Game 5 between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics will take place Wednesday night with the No. 1 seed hoping to close out the series. The Celtics have recovered from a surprising Game 2 loss with wins in Games 3 and 4, while the Heat have been unable to build on their lone win in the series so far.
Here’s a look at one potential lineup strategy DFS Showdown managers could implement for this game.
Captain’s Picks
Jayson Tatum ($16,500) – Despite some poor perimeter shooting, Tatum has been Boston’s top performer in this series. He continues to log heavy minutes and has topped 43 fantasy points in each game. With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, Tatum will take on more responsibility offensively tonight and should be aggressive in a closeout game. Jaylen Brown is a solid alternate option here but it’s hard to pass up on Tatum in this spot.
Bam Adebayo ($14,700) – Like Tatum, Adebayo is putting in major playing time in this series. After failing to hit 40 fantasy points in each of the first three games, the Heat big man went for 54.3 fantasy points in Game 4. Miami needs its big man to be dominant to have a chance, especially with Jaime Jaquez Jr. also being ruled out for this contest. I don’t know that Adebayo will do enough to help the Heat send this series back to Miami but he should deliver a strong fantasy showing.
FLEX Plays
Derrick White ($7,800) – The Celtics guard has quietly put up solid numbers in this series, going for 57 fantasy points in the Game 4 victory. White does a little bit of everything, and his timely triples have usually helped quell Miami’s runs. He’s a much better three-point shooter at home on the season, and the Celtics will need offense from somewhere else with Porzingis sidelined. I think White is a prime candidate to have another big game, which makes him a bargain at this price point.
Nikola Jovic ($5,800) – Jaquez Jr. is out, which means the Heat are going to need someone other than Adebayo and Tyler Herro to step up. Jovic has shown flashes of brilliance in this series but is coming off a clunker where he logged just 9.8 fantasy points. Even if he doesn’t go completely nuts scoring the ball, I expect him to bounce back in this elimination game. He’s worth rostering in your lineup at this price point.
Fades
Jrue Holiday ($7,000) – Holiday simply doesn’t have to be a high usage player in this offense. Even with Porzingis sidelined, I don’t see the veteran guard being tasked with additional offensive responsibilities. Holiday has been a solid fantasy performer in this series and will get minutes, though it’s hard to justify this price point when White is listed at just $800 more and has been better.
Al Horford ($6,600) – The veteran big man will likely start in place of Porzingis, although that doesn’t necessarily translate to better stats. Horford has settled into his peripheral role on this team and he does that well, hitting some timely shots and playing decent defense. He played 34 minutes in Game 4 and only logged 22 fantasy points. It’s tempting to roster him but spare yourself the disappointment and leave him out of your lineup.
The Outcome
The Heat will throw the kitchen sink at Boston in an elimination game, although that sink is severely damaged by injuries. The Celtics have woken up after a loss in Game 2, and they are unlikely to falter in this opportunity to send Miami packing. Boston’s offense has been consistent enough in this series and I think the team will rally behind its home crowd to get the job done Wednesday night.
Final score: Celtics 116, Heat 96