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 Wednesday’s one-game slate starting at 8:30 ET.
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NOTES
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals doesn’t look like most people thought it would, but I for one am excited! During the regular season, these teams were similar offensively, while Milwaukee boasted the faster pace and better defensive efficiency. The Bucks won two of the three regular season matchups, and are 7.5-point favorites tonight. In the post-season, the two teams are much more similar, with again nearly identical offensive efficiency and pace. The Bucks have been a tough defense, ranking first among all playoff teams in defensive efficiency. Bogdan Bogdanovic is truly questionable and will likely be a game-time call tonight, while Kevin Huerter is probable and not in real danger of missing this Game 1. Atlanta has a variety of wings who can fill in for Bogdanovic, but I’d expect Huerter and Lou Williams to be the biggest beneficiaries if he is out.
TOP PLAYS
Giannis Antetokounmpo – F – MIL
With the Bucks being favored as much as they are, at home, Giannis has to be your top play tonight. He has been stellar in every game so far except the blowout Game 2 loss to the Nets. The Hawks are easy to root for, but Antetokounmpo is seizing the moment and deserves that top multiplier spot in your lineups tonight.
Trae Young – G – ATL
If you are playing only GPPs on the showdown slates, it makes sense to multi-enter, and swap out your top player to hedge. I figure both Giannis and Young will be in essentially all lineups, but you’ll want to diversify the multipliers/order you use them. Young hasn’t had as much rest as I’m sure the Hawks would like for that shoulder, but he’s played at least 40 minutes in each of the last four games, double-doubling in three of them (and seven of 12 playoff games). He’s a must play in all formats on all sites.
NOTABLE BARGAINS
Kevin Huerter – G – ATL is definitely on the higher end of the bargain range after his game winning performance Sunday, but should still be considered given his high playing time and production over the last two games. He’s posted 40-plus fantasy points twice in a row and as I noted above, I do not expect the ankle to hamper him tonight. It’s notable that he’s averaged nine rebounds and 3.5 assists over these last two games, which gives him a safe enough floor to pay this salary ($17 Yahoo, $10,000 FD, $7200 DK).
Pat Connaughton – F – MIL is in it for the minutes. He’s the only guy in his price range ($2200 DK, $10 Yahoo, $7500 FD) who is playing 20-plus minutes most nights, and while he did have some single-digit fantasy lines in the semis, he also had some 20-plus lines. If you can get 10X value, using DK salary, Connaughton is a hero. If you end up with 5X, he’s still afforded you the ability to roster one of the mid-range players discussed below.
Danilo Gallinari – F – ATL has seen his minutes vary (a bit eerily between exactly 30 and 23) over the past few games and his production follows his minutes. Mainly on the floor for his offense, Gallinari has delivered with around 16 points per game on average over his last six games. If Bogdanovic is out, Gallinari could also be in line for some extra usage. A far riskier option is Lou Williams, who is basically minimum salary everywhere and has flashed his upside when given extra minutes in the post-season.
Brook Lopez – C – MIL is never the flashy play, but he is getting his job done. Often with double-digit rebounds, occasionally with the put-back points or three-pointer falling, as it did in Game 7 when he made three of four from beyond the arc. Lopez is affordable on all three sites, but depending on how you build out the rest of your lineup, I’d prefer to trade him for one of the guys below.
OTHER NOTES
John Collins – F – ATL is the most up and down of these mid-range options, coming off a very solid effort. He’s also the cheapest of the three, except on FanDuel, where he is $500 more than Holiday. Salary will dictate which of these options suit your lineup best but I think you can count on Collins being the lowest rostered of the bunch, which could pay off if he continues his improved play over the last five games.
Khris Middleton – F – MIL should be the most popular, if people are willing to put Young in the top multiplier on DraftKings, where salary plays a role in that decision. Middleton is the most expensive play here too, at $13,500 (FD), $32 (Yahoo) and $10,000 (DK). He’s earned it, averaging over 50 fantasy points per game in the last series, with three individual 55-plus efforts vs. Brooklyn. He closed out the series with a total of 10 steals in the last two games! That extra effort is a big reason I’m highest on Middleton and willing to take some risks with my bargain plays to get him in.
Jrue Holiday – G – MIL is a hard player to figure out on a showdown slate. On one hand, he is taking a TON of shots, but on the other, he’s making very few of them. In contrast to his star teammates, Holiday made just 3-of-19 three pointers in the last two games of the semis, meaning even Giannis had a better percentage. Still, the Bucks are clear that Holiday will be an important part of their offense and that opportunity is worth a GPP roster spot for him. He is so good at the peripherals that he gives you a fine floor (maybe not for the salary) but if his shots start falling, look out.