The NBA playoffs are in full swing, and the Thunder are the first team to officially advance to the second round. Four more games will be taking place today, with each series holding a 2-1 lead.
The action will begin tonight with a matchup between the Knicks and Pistons, with New York holding a 2-1 series lead. Then, the Lakers will face the Timberwolves after Minnesota jumped out to a 2-1 series advantage. The Celtics will face the Magic again today after a bit of a controversial Orlando victory in the previous game before the final matchup of the night between the Pacers and the Bucks. After falling down 2-0 in the series, Milwaukee bounced back with a victory in the previous game and will be playing in front of its home crowd again tonight.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the NBA action with DraftKings Sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Sports. This article will look at the top DFS value plays ahead of the four-game playoff slate.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $250K Shootaround [$50K to 1st]
PG/SG Dennis Schroder, Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks, $4,500
The Pistons will host the Knicks in game 4 of this series and in need of a victory. Dennis Schroder has emerged as a key part of this Pistons team across the final third of the season he spent with the team, and is proving especially necessary in this postseason setting. Cade Cunningham headlines the Pistons’ offensive attack, and both sides are well aware of this. New York has actively forced the ball out of his hands whenever they have had the chance. Schroder’s abilities as a secondary playmaker and creator have been impactful.
Schroder has logged at least 25 minutes in all three games thus far. He finished with eight points and three assists in the opening game, or 18.0 fantasy points on DraftKings scoring. He then exploded in Game 2 for 20 points, three assists, and two rebounds- or 27.5 DraftKings Fantasy points. The 31-year-old added 29.2 fantasy points in the previous game by producing 18 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
Heading into Game 4, expect Detroit to continue to rely on Schroder for production. He has taken at least eight shot attempts in each matchup, and Cunningham will continue to be at the top of the Knicks’ defensive priorities. He may not win you your DraftKings contest on his own, but it would not be a surprise if Schroder eclipses 30 points and has his best fantasy output of the series thus far in Game 4. This is a must-win game from Detroit’s perspective and the scrappy guard will be prepared to leave all he has on the floor today.
PG/SG AJ Green, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers, $3,700
The Bucks dropped the opening two games of the series and hit their desperation point quicker than expected. They met this challenge by producing a Game 3 victory with AJ Green proving to be a key part of the team’s adjustment. The 25-year-old clocked just under 27 minutes of action in the series opener, finishing with 15 points, three rebounds, and 22.8 fantasy points based on DraftKings scoring. He was limited to just 12:23 of game action in the second matchup and made little impact in the box score. In the previous game, Green’s role was expanded to over 25 minutes once again, and he delivered with 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists, or 25.0 points on DraftKings scoring.
One of the most notable takeaways of the early part of the series has been the difference in depth between the Bucks and Pacers. The youth and athleticism on Indiana’s roster have been problematic for Milwaukee, with this proving to be a tough matchup for players like Brook Lopez, Taurean Prince, and Kyle Kuzma. To his credit, Doc Rivers shook things up in the previous game and gave the team a better chance for victory.
AJ Green plays with a youthful energy and offensive ability that is necessary in this matchup. Expect his level of opportunity to remain high in Game 3 and for his three-point shooting to be especially impactful. Green shot 42.7% from beyond the three-point arc on 5.0 perimeter shots per game and is 9-for-20 from the perimeter so far in the series. Milwaukee needs to rise to the offensive challenge against Indiana in a way it fell short at the start of the series. Look for Green to play a part in this and outperform his $3,700 price point in the DraftKings DFS contest.
C Luke Kornet, Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic, $3,400
The growth and development of Luke Kornet has been one of the better storylines in the NBA. The 29-year-old gradually grew from a fan-favorite good story to a legitimate impact player on this Celtics team. As Boston continues their attempt to repeat as champions, Kornet will be a bigger part of this playoff run than many acknowledge. Across the regular season, he averaged 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in his 18.6 minutes per game.
Kornet struggled a bit in the opening two games, being limited to 12 minutes in each of the opening two matchups. He then clocked 19:26 of game action in Game 3, adding six points, six rebounds, and two steals, or 17.5 fantasy points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Injuries have taken a toll on this Celtics team with Jayson Tatum having missed a game, Jrue Holiday ruled out for his second straight game today, Jaylen Brown is listed as questionable, and Kristaps Porzingis coming off one of the more disappointing performances of his career.
Orlando deserves credit for picking up the victory in Game 3, but they have some notable flaws as a team. The Magic shot an NBA-worst 31.8% on three-point attempts in the regular season and are shooting just 29.3% from beyond the arc thus far in the postseason. Boston should be more than willing to show some increased willingness to pack the paint and force the Magic to beat them from the perimeter. This directly relates to Kornet seeing a more expanded role, and Boston also must prioritize winning the rebounding battle, which did not happen in the previous loss. This is a bit of a riskier play, but Kornet has tallied as many as 44.5 fantasy points in a game this season and tallied 22.8 fantasy points in the final regular-season matchup with Orlando. Look for Kornet to have his most impressive offensive output of the series tonight and outperform the $3,400 DFS price point.
