NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Friday (5/19)

Miami is one of my favorite teams, so it was exciting to watch them pull out that Game 1 win. The oddsmakers making them an 8.5-point underdog was shocking when evaluating the form of these teams, but we have to assume Boston will bounce back here. The Celtics are the title favorites, and if they’re going to win this series, they simply can’t go down 0-2 at home. That’s why we’re looking at an even larger spread, and I can’t wait to see what happens!

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

Schedule and Odds

MIA at BOS (BOS -9) O/U: 210

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

Injury Report

• Victor Oladipo (knee) OUT
• Tyler Herro (hand) OUT

Core Plays

Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $12,000 DraftKings, $17,500 FanDuel
It was bizarre to see Boston fade Tatum in the fourth quarter of Game 1, and it might’ve cost them that critical matchup. The All-Star still had 41 DraftKings points and has scored at least 41 fantasy points in 13 of 14 playoff games. The role is what really adds to his value, with Tatum averaging 21 shots and 41 minutes a night in this postseason. This is a must-win Game 2 for Boston after collapsing in Game 1, and we saw Tatum drop 82 DK points in the Celtics most recent must-win game.

Jimmy Butler (SF/PF- MIA): $12,400 DraftKings, $17,000 FanDuel
This guy is unbelievable. Everybody counted out Miami before this series started, but Playoff Jimmy carried them to another win. He’s averaging nearly 55 DraftKings points per game in this ridiculous playoff run, finishing Game 1 with 63 DK points. That’s less surprising since he had 52 fantasy points in his most recent meeting with Boston, but Butler is playing on a different level right now.

Cash Game Considerations

Bam Adebayo (C – MIA): $9,000 DraftKings, $13,500 FanDuel
Big Bam is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. This guy is elite on both ends of the floor, scoring at least 34 DraftKings points in 12 of his last 14 games. Adebayo is also averaging nearly 40 fantasy points per game in that span, despite having a limited workload on the offensive end. He’s one of the few players who’s bludgeoned Boston this year, scoring at least 38 DraftKings points in all five of their matchups. He’s also got a 45-point average against them and should continue to play 40-45 minutes a night.

Marcus Smart (PG – BOS): $7,200 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
Smart has been in this section a ton recently, and he’s the best per-dollar play in this series. The former Defensive Player of the Year is averaging nearly 35 DK points per game in this playoff run. That’s what we’ve seen throughout his career, and it’s definitely due to the fact that he sees a major bump in minutes during these critical games. We saw in Game 1, with Smart scoring 38 fantasy points.

GPP Targets

Gabe Vincent (PG/SG – MIA): $5,400 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
There’s some talk about Gabe getting a monster contract in the offseason, and it’s clear Miami wants to ride him in this series. With Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo out, GV is averaging 12 shots across 32 minutes a night over his last eight outings. He’s had some duds in that span, but we’ve also seen Vincent score at least 27 DK points in four of those eight games. That’s what you want from a GPP option, especially since Vincent is one of the cheapest starting options on this slate.

Robert Williams (PF/C – BOS): $4,600 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel
Williams has started the last three games for Boston, and he remains too cheap on both sites in that sort of role. He’s playing nearly 30 minutes a night in this expanded role and has been one of the best per-minute producers throughout his career. He’s averaging nearly 1.5 DK points per minute throughout his career and could provide a 40-point average in a 30-minute role. We haven’t necessarily seen that, but an upside like that makes Rob-Will impossible to fade in this price range.

Value Plays

Kyle Lowry (PG – MIA): $6,400 DraftKings, $10,00 FanDuel
Miami is one of the best organizations in basketball, and it’s because they always ride their veterans in big situations. Lowry struggled through most of the regular season, but they’re riding their All-Star in these critical games. That’s allowed Lowry to score at least 24 DK points in seven straight games, posting a 33-point average across 29 minutes a night in that stretch. That’s absurd from such an affordable player, and we have to assume it’ll continue since this guy is healthy for the first time in months.

Advantageous Pricing

Max Strus (SG/SF – MIA): $6,200 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel

Get a $5 bonus when you make your first deposit at FanDuel

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts