Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: Last-Minute NBA DraftKings Picks for April 11
Stephen Curry is my anchor on Saturday night. He and the Golden State Warriors host the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The lead Splash Brother is putting the finishing touches on what will likely be an MVP season, and he doesn't appear to be slowing down. In Curry's last game, he went off for 45 points with eight three-point baskets.
The performance produced 66 fantasy points. Instead of pulling back with his team having clinched the league's best record, Curry's fantasy production has ramped up in each of the last three games.
What's more, he has victimized the Wolves so far this season. In three games, Curry is averaging 45.5 fantasy points per game. He's done that while shooting just under 27 percent from three-point range. There has to be a hot-shooting performance against the Wolves coming from Curry.
Even if it isn't happening on Saturday, he's proved he can light Minnesota up without being on fire from beyond the arc.
Here's a look at the rest of my DraftKings lineup for Saturday:
| PG | Stephen Curry | Minnesota Timberwolves | $9,500 |
| SG | J.J. Redick | Memphis Grizzlies | $6,300 |
| SF | Rodney Hood | Portland Trail Blazers | $4,700 |
| PF | Pau Gasol | Philadelphia 76ers | $8,300 |
| C | Robin Lopez | Utah Jazz | $4,600 |
| G | Elfrid Payton | New York Knicks | $7,500 |
| F | Mike Dunleavy | Philadelphia 76ers | $4,800 |
| UTIL | Adreian Payne | Golden State Warriors | $4,000 |
Pau Gasol ($8,300) vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Mr. Double-Double aka Pau Gasol is set for yet another big game on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Gasol has proved he can have success against any team and frontcourt, but the 76ers will be ill-equipped to slow the Spaniard down on Saturday, per Real GM:
Gasol has already averaged 45.3 fantasy points against the Sixers this season. With Philly playing without Nerlens Noel, it will have even more issues keeping Gasol from going wild.
Perhaps the most encouraging reason to take Gasol on Saturday is the Chicago Bulls' current standing in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Because the Bulls haven't locked up the third spot, they can't afford to rest players—not that head coach Tom Thibodeau knows what that means. Expect Gasol to play 32-plus minutes and to notch another impressive double-double.
Elfrid Payton ($7,500) vs. New York Knicks
With the Bulls' Nikola Mirotic, Noel of the 76ers and the Timberwolves' Andrew Wiggins having good rookie seasons, this first-year crop of players has been pretty impressive. Add the Orlando Magic's Elfrid Payton to that mix. He has been a stat-sheet stuffer for the Magic over the last month.
He hasn't scored lower than 30 fantasy points in any of his last 10 games, and he's topped the 40-point mark six times in that span.
With the New York Knicks coming to town, Payton will have an opportunity to add another solid statistical performance to his rookie resume.
Rodney Hood ($4,700) at Portland Trail Blazers
Over the last week, Rodney Hood has stepped up as a major fantasy contributor.
In back-to-back games against the Sacramento Kings, Hood averaged 39.1 fantasy points. He followed that up with 18 points and four rebounds on Friday night in the Utah Jazz's one-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
At $4,700, Hood is an absolute steal. I'd seriously consider grabbing him each night for the remainder of the season. It's highly unlikely his DK salary rises to a point that won't make him a value.
Adreian Payne ($4,000) at Golden State Warriors
The Timberwolves have a plethora of injuries on their frontcourt. That has led to extended minutes for their young bigs. Adreian Payne played 29 minutes on Friday night in the team's 106-98 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers.
He managed to score 14 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
There's every reason to believe he continues to get solid minutes for the rest of the season. Minnesota doesn't have anything to play for, and this is the perfect time to have youngsters like Payne play.
A night with 28-30 fantasy points is a real possibility, especially if the Wolves are blown out by Golden State. Payne would likely stay in the game to earn experience if the game gets out of hand.
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