RADIO
Happy Tuesday, Rotoballers! It's Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals, and I'm incredibly excited to break it down from a DFS perspective. The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns both earned their spots with some incredibly tough opponents to go through. First, Milwaukee breezed past Miami and then outlasted the Nets in seven before a six-game victory over the Hawks. Meanwhile, Phoenix slugged it out with the Lakers before destroying Denver and then toyed with a rejuvenated Clippers unit to win in six. The Bucks and Suns are No. 1 and 2 in defensive rating through the playoffs, and we could see some old-school basketball scores as these Finals roll along.
Obviously, I buried the lead here and haven't mentioned Giannis Antetokounmpo's status yet for Game 1. He is currently doubtful with the injury he sustained at the end of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Therefore, I won't mention him in my Bucks preview. However, if he does suit up, he will always be worthy of a spot in a Showdown lineup. 1 Captain taking home 1.5 times as many points will make and break a lot of contests. Giannis' potential is sky high, and it would be silly to fade him outright if he can take the court.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 7/6/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. With COVID-19 a significant factor, remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock.
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Milwaukee Bucks (+6, 106 total)
Khris Middleton - SG/SF (Cpt: $15,600, Util: $10,400)
The only thing I know for sure about Khris Middleton tonight is he will be handling a massive share of the workload if Antetokounmpo is out. It could result in a great or a terrible performance, but I'm taking the guaranteed volume and rolling with it. In Games 5 and 6 of the ECF, without Giannis, Middleton averaged 29 points on 21 shots, with 8.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, three three-pointers, and 2.5 steals in 43 minutes per game.
If those results continue tonight, Middleton is going to be a smash play. However, he's shown us some consistency issues throughout the postseason, and it should be noted he is capable of bombing a lineup. Regardless, I love the volume and the opportunity the two-time All-Star has to kick off his NBA Finals on a positive note.
Jrue Holiday - PG/SG (Cpt: $13,800, Util: $9,200)
It wasn't just Middleton who stepped up for the Bucks in Giannis' absence. Jrue Holiday came through for Milwaukee and more than proved why he was worth the massive trade package during the offseason. Just like his backcourt teammate, Holiday took on a more significant workload on the offensive end of the floor and made it count in the categories that matter for DFS.
In the final two games of the ECF, the three-time All-Defense selection came through on the offensive end with 26 points, 11 assists, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 threes, 2.5 steals, and a block each game. Kung fu Jrue (once again, the basketball reference nickname section is the gift that keeps on giving) will face a more challenging test than the Hawks backcourt in this round, but I believe he has the chops to be a positive addition to any DFS lineup.
Pat Connaughton - SG/SF (Cpt: $7,200, Util: $4,800)
Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis both had monster performances with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the sidelines for the final two games of the ECF. However, if we want to fit multiple heavy hitters in our lineups, we will need to find some value. Pat Connaughton can be that for your lineups. The 28-year old has seven or more shots in four of his 17 games this postseason, but two came in the last two contests. With Giannis out, Connaughton was a combined 8-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-10 from three-point land.
In the closeout Game 6, Vanilla Thunder racked up 30 DraftKings points thanks to 13 points, eight rebounds, three triples, two steals, and an assist in 30 minutes. That performance should continue to earn him more playing time and opportunities in the Buck's offense. It's not very often a sub-$5,000 player can grab 30 DraftKings points, so I'm rolling with Connaughton to round out my lineups when possible.
Other options: Brook Lopez ($7,400), Bobby Portis ($6,800)
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Phoenix Suns (-6, 112 total)
Chris Paul - PG (Cpt: $14,700, Util: $9,800)
After 16 seasons, Chris Paul is finally set to play in his first Finals game. It's been a long time coming for the 11-time All-Star, and I don't think there's a person outside Los Angeles, Denver, or Milwaukee not happy for the veteran star guard. The Point God is as big a lock as they come to bring his A-game to the court tonight with the pressure so intense.
In his last two closeout games (Game 4 vs. Nuggets, Game 6 vs. Clippers), Paul averaged 60.9 fantasy points, and I'm betting he brings that same kind of performance to every Finals matchup. For example, look at Game 6 versus the Clippers. In 35 minutes, Paul buzzed his way through the Clippers with 41 points, eight assists, four rebounds, three steals, and an unconscious 7-for-8 shooting performance from the three-point land. He's four wins away from redefining his NBA legacy, and I don't want to be the guy that bets against Paul getting one win closer tonight.
Deandre Ayton - C (Cpt: $12,600, Util: $8,400)
I'm surprising myself by not having Devin Booker in this spot, but before I can get behind him in a Showdown lineup, I'll need to see him shoot over 40 percent more consistently. Therefore, my second Phoenix recommendation falls on the breakout star of the playoffs, De'Andre Ayton. In 16 games, the 2018 draft pick is averaging 16.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, and hitting 70.6 percent of his shots. He has 11 double-doubles in those 16 games, and Ayton is a great floor play in lineups. The 22-year old may be pricey for the lack of "win your contest" ceiling, but I consider him a safer play than Booker in Game 1.
Jae Crowder - SF/PF (Cpt: $8,400, Util: $5,600)
First of all: Happy Birthday, Jae Crowder! Second of all: this is my tournament wildcard. Jae Crowder seems to have a big game in each series, but it's impossible to tell which game it will be. I wish the price were a little lower than $5,600, but it's a gamble worth taking in case you hit the jackpot for Jae's big game. He had a couple against the Lakers, then almost a double-double in Game 4 versus Denver, and saved his best for last in Game 6 against the Clippers.
The now 31-year old dropped 19 points, five rebounds, five three-pointers, and an assist in 32 minutes as the Suns advanced to the NBA Finals. His performance earned 29.25 DraftKings points, and, if we guess right, another round of that will be a perfect addition to our Showdown lineups.
Other options: Devin Booker ($9,600), Cameron Payne ($4,600)
