Three of the four teams in the East portion of the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament were also in this position a year ago. Miami, Atlanta and Chicago were play-in participants in 2023, making the NBA Play-In Tournament 2024 the debut in this event for Philadelphia. With a playoff-like atmosphere, should NBA DFS lineups turn to stars like Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as they take on Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Miami? That will be a popular NBA DFS strategy, but one should, perhaps, proceed with caution in regards to Embiid.

In his MVP season last year, Embiid averaged 33.1 points in the regular season but just 23.7 points in the postseason. Yes, he was banged up during the playoffs, but that’s also the same case this year. Bypassing Embiid for daily Fantasy basketball lineups would then open up lots of NBA DFS salary cap space to utilize on others, but who should those other players be? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.

McClure is a DFS professional with more than $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.

This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.

On Tuesday, McClure highlighted Pelicans forward Zion Williamson as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Williamson had 40 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, returning 65.25 points on DraftKings and 63.7 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Wednesday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top NBA DFS picks for Wednesday, April 17
For Wednesday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is rostering Hawks PG/SG Dejounte Murray, who is listed at $8,800 on DraftKings and $8,200 on FanDuel. Murray is coming off a stellar season in which he averaged a career-high of 22.5 points to go along with 6.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He also logged 20 doubles — more than twice as many as the eight he had last year — as he took on more distributing responsibilities when Young was sidelined. With Young back, Murray can operate more as a scorer and he dropped 32 points in the final regular season game.

Murray has scored exactly 17 points in each of his last four games against the Bulls, but he’s also combined for at least 10 rebounds plus assists in each of those. Playing off-guard favors him in this matchup more so than running the point, considering Chicago struggles more versus two-guards. The Bulls are a top-four defense against opposing PGs in terms of Fantasy points allowed on both DraftKings and FanDuel, as opposed to being in the middle-of-the-pack against SGs. Thus, Murray is a better option than Young for tonight and is justified as the most expensive SG on both sites.

Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Heat PF Nikola Jovic ($4,400 on DraftKings and $4,100 on FanDuel). A 2022 first-round pick, Jovic finally established a consistent role with Miami over the last month of the regular season. Over his final 14 games, Jovic started in each one and averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He surpassed Kevin Love in the rotation, and the Serb produced 11 points with five rebounds in less than 20 minutes of action earlier this month versus Philadelphia.

Jovic shot 40% from beyond the arc this past season, ranking second on Miami, and that floor spacing will be needed with Embiid patrolling the paint. Philly just allowed PF Noah Clowney to score 16 points in its last game — which was the third-most of his career — and it gave up a 22-15-7 stat line to PF Paolo Banchero in its previous game. So, defending power forwards appears to be a weakness for the Sixers, and Jovic is the type of low-cost, high-reward option that could outproduce his NBA DFS price tags. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.

How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Wednesday, April 17
McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Wednesday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.

The Philadelphia 76ers have gotten hot at just the right moment as they take an eight-game winning streak into Wednesday’s Eastern Conference Play-In game against the Miami Heat. The 8-seed Heat (46-36), who have won two in a row, have won two of three postseason series against Philadelphia, including a 4-2 win over it in the 2022 East semifinals. The 7-seed 76ers (47-35), who finished third in the Atlantic Division, are 25-16 on their home court. The teams split four games during the regular season with both teams winning one home and one road game. Joel Embiid (knee) is listed as questionable, while Miami lists Terry Rozier (neck) as out.

The game from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia will tip off at 7 p.m. ET. Philadelphia is averaging 114.6 points per game, 15th-best in the league, while Miami averages 110.1, 26th-best. The Sixers are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Heat vs. 76ers odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 208. Before making any 76ers vs. Heat picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer simulation model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 88-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,600. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Sixers vs. Heat and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Heat vs. Sixers:

Heat vs. 76ers spread: Philadelphia -5.5
Heat vs. 76ers over/under: 208 points
Heat vs. 76ers money line: Philadelphia -222, Miami +184
MIA: The Heat have hit the money line in 28 of their last 48 away games (+22.15 units)
PHI: The 76ers have hit the third-quarter game total under in 40 of their last 62 games (+17.15 units)
Heat vs. 76ers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the 76ers can cover
Miami seems to bring out the best in power forward Tobias Harris. In 32 career games against the Heat, Harris is averaging 17.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes. In his only action against Miami this season, he scored 27 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out six assists in a 119-113 loss on Dec. 25. For the year, Harris has played in 70 games, all starts, and is averaging 17.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 33.8 minutes.

