NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Nuggets-Thunder Game 7! (May 18)

Sunday will wrap up the second round with Oklahoma hosting Denver for Game 7, tipping at 3:30 p.m. ET. Let’s break down the top NBA DFS picks and key lineup building blocks on FanDuel and DraftKings. These selections reflect the most up-to-date data — and for live updates, be sure to visit our NBA DFS Starting Lineups Page.

NBA DFS Picks Today – Building Blocks: Sunday, May 18

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NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks

Nikola Jokic was sublime once again with 29 points on just 14 field goal attempts, sinking nine (64%) and getting to the line 12 times, converting on 10 (8%) attempts. He also had 14 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and a steal while being +11 on the court. Jamal Murray was playing through some sort of illness, looking a little sluggish in the early going but finishing with 25 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and a stellar +28 net rating.

Christian Braun was the surprise with a personal-best 23 points, corralling 11 errant caroms, handing out five helpers and collecting four “stocks” (combined steals and blocks). He saw 14 field goal attempts, which were the most for this series, earning more with Russell Westbrook doing more to help the franchise that originally drafted him by losing four turnovers and missing five of his eight field goal attempts and two of his four free throws. He didn’t even crack 17 minutes of run, and this was by far his worst showing in the 2025 postseason.

There is uncertainty with do-everything wing Aaron Gordon, who disappeared in Game 6 while hiding in plain sight. He logged 38 minutes, which is in line with his typical expectation in the tightened rotation, but attempted just seven shots for 5 points, seven boards, seven dimes and a steal.

Defense and dirty work are typically his calling card, though usually he still chips in on offense with mid-teens points. He did suffer a strained left hamstring and is currently listed as a game-time decision. We should hopefully have more information on the voracity of this malady, though considering the reporting on Murray for Game 6 and Kristaps Porzingis in the other series, who knows? Westbrook and the other reserves would see increased minutes if Gordon were out, which also would dampen the hopes of a Denver upset.

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Michael Porter Jr. played 29 minutes, making 4 of 9 (44%) field goal attempts and 2-of-5 (40%) from downtown, though it was clear his left shoulder was still giving him trouble. This was his most productive fantasy effort this series outside of Game 2, and it likely represents an 80th-percentile outcome.

Second-year wing Julian Strawther had 15 points, which were 1 more than his to-date offensive total in this series. This helped him see the floor for 20 minutes since Porter and Westbrook were so bad. He could easily disappear on Sunday, though we now have to consider mop-up duty if this is a lopsided game.

Peyton Watson should continue to see around 15 minutes, and he has some upside if he can get a little luck to fall on his side when it comes to putting the biscuit in the basket. He has made only one shot in each of the last three games on 14 attempts. If he were to go 2-for-3 or 3-for-6, he should collect a handful of defensive stats via rebounds or stocks, and be a difference maker. His out would be mop-up duty, which is also in play.

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This afternoon, the top lineup based on the median fantasy point projections has Jokic in the Captain slot on DraftKings, with SGA also on the roster. That is similar to the Game 6 projections, which is not particularly surprising. The best option on DraftKings with both in the utility slot is within 3 points of the optimal. On FanDuel, the optimal lineup has both in the utility slot; the SGA MVP iteration is 3 fantasy points lower and Jokic as the multiplier comes in 5 points below the optimal. There is not a lot to infer from this other than there are likely many ways lineups can be crafted to achieve a positive expected ROI prior to tipoff.

The Denver decision points will be decided by the availability of Gordon, which does impact the Oklahoma City offerings as well. If Gordon is out or trying to give it a go, then a lopsided game is more likely. That brings players like Kenrich Williams and Isaiah Joe into the conversation since 10 minutes of mop-up duty against the back of the Nuggets bench could lead to them being the discount dandies that unlock everything else.

Operating under the assumption of a game that stays close within reason, Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren are the secondary stalwarts after Gilgeous-Alexander. Williams has not been scoring as much as gamers would hope, but his defense and secondary facilitation has been top notch.

Speaking of defense, that is the purpose for Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso, who tend to defer to the others while on the court. Each is a capable scorer, though not to the same level as the core four. Aaron Wiggins and Jaylin Williams are the next wave of reserves who at least have regular rotational roles. If Denver ends up calling off the dogs, that will have Jaylin well positioned to rack up the fantasy goodness, so let your personal preference and preconceived prognostications guide your builds this afternoon — after all, it is Game 7 of a tied series and there is only so much else to proffer for DFS analysis.

Today’s Top Sports Betting Picks

If you’re serious about winning in NBA DFS, you know the edge comes from having the right tools. The same principle applies to sports betting — and that’s where Portfolio EV steps in.

Take Aaron Gordon under 5.5 rebounds this afternoon, for example. It’s a +EV bet, meaning it has positive expected value when compared to the best odds available across the market. But the real strength of Portfolio EV isn’t about finding just one good bet — it’s about consistently finding dozens. With the Mass Entry tool, you can scale up, place a high volume of +EV bets, and let the math do the heavy lifting.

Just like you wouldn’t count on one DFS lineup to ship a GPP, you don’t count on one bet to carry your night.

Portfolio EV is built for long-term profitability. It helps you spot market inefficiencies, compare lines across books and generate a steady stream of +EV bets. It doesn’t chase heaters, but rather trusts the numbers, follows a process and builds sustainable profit over time.

If Gordon is able to play, the next questions are, how much and what will his effectiveness be? This series he corralled 14, five, eight, 16, five and seven errant caroms. This transpired in an average of 37.5 minutes per game with 9.2 average rebounds. We can see that the betting market is factoring in likely limitations, either for effectiveness or minutes. Take the under if you feel he is not at full strength; for those of you considering the over, it is available at +117, with alternate lines of over 6.5 rebounds at +144. Several books are not offering any options on Gordon yet.