RADIO
Welcome to a two-for-Tuesday playoff edition of daily fantasy basketball competition. I'll be your host as we navigate this small slate, which includes the game two of the Wizards and Celtics (8pm tip) and the opener in the Jazz and Warriors (10:30pm tip).
In somewhat unsurprising news, the lines posted today in Vegas for these two games are quite desire-able from an over/under (or point total) standpoint. The Wizards - Celtics, who both put up enormous point totals in game one, are projected for 217 points, and the Jazz at Warriors aren't too far behind, coming in at 207. If I were to pick one as a stack target, it would have to be the Wizards - Celtics. Sure, the point total is more attractive, but I also think there is less a chance of a blowout. No blowout means starters playing more minutes - and minutes are something we should all be chasing tonight in our player selection.
In this article, I will be providing you with daily NBA lineup picks for FanDuel on 5/2/17. The picks will range from some of the elite players, to mid-priced options, and value plays.
Let's do the damn thing. It is the playoffs we're talking about, after all.
FanDuel DFS Guards
John Wall -PG, at BOS ($10,400)
I've diced the metrics a few times over and every time I left with Wall as my top projection. All things considered, I think Wall has the highest ceiling of any point guard tonight along with one of the safest floors. I hesitate to use the term "safe" a little, seeing as last nights series opener between the Rockets and Spurs proved that basketball predictions are anything but a sure thing, but as it related to this slate, Wall is the "safest" out there. He projects for more minutes than any other point guard, happens to be an underdog, is playing in the game with the highest projected point total and fastest pace, and he has the highest Usage rate among all the guards at 31.3. In addition to that, he'll match up with Isaiah Thomas, who is anything but a defensive stalwart.
Also Consider: George Hill - PG, at GS ($6,000)
Avery Bradley - SG, vs WAS ($6,400)
Avery Bradley has been steadily - and perhaps quietly - outperforming his price implied salary. He's done so in his past three games and in four of his last five, by more aggressively looking for his shot (no less than 9 field goals attempts in this stretch and twice with 19 or more) and racking up a handful of rebounds and assists in each. I love that he's been looking for his shot more, I like that the Washington backcourt isn't known for their defensive efforts, and last but not least, that Bradley isn't totally dependent on shots falling for him to hit (and surpass) value. Of all the shooting guards on the slate tonight, Bradley is in the top two in minutes projection (38+) and for Usage rate (23+).
Also Consider: Bradley Beal - SG, at BOS ($7,900)
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Otto Porter - SF, at BOS ($4,900)
Otto is my favorite value of the night and a great point-per-dollar type player to roster in a slate like this where you'll need to squeeze as many points out of your lower guys so you can afford the players with the giant ceilings. He showed great promise in game one of this series, producing 40.1 FanDuel points in 34 minutes on the court. Yes, he shot the ball well (7-for-10) from the field, but he did a great job on the boards as well (11 for the game). While that's more than his season average by a decent sum, I think it's a number he can approach again (as well as getting off more good shot looks) thanks to the matchup he's drawn against Gerald Green.
Also Consider: Kevin Durant - SF, vs UTA ($9,900)
Draymond Green - PF, vs UTA ($8,800)
The power forward pool is pretty abysmal tonight. Potential blowout be damned, I think Draymond will hit and surpass value whether or not said potential blowout happens, so I'm rolling with him. Part of that rationale has to do with his price, which is very reasonable and won't break your bank or keep you from rostering other high ceiling studs. His performance dwindled a little as series one rolled on, but he did surpass value in each, with a 61 point outburst in the opener being the highlight and in the subsequent games, he was able to pass 40 in each despite a lower minute total. Of all the power forwards taking part in the competition tonight, Draymond has the best fantasy point per minute mark at 1.08 and I love that he isn't shot dependent in order to his his value.
Also Consider: Joe Johnson - PF, at GSW ($5,700)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Marcin Gortat - C, at BOS ($6,000)
Looking at the available centers from top to bottom, there's a little to like and a lot to fade. Gortat comes in right in the middle of this price range, and since he can more easily hit value (potentially) and presents a ceiling as high (if not higher) than the more expensive centers, I think he's the strongest option on the board - especially in cash games. In game one, he showed how much of a beast he can be on the boards, pulling down 13 off the glass and shooting a fairly high percentage from the field on 7-of-13 shots. The shot ceiling will always vary, but I think the rebounds are absolutely sustainable and that gives him the steady floor we're seeking in cash games.
Also Consider: Al Horford - C, vs WAS ($8,300)
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