Core Plays LIVE: NBA DFS Picks for Thursday, April 30th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2026-04-30 22:01:32 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 Thursday!

Last night was my best slate of the playoffs so far, although I could have done without the massive 4th quarter from Deandre Ayton. While he cost me a few grand, it was still a tremendous slate. I’m hoping to start a little hot streak in NBA DFS, and I’m hoping the rest of the RG family does as well.

For a quick recap of last night’s games, the Pistons were able to hold serve at home and now head back to Orlando to try to force a Game 7. The Cavaliers and Raptors were both on fire last night, but Cleveland ultimately prevailed and took a 3-2 lead in the series. Last but not least, the Rockets beat the Lakers in Los Angeles and now have a chance to force a Game 7 with a win at home. There will be a ton of pressure on the Lakers if they don’t close out the series in Houston.

We have another 3-game slate on tap tonight. The Knicks are hoping to close out their series against the Hawks, but the home team has won all 5 games so far. The Celtics are looking to avoid a Game 7 after losing their second game of the series at home the other night. In the late game, the Nuggets are looking to stay alive and force a Game 7 against the Wolves. It should be a fun slate, as all 3 games feature close spreads.

Let’s dive into the team previews.

NBA DFS Top Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel: Core Plays LIVE for Thursday, April 30th

Slate Overview

• 3-game main slate
  - 7:00 pm ET – New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks
  - 8:00 pm ET – Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers
  - 9:30 pm ET – Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves
• 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

New York Knicks (at ATL)

The Knicks have yet to win a game in Atlanta, but they have won all 3 games at home. Thanks to home-court advantage in the series, they now have two chances to close out the Hawks. This is one of the better matchups on the board, as Atlanta is ranked 5th in pace and 17th in points allowed per game. The Knicks have a team total of 108 points, which is the 4th highest on the slate. Josh Hart is questionable with a back injury, but I’d be surprised if he doesn’t suit up.

Jalen Brunson finally had the big game in Game 5 that we’ve been waiting for. He made 15-of-23 shots and put up 56 fantasy points in only 34 minutes of action. The usage rate and shot volume have been elite all series, so I have no problem going right back to him tonight in Game 6. Karl-Anthony Towns continues to defy the odds. He has scored over 50 fantasy points in 3 straight games despite taking 7, 10, and 12 shot attempts. He’s running hot on rebounds and assists, which doesn’t seem sustainable. I’m not about to hop on board now. I’ll continue to prioritize Brunson over KAT in all formats.

Mikal Bridges might be the easiest fade on the slate after failing to score more than 17 fantasy points all series. If Hart is active, he makes for an interesting tournament target at low pOWN%, although he has cooled off after a hot start to the series. OG Anunoby has averaged over 40 fantasy points in the last 3 games and is still affordable. He’s very hit-or-miss, so I would only look his way in tournaments. Miles McBride has seen an uptick in minutes with Bridges struggling, but he hasn’t done much with his playing time. Mitchell Robinson remains a nice pivot off of KAT. He’s only $3,800 on DraftKings.

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