Advice for NBA DFS on Monday, May 3 (2021)

Monday welcomes the NBA back for another great week of ball, while most of the teams playing on May 3rd are starting to eye specific seeds for the playoffs.

That surely won’t eliminate some scratches and a wave of news to contend with, and NBA DFS gamers probably wouldn’t have it any other way.

I see some nice value on this slate in terms of betting on the NBA. If you want to go that route, be sure to check out Monday’s NBA picks.

As for the daily fantasy basketball side of things, there are at least three amazing environments to get excited about, while plenty of plays stand out immediately.

Let’s dive into Monday’s slate and find out which NBA DFS picks and sleepers belong in our daily fantasy basketball lineups.

It gets old, but Russell Westbrook is once again perhaps the best raw points play on the slate come Monday. The guy seems to play every night, but he also seems to get 60+ fantasy points every time he’s out there.

Westbrook reminded everyone of his dominant ability with an insane 74-point fantasy performance in his last game, and tonight he gets a Pacers team he obliterated earlier this year.

I like to start my lineup building process with Russ, even though I’ll have eyes for a few other studs tonight.

There should be a lot of value on this slate when it’s all said and done, but it’ll be awfully hard to get away from the Pistons.

Detroit will once again be resting some key veterans, which makes the likes of Jackson, Bey, and Stewart core plays. These guys have dealt with foul trouble issues lately, but it’s arguable that will be less of a problem against the hapless Magic.

I love the Pistons on this slate, and you can pay up for a PF option like Zion Williamson or Domantas Sabonis.

The latter is the one I prefer, of course. Not only is he facing a bad Wizards defense in an up-tempo game, but he went absolutely nuts in his last game.

Sabonis piled on 75 fantasy points in just 30 minutes, while he also crushed Washington (61 fantasy points) when he faced them earlier this season.

Hayes is one more Detroit player to add to the pile. He will start and push for 30+ minutes, and he’s the cheapest option in play here.

I don’t see Hayes as a must, but if you slide him into your daily fantasy basketball lineups, you’re doing okay.

One guy you will want to keep an eye on is Andrew Wiggins, as he’s questionable to suit up.

Andrew Wiggins is questionable for Warriors tomorrow at New Orleans with right knee soreness. Damion Lee, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Eric Paschall are out.

— John Dickinson (@JDJohnDickinson) May 3, 2021

Kelly Oubre Jr. is already out, so Wiggins sitting could open major run for Poole. Bazemore is also already slotted for a start and some solid burn, making both guys solid NBA DFS sleepers.

I didn’t think I’d get here, but I like the idea of playing Mo Wagner. He was impossible to trust while with the Wizards, but things have changed.

Due to the injuries in Orlando, he is getting rock solid minutes. The matchup with the Pistons looks good on paper, too. If he starts and has a clear path to 30+ minutes, I’m all for it.

The same goes for Willy Hernangomez, assuming Steven Adams is out again.

Hernangomez will still lose some minutes to Jaxson Hayes (and he’s much cheaper), but Willy is the first guy the Pels turn to down low. He’s the safer play, although I’m not excited to see his salary spike.

Sometimes I just go with my top NBA DFS picks and mix in my favorite sleepers. For Monday, I am absolutely starting things off with my core values, but up top, I like the idea of pairing Trae and Dame together.

Those two are facing off in one of the wildest games of the night (237 game total at BetOnline), and it’s one of several interesting spots.

Westbrook is worth paying up for, but if he’s going to be high-owned, I love the idea of going with two capable point guards as a pivot for tournaments.

The core will be the same as everyone else’s (barring some major news), while the likes of JTA, Poole, and Wagner all fit in as obvious cheap plays, potentially.

I still think you can work your way up to Russ, Embiid, Curry, or Jokic, but for now, I like this construction.