The 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament tips off on Tuesday with two crucial 7-seed versus 8-seed matchups, where victory secures a spot in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The evening begins at 7:30 p.m. ET with Hawks against Magic (-5.5), followed by Warriors versus Grizzlies (+7) at 10 p.m. ET. Star players such as Trae Young, Paolo Banchero, Ja Morant, and Steph Curry are all part of the NBA DFS player pool. Notably, Curry`s Warriors have a play-in history of 0-3, despite Curry`s impressive average of 32.7 points per game in these tournament appearances. Given his track record, the two-time MVP remains a premium, high-cost option for Tuesday NBA DFS lineups.
While selecting Curry might strain your NBA DFS salary budget, you can balance this by considering more budget-friendly players. Reserves like Cole Anthony, Caris LeVert, Santi Aldama, and Buddy Hield could offer valuable, cost-effective contributions to your NBA DFS strategy. Before locking in your NBA DFS picks, it`s recommended to consult NBA DFS advice, player rankings, and top daily Fantasy basketball selections from SportsLine`s Mike McClure.
McClure is a seasoned DFS professional with over $2 million in winnings. He also serves as a predictive data engineer at SportsLine, employing a sophisticated prediction model. This model simulates each game minute 10,000 times, incorporating factors such as player matchups, statistical trends, and injury updates. This rigorous analysis enables him to pinpoint top NBA DFS values on platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel, constructing optimal lineups exclusively shared at SportsLine. These insights are invaluable for any serious NBA DFS player.
Top NBA DFS picks for Tuesday, April 15
For Tuesday`s games, one of McClure`s premier NBA DFS selections is Warriors forward Jimmy Butler, priced at $8,000 on DraftKings and $8,900 on FanDuel. Despite a late-game injury scare in Sunday`s regular-season finale, Butler is not listed on Tuesday`s injury report. He scored 30 points in Sunday`s loss to the Clippers, a game that relegated Golden State to the play-in tournament. This 30-point performance marked a new career high for Butler in a Warriors uniform. In his single game against Memphis this season as a Warrior, Butler delivered a strong all-around performance with 27 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Butler has rightfully earned the moniker `Playoff Jimmy`, and while this game isn`t technically a playoff match, it carries postseason significance. Historically, his statistics in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks all improve in the postseason compared to the regular season. Memphis has shown vulnerability against power forwards, the position Butler has started in for the past 11 games. In the regular season, Memphis conceded the sixth-most Fantasy points to power forwards on FanDuel and the seventh-most on DraftKings.
Another key element of McClure`s optimal NBA DFS strategy involves including Grizzlies center Zach Edey ($5,700 on DraftKings and $6,800 on FanDuel). The former college standout finished his rookie season strongly, securing double-digit rebounds in five of his last six games. Over this period, he averaged 9.3 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. Standing at 7-foot-4, Edey presents a significant size advantage against the smaller Warriors team. Golden State ranks as the second-shortest team in the NBA based on weighted minutes, with only one rotation player exceeding 6-foot-9.
Across four encounters with Golden State, Edey nearly averaged a double-double, posting 9.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks. In his most recent game against the Warriors on April 1, Edey equaled his career-best in blocks (four), grabbed his third-highest rebound count (16), and scored 10 points. The two centers preceding Edey to face the Warriors also performed exceptionally well. Ivica Zubac of the Clippers recorded 22 points and 17 rebounds in the last regular-season game, while Portland rookie Donovan Clingan achieved a 14-point, 15-rebound game in the preceding contest. For McClure`s remaining NBA DFS picks, you can find them here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Tuesday, April 15
McClure is also highlighting a player poised for a potentially huge performance on Tuesday, thanks to a highly favorable matchup. This particular pick could be crucial in determining success in your tournaments and cash games. You can discover this player exclusively here.
Who is DFS expert Mike McClure including in his prime NBA DFS lineups for Tuesday? Visit SportsLine now to access optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a DFS professional boasting over $2 million in career earnings, and gain the edge you need.
Jasper Hawthorne