With the 2022-23 NBA season winding down, NBA daily Fantasy players are having to adjust their NBA DFS strategy to account for teams either resting for the playoffs or tanking to improve their chances of scoring big in a top-loaded draft class. However, one team hoping to ramp up as they head into the 2023 NBA Playoffs is the Phoenix Suns, who just got Kevin Durant back from an ankle injury. Phoenix is also trying to fend off the Warriors for the No. 4 seed in the West and home-court advantage in the first round.
Durant has missed 16 of 21 games since he was acquired from the Nets. However, he's coming off a 30-point performance on Friday against the Nuggets and could be a popular option for NBA DFS lineups on Sunday. But affording stars like Durant, Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry and LeBron James will mean that you also have to find some cheaper options in the NBA DFS player pool. Before making any NBA DFS picks for Sunday, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine's Mike McClure.
McClure is a DFS professional with over $2 million in career winnings. He's also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.
This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They're a must-see for any NBA DFS player.
On Saturday, McClure highlighted Mavericks guard Luka Doncic as one of his top NBA DFS picks. The result: Doncic recorded 42 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and two steals, returning 71.5 points on DraftKings and 69 points on FanDuel. Anybody that included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
Now, McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Sunday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Sunday, April 2
One of McClure's top NBA DFS picks for Sunday is Nuggets guard Jamal Murray ($7,700 on DraftKings and $7,900 on FanDuel). Murray announced himself as a star during an incredible bubble run in 2021 but tore his ACL late in the postseason and wound up missing all of the 2021-22 NBA season.
However, he's returned to action in 2022-23 and proven that he hasn't lost a step. He's averaging 20.2 points, 6.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds, while shooting 45.3% from the floor and 40.0% from the 3-point line. And over his last 15 games, he's averaging 21.1 points and 7.3 assists, while shooting 42.7% from the 3-point line.
Another part of McClure's optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Knicks forward R.J. Barrett ($6,200 on DraftKings, $6,300 on FanDuel). The No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft is averaging 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game this season. Barrett should take on an even more active role offensively with Julius Randle (ankle) out on Sunday against the Wizards.
He's only played one game without Randle in the lineup this season and put up a pedestrian 14 points and seven rebounds thanks to a 6-for-17 shooting night. However, Barrett averaged 22.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in games where Randle didn't play last season and the 49 shots combined between Barrett and Brunson on Friday are a clear indicator of New York's plans with Randle out.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Sunday, April 2
McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Sunday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
Who is DFS pro Mike McClure putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Sunday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who has over $2 million in career winnings, and find out.
