FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Sunday 4/23/23

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

Daily fantasy basketball is very reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

Guards

Anthony Edwards ($10,300): After consecutive monster performances against a Denver Nuggets' ranked fourth among playoff teams in defensive rating, Edwards' salary has increased by 11.9% to his highest point this season. In 152 playoff minutes, "Ant-Man" is recording 1.36 FanDuel points per minute and a 30.1% usage rate.

De'Aaron Fox ($10,200): Since the start of the postseason, Fox's salary has jumped by 13.3% while averaging a robust 1.42 FanDuel points per minute and a team-high 31.8% usage rate. Sacramento's clutch point guard is averaging 48,9 FanDuel points per minute in six appearances versus Golden State.

Stephen Curry ($10,100): At his second highest salary during the postseason, Curry is ranked as numberFire's top guard option with 47.2 expected FanDuel points. In 114 playoff minutes, the Warriors' superstar is producing 1.13 FanDuel points per minute and a 29.7% usage rate.

Donovan Mitchell ($9,800): After a 3.9% salary decrease to his lowest point this series, Mitchell could be an undervalued option with a 4.13 potential return and a 40.5 fantasy projection. "Spida" has played well overall in this matchup, accounting for 29.1 real-life points and 51.9 FanDuel points in seven previous meetings.

Trae Young ($9,500): Despite a 4.3% salary bump, the 24-year old is sixth among point guards in value with a 4.53 rating and a 43.1 fantasy projection against a Boston Celtics' unit ranked seventh among playoff teams in defensive rating. Among his team, Young is second in fantasy production (1.23 FanDuel points per minute) and first in usage (32.7%).

Jamal Murray ($9,100): At his highest salary this season, Murray is ninth among guards with 36.3 expected FanDuel points versus a Minnesota Timberwolves ranked 15th in playoff defensive rating. Denver's point guard is having a great series, producing 1.32 FanDuel points per minute and 48.4 per game.

Dejounte Murray ($8,600): Even at his second highest salary this postseason, Murray is sixth among guards in value with a 4.82 rating and a 41.4 fantasy projection. Atlanta's guard is leading his team in fantasy production during the playoffs, averaging 1.30 FanDuel points.

Jalen Brunson ($8,300): At his lowest playoff salary, Brunson is an underrated option in a matchup the Knicks' guard has averaged 24.1 real-life points and 39.9 FanDuel points per game against. Among New York's starting unit this postseason, the 26-year old ranks first in fantasy production (1.17 FanDuel points) and second in usage (31.2%).

Klay Thompson ($7,400): After a lackluster 26.0 fantasy point performance in Game 3, Thompson's salary has moved down to his median point during the playoffs. Golden State's Splash Brother currently is fifth among guards in value with a 4.94 rating and a 36.5 fantasy expectation.

Derrick White ($7,200): Among Boston's starting five during the playoffs, White is third in fantasy production (1.11 FanDuel points per minute) despite recording a 19.2% usage rate.

Caris LeVert ($5,700): Since LeVert was named Cleveland's starter in Game 3, his salary has moved up 5.5% to his second highest point during the postseason. The 28-year old is recording 0.66 FanDuel points per minute and a 23.4% usage rate in 93 playoff minutes.

Malcolm Brogdon ($5,700): If Marcus Smart is unable to suit up on Sunday, Brogdon's fantasy output sees a sneaky 0.16 boost to 1.06 FanDuel points per minute with a 25.3% usage rate.

Malik Monk ($5,600): Despite playing in a second unit role, Sacramento's shooting guard is producing 0.97 FanDuel points per minute while averaging 28 minutes per game this series.

Mike Conley ($5,500): After a 8.3% salary decrease, Minnesota's veteran is numberFire's top value option with a 6.18 rating and a 34.0 fantasy projection. In 131 playoff minutes, Conley is recording 0.75 FanDuel points per minute and a 12.9% usage rate.

Bruce Brown Jr. ($5,100) / Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($4,300): At his lowest playoff salary, Brown currently ranks fourth among guards in value with a 5.1 rating while Caldwell-Pope is second with a 5.61 rating and a 24.1 fantasy projection after his salary declined by 10.4%.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker ($3,900): In 108 playoff minutes, the 24-year old guard is producing 0.67 FanDuel points per minute and a 13.4% usage rate. Alexander-Walker is ninth overall in value with a 5.17 rating and a 20.2 fantasy projection at his lowest postseason salary.

Forwards

Jayson Tatum ($10,600): Boston's All-Star ranks second overall with a 47.8 fantasy projection versus an Atlanta Hawks' team ranked 11th in defensive playoff rating and 14th in points allowed in the paint. In 118 minutes this series, Tatum is producing 1.19 FanDuel points per minute and a team-high 30.2% usage rate.

Domantas Sabonis ($8,700): Since April 15th, Sabonis' salary has decreased by 11.2% to his second lowest salary against Golden State this season. The Kings' versatile playmaker is averaging 1.07 FanDuel points per minute during the playoffs and 44.0 FanDuel points per game versus the Warriors in six appearances.

Jaylen Brown ($8,500): At his second lowest salary versus the Hawks this season, Brown is sixth among forwards with a 39.7 fantasy projection. In five meetings against Atlanta, the 26-year old is recording 21.6 real-life points and 36.7 FanDuel points per game.

Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,200): In the past week, Towns' salary has dipped by 17.1% to his lowest point against the Nuggets while producing 1.04 FanDuel points per minute and a 28.0% usage rate during this time period.

Julius Randle ($7,900): Despite recent shooting struggles, Randle is sixth among forwards with a 37.4 fantasy expectation at his lowest salary this postseason. The Knicks' big man is averaging 0.95 FanDuel points per minute and a team-high 33.4% usage rate this series.

Jarrett Allen ($7,500) / Evan Mobley ($7,300): In 266 minutes with Cleveland's projected starting five on the floor this season, Allen is recording 0.96 FanDuel points per minute and a 13.8% usage rate while Mobley's production stands at 0.99 FanDuel points per minute and a 19.5% usage rate.

Draymond Green ($6,700): Even at his second salary point against the Kings this season, Golden State's controversial forward is fifth among his positions in value with a 5.16 rating and a 34.6 fantasy projection.

Andrew Wiggins ($6,600): Among his team's starting unit during the postseason, Wiggins is third in fantasy production (0.96 FanDuel points per minute) and second in usage (23.9%).

Aaron Gordon ($5,900): Despite producing an inconsistent 17.3% usage rate, Denver's starting power forward has accounted for 0.86 FanDuel points per minute in 86 playoff minutes.

Al Horford ($5,700): After a 5% salary drop, Boston's veteran is third overall in value with a 5.45 rating and a 31.1 fantasy projection. In 98 playoff minutes, Horford is producing 0.75 FanDuel points, 0.17 rebounds, and 0.08 assists per minute.

De'Andre Hunter ($4,800): The Hawks' fourth-year player is averaging 0.66 FanDuel points per minute and a 19.5% usage rate in 112 playoff minutes.

Centers

Nikola Jokic ($10,900): In the past week, Denver's superstar center has seen his salary move down by 9.9% to his lowest point during 2023. "The Joker" is numberFire's top option with 57.0 expected FanDuel points in a matchup he has averaged 52.2 fantasy points against.