NBA DFS Picks (Monday, May 12): Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns Lead The Way

Yesterday’s NBA playoff action delivered a jolt of excitement, as the Indiana Pacers stunned the Cleveland Cavaliers with a dominant performance to seize a 3-1 stranglehold on their Eastern Conference series. Meanwhile, out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder held firm on their home court, claiming a crucial Game 4 win to even things up 2-2 with the Denver Nuggets.

Tonight, the drama continues with two high-stakes Game 4 matchups: the Boston Celtics head to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks (+6.5), while the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Bay Area to battle the Golden State Warriors (+5.5).

Injury-wise, the headlines are clear—Steph Curry remains out, dealing a massive blow to Golden State’s chances, while Celtics sharpshooter Sam Hauser is listed as questionable with a lesser impact.

With the stakes soaring and lineups shifting, let’s dive into the top NBA DFS picks for tonight’s Monday, May 12 slate.

NBA DFS Guards:

Stud: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves ($9,500)

Ant Man is coming off a statement outing in Game 3, torching the defense for 36 points, four boards, four assists, and a block—good for 50 DraftKings fantasy points. It was his first 30-point effort of the series, and it underscored why he’s the undisputed catalyst of the Timberwolves’ offense. Sporting a hefty 31% usage rate and averaging over 40 minutes per contest in the playoffs, Edwards has been a fantasy force, raising his season average of 45.7 DK points to 50.6 in the postseason.

ANTHONY EDWARDS THROWDOWN!! 😱 pic.twitter.com/9uzZt5H885
— NBA (@NBA) May 11, 2025

The matchup sets up favorably, too. Golden State may rank top 10 in points allowed, but they’ve struggled to defend the perimeter (18th in 3-point percentage allowed) and don’t push the pace (17th in tempo), leaving plenty of opportunities for Edwards to capitalize as a high-volume shooter and fast-break threat—particularly against a thin and banged-up Warriors backcourt.

Value: Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors ($4,700)

With Curry still sidelined, Buddy Hield stands to benefit from both opportunity and volume, likely logging around 30 minutes and continuing his streak of firing off double-digit shot attempts—something he’s done in each and every game throughout the series. Don’t forget that he took 19 shots in Game 1, and with a lack of three-point shooting without Steph, Hield has the green light to fire away. While he’s not known for stuffing the defensive stat sheet, he’s managed to tally a couple of steals and blocks, showing he’s not a complete zero on that end of the floor.

He’s delivered a rock-solid fantasy floor, posting no fewer than 23 fantasy points in each outing, with a ceiling that climbed as high as 43 in Game 1. Given his heavy workload and his ability to catch fire from beyond the arc, another 40+ fantasy-point outing is not out of the question. And at his price tag, it’s tough to not roster the Golden State sharpshooter.

NBA DFS Forwards:

Stud: Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors ($8,500)

While Jayson Tatum may be the more polished star, Jimmy Butler offers tremendous value at a lower price point—and with Steph Curry still out, Butler arguably brings just as much fantasy upside. He’s fresh off a dominant performance, dropping 33 points along with seven rebounds and seven assists, racking up 51.3 fantasy points. When the playoffs roll around, “Playoff Jimmy” transforms into a force of nature, and with the Warriors reeling without their floor general, Butler will need to rise to the occasion if Golden State hopes to keep pace with a deeper, more talented Timberwolves squad.

Jimmy Butler tonight:

33 Points
7 Rebounds
7 Assists
2/4 3PM pic.twitter.com/2BtbBwHCWu
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 11, 2025

In this series alone, Butler is putting up 23.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game—proving he’s more than capable of filling up the stat sheet in every category. He’s already topped 50 DraftKings points twice in three games, and while Tatum might offer a bit more consistency, his scoring struggles against the Knicks make Butler the more enticing play tonight. I’m locking in Playoff Jimmy—and you should be too.

Value: Al Horford, Boston Celtics ($5,000)

With Kristaps Porzingis under the weather and coming off the bench in limited minutes, Al Horford has stepped into the starting five and made the most of the opportunity. In Game 3, the veteran big man—now in his 18th NBA season—posted a strong line of 15 points, nine rebounds, an assist, and two blocks, racking up 33.3 fantasy points in Boston’s crucial road win at Madison Square Garden. If he draws another start tonight, Horford is a sneaky value play at both forward and center.

Given Porzingis hasn’t cracked the 20-minute mark in any game this series, Horford looks like a safe bet for 30+ minutes. And with his ability to stretch the floor, clean the glass, and rack up defensive stats, he’s a cost-effective option who can easily return value—especially if he knocks down a few threes and controls the boards again.

NBA DFS Centers:

Stud: Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks ($7,500)

KAT presents the Knicks with their most significant mismatch against Boston. Whether it’s Al Horford or Jayson Tatum checking him, KAT's combination of power in the paint and touch from deep makes him nearly impossible to contain. If his jumper is falling, he’ll be a co-pilot alongside Jalen Brunson in what New York is treating as a must-win Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. Despite injuring his finger in Game 3, it was his non shooting hand and he is expected to be a full participant in tonight's postseason showdown.

Karl-Anthony Towns was a full participant in Knicks practice today after injuring his finger yesterday in Game 3. He is expected to play in Game 4. Towns played through a thumb injury during the season & still found ways to impact wins w/o volume 3s. NYK needs whatever he has.
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) May 11, 2025

Towns has notched three straight double-doubles in this series, averaging 18.7 points and a dominant 15.0 rebounds per game. While his shot-blocking has room for improvement, he's now recorded five consecutive double-doubles dating back to the first-round series against Detroit. With a high shot volume (47 attempts through three games), a heavy workload (35.5 minutes over the last two), and a salary that doesn’t reflect his ceiling, KAT stands out as the safest floor/elite upside combo at the center position—fully capable of dropping a 50-burger under the bright lights of MSG.

Value: Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves ($4,600)

Naz Reid’s Game 3 showing may have been underwhelming at just 16.25 fantasy points in 24 minutes, but that represents the lower end of his volatility. In the two games prior, he logged 30 and 34 minutes and rewarded fantasy managers with 25.75 and 30.25 points respectively. His fantasy ceiling hinges largely on his scoring volume, making his output unpredictable—but his role in Minnesota’s rotation remains solid, and the upside is very real if he finds his rhythm early.

Should Rudy Gobert struggle to stay on the court due to matchup issues or spacing limitations, Reid’s usage is bound to climb. And when he’s in rhythm, the man can fill it up in a hurry. Through the first three games of the series, the former Sixth Man of the Year has posted averages of 13.0 points, 3.7 boards, and 2.7 assists—a stat line that feels ripe for positive regression. If he gets up double-digit shot attempts as he did in the first two games of this series, 30+ DraftKings points is well within reach.

More Recommended NBA DFS Targets: Julius Randle ($7,700), Derrick White ($6,700), Draymond Green ($5,500), Mitch Robinson ($3,700)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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