DFSGhost 
Donovan Mitchell came back with a bang, Ben Simmons looked unstoppable, and the ATL/NY series is becoming one to watch as tempers flared up at the end of Game 2. In tonight’s NBA action, Miami needs to win badly, Dame is back at home, and LA is somehow a 7-point favorite against the 2-seeded Suns. It’s Thirsty Thursday’s edition of the Gems – let’s ride.
Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:
NBA Core Member #1: Jrue Holiday ($7,600 DK / $8,500 FD)
Despite a 21.8% usage rate in Games 1 and 2, Jrue Holiday has been the catalyst for the Milwaukee Bucks, not Giannis Antetokounmpo. Averaging 15.5/9/9 across 36.5 MPG, Jrue has dropped back-to-back 40+ fantasy points and remains a key focus for our NBA lineups tonight, as he will be heavily relied upon both offensively, and defensively versus a trio of Miami Heat guards.
NBA Core Member #2: Deandre Ayton ($6,300 DK / $7,500 FD)
Things are different on FanDuel where you can only play one center, and with both Nikola Jokic and Bam Adebayo firmly in play, I won’t blame you if you go to either one instead of Ayton. However, the Suns big man is a strong candidate to be in our NBA core on both sites, and certainly will be on DK; the former first overall pick is averaging 21.5/13 in his first two playoff games, logging nearly 40 MPG and taking advantage of a Lakers defense that is constantly switching to take away the perimeter, leaving Ayton wide open in the paint all night long.
NBA Core Member #3: Damian Lillard ($9,400 DK / $10,500 FD)
If there’s any stud you need to prioritize, it’s Dame. Scoring at will against a Denver backcourt that is now comprised of Facundo Campazzo, Monte Morris, and Austin Rivers, Dame has posted a 38/3/11.5 scoring line across 41 MPG in the first two games of the series and gets a Game 3 at home. Based on position scarcity alone, it’s okay to fade him for one of Giannis/AD on FanDuel, but he’s my favorite stud on tonight’s NBA slate – and it’s not even close.
NBA Core Member(s) #4: Duncan Robinson ($4,600 DK / $5,200 FD) and Goran Dragic ($5,100 DK)
Tune into our NBA livestream tonight for the exact details, but I’m expecting big games from the veteran Miami backcourt duo. DRob is the second-best 3-point shooter in the league, while Dragic brings a lot to this offense as a primary ball handler to alleviate the pressure off Jimmy Butler. Dragic’s 26.1% usage rate off the bench is wildly impressive and shows how involved he is in this offense, while Robinson’s seven 3-pointers in Game 1 showed just show clutch he can be when their offense is rolling in what can only be described as a must-win Game 3.
Value Gems: Check the projection model.
I will continue to stress the importance of having both the projection model and cheat sheet open when building lineups for a further player pool and to ease a decision between two players, in addition to finding additional value plays.
You can find me on Twitter @DFS_Ghost
