DFSGhost 
Donovan Mitchell got the job done for the Utah Jazz in Game 1 while Philadelphia came storming back to tie the series at a game apiece heading back to Atlanta. Tonight’s NBA slate is a showdown rather than a two-gamer, but the process remains the same, as we look to continue our playoff heater. It’s Wet Wednesday’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:
Tonight’s NBA slate is a sole showdown, but there are great contests to play on both sites. The most important “position” in your showdown lineups is your captain – representing 1.5x and 2x the points on DraftKings and FanDuel, respectively. Tonight, there are a few options for you, depending on how low you want to go in terms of value plays; Nikola Jokic represents the only option on the Denver side of the ball for me, while Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton are all viable on the Suns side.
Sporting a 35.7% usage rate in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the league’s MVP certainly needs no explanation for the captain spot – but what does your build look like with him there? Being the most expensive option on the slate, I lean to the Suns’ side of the ball on DK, while the fixed FD pricing system makes Joker as close to a lock in the captain spot as there is. Now, deciding between CP3, Booker, and Ayton can be tricky – CP3 looks to be back to at the top of his game after a shoulder injury bothered him in the opening round, while Devin Booker can be the one to drop 40 raw points at any time. Right now, I lean CP3, after his 21/6/11 performance in Game 1, while Ayton’s sure-fire double-double is the safest option, but lacks option given his minute-for-minute matchup versus Jokic.
Rounding our roster is obviously just as important as choosing our captain, and the player pool is fairly small for me yet again tonight. On the Denver side of things, Will Barton is looking to make his return to the lineup tonight, which will give the rotation a new look and improvements on the defensive side of the ball. Conditioning is a key factor, and while he is not in play for me tonight, it could limit Devin Booker’s offensive scoring. Although Austin Rivers knows the Phoenix system well, I lean toward Monte Morris in the trio of guards, including Facundo Campazzo; having taken 10 shots off the bench last game, Morris is there to provide a spark on offense – and nothing else – which is perfect for an NBA showdown lineup. On the Phoenix side of the ball, we can go back to Mikal Brides, who has a great matchup versus Michael Porter Jr., while Jae Crowder has been getting hot from behind the arc, having three or more 3PM in his last four games, dating back to Game 4 versus the LA Lakers.
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
