NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer MIA vs. BOS: Tuesday (5/17)

That final day of the conference semis was something. It was disappointing that the two Finals teams from last year didn’t show up, but it’s exhilarating that we’re going to see a new champion. We’re down to just four teams now, and it’s not the four many would have expected at the beginning of the season!

This marks the beginning of the Conference Finals! We have Miami playing host to Boston in the Eastern Conference, and it should be fun to watch these defensive powerhouses go head to head. It leaves us with single-game slates from here on out, but there’s still plenty to discuss! With that in mind, let’s look at the odds for that game!

Schedule and Odds

BOS at MIA (MIA -2) O/U: 205.5
This is Game 1 of this seven-game series. They played three times in the regular season, with Boston winning two of three.

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Robert Williams (knee) Questionable
• Kyle Lowry (hamstring) OUT
• Marcus Smart (foot) Questionable

Core Plays

Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $12,000 DraftKings, $15,500 FanDuel
Tatum has taken his game to another level in this postseason and is one of the three-best players remaining in these playoffs. The All-Star scored at least 52 DraftKings points in five of the final six games in the Milwaukee series. That’s hard to overlook with only one game on the docket, especially since JT has a usage rate north of 30 percent. He’s crushed Miami this year, too, averaging over 42 fantasy points per game in their last two matchups.

Cash Game Considerations

Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $10,800 DraftKings, $15,000 FanDuel
Jimmy plays at an All-Star level during the regular season, but he plays like an MVP in the postseason. Jimmy Buckets has scored at least 45 DraftKings points in eight of his last nine games, providing a 54-point average in that span. The usage and shot attempts have skyrocketed with Kyle Lowry nicked up, and he should continue to run the show in the Conference Finals.

GPP Targets

Al Horford (PF/C – BOS): $8,000 DraftKings, $12,500 FanDuel
Big Al was one of Boston’s most valuable players in the Milwaukee series, and he’s taken over in the absence of Robert Williams. That led to Horford scoring at least 29 DraftKings points in every game of that series, en route to a 42-point average. His shot attempts, rebounds, and assists all skyrocketed in that series, and it’s no surprise since he was playing nearly 40 minutes a night. He did well against Miami’s tough defense this season, averaging over 32 fantasy points per game! We’re not worried about Rob-Will returning because Big Al has established himself with his veteran presence.

Max Strus (SG/SF- MIA): $7,000 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel
Strus was sensational in the two final games of that Milwaukee series, recording a double-double in both. We don’t expect that to continue, but it’s hard to argue with his 25-point average in his last 16 games. He’s taking about 15 shots while playing 30-35 minutes a night, and it’s hard to find that sort of role from such an affordable player.

Value Plays

Marcus Smart (PG/SG – BOS): $7,600 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
I’ve written up Smart more than any player in this postseason, and he’s rewarded me with some exceptional performances. Since the final game of the Brooklyn series, Smart is averaging nearly 35 DraftKings points per game across about 40 minutes a night. Those numbers are on par with what he did for the final few months of the regular season, and it’s hard to understand why he’s so reasonably priced. He cruised in the last two meetings with Miami, too, scoring at least 33 DK points in both!

Victor Oladipo (SG/SF – MIA): $6,200 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
Miami has been hiding Oladipo for most of the season, but they’re unleashing him in this postseason run. Most people might have forgotten, but Oladipo was an All-Star player before his injury. He’s shown flashes of that recently, averaging 27 DraftKings points per game across 27 minutes a night over his last 10 games played. This guy has proven to be a per-minute stud in the past, and as long as he’s getting 20-30 minutes a night, he should never be this cheap!

Advantageous Pricing

• Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $10,800 DraftKings
• Al Horford (PF/C – BOS): $8,000 DraftKings
• P.J. Tucker (PF – MIA): $5,400 DraftKings
• Robert Williams (PF/C – BOS): $8,500 FanDuel
• Gabe Vincent (PG – MIA): $7,500 FanDuel

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