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 Tuesday’s one-game slate starting at 9:00 ET.
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NOTES
It’s finally here, Game 1 of the NBA Finals featuring the Milwaukee Bucks visiting the Phoenix Suns. Vegas has the Suns favored by minus-6 points and an over/under of 219 points. It’s going to be a great series, with both teams well-balanced on offense and defense. Both teams have deserving veterans as well as exciting young stars on the roster. Of course, the big question in everyone’s mind is ‘Will Giannis Antetokounmpo play’? It doesn’t look great, which is disappointing after news that he might have been available for a Game 7, if necessary, in the Eastern Conference Finals. We’ll proceed as if Antetokounmpo will be out tonight, but be sure to keep an eye out for the official word as tip off nears.
TOP PLAYS
Khris Middleton – F – MIL
Middleton is the clear leader of the Bucks with Antetokounmpo out. He’s got multiple scoring mechanisms at the ready and is such a reliable option when it comes to peripherals. He’s averaged about 25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 steals per game since Giannis went out a week ago. He doesn’t have to be your top multiplier, and on DraftKings I prefer to go with a lower-salaried option to save the cap, but he should be on your roster tonight.
Devin Booker – SG – PHX
The Clippers focused on shutting Booker down and his three-point shooting, in particular, wasn’t good in that series, but ultimately, Booker is a star player and should be viewed with a pretty clean slate here. He rebounded a bit in the final two games of the Western Conference Finals, and has had plenty of time to regroup for this series. I think the Suns’ success will be tied to Booker’s performance and I fully expect the Suns to prevail as NBA champs. Another bonus with Booker is that his rostership percentage should be lower than the other three guys, especially considering Holiday’s lower salary and better recent performance.
Jrue Holiday – G – MIL
Holiday is a great choice for a multiplier spot too. Although he got off to a somewhat slow playoff start, he has really come on strong in his last few games. Even when he’s not the dynamic scorer he can be, his defense is top-notch and he provides a solid floor for all lineups. The matchup between he and Chris Paul is the one I’m watching most closely in this Game 1. In a regular season matchup between these teams, Holiday bested his season average in fantasy points per game by 10 (48 fantasy points vs. the Suns).
Chris Paul – PG – PHX
The salary difference between Paul and Middleton is pretty negligible, with Paul being more expensive only on FanDuel. Incidentally, FanDuel is the only site where impossible to fit all four of these top plays, so the main decision you’ll face is how to organize the multiplier spots. On FanDuel and Yahoo, I have it as Middleton, Booker, Paul or Middleton, Booker, Holiday for my main GPP lineup. Don’t leave Paul out of all your liineups, though, as he has been remarkably consistent and valuable throughout the playoffs. Plus, like Holiday, this matchup has been good for him – Paul averaged about 52 fantasy points per game in two meetings this season (one without Holiday) which is 13 fantasy points more than his regular season average.
NOTABLE BARGAINS
Cameron Johnson – G/F – PHX is the value play I’m most aiming to get into my lineups. He’s playing consistent minutes, about 24 MPG vs. LA, and turning them into about 20ish fantasy points per game. His value depends a lot on his scoring, but he can also offer bonus points from multiple steals and some low-level rebounding.
Jeff Teague – G – MIL is minimum salary across the board ($1600 DK), and while he is the riskiest option I’ll include here, there is reason for limited optimism. He came in for 12 minutes in the Game 6 clincher for the Bucks, making all three of his three-point attempts. He ended with 14 fantasy points. Given that the Suns are a high-powered offense from long range, expect Milwaukee to try to get points off the bench in bunches. Teague and Bryn Forbes are both candidates to get hot off the bench, and it’s worth noting that starter Pat Connaughton is also coming off a good game (his best of the Atlanta series by far) at a low salary across the sites.
Bobby Portis – F/C – MIL His salary hasn’t come up too much ($6800 DK, $9500 FD, $15 Yahoo) but it’s still unlikely you can afford him if you go the four-star route (three on FD). I think the value is there if you want to mix it up and be different than the crowd, but I can’t see him as a top lineup priority (if you’re single entering or playing cash games).
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OTHER NOTES
Deandre Ayton – C – PHX is the differentiator tonight, in my lineups. Centers didn’t play a big role in the Eastern Conference Finals, minus one great Brook Lopez game, and Milwaukee played small a lot with Giannis out. Ayton could be an ace up the Suns’ sleeve or a liability in this matchup. In the two regular season games vs. the Bucks, Ayton was right on his season average of 33 fantasy points per game. I’m using him for the upside and low roster percentages I expect him to carry across the industry.
P.J. Tucker – F/C – MIL is another bargain player that is usable thanks to his high minutes and defense. He exceeded 20 fantasy points three times in the previous series, which isn’t outstanding, but it’s something considering his minimal salary ($11 Yahoo, $4400 DK, and especially $7500 FD). Consider Jae Crowder a more expensive version of the same range of outcomes.
