Two elimination games are set for Thursday, as both the Pistons and Clippers hope to keep their seasons alive. For the Knicks and Nuggets, tonight is the last opportunity to avoid a dreaded Game 7 on Saturday. If any of these squads is going to pull out a win, they’ll need more than just superstars. In the NBA playoffs, it’s the lesser-known names that often prove to be the difference between victory and defeat.
Ahead of tonight’s action, here are three players being slept on in fantasy basketball DFS contests.
Set your DraftKings NBA postseason fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $350K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
SF/PF Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons ($4,300)
Detroit kept Jalen Brunson in check on Tuesday, holding the guard to 16 points on 25.0% shooting. If the Pistons are going to replicate that performance, they’ll need their best defender, Ausar Thompson, on the court. It’s been an up-and-down first postseason for the second-year pro. However, he erupted for 22 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in Game 5 (34.8 FPTS). Through five outings, he’s averaged 10.4 points and 5.0 rebounds.
Foul troubles and offensive inefficiency have capped the 22-year-old’s minutes for most of this series. Still, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff knows the Pistons need to make Game 6 another ugly, low-scoring affair. Brunson shot 1-of-8 when guarded by Thompson on Tuesday; that level of success on defense is impossible to ignore. As long as the forward plays 25+ minutes, he should compile counting stats on both ends of the floor.
C Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks ($3,800)
All season, the Knicks have been maligned for their lack of depth. If anyone on New York’s bench can make a difference tonight, it’s Mitchell Robinson. The center missed most of the season due to an ankle injury, returning with a minutes restriction in March. Since then, the big man has struggled to return to form. However, he occasionally flashes moments of greatness. That was the case on Tuesday, when Robinson put up 13 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals (35.3 FPTS).
Another double-double in just 23 minutes of play is unlikely. Still, Mitch doesn’t need to score 10+ points to deliver value. Pistons backup center Isaiah Stewart (knee) is listed as questionable; he hasn’t suited up since Game 1. The seven-foot Robinson has a significant height advantage over both Beef Stew (6’8″) and third-stringer Paul Reed (6’8″). That’s especially true when playing alongside Knicks All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. At just $3,800, New York’s rim-running big doesn’t need to be at his best tonight. Cleaning up the glass, swatting some shots, and hitting a few buckets would deliver a nice return on investment.
PG/SG Kris Dunn, Los Angeles Clippers ($3,800)
Let’s stick to our defensive-minded value list with Kris Dunn. For years, the veteran has been considered one of the NBA’s elite perimeter defenders. Unfortunately, a lack of skill on offense has kept his workload limited over a nine-year career. Regardless, there aren’t many in the association that possess the Providence alum’s ball-hawking skills. Despite playing 24.1 minutes per game, the guard’s 1.7 steals ranked fourth in basketball. Elsewhere, Dunn chipped in with 6.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists (19.2 FPTS).
Those numbers aren’t anything to write home about. However, Dunn offers a safer floor than most other names within his price range. In this first-round series, he’s notched at least 20.0 fantasy points three different times. That includes a 15-point, two-steal performance in Game 5 (25.5 FPTS). This season, the Nuggets have coughed up the tenth-most steals per game to opponents (8.7). Denver’s sloppy ball handling should allow Dunn to make a significant impact on both ends of the court tonight.
