FanDuel DFS NBA Strategy Advice: Monday (8/31)

Monday’s schedule only contains two games, one of which is a second-round tip-off between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat, and the other is one of the two last remaining first-round matchups between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. EST. Make sure you’re adjusting your lineups accordingly with injury news and player statuses changing throughout the day.

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Value Plays

Point Guard

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• Goran Dragic continues to perform well as the starting point guard for the Heat. In his last four games, Dragic has eclipsed 40-plus FanDuel points twice and has hit value in three out of four contests. While his matchup is a tough one against the third-ranked defense of the Milwaukee Bucks, he’s a solid value option on today’s slate. The Heat are also a tough defense (fifth in defensive rating), but the Bucks do play with the fastest pace among the playoff teams.
• Eric Bledsoe hasn’t really erupted in the playoffs, but he’s routinely resided in the range of his value. Bledsoe is a solid point guard option, particularly if you’re looking to save a few dollars to pay up elsewhere.

Shooting Guard

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• Schroder is coming off a game in which he was ejected, though he has otherwise performed quite well in his last three or four contests. Schroder has topped 31-plus minutes of playing time in each game (sans the ejection) and has shown a fantastic ceiling coming off the bench as a sixth-man. The biggest worry with Schroder is the first-ranked defense of the Rockets.
• Middleton has not performed very well in the playoffs, but he is riding a decent three-game streak in which he’s topped 33-plus FanDuel points in each contest and is coming off a 44.5-point performance in his most recent game.

Small Forward

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• Ultimately, Gordon’s ceiling is limited with Russell Westbrook back in the lineup, but he managed to perform well in his first game with Westbrook back as he totaled 34.3 FanDuel points on 20 real-life points. Gordon has provided a nice spark for the Rockets since his return to the bubble and can be trusted as he’s routinely hovered near value. In addition, the Rockets do have the highest implied total of the night.
• Crowder is one of the safest options among all of the playoff’s remaining players — while his ceiling is certainly capped, his floor is also quite high and near value, actually. In his last three games, Crowder has totaled between 22 and 28.1 FanDuel points in each contest.

Power Forward

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• Covington has proven to be somewhat inconsistent during this first-round series between the Rockets and the Thunder, but he is coming off a strong 42.9-point performance and his price tag has been reduced drastically. RoCo offers a good shot to buy into the Rockets offense at a reduced price tag, but still offers a strong ceiling on nights when his shot is dropping.
• Some of Green’s intrigue diminished when Westbrook returned to the court, but he is still a strong bench option who is capable of providing value at his current price tag. Green’s minutes have remained steady, hovering between 30 and 38 minutes throughout.

Center

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• Adams continues to make this list, so long as P.J. Tucker is the main opponent guarding him. Adams is coming off a strong 28.8-point performance in his last contest and offers double-double upside against the center-less Rockets on any given night.
• Lopez is quietly a very good bet to hit value on any given night, as he’s totaled between 24.2 and 29.9 FanDuel points in all of his last four games. His matchup won’t be easy against the Heat, but he can score from anywhere on the court which allows him to vary his game.

5 Studs Worth Their Salary

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) $11,500: It doesn’t matter who the Bucks play or when Giannis has to be an option. Even in a “bad” game, Giannis managed to top 52 FanDuel points in his latest game against the Orlando Magic. I wouldn’t bet against the Greek Freak.
• James Harden (HOU) $11,200: Harden is coming off a disappointing 43.9-point performance, and that is notable because that performance coincided with Westbrook’s return to the court. He’s still one of the highest-ceiling players in the league, though.
• Chris Paul (OKC) $8,200: Like Harden, CP3 is coming off a disappointing 26.7-point performance in his latest game, but has three 43-plus point performances in three of his last five games. CP3 is playing like a man possessed for the most part.
• Jimmy Butler (MIA) $8,500: Jimmy Butler continues the trend of players with a disappointing performance in his last game (17.6 points), but has otherwise been excellent in the playoffs. In the first series, Butler managed to top 49 points three separate times.
• Robert Covington (HOU) $5,600: RoCo is the cheapest name on this list, but with good reason — he’s a safe option with a decent ceiling. You can feel comfortable starting RoCo anytime due to his defensive prowess.

5 Notable Players to Fade

• Danilo Gallinari (OKC) $5,500: Gallinari has not performed well in his last two games, especially in his last one in which he totaled 7.2 points. I’d fade Gallo until he can get hot with his shot, if ever.
• Duncan Robinson (MIA) $4,700: Robinson isn’t exactly a highly revered player, but the Bucks do have some pretty good perimeter defenders and he is coming off a weak performance in his last game. Outside of a lethal 3-point shot, Robinson just doesn’t offer much.
• Russell Westbrook (HOU) $9,400: Brodie has been priced down a significant amount, but with good reason — he scored only 27.7 points in his first game on only 23 minutes of playing time. I’d wait until Westbrook’s minutes are completely back to normal before opting in.
• George Hill (MIL) $4,400: While Hill is a fine play, he isn’t tremendous and has been slightly below stable throughout the first round of the playoffs. His minutes have been inconsistent, as have his point totals.
• Kendrick Nunn (MIA) $4,200: A former starter is now a forgotten man — Nunn has played only twice in the playoffs, and one of those performances was disappointing (his latest) as he only registered 14 minutes of playing time. It’s best to avoid this situation until Nunn can become a regular factor once again.

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