DFSGhost 
Another great day of NBA playoff games yesterday that went back and forth and today should be no different. With the Bucks looking for revenge after their Game 1 loss, the Rockets looking to push past a feisty OKC squad without Russell Westbrook, and the Lakers looking to bounce back after being the second #1 seed to drop Game 1, this slate could go any way. Let’s get to the Gems:
The Lock: James Harden, SG ($11,800 FD / $11,700 DK)
I’m hoping the combination of both a price increase on both sites and the fact that he “only” put up nearly 60 FP in Game 1 keeps Harden’s ownership in check – not necessarily low, but at least in check with many different studs on the NBA slate. Let’s remember that despite his “quiet” 60 FP game, Harden remains without backcourt partner Russell Westbrook in this one and will need to carry a heavy load on offense in order to get his team a victory in Game 2. His 44% usage rate without Westbrook on the court is evidence of that, and with the Rockets complimentary pieces ALL hitting shots last game, they’re not necessarily due for repeat performances – at least not all of them, and that’s where Harden will take over.
The Core Gems
LeBron James, SF ($10,500 FD / $10,900 DK)
Say it with me – Zero Dark 23 Mode activated. LeBron is notoriously famous for entering another timezone when playoffs come around, and he showed just that in Game 1 with a vintage 23/17/16 triple-double en route to 66 FD points and 73 DK points. While this was partly due to Anthony Davis struggling on offense and the majority of his contribution coming from the free throw line, I’m not concerned with either one taking over the game with the other taking a back seat. Both will need to carry the Lakers heavily on every single night if they want to make a deep playoff run and it starts with the best player in the NBA, and one of, if not the best to ever do it.
Jimmy Butler, SG ($8,100 FD / $7,900 DK)
The Miami Heat have a fairly deep rotation heading into this season’s NBA playoffs but Jimmy Buckets remains the man of the hour. Whether he was motivated by his personal feud with TJ Warren or simply just wants to show that the Heat can surprise the world in the East with most favoring the Bucks or Raptors, Butler showed up in Game 1 with an efficient 28/3/4 on the offensive end, and turned in a vintage performance on his own end of the court with 4 steals and 2 blocks. With the majority of the field likely turning to jamming in three studs on this NBA slate given the amount of star power, Butler is the perfect pivot in the mid-range.
Also Consider: Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,300 FD/DK)
The Value Gems
Orlando Magic Value
This one is a bit contingent on Aaron Gordon sitting out, but even if he does play, there is plenty of value to go around on this Orlando Magic team looking to shock the NBA world by knocking out the favorites to win the championship in the first round. DJ Augustin, Markelle Fultz, James Ennis and company will continue to see a ton of minutes should Gordon be out again, and if he’s in, I still have interest in the guard duo of Augustin/Fultz here.
Houston Rockets Value
If you’re not playing James Harden, you need to surround your NBA lineup with at least one Rockets rotation player. They are almost all priced too low on both sites and can contribute to a team that will continue pushing the pace despite not having Russell Westbrook. Eric Gordon took 17 shots and went 41% from the field and the volume was there for me to begin trusting him, especially at his price, along with Jeff Green supplying 22/6/4 off the bench with both PJ Tucker and Robert Covington assuming their respective defensive roles.
JaVale McGee
This play is primarily for our friends on DK, but it works on FD too if you’re trying to jam in multiple studs. Will McGee ever see 30+ minutes? Absolutely not. Is he a FPPM machine when he’s out there? You better believe it. McGee is again priced a bear $100 above the minimum 3K mark on DK and gave us 18.1 DK points in only 13 minutes last game. Should he creep into the 16-18 minute mark in this one, a 7x return on value is not out of the question.
A Quick Note on NBA DFS
While there are many different sports and various contests pertaining to DFS along with their respective strategies, we focus on the main approaches to build both reliable cash and GPP lineups for a successful NBA night including pace, the projected over/under, one on one matchups (DVP), a player’s usage rate, and a team’s defensive rating. Make sure to stay active when building NBA lineups – if you cannot be in front of a computer, tablet, or on your phone an hour before lock, do not throw your money away! NBA DFS lineups can change at the blink of an eye and are the most variable compared to any other sport in DFS; players get injured, some sit for load management, and others find themselves on the DNP list for other reasons; any of which can sway your lineup and where to find value. Stay alert on the WinDaily Discord chat to follow along with our updated plays. GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
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