DFSGhost 
We are in full swing of the NBA playoffs and it feels great to have rotations back to normal and seeing some competitive games across the entire slate. These teams all kicked off the 2020 playoffs and we had some exciting action that included a great battle between two young guards in Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray, an extremely questionable ejection of Kristaps Porzingis that cost the Mavs game 1, and the defending NBA champions coming away with a game 1 victory. With more anticipated action on this slate as these teams battle for a stranglehold on their respective series or their opponents looking to tie it at a game apiece, let’s get to it:
The Lock: Luka Doncic ($11,000 DK / $10,500 FD)
Whether Kristaps Porzingis plays in this game or not, I’ll still have a ton of exposure to arguably the best young talent in the NBA. Luka Doncic will need to carry the Mavs in every game of the NBA playoffs if they want to make a run, and we saw exactly that in game 1 of the series where he dropped 42/7/9 on 61.9% shooting. Despite the Clippers boasting two of, if not the two best defensive players in the league in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Doncic seems unstoppable and his triple-double-esque numbers should flourish in our DFS lineups.
The Core Gems
Fred VanVleet ($7,600 DK / $7,700 FD)
Playoff Freddy is a thing. Take it from a Canadian, a Raptors fan, whatever you want to call me. I’ve discussed it on streams, podcasts, and more, VanVleet shows up for big moments and is one of the main reasons why the Raptors are not living in the past memories of the backcourt tandem of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. While I won’t tell you to expect another 60 DK points from the Raptor again today, his price remains intact with what he brings to the table; he may not go 8/10 from deep again, but I have no doubt in his ability to provide excellent value in the mid-7k range across both sites today.
Jamal Murray ($7,200 DK / $7,500 FD)
You really thought I wouldn’t take the opportunity to feature another Canadian here? While the bias is certainly in a joking matter, Murray was lights out in the first game versus Utah and I expect more of the same here. Without Will Barton and Gary Harris available in the rotation, Mike Malone went right back to the well in driving both his star point guard and Nikola Jokic into the ground, with both seeing 40 or more minutes in a hard-fought overtime victory. Murray was clutch down the stretch, has the ability to dish the rock with finesse and knock down the 3-ball, and will continue to be the focal point of this offense with Jokic all playoffs long.
Also Consider: Kemba Walker ($6,800 DK / $6,900 FD), Donovan Mitchell ($8,200 FD), Caris LeVert ($8,200 DK), Joel Embiid ($9,900 DK / $9,300 FD)
The Value Gems
Utah Jazz Value
Both Royce O’Neale ($3,700 DK / $4,400 FD) and Jordan Clarkson ($4,700 DK / $5,100 FD) are priced respectively on both sites considering they will both be seeing 30+ minutes, with Clarkson playing 39, albeit it being in an overtime game, off the bench. O’Neale burned a lot of people on the last NBA slate, but it’s a mistake not to consider him at such a cheap price.
LA Clippers Value
Both Patrick Beverly ($3,500 DK / $4,300 FD) and Marcus Morris ($4,800 DK / $4,700 FD) are about as cheap as it gets on today’s NBA slate to grab starters who are involved on both ends of the court. Beverly hit over 20 FP in only 20 minutes last game, and if he’s in slightly better shape to be able to be out there to guard Doncic at times, he should see north of 25 minutes and have no problem hitting value.
Alec Burks ($4,600 DK / $4,100 FD)
For someone that is being relied upon to run both the second unit and gets time with starters to close quarters and the game, Alec Burks is simply too cheap across both sites today. He carries a steady floor with his rebounding and passing ability for a primary ball handler in addition to his scoring ability.
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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