The NBA playoffs continue Wednesday with a two-game slate. DraftKings continues to offer huge contests for DFS players, and below, I break down some of my favorite NBA DFS options at each position for Wednesday’s playoff action.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Shootaround [100k to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets, $9,600
With the Thunder looking to avoid a 0-2 deficit in this series vs. the Nuggets, Gilgeous-Alexander is unavoidable at this sub-$10K salary. The soon-to-be named MVP’s price tag on DraftKings approached $12K this season and after exposing Denver for 65.5 FPTS in Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 58 FPTS in three of his five matchups with the Nuggets this season.
Denver ranks 22nd in defensive rating this season and Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best fantasy assets in the NBA, with the guard amassing 1.6 FPTS per minute with a 34.5% usage rate. The Thunder are an 11-point home favorite for Game 2 on DraftKings Sportsbook and on his home floor this season, Gilgeous-Alexander is generating 54.7 FPTS per game.
Other Options: Jaylen Brown ($7,100), Jamal Murray ($7,000)
Value
Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets, $4,300
Caruso is another must-play from this Thunder club that is looking to bounce back after dropping Game 1 on Monday. Despite the loss, Caruso was tremendous in the series opener vs. the Nuggets, erupting for 45.75 FPTS across 26 minutes off the bench. The veteran shot 5-of-9 from beyond the arc and finished with a whopping seven defensive stats. Caruso is now supplying 33.3 FPTS per game in his last four and he has racked up at least three defensive stats in all of these games.
Caruso’s prowess on the defensive end gives him great upside relative to his cheap salary and he is the best value available for this two-game slate.
Other Options: Christian Braun ($5,500), Jrue Holiday ($5,300), Miles McBride ($3,100)
Forward
Stud
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks, $9,200
After losing Game 1 on their home floor, the Celtics should be extremely motivated to even this series with New York in Game 2 and Tatum should have another huge performance. The forward is providing 61.6 FPTS per game in his last four starts and he has been brilliant against the Knicks this season, averaging 57.9 FPTS per game in five matchups.
Tatum is leading the Celtics with a 31.5% usage rate and 26.7% assist percentage this season, resulting in 1.4 FPTS per minute for the Duke product. Losing Game 2 is not an option for the defending champion Celtics and Tatum is a lock for a minimum of 50 FPTS in this situation.
Other Options: Jalen Williams ($7,400)
Value
Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder, $5,800
With Michael Porter Jr. dealing with a nagging shoulder injury, Gordon has stepped up his game for the Nuggets. Including the game-winning three-pointer, the forward posted 43.5 FPTS in Monday’s Game 1 upset over the Thunder. Gordon is amassing 35.2 FPTS per game in his last five starts of these playoffs and during this span, he is garnering 39 minutes per game and an 18.5% usage rate.
The Thunder are the best defense in the NBA and they will be extremely focused to even this series, but barring a blowout, Gordon should approach 40 minutes and is a strong target with the heavy volume. This season, Gordon is scoring 1.0 FPTS per minute.
Other Options: Josh Hart ($6,700), Aaron Wiggins ($3,200)
Center
Stud
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder, $11,000
While the Thunder have been the best defense in the league this season, they have had major issues with stopping Jokic. The three-time MVP dominated Oklahoma City for a huge double-double of 83.5 FPTS in Game 1 and he is averaging 72.9 FPTS per game against the Thunder this season in five matchups.
Thanks to a 29.4% usage rate, a 40% assist percentage and a 19.4% rebound rate, Jokic is scoring a league-high 1.83 FPTS per minute this season. The center logged 43 minutes in Game 1 and if the Nuggets can keep Game 2 competitive again, Jokic will be one of the primary reasons why with another monster showing.
Other Options: Karl-Anthony Towns ($7,600)
Value
Al Horford, Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks, $5,000
Center lacks appealing options and paying up for Jokic is the best route at the position, but if forced to pay down, Horford is viable at this price tag. The savvy veteran is producing 23 FPTS per game this postseason and Sam Hauser (ankle) being doubtful and Kristaps Porzingis (probable) dealing with an illness should result in a few extra minutes for Horford.
Over 30 minutes is a realistic expectation for the Florida product and he should have a strong showing with the Celtics looking to even this best-of-seven series. Horford is providing 0.8 FPTS per minute this season and he is averaging 25.1 FPTS per game for the last five times he has been active following a loss for Boston.
Other Options: Chet Holmgren ($6,800)
