NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Friday (5/5)

The scheduling the last few days has been maddening. We’ve only had one game to discuss, but they’re feeding us this weekend. We have multiple games every day this weekend, with two games making up this Friday card. We have two Game 3s to discuss, and these matchups couldn’t be more critical. Phoenix is staring down the barrel of an 0-2 deficit, while Philadelphia is looking to take care of business at home in a 1-1 series.

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Schedule and Odds

BOS at PHI (BOS -1.5) O/U: 214

DEN at PHX (PHX -3.5) O/U: 224.5

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

Injury Report

• Joel Embiid (knee) Probable
• Chris Paul (groin) OUT

Core Plays

Joel Embiid (PF/C – PHI): $10,200 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel
Embiid has had two ugly showings in his two most recent outings, but it’s lowered his price way too much. Both of those were shortened due to unforeseen circumstances, but we have to assume the MVP will be locked into his usual role here. That role allowed him to average 56 DraftKings points per game during an MVP campaign. Getting 25 shots and 40 minutes is not out of the realm of possibility in this critical Game 3, and Embiid might be less rostered than he should be with the injury question mark.

Devin Booker (PG/SG – PHX): $9,500 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
With Chris Paul missing this game, Book will be the primary ball-handler. That’s huge when evaluating this guy’s role, with DB averaging 25 shots and 43 minutes a night across his last four outings. That could be his floor with CP3 sidelined, averaging over 61 DK points per game in that span. All of that means that Booker should be well above $10K on both sites, especially since Phoenix is staring down an 0-2 deficit.

Cash Game Considerations

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $10,900 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
The Joker didn’t win his third straight MVP, but he’s been the best player in DFS. The center led the NBA with nearly 60 DraftKings points per game during the regular season, which was an even higher total before a meaningless final month. That’s the stud we’ve seen in this postseason, scoring at least 72 DK points in three of his last four outings. He’s also killed the Suns throughout the year, averaging 31.3 points, 17 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in their four matchups.

Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $9,700 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
I don’t remember seeing Tatum below $10,000 on DraftKings. That alone makes him a great cash game option because JT scored at least 37 DK points in all but two games during the regular season. A Game 2 crippled his salary, but his production was limited because of the blowout nature of that game. No one can perform in just 19 minutes, but we’re encouraged that Tatum averaged 50 fantasy points per game against Philly in the regular season.

GPP Targets

Michael Porter Jr.(SF/PF – DEN): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
MPJ is the definition of a GPP player. This guy can look like one of the best offensive players in the NBA at times, but he can also be invisible. We’ll trust his recent form, with Porter averaging 34 DK points per game in the Minnesota series. He also had a 31-point average across his final 12 regular season games, and that’s all he needs to be an immense value in this $6K price range.

Malcolm Brogdon (PG/SG – BOS): $5,400 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel
We hate to use a bench player who’s stuck behind a bunch of stud starters, but Brogdon has been one of Boston’s best players this postseason. The Sixth Man of the Year has scored at least 26 DraftKings points in 10 of his last 12 games, averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game in that span. That’s all you can ask for from a sub-$6K player, especially since he’s doing that damage across just 28 minutes a night. If we get 30-35 minutes, Brogdon could be the best bargain on the slate.

Value Plays

Al Horford (PF/C – BOS): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
Big Al is always in this section for us, and he continues to be a good value. He’s not the sort of guy that will drop 50 and carry you, but he’s way too cheap in this $5,500 range. The big man is averaging over 35 DK points per game throughout his playoff career and has scored at least 29 DK points in three of his last four outings. Boston will play this veteran big minutes in these must-win games, and his stat-stuffing ways make Big Al a bit too cheap.

Cameron Payne (PG – PHX): $4,800 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
It looks like Payne will start at point guard in the absence of CP3. Payne has always been phenomenal in this role throughout the last two years, generating a 32-point average in his 27 starts since the start of last year. That would be a tremendous total from such a cheap player, and Phoenix needs him to step up with the lack of depth on this roster.

Advantageous Pricing

Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $9,700 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel

Tyrese Maxey (PG – PHI): $6,400 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel

Tobias Harris (SF/PF – PHI): $6,200 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel

Marcus Smart (PG/SG – BOS): $5,200 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel

Jamal Murray (PG/SG – DEN): $7,900 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel

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