FanDuel DFS NBA Strategy Advice: Sunday (9/6)

The NBA has a two-game slate for Sunday’s action in Orlando. There are plenty of FanDuel contests to enter tonight, so let’s take a look at some lineup possibilities with value plays, studs, fades, and more!

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Value Plays: Point Guard

 
Goran Dragic had his worst game of the postseason but still managed 33.5 fantasy points in Game 3. He’s recorded three-straight games of 40% or better from the field and three-point line. Although he’s the second-highest priced point guard, the Heat are in a closing Game 4 versus the Bucks, and he’s well worth the selection.

George Hill recorded 30 minutes for the second game in the series, and he’s a better option based on price than Eric Bledsoe. Hill scored double-digits in three of the last four games but hasn’t eclipsed 22 fantasy points. He’s a risk, but the Bucks could easily see a majority off their bench see increased minutes if this series is indeed over.

Alex Caruso scored a playoff-high 14 points and only played 16 minutes. He’s surpassed 23 fantasy points in three of his last four games, and if you’re selecting a deep dive at point guard, Caruso is probably your best bet.

Shooting Guard

 
Since the postseason, Tyler Herro has scored double-digits in each game and has played 31 minutes in two-of-three meetings with the Bucks. He grabbed a career playoff-high of eight rebounds in Game 3 and recorded 25 fantasy points in six-of-seven games. For $5,100, he’s still a fair price compared to Khris Middleton for $7,500.

Danny Green scored double-digits in two of his last three games and recorded 15 or more fantasy points in all three. He played 28 minutes in Game 1 with Rajon Rondo back, and that’s a decent sign if you’re searching for a cheaper shooting guard.

Andre Iguodala is one of the cheapest options alongside Green at shooting guard on this slate. He hasn’t surpassed 18 minutes in any of the three games versus the Bucks, but he could see increased minutes in case of a blowout. He can play multiple positions in a Heat lineup surrounded by shooters.

Small Forward

 
Eric Gordon has played 30 or more minutes in all eight playoff games this season, and his 23 points were a postseason-high. He totaled 31.1 fantasy points and scored 20 real-life points in four of his last five games for the Rockets. The Lakers are figuring out their guard rotation with Rondo’s return, so Gordon is an ideal play.

Jae Crowder has scored double-digits in five of his last six games for the Heat. His 29.3 fantasy points were his second-highest playoff total behind his Game 3 performance of 32.2. He’s played 34 minutes or more in every game of the series versus the Bucks and totaled a postseason-high of 17 points and added five assists and four rebounds.

Danuel House is the only other viable option when surpassing Crowder at the small forward position. He’s cleared for Game 2 after an injury in the opening round of the semifinals. He played 26 or more minutes in every game versus the Thunder, and the Rockets will need his defense moving forward.

Power Forward

 
Robert Covington’s hot streak ended Game 1 versus the Lakers when he recorded six points and seven rebounds. He finished with 32.4 fantasy points, but compared to his last three, he cooled off dramatically. He’s surpassed 42 fantasy points in three of his previous four now and played 31 or more minutes in five-straight games.

Jeff Green is a risky veteran in DFS, but Green will benefit if Covington isn’t up to par. Green has played 20 or more minutes in the two most important games of the Rockets season. He totaled six games of five or more rebounds in six-of-eight postseason games.

Kuzma should be hopeful that his first game of the series is his worst. He had 11.9 fantasy points and only surpassed 20 fantasy points in two of his last six games. The power forward position is a thin one, and diving in Kuzma territory could spell trouble.

Center

 
Brook Lopez is a must-play on this slate and at a fair price as well. He scored 16 or more in every game of this series, and he’s also combined for 13 rebounds over the last two games. He recorded 29 or more fantasy points in his previous three games and surpassed 20 or more fantasy points in his previous seven games.

P.J. Tucker grabbed nine rebounds in Game 1 and added six points in 35 minutes for 22.3 fantasy points. Versus the Thunder, he had one double-double and fell short of a few points or rebounds in two more. He had 32 fantasy points in his previous two games versus the Thunder and certainly could be a mismatch on the perimeter versus the Lakers.

As the only other viable option, McGree is an afterthought in DFS. I recommend playing Lopez at the center position or settling for Tucker if you’re running low on money. McGee isn’t going to make an impact alongside Anthony Davis.

5 Studs Worth Their Salary

• James Harden (HOU) $10,000: Harden dropped 36 points and dished out five assists versus the Lakers in Game 1. The Lakers backcourt is no match for the Rockets, and Harden’s a must-play.
• Anthony Davis (LAL) $11,400: Davis recorded his fourth double-double in his six postseason performances with the Lakers. He should be a lock to average 25-10 in this series.
• LeBron James (LAL) $10,500: LeBron averaged a triple-double of 27-10-10 in the first round versus Portland. Against Houston, he totaled 20 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds in Game 1.
• Jimmy Butler (MIA) $8,800: The Heat are on the verge of a clean-sweep over the Bucks and Butler’s averaging 27.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in the series.
• Bam Adebayo (MIA) $8,200: Big Bam double-doubled in Games 1 and 3, falling one rebound short in Game 2. He’s playing 35.7 minutes per game and posting 15.7 points and 14.0 rebounds.

5 Notable Players to Fade

• Kendrick Nunn (MIA) $4,200: Nunn has only played 12.3 minutes per game in the three games thus far. He’s been dismissed out of the lineup in favor of the Heat’s shooters.
• Austin Rivers (HOU) $3,800: Rivers posted his first decent game since Game 2 of the first round, but versus the Lakers, he’s not a lock to have another.
• Rajon Rondo (LAL) $4,700: Rondo returned for 25 minutes and scored eight points, four assists, and three rebounds in Game 1.
• Eric Bledsoe (MIL) $5,200: He missed Game 1, but played 61 total minutes in the next two games recording 24 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.
• Duncan Robinson (MIA) $4,500: Robinson has fallen second-fiddle to Herro’s production in the past two series, so at his price, it’s a pass.

Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool

Beyond our daily fantasy basketball content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Basketball Tools. From our Lineup Optimizer – which allows you to build winning DFS lineups in seconds for Cash and GPP contests – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – that helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy basketball season.

Vaughn Dalzell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Vaughn, check out his archive or follow him @VaughnDalzell.