FanDuel Single-Game NBA DFS Picks and Helper: Mavericks-Timberwolves Game 5

Since NBA DFS is easier to predict than baseball or football, it would likely get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Basketball players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right? Trust me -- it's not!

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up to date with key injuries. Our projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- update throughout the day to reflect current news. You can also turn to numberFire for player news updates as well as a matchup heat map and lineup optimizer to help give you an edge.

On top of all that, here at FanDuel Research, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into the Dallas Mavericks-Minnesota Timberwolves Game 5 single-game slate on FanDuel.

NBA Single-Game DFS Picks for Mavericks-Timberwolves

Game 5 Preview

All NBA odds are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Date and Time: Thursday, May 30th at 8:35 p.m. ET

Spread: Timberwolves -4.5 (-112)

Total: 209.5 (-110/-110)

Studs to Target

Luka Doncic ($17,500) -- At this point in the series, you're putting yourself at a disadvantage not utilizing Luka Doncic in the 2x MVP multiplier slot. Luka has been remarkably consistent against Minnesota, netting at least 59 FanDuel points (FPs) in all four games while averaging 61.2 FPPG. Though Luka's shot just 43.3% from the field this round, he's putting up 9.5 rebounds and 9.0 assists to boost his fantasy production. Having attempted 20+ shots in all four games, Doncic simultaneously offers the highest floor and highest ceiling on the slate. Even with his monstrous salary, Luka is a priority.

Anthony Edwards ($16,00) -- Anthony Edwards is a tier below Luka, but he's still the clear top contrarian option at MVP. Ant's averaging 46.4 FPPG this series, and he's flirted with a triple-double in three of four games. Though he hasn't quite gotten there yet, he has a pair of double-doubles and is still putting up 23.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists a night. Edwards boasts +135 odds to record a double-double and +950 odds to record a triple-double on FanDuel Sportsbook while his 42.5 points + rebounds + assists prop line is the game's second-highest. We still haven't seen him go completely nuclear. But if it's going to happen, at home in a must-win game would be the time to do it.

Mid-Range Options

Karl-Anthony Towns ($12,500) -- Welcome to the Conference Finals, Karl-Anthony Towns! After failing to crack 17 points and shooting 27.8% in the first three games, KAT exploded for 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting in Game 4. Unfortunately, that yielded just 28.5 FPs -- though we can attribute his lack of periphery stats to him fouling out after just 30 minutes of action. Towns has proven to be a bit foul prone of late, but he had just two fouls in each of the first three games. Assuming KAT can stay on the floor more, I'm bullish the hot shooting continues with Game 5 at home. KAT has four 40-FP outings this postseason, so there's certainly upside deploying him in the 1.5x STAR or 1.2x PRO slots.

Daniel Gafford ($11,000) -- There's a chance Dereck Lively ($9,000) could play in Game 5, and he'd be an excellent salary-saver if active. But if Lively misses again, I'm happy to turn to Daniel Gafford -- potentially in a multiplier slot. Gafford saw his most minutes (31) of the postseason last time out, and he did not disappoint. The rim-runner netted 35.1 FPs thanks to 12 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. He's now blocked at least three shots in three straight games and sports +210 odds to record 3+ blocks in Game 5. With Dallas thin underneath, Gafford is a borderline must-roster if Lively sits.

Value Plays

Derrick Jones ($8,500) -- After three straight stinkers to open up the series, Derrick Jones Jr. produced 22 FPs in Game 4. That's nothing to write home about, but it's more than enough to consider him at $8.5K, a salary that helps us get to the two high-salary studs at the top. Though Jones doesn't offer an especially high ceiling from a scoring perspective, his consistent role gives him ample opportunities to rack up counting stats. For the series, DJJ is averaging 8.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 33.8 minutes per game.

Kyle Anderson ($8,000) -- Kyle Anderson offers more value in real life than fantasy, but he's quietly been a productive salary-saver all series. His 21.8 FPs were a series-high, but SloMo is still averaging 19.3 FPPG over 19.8 minutes per game. He saw his most minutes (25) of the series in Game 5 -- something I wouldn't expect to change as the Wolves attempt to claw back into the series.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.