The NBA playoffs are finally here and DraftStreet is starting it off with a bang! They have opened up a chance to play in a two day guaranteed prize pool tournament where the winner takes home $20,000! It’s only $55 to join the action and to have your shot at making $20,000 in just two days. The top 300 finishers get paid out. There are only 2000 spots available and they are sure to fill up fast so don’t hesitate. This is for the games on 4/19 and 4/20 and you have to be registered and have your whole team selected and finalized before tip off of the first game Saturday. This is a salary cap style draft so you have to balance out your team, you can’t just have all superstars of course. Never played at DraftStreet before? It’s your lucky day because DraftStreet is offering first time depositors a 100% bonus on all deposits up to $200. So if you put in $200 or less they will match it so you’re doubled up from day one. Now is the time to join the best daily fantasy sports site on the net.

You can feel it in the air, everything has changed now. The frustrating nights of top players taking nights off and teams being in tank mode are in the past. Now you’ll get every players best effort every minute they’re on the court. This tournament is for the first two days of the NBA playoffs so it includes players from both Saturday and Sunday’s games covering all eight playoff matchups. This just means that the player pool is filled with great options, you just have to pick the right combination.

The best thing about daily fantasy sports is that no matter how much experience or money someone has gained playing, they’re no more likely to win this two day event than a first timer. Don’t be afraid to take some gambles on your team to go along with some top tier ballers. A lot of DFS players like to go with the “studs and scrubs” approach which is using a couple of the top of the top players (Kevin Durant, LeBron James, James Harden, Stephen Curry, etc…) and then since a couple of those guys will take up such a big chunk of your salary cap you have no choice but to go with a few lower tier guys who are closer to the salary floor in hopes they can pitch in decently. Others choose to go the totally balanced approach using all middle tier players (DeMar DeRozan, Damian Lillard, Chris Bosh, etc..) where they then don’t have to scrape the bottom of the barrel types on their roster. There’s no one way to do this so just try out several angles and see what you like the best.

Below are a few players from each position that I like a lot over this opening playoff weekend that I feel could help you cash in. Remember to go ahead and go to DraftStreet.com to sign up for the $100k GPP tournament now before it fills up and you miss out on your chance to cash in big. It adds a whole new level of fun to watching the playoffs and you’ll never want to stop playing.

*Reminder the DraftStreet roster setup isn’t specific to exact position. It requires 3 guards, 3 forwards, 1 center and 1 utility. You get a $100,000 salary cap to spread as you wish making your team.*

Guards

Top Tier: Chris Paul ($19,359) – Most will look to Stephen Curry as the go to guy here but I believe CP3 is the better option. In three games against the Warriors this season he has averaged 28 points, eight assists, four rebounds and over three steals per game. As the Clippers leader, Paul will control the game and always have the ball in the clutch moments of the game to top the night off with some extra buckets and/or free throws. I’d personally go with Paul or James Harden over Curry. I’d be more likely to use Curry when the Warriors are playing at home.

Mid-Level: Monta Ellis ($13,916) – While I think the role players will struggle for the Mavs, I believe their dynamic scoring duo of Ellis and Dirk will get their stats for sure. Monta should come out firing and go right at the Spurs wings aggressively. I’d look for him to put up around 20 points with a handful of boards and dimes plus a couple steals for a fantasy point total in the low to mid 30s. I believe Ellis will really be motivated after having a mediocre playoffs last season while being swept by the Heat.

Sleeper/Value: Tony Parker ($11,657) – When you ask people who the best team in the league is you always hear “the Heat” or “the Thunder” and hardly ever the Spurs. When you ask people who the best point guard in the NBA is you rarely hear Tony Parker mentioned but he’s simply the best at leading his team in the playoffs. He’s the ultimate x-factor as he can kill you with penetrating floaters, jump shots or drive and kicking to the open man for an assist. Parker wont always put up the huge lines that Chris Paul, Steph Curry and other top DFS players do but he’s absolutely capable of it and him being close to $8k cheaper than the top guards is insulting. I believe Parker will come out and punch the Mavericks right in the chops setting the tone for their first round matchup. Don’t let his recent stats deter you from using him as Greg Popovich has used him much less of late resting him up for the playoffs.

