Core Plays LIVE: NBA DFS Picks for Monday, May 4th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2026-05-04 19:21:21 Premium Content Part of the product NBA DFS

A daily fantasy sports OG, Notorious has been roaming the DFS streets ever since they were invented. He has racked up multiple live final seats and several six-figure tournament wins in his DFS career. So, who better to walk you through the madness of NBA DFS slates on DraftKings and FanDuel? Core Plays LIVE will zoom out on the slate as a whole, zoom in on the best plays, and constantly update as news breaks. Whether you are diving into the slate 5 hours before it starts or 5 minutes before it starts, you’ve come to the right place.

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. It was a lot of fun for us. My dad always hosts a Kentucky Derby party where he acts as the sportsbook, and all the kids get to pick which horse they think is going to win. He gives everyone $20 to bet, he pays out any winners, and he gives back any losses. The kids absolutely love it. Can you imagine if a real sportsbook operated this way? Unfortunately, nobody picked Golden Tempo to win, so everyone got their $20 back.

On Sunday, we went to Via 313 for my better half’s birthday. I’m not sure if they thought she was on the cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives or what, but I’ve never been treated so well at a restaurant. They comped two large Detroit-style pizzas, they gave us coupons for two free pizzas, they gave her a birthday card that was signed by all the staff, they brought out two large cinnamon stick pizzas, and they gave the kids free ice cream. I can’t imagine they do this every time someone comes in for a birthday.

A daily fantasy sports OG, Notorious has been roaming the DFS streets ever since they were invented. He has racked up multiple live final seats and several six-figure tournament wins in his DFS career. So, who better to walk you through the madness of NBA DFS slates on DraftKings and FanDuel? Core Plays LIVE will zoom out on the slate as a whole, zoom in on the best plays, and constantly update as news breaks. Whether you are diving into the slate 5 hours before it starts or 5 minutes before it starts, you’ve come to the right place.

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. It was a lot of fun for us. My dad always hosts a Kentucky Derby party where he acts as the sportsbook, and all the kids get to pick which horse they think is going to win. He gives everyone $20 to bet, he pays out any winners, and he gives back any losses. The kids absolutely love it. Can you imagine if a real sportsbook operated this way? Unfortunately, nobody picked Golden Tempo to win, so everyone got their $20 back.

On Sunday, we went to Via 313 for my better half’s birthday. I’m not sure if they thought she was on the cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives or what, but I’ve never been treated so well at a restaurant. They comped two large Detroit-style pizzas, they gave us coupons for two free pizzas, they gave her a birthday card that was signed by all the staff, they brought out two large cinnamon stick pizzas, and they gave the kids free ice cream. I can’t imagine they do this every time someone comes in for a birthday.

I capped the weekend off with another nice cash in PGA Showdown. Over the last couple of years, I’ve had so much more success in PGA Showdown than on the main slates, so if you are in the golf streets, don’t forget to check out my Showdown articles for Rounds 2, 3, and 4 each week.

After two lackluster Game 7s yesterday, we have two Game 1s on the docket. Let’s dive into the slate.

NBA DFS Top Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel: Core Plays LIVE for Monday, May 4th

Slate Overview

• 2-game main slate
  - 8:00 pm ET – Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
  - 9:30 pm ET – Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs
• NBA DFS Optimizer
• NBA Starting Lineups
• NBA Injury Report
• Scroll to FanDuel and DraftKings Rankings & Core Plays

News Updates

This section will be updated as injury news is released throughout the day.

Team Previews

Philadelphia 76ers (at NYK)

We kick off tonight’s 2-game slate with the Sixers, who won the final 3 games in their 1st-round series against the Celtics. They have to feel like they are playing with house money at this point, so they should come into this series with little to no pressure. A matchup against the Knicks is far from ideal, as New York ranks 25th in pace and 5th in points allowed per game this season. Philly’s team total is 13 points lower than their season average, which is the 2nd-worst mark on the slate.

Tyrese Maxey has averaged 42 minutes per game in the playoffs, but we did see him take a sizable usage rate hit with Joel Embiid back in the lineup in the last 4 games of the series against the Celtics. He can still fill up the stat sheet, but I do question his ceiling in a tough series against the Knicks. VJ Edgecombe will flash some upside every once in a while, but he has seen a usage rate under 15% in 3 of the last 4 games. Kelly Oubre is also risky, as he’s been held under 15 fantasy points in 3 of the last 4 games.

Paul George, aka “Playoff P,” hasn’t lived up to his nickname so far in the postseason. The minutes have been there, but he has not shot the ball well and has only averaged 33 fantasy points per game. Joel Embiid is really the only player on the Sixers that I am prioritizing on this slate. He has averaged 53 fantasy points in his 4 playoff games and has dominated the usage in this offense. He’s appropriately priced on FanDuel ($10,100) but far too cheap on DraftKings ($8,800).

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