The second day of the NBA Play-In Tournament is upon us. Following Tuesday’s pair of exciting matchups, who knows what’ll be in store tonight. Kicking things off, eight-seed Orlando will visit seventh-seed Philadelphia. Later, it’ll be the ninth-seeded Clippers hosting the tenth-seeded Warriors. The stars may be out, but any successful fantasy lineup demands some under the radar picks as well. Which bargains should managers prioritize ahead of Wednesday’s contests?
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C Andre Drummond, Philadelphia 76ers vs. ORL ($4,800)
Joel Embiid (appendicitis) won’t be taking the floor this evening. That leaves the 76ers with a bit of a conundrum down low. It’ll be some combination of Adem Bona ($4,500) and Andre Drummond handling minutes at center. Depending on the matchup, head coach Nick Nurse could lean on either of these backups. However, this feels like the kind of spot where a veteran presence is needed. This season, Drummond is averaging 6.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 47% from the field (21.8 FPTS).
For years, the Magic have prioritized winning ugly, due in part to a lack of shooting. In order to counter a big, physical squad, Drummond’s superior rebounding might be needed. The former All-Star has tallied at least 33.8 fantasy points in each of his last three games, all without Embiid active. Orlando, while capable inside, isn’t quite as good inside the paint as in seasons past. Assuming Drummond logs anywhere close to 30 minutes, he should deliver value on this modest price tag.
C Brook Lopez, LA Clippers vs. GSW ($4,100)
We’ll turn to another elder statesman to round out Tuesday’s list. Brook Lopez might not be anywhere close to his prime, but he’s still capable of logging quality minutes. Ever since the Clippers traded away Ivica Zubac, they’ve leaned on their veteran at center. That’s especially true right now with backup Isaiah Jackson (ankle) making his return from injury. Since the All-Star break, Lopez is putting up 11.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Those aren’t jaw-dropping numbers, but it’s nothing to sneeze at either.
LA’s second-half resurgeance couldn’t have happened without the contributions of Lopez. The former All-Star has notched 20+ fantasy points in ten of his previous 12 appearances as well. On Wednesday, the Clippers will face a Warriors club that has been somewhat vulnerable down low. Golden State has given up the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing centers. Jackson’s uncertain health also means more front court minutes should be available for Los Angeles. Given his dirt-cheap $4,100 cost, Lopez makes plenty of sense tonight as an end of lineup selection.
