RADIO
Happy Thursday, Rotoballers! The Phoenix Suns grabbed Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a 118-105 victory. Now, they will look to take command of the series and grab one more win before they head to Milwaukee for games 3 and 4. Giannis Antetokounmpo surprised us all with a sudden recovery to start Game 1, and his progress is something to watch in the early stages of Game 2. However, it may not matter because Chris Paul is currently playing some of the best basketball on the planet. The veteran guard is three wins away from cementing his legacy as one of the greatest point guards in the game's history. Of course, many will argue he already is, but a ring certainly doesn't hurt the case.
Selfishly, I'll be pulling for the Bucks to win tonight because I'm not lined up to write another DFS article until Game 6. Of course, it'll be tough to imagine it getting that far if Milwaukee falls into a 0-2 hole against this polished Phoenix squad. However, if it does end before Game 6, I want to say it's been fantastic to have the opportunity to write about NBA DFS for the entire season. Hopefully, some of these picks have built up the bankroll, and not too many have crashed and burned your lineups. I'm already looking forward to the chaos of a 13-game schedule on a random November Wednesday next season.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 7/8/21. 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 (+5.5, 109.5 total)
Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF/C (Cpt: $17,100, Util: $11,400)
Over a few hours on Tuesday, Giannis Antetokounmpo essentially went from extremely doubtful to starting in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. While it was great to see the two-time MVP take the court, we will have to be alright, not knowing how healthy he is if we slot him into our lineups. It'll also make it extremely tough to trust him as the man to steady your Showdown roster with his Captain salary taking up 34.2 percent of your budget.
Still, Giannis performed admirably in Game 1 and still has the single-highest DFS ceiling between the two rosters. In 35 minutes, Antetokounmpo produced 20 points on 6-for-11 shooting, with 17 rebounds, four assists, two steals, a block, and a three-pointer. All those stats came out to 53.75 fantasy points, and while that's not precisely the returns you want in regular-season DFS, this is a one-game slate. Having the player with the most fantasy points on your team is never going to hurt your cause.
Khris Middleton - SG/SF (Cpt: $14,700, Util: $9,800)
Follow the volume, y'all! Middleton is getting his shots up like he's in the gym during the offseason, and it's leading to some terrific fantasy performances. Over his last five games, the 29-year old averages 22.6 shots per game and has .477/.362/.947 shooting splits. Combine the volume and the above-average shooting, and it's coming out to 28.2 points per game along with 8.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 3.4 triples per contest.
Even with Giannis back on the court, Middleton still put up 26 shots (12 from three-point land) and provided 43.75 fantasy points for the DFS squads. So I'll be riding with Baby Joe Johnson (thank you, basketball reference nickname section) as a perfect running mate in Showdown contests until I see otherwise. I may even toss him in as the Captain for a few lineups to see how the roster construction shakes out because Antetokounmpo and Paul cost a pretty penny for Game 2.
Brook Lopez - C (Cpt: $11,400, Util: $7,600)
I have to admit I'm not entirely sure about selecting Lopez as the third recommendation for Milwaukee. There's a timeline where he is played off the court because he can't match up with Deandre Ayton's speed and athleticism at the center position. However, I hope that Head Coach Mike Budenholzer will refrain from any knee-jerk reactions and continue to play his big man whatever the scenario. It's a bit of a long shot with Lope, but Jrue Holiday has been impressively unimpressive, and the $1,200 in savings is worth the pivot down to the big man.
In Game 1, Lopez recorded 17 points, six rebounds, an assist, a block, and drained three three-pointers in 23 minutes. The low minutes are scary, but it's something we will have to live with for now. I'll readily fess up to making the wrong call if Coach Bud does adjust and sits Lopez more tonight. However, the 29.5 fantasy points Lopez produced in Game 1 cost $1,800 less than the 30 points Holiday gave us, and I'm following the trend into Game 2.
Other options: Jrue Holiday ($8,800), Bobby Portis ($3,200)
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Phoenix Suns (-5.5, 115 total)
Chris Paul - PG (Cpt: $15,600 Util: $10,400)
In Tuesday's picks article, I wrote:
"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."
Well, CP3 brought it again in Game 1, and the result was fantastic. In 37 minutes, the Point God dropped 32 points, nine assists, four rebounds, four three-pointers, and a steal for 53.5 fantasy points. He controlled the pace of the game and never let the Suns get out of their rhythm.
The 11-time All-Star was phenomenal in the third quarter, where he recorded 16 of his 32 points to give Phoenix some breathing room. While I'm sure Milwaukee will adjust, it'll be tough to stop Paul because he looks like a man on a mission, and, with Giannis still hobbled, he's probably the best player on the court in these finals.
Devin Booker - SG ($15,000, Util: $10,000)
Devin Booker's shot is not falling at the moment. Over his last six games, the 24-year old is shooting 35.2 percent from the field on 21 attempts and 22.2 percent from three on six attempts. Fortunately for him, the Suns, and us DFS players, he is doing what all good scorers do and getting to the free-throw line. He's taken nine or more free-throw attempts in five of his last eight contests, and it's keeping him afloat in DFS.
However, he's only $400 cheaper than Chris Paul on tonight's slate, and I'm not sure how you can go against CP3 in his current form. So I wouldn't be anchoring any of my lineups with Booker until he finds his groove again. However, if you're shooting for the stars and trying to take down the big one, a contrarian Captain play with Booker is a viable route to take.
Deandre Ayton - C (Cpt: $13,800, Util: $9,200)
If you're trying to go top-heavy and get two Phoenix players in your lineup, Ayton is the guy I would pair with Chris Paul. The 22-year old is having a phenomenal breakout performance this postseason and will look to keep the good times rolling in Game 2. The third-year center has 12 double-doubles in 17 playoff games, but he's turned it up a notch over his last four contests.
Since Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, Ayton averages 16.8 points, 17.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 67.4 percent from the floor. Everything is clicking for the former-No. 1 overall pick, and it's fair to say he is the second-best Phoenix player on the court right now. One thing to look out for is Milwaukee's adjustments. They began playing Antetokounmpo at the five down the stretch, and it'll be an interesting wrinkle to monitor as Game 2 unfolds.
Other options: Jae Crowder ($5,600), Cameron Payne ($3,800), Frank Kaminsky ($1,000)