Forwards

Top Tier: Blake Griffin ($18,854) – Don’t get me wrong here, Kevin Durant is as sure a thing as it gets and there’s no issue playing him. I don’t have to sell you on reasons to use KD so I wont waste anymore time saying such, but one of my must plays this weekend is Blake Griffin. Not only is he just a dominant force statistically every night but he’s also going up against a weak opposing set of forwards. I love the Florida Gator duo of David Lee and Marreese Speights but neither of them will be able to even dream of containing Griffin on the defensive end. I believe Griffin will put up right around 40 fantasy points for his owners.

Mid-Level: Tim Duncan ($15,516) – Is it apparent yet that I am fine using the not so young, popular and sexy names on the Spurs for my weekend lineups? I absolutely love Duncan against the Mavs bigs. The big fundamental is going to pump fake, bank shot and bounce pass himself to another robotic performance where he’ll deliver at least 18 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. In a big GPP tourney I love to have a few non-max salary “safe” options on my team. Duncan is the epitome of safe when it comes to the playoffs and DFS. Use him and sleep easy knowing he’ll go out there and get it done.

Sleeper/Value: Taj Gibson ($10,253) – I believe over the last month Tom Thibodeau has shown exactly what his players roles will be going forward. Taj is the first big man off of the bench and is good for right about 28 minutes a night where he’ll be super aggressive on the glass and defense (which in the past has earned him extra minutes in the playoffs over not so defensively gifted Carlos Boozer) plus around ten shots. Gibson isn’t going to go off for mega stats but at just over $10k I feel he’s an exceptional value and close to 25 fantasy points at home against the Wizards.

Centers

Top Tier: Al Jefferson ($18,567) – Big Al is another not so popular but always monstrous producer in DFS. I love using AlJeff in GPPs as I feel he’s almost always going to deliever enough statistically to be worth his big price tag. He should have no problem at all man handling the Heat’s center options on both ends of the court. In three games against the Heat this season Al has averaged 25.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Now that is what I like to call grown man stats! If you have room to go big money at center, this is the guy for me no question.

Mid-Level: Jonas Valanciunas ($13,492) – JV has been playing at a varsity level of late (sorry…) and while he’s never been to the playoffs, I think the Raptors could go to their youthful big man a good bit against the Nets. The Nets don’t have anyone who matches up all that great with Jonas. Mason Plumlee will likely try to out energize and intimidate the Lithuanian, but I think JV can slow things down and deliver a quality double-double this weekend for the Raps. There is always risk with a young center like this in the playoffs but personally if you can’t go a big money center, I like JV as a solid option with a more reasonable price tag.

Sleeper/Value: Jermaine O’Neal ($8,067) – I really wanted to go on a limb here and say Roy Hibbert who is just $8,988 but I just can’t with how mentally out of it he has seemed of late. There’s probably more upside with Hibbs but the better option to me in the lower tier is Jermaine. The Warriors haven’t said whether O’Neal or Draymond Green will start yet but when your opponent has DeAndre Jordan starting, it seems like a no brainer call to me. O’Neal isn’t going to do anything amazing BUT in 13 starts this season he did average 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in just 25 minutes a game. He also normally takes smart shots hence his 57% from the field in those 13 starts. Again, I’d personally go a better option at center but if you go high salary elsewhere and need to go the cheap route at center, I like JO as a decent play.

OK, that’s a few options at each spot that I like and I hope the info helps you make decisions in your lineup and it leads you to some big winnings. Remember to go to DraftStreet.com and sign up for the chance to win $20k in their opening NBA playoff weekend tournament. How else will you ever have this good of a shot at turning $55 into $20k?? I know most will say “I’d never win” but some random guy sitting at home right now is going to enter a lineup and win, WHY NOT YOU?

If $55 is simply too much for you to gamble and you’d rather start off smaller, that’s ok too. DraftStreet also has an $11 and $2 GPP tournament. Personally, I’d consider joining all three of them and make minor tweaks to each team in hopes that one or more hits for a big payday. If you want to join up at DraftStreet to join one of these other tournaments or to be able to choose games at your leisure for hoops, baseball, hockey, etc.. simply click this link to get all signed up. Daily fantasy sports is the newest thing and soon will surpass season long leagues as the most popular form of fantasy play. Get in now and cash in on all that work you put in building your fantasy IQ.

If you have any questions or want some advice or just an unbiased opinion feel free to hit me up on twitter @BigZack44 and I’ll reply to everyone as quickly as I can. Good luck to everybody this weekend.