NBA DFS Expert Survey: Thursday, May 7th

by Justin Bailey (Jbails26) Last Updated 2026-05-07 17:50:56 Premium Content Part of the product NBA DFS

Our panel of experts is here to give you their insights on NBA DFS today for the 5/7 main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. They’re ready to answer key questions that will assist you in making those crucial lineup-building decisions. Curious to know headChopper’s favorite tournament play? Or perhaps you’re wondering about Noto’s favorite salary saver? Read their thoughts below!

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Expert Survey for Thursday, May 7

Who is your favorite player to spend up for in cash games?

Notorious: Cade Cunningham
headChopper: Cade Cunningham
tcsmith031: Cade Cunningham

What is your preferred tournament format (e.g. large-field, single-entry) to play on this slate? How do you plan to beat that field of opponents? What tactic or strategy will set you apart?

Notorious: I prefer small-field tournaments. My strategy of mostly fading the late game worked to perfection last night. I’m employing the same strategy on tonight’s slate. I want to stack the first game, which is a better game environment with a much lower spread. I’ll target a couple of values on the Thunder, but I plan to fully fade the Lakers. The hope is that the LAL/OKC game turns into a blowout, which will limit the playing time of the starters for both teams.

headChopper: I prefer small fields with limited entries. I will probably play 20 lineups at the most. Game 2s are fun because you know guys who are good and had a bad Game 1 are eventually going to bounce back. You can get them at a bit of a pOWN% discount because of a poor Game 1. I also like taking players who are down 0-1, as they typically have a bigger sense of urgency, although I still can’t get to too many Lakers. That brings me to a guy like Rui Hachimura, who I will be overweight on because, for a really low pOWN% (relative to a 2-game slate), he did play 36 minutes and take 6 3-point shots at a cheap price tag.

tcsmith031: I’ll play 20-max and single-entry tournaments. While I’d be paying up for Cade Cunningham in cash games, I think fading him in some tournament lineups is a viable approach. Avoiding the most expensive player on the slate and instead focusing on midrange pieces – like Chet Holmgren, Jalen Duren, and Evan Mobley – is an easy way to get different. This strategy also means you can avoid some of the shaky sub-$4,000 punt plays with low floors.

Who is your favorite play (when considering price, matchup, roster construction, etc.) on the board and why?

Want to read more? Sign up for NBA Premium!

-

-

-