defense had a weakness this season, it was letting up the 11th-highest FG% between 15 and 19 feet, so expect the Canadian to cook in the mid-range -- as usual. Value Plays Donte DiVincenzo ($4,800) I'm conflicted on whether Donte DiVincenzo or Mike Conley ($4,400) gets the added burn as the Minnesota Timberwolves shrink their rotation, but both have such low salaries that they can work in tandem. The Los Angeles Lakers ' plummeting defense allowed the fourth-highest 3P% against them (38.9%) over every team's respective last 15 games. They're one of few weak defenses I'm preying on as the playoffs begin. Kris Dunn ($4,300) The Clips made a statement about how they are going to play their rotation by giving Kris Dunn 35 minutes in what was a pseudo Play-In game on Sunday. Dunn's defensive skills (3.18 stocks per game) come in handy for FanDuel scoring as much as they do real-world possession changes. He averaged 34.7 FDP per 36 minutes against Denver in four meetings this season. Wings Top Priorities Kawhi Leonard ($9,300) A healthy, rested Kawhi Leonard is a very dangerous proposition for the entire league -- but especially a Nuggets squad that had the worst DRTG (115.1) of any team to make the playoffs. Leonard's two-way capabilities should be on fully display against a Denver team that allowed the sixth-most points (22.4) and fourth-most made threes (3.2) per game to opposing small forwards this season. Josh Hart ($7,500) The New York Knicks really aren't getting as much of a boost as other players the way Tom Thibodeau already slams their minutes. Relatively speaking, most Knicks are oversalaried opposite a Detroit Pistons team that ended the year 10th in DRTG (112.5). I can still get to Josh Hart when he won't leave the floor, isn't dependent on usage, and averaged 33.3 FDP in three games against the Pistons this year. Value Plays Jaden McDaniels ($5,600) Cancun has Kevin Durant , but the NBA Playoffs have Jaden McDaniels . This is McDaniels' time of year; he should hunt Luka Doncic around the perimeter for 40-plus minutes with long, rangey athleticism, but the better twin also made a leap in the scoring department this year. He might provide real offense in this series at times after 13.8 points per 36 minutes -- a career-high -- in the regular season. Aaron Nesmith ($4,800) Sharing similar defensive responsibilities to McDaniels, Aaron Nesmith topped 16 points and 28 minutes in four of Indiana's last six games as they're gearing up for the postseason. He's one of the better value plugs on the slate. Bigs Top Priorities Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800) Indiana finished the regular season as the seventh-fastest team in pace (100.8), so it boggles my mind that most are going to shift their attention to Nikola Jokic opposite the league's third-best DRTG and ninth-slowest pace. Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 59.2 FDP per game against Indiana in four contests this season, and he's quietly been Jokic with Damian Lillard (calf) off the floor this season, posting 62.8 FDP per 36 minutes in a giant sample. Jalen Duren ($7,100) I'm beyond excited about Jalen Duren 's postseason outlook. The shackles of a timeshare are going to come off quickly when J.B. Bickerstaff realizes the gap between Duren and Isaiah Stewart defending the rim in this setting. Duren has averaged 47.7 FDP per game in his last five contests over 30 minutes; they're just embarrassingly spread apart. Value Plays Aaron Gordon ($5,800) Jokic is an even tougher sell when Aaron Gordon , enjoying a career year in Denver, dropped into the bargain bin as he's finally shaken a midseason calf issue. Gordon is often left open to shoot, but he shot 43.6% from deep this season. If teams deploy that strategy in the postseason, absolutely mammoth Gordon games should follow. Dorian Finney-Smith ($4,500) When initially traded to the Lakers, Dorian Finney-Smith could easily post single-digit FDP in 30-plus minutes. He's found a bit of a flow offensively to top 20 FDP in five of his last seven. In addition to McDaniels and Nesmith, the final choice from our "excellent perimeter defender" section concludes with this punt-level option. All customers get a Profit Boost Token to use on any "Downtown Jackpot" wager for April 19th or 20th NBA Playoff games. If your player scores the most 3-pointers this weekend, you'll get a share of $1M in Bonus Bets! See full terms and conditions on the promotions page. Learn about today's other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos . Interested in playing NBA daily fantasy ? FanDuel has plenty of contest options to make every moment more. Be sure to check out the NBA betting options, as well. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today! 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.