Shooting guard Kelly Oubre Jr. has also taken a liking to playing against the Heat. In four games against them this season, Oubre is averaging 18.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, two assists, 1.8 blocks and one steal. In a 98-91 win over Miami on March 18, Oubre registered a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. In 68 games, including 52 starts, he is averaging 15.4 points, five rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.2 minutes. See who to back at SportsLine.

Why the Heat can cover
Last year, Jimmy Butler came alive during the postseason. He is primed to do the same this time around as he finished tied with Tyler Herro as Miami’s top scorer during the regular season. In 60 games, all starts, Butler is averaging 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, five assists and 1.3 steals in 34 minutes. The small forward has reached double-figure scoring in each of the last nine games, including 27 in a 117-115 loss at Indiana on April 7. He scored 20 points and added five assists and four rebounds in a 109-105 loss to Philadelphia on April 4, the only time he faced them in 2023.

Herro has also been red hot of late, reaching double figures in all six games since returning from injury. He poured in 33 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists in a 117-111 double-overtime win at Atlanta on April 9. In two games against the 76ers this season, he is averaging 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and six assists in 38 minutes. For the year, he has started 40 of 42 games, averaging 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists, and is connecting on 44.1% of his field goals, including 39.6% from 3-point range, and 85.6% at the foul line. See who to back at SportsLine.

How to make Heat vs. 76ers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 207 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only get the model’s picks at SportsLine.

So who wins 76ers vs. Heat, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that’s 88-58 on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.

Now that the 2024 NBA postseason has begun, the basketball betting market is hotter than ever. CBS Sports will be providing daily picks for the duration of the postseason. Sam Quinn will make at least one pick for every game between now and the NBA Finals. All game lines courtesy of SportsLine consensus unless otherwise specified.

Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers
Yes, you should be afraid of Jimmy Butler going “you chose Tobias Harris over me???” all over the 76ers again, but he really isn’t the most problematic matchup in this game. How does Miami plan to slow down Tyrese Maxey? The 76ers and Heat have played three teams since Valentine’s Day. Maxey scored 97 combined points in those matchups and was never held below 30. Philadelphia beat Miami on its home court less than two weeks ago, and before you start citing Miami’s postseason history, remember, the Heat lost their first play-in game to Atlanta last season before going on a Finals run. The 76ers are the better team, and they’ll prove it Wednesday. The Pick: 76ers -5

The 208-point total seems a tad low. Yes, the Heat had the NBA’s 21st-ranked offense this season, and yes, Terry Rozier will miss this game due to injury. Still, the favorable Maxey matchup should help the 76ers score plenty of points, and remember, even in a down period for offense and fouls, Joel Embiid has still managed to draw 49 free-throw attempts in the roughly 152 minutes he’s played since returning. That’s more or less in line with his season and career career averages. If Miami can’t stay in front of Maxey and Embiid is getting to the line, their best bet will be to lean into offense and try to win this game by outscoring Philadelphia. The Pick: Over 208

We’ve talked a lot about Philly’s favorable matchups here. How about Miami’s? Without De’Anthony Melton the 76ers don’t have an ideal solution to Tyler Herro, who will get extra shots with Rozier sidelined and Duncan Robinson nursing a back injury. Scoring has been an issue for Miami, and Butler will surely be the focus of Philly’s game plan, but that leaves room for a nice game out of Herro. The Pick: Herro Over 20.5 Points

Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls
Atlanta was 14-14 without Trae Young this season… and 22-32 with him. Chicago is an especially pesky matchup for Atlanta because DeMar DeRozan and Coby White are both capable of hunting him in pick-and-roll, and on the other end of the floor, Alex Caruso is going to hound him all night. The healthy Hawks are here largely by default. Someone had to claim the No. 10 seed in the East, but the Dejounte Murray-centric version of the team that played largely acceptable defense and had a more diverse offense was undeniably the better version this season. Expect the Hawks to go out with a whimper as they head into an offseason filled with change. The Pick: Bulls -3

The Bulls played two play-in games last season. They averaged 208.5 points in total, which is a reflection of their style. The Bulls ranked 28th in pace this season, and while the Hawks ranked sixth, the postseason tends to favor teams that grind games to a halt. Chicago should be able to dictate pace in this matchup as it did in last year’s play-in games, and that means the final score should be relatively low. The Pick: Under 221.5

Young isn’t going to guard White or DeRozan. That means he’s almost certainly going to primarily match up against Caruso, a convenient assignment considering how often Caruso will be guarding him. Caruso has quietly made a career-high 40.8% of his 3-point attempts this season, averaging 1.9 made 3’s per game. Young is going to lose him on defense because, well, that’s what Young does, and Caruso made four 3’s on eight attempts in last year’s play-in loss to the Heat. He isn’t afraid to fire away. The Pick: Caruso Over 1.5 Made 3’s