This article aims to highlight some of the best NBA DFS Plays at every position for your cash game lineups. Keep in mind that the following player write-ups were constructed earlier in the day, and sometimes injury/rest situations can alter the fantasy landscape. Monitoring our NBA News & Headlines Feed throughout the day will keep you in the loop while giving you the subsequent DFS consequences of each information piece.
We’ll take a look at Saturday’s one-game slate starting at 7:00 ET.
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NOTES
In the three-game regular season series between these two teams, Brooklyn took the first game while the Bucks won the last two, both played in early May. All three games were close, with a six-point Bucks win on May 4 the closest. All were very high scoring, and Vegas knows; the over/under on tonight’s game is 239.5 points (Bucks minus-4). Both teams play fast, have better offensive numbers than defensive, and dispatched their first-round opponents with ease. This is the series we’ll remember from the East and I, for one, can’t wait.
TOP PLAYS
Kevin Durant – F – Brooklyn
There’s one top multiplier spot, and for me, it belongs to Durant. He’s been the most consistently good among the stars in these playoffs, and costs less than Antetokounmpo and James Harden. It’s really a coin toss between Harden and Durant for me tonight, except for the salary discrepancy. On these showdown slates, it makes a ton of sense to build 3-4 lineups that rotate the stars, solid plays, and bargains to get some exposure to multiple combinations. Durant is averaging about 58 fantasy points per game and played all three regular season games against the Bucks this year. Game 5 was his worst vs. the Celtics, and he still had 24 points, four rebounds, three assists and three blocks. I expect to see that famous mid-range jumper falling a bit better tonight.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – F – Milwaukee
You’ll be able to fit two stars in your lineup tonight from among Giannis and Brooklyn’s big three. See more on the supporting cast of the Bucks below, but you’re probably going to start with Antetokounmpo tonight. He’s a few more days removed from the groin injury (which he played through anyway) and the team is well-rested after their sweep of the Heat. Antetokounmpo compiled four straight double-doubles in the series, ending with a 65-fantasy point triple-double. He averaged 67 fantasy points per game vs. the Nets in the regular season and should be in prime form to take advantage of Brooklyn’s DvP weakness against opposing power forwards. He’s expensive, but should be worth it.
NOTABLE BARGAINS
Bruce Brown – G – Brooklyn
Brown was a bit up and down in the Round 1 series, but finished strong, playing about 24 minutes in the last two games and finding his shot. Brown went 55 percent from the field, while adding enough peripherals (including four steals in Game 5) to return about 27 fantasy points in those two games. At his low cost ($4400 DraftKings, $11 Yahoo, $9500 FanDuel), he is a key to fitting one more top player in lineups tonight (see below).
Bobby Portis – F – Milwaukee
Obviously a great play when Giannis is forced to miss time, Portis has been consistently decent off the bench too. On a showdown slate, you’re going to have to compromise to get the stars you want, and Portis is a reasonably safe way to do so. I think you can expect about 20 fantasy points from him tonight.
Brook Lopez – C – Milwaukee
Lopez isn’t cheap enough to cause people to flock to him tonight, and he could make for a solid sleeper play. He was quietly very effective against the defensive-minded Heat and Brooklyn is one of the league’s top center matchups. Aside from the massive blowout in Game 2 of Round 1, in which Lopez played only 23 minutes, he scored in the double-digits throughout the series, with enough rebounds and blocks to reach value. Use him if he fits ($19 Yahoo, $6400 DraftKings, $11000 FanDuel).
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OTHER NOTES
Khris Middleton – F – Milwaukee and Jrue Holiday – G – Milwaukee
Another way to build lineups tonight is to go with 3-4 mid-range plays, and in that case I’d start with Middleton. He’s been so good this season in an unremarkable way. It’s easy to forget that he and Holiday are every night three-category contributors which gives them an incredible floor with plenty of upside for your GPPs. Middleton is averaging almost 10 more fantasy points per game vs. the Nets than his overall average, and Holiday about four more fantasy points per game vs. Brooklyn. In other words, both guys have thrived in the fast-paced regular season series, and there is no reason to think that won’t continue in Round 2.
James Harden – G – Brooklyn and Kyrie Irving – G – Brooklyn
I just want to be clear that the reason Harden and Irving don’t appear in the Top Plays section is price. I want Harden, and will rotate him into lineups for sure in place of Durant or Antetokounmpo. Irving is admittedly less of a priority simply because he is more of a wild card. His range of outcomes is much wider than the other stars on the slate, and even though his salary is lower, it’s not that much lower to compensate for the risk, in my opinion. Holiday is a terrific defender, though both Harden (61 fantasy points) and Irving (50 fantasy points) have performed well against the Bucks in limited games this season.
