DFSGhost 
The NBA Playoff race is quickly heating up and many Western Conference teams amidst the battle are in action tonight. While some are missing crucial contributors, others face off against some of the league’s best. It’s a Fajita Friday edition of the Gems – let’s ride.
Be sure to use our proprietary NBA projections and cheat sheet to build your lineups as the news rolls in. Moreover, join the conversation in the Win Daily Discord to get the insight you need from both subscribers and staff.
Golden State Warriors @ Atlanta Hawks (-3.5)
Golden State Warriors (+3.5)
Exposure to this game is solely dependent on the availability of Steph Curry. The greatest shooter in NBA history is questionable to play with a wrist injury, but this one tips off at the beginning of the slate. Should he miss this one, both Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole will assume primary offensive responsibility, while Donte DiVincenzo will see extended minutes on the wing. However, should Curry indeed be available, he is a prime position to lead the slate in scoring. Averaging 35.6/5.6/5.2 on 58.2% shooting over his last five games, Curry is heating up before yet another playoff run in a history career. In the absence of Draymond Green, look for Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kuminga to see extended run.
Atlanta Hawks (-3.5)
Should Curry miss this game, a slot opens up for another key contributor at the top of the pricing grid. Thus, Trae Young is the fallback option to pair with Jordan Poole and/or Klay Thompson, rather than Clint Capela paired with Steph Curry as a game stack. Over his last five games, Young has scored 25 points or more in each appearance. Moreover, he has averaged 31.4/3.2/9.2 on 54.9% shooting during that span. With Golden State ranked 26th in the NBA against primary ball handlers, Young is in a terrific spot to be atop the scoring leaders of the night.
Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers (-5.5)
Dallas Mavericks (+5.5)
In the absence of Luka Doncic, the Mavericks have quickly fallen down the standings in the Western Conference. In a key matchup versus the Lakers, all eyes will be on the potential return of Kyrie Irving, who has missed the last three games with a foot injury. Meanwhile, should the availability news of Kyrie come early enough that he is ruled out, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jaden Hardy, and Christian Wood will carry this offense, but their positions on the pricing grid on this NBA slate make the Mavericks offense a fade, only if Kyrie is ruled out.
Los Angeles Lakers (-5.5)
While most will flock to Joel Embiid versus the Hornets, this is a tremendous game environment for Anthony Davis. While expectations were low in the Lakers’ last game considering the absences of of both he and LeBron James, Los Angeles still managed to lose to the lowly Rockets. Thus, AD will have to be scoring 30 or more points every night for the Lakers to make a playoff run. To say the Mavericks lack interior defense in an understatement; they allow over 50 points in the paint per game, while being last in the league in points scored in the paint per game.
Honorable Mentions:
- New Orleans Pelicans @ Houston Rockets (+5.5)
- Boston Celtics @ Portland Trail Blazers (+4.5)
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