NBA DFS: Top DraftKings, FanDuel daily Fantasy basketball picks for Monday, April 1 include Zion Williamson

Half of Monday’s NBA schedule features contests expected to be decided by double-digits, according to the spreads, which could lead to some lopsided contests and games already decided early in the fourth quarter. The Pacers (vs. Nets), Magic (vs. Trail Blazers) and Celtics (vs. Hornets) are all favorites by at least 10 points. How should potential blowouts affect your NBA DFS strategy? Could that mean these stars such as Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton or Paolo Banchero from the NBA DFS player pool see limited minutes and could underperform? Or could they have some huge performances to carry them as top NBA DFS picks?

Blowouts can also provide coaches the opportunity to empty their benches, which could create value from deep on the roster to contribute for NBA DFS lineups. Nets forward Trendon Watford has played at least 19 minutes in four straight games and is averaging 14.3 ppg with the increased role, so could he be a valuable, cheaper option for Monday NBA DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings? Before making your NBA DFS picks, 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 more than $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 Wednesday (when McClure last made picks), McClure highlighted Hawks guard Dejounte Murray as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Murray had 30 points, three rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks, returning 53.75 points on DraftKings and 55.1 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Monday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top NBA DFS picks for Monday, April 1

For Monday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is rostering Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson, who is listed at $8,700 on DraftKings and $9,200 on FanDuel. Williamson had 25 points and nine rebounds in a 104-92 loss against the Celtics, who have the best record in the league and one of the best defenses. Even with a tough matchup, Williamson shot 52.9% (9 of 17) from the field to reach at least 25 points for the fourth straight game. Williamson is averaging 22.8 points per game this season, including 29.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists over the last four contests.

Brandon Ingram (knee) is out for his sixth straight game as Williamson has needed to take on an expanded role since his injury. Williamson leads the team in scoring with Ingram (20.9 ppg) closely behind. Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has taken advantage of his increased opportunities for daily Fantasy basketball players. The Pelicans play the Suns and Williamson has scored at least 30 points in three of his last four matchups against Phoenix. Williamson has made at least 11 field goals in each of his last four games against the Suns, shooting 71.4% over that stretch.

Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson ($6,600 on DraftKings and $6,500 on FanDuel). Henderson had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists as one of the lone brighter spots in a 142-82 blowout loss against the Heat on Friday. Henderson led Portland in scoring on Friday while shooting 8 of 18 from the field. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft has scored at least 20 points in three of his last five games and is averaging 19 ppg over his last six.

The Blazers are battling significant injuries at the moment, including leading scorer Anfernee Simons (knee) out. Jerami Grant (hamstring), the team’s second-leading scorer, is doubtful, so Henderson is needed to take over a major role in the offense with all the team’s injuries, which boosts his NBA DFS value. Portland plays the Magic, who have lost three of their last four games, and although Orlando has one of the better-scoring defenses, Henderson’s usage at a cheaper price tag makes him a strong option for McClure in NBA DFS lineups. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.

How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Monday, April 1

McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Monday 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 Monday? 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 winningsand find out.