The second round of the NBA playoffs is officially underway, and we have two more Game 2s on tap for Wednesday. The action gets underway with 76ers vs. Heat at 7:30 p.m. ET and wraps up with Mavericks vs. Suns at 10 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into some of the top studs and values at each position to help with your DraftKings NBA lineups.
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Point Guard
Stud
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns ($11,400) – Doncic has been fantastic for the Mavericks recently. He’s exceeded salary-based expectations by an average of 2.88 DKFP over his past 10 games, and he’s increased his production to 1.73 DKFP per minute over the past month. He did miss the first three games of the Mavs’ first round series vs. the Jazz, but he’s scored at least 54.0 DKFP in all four games since rejoining the lineup.
That includes a monster performance in his first meeting vs. the Suns. He racked up 75.0 DKFP thanks to 45 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, and he also posted a 42.8% usage rate. Even in a tough matchup, no one on this slate can match his upside.
Other Options – Chris Paul ($8,700)
Value
Gabe Vincent, Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers ($4,700) – Kyle Lowry remains out of the lineup for the Heat, so Vincent should draw another start at point guard. He’s currently listed as questionable, but the Heat have had a jam-packed injury report all year. I would expect him to be in the lineup.
Vincent has been a solid contributor in games without Lowry this season. Between the regular season and playoffs, he’s averaged 30.5 minutes and 22.2 DKFP per game in 22 games with Lowry out of the lineup. He has gotten a bit more expensive recently, but he’s one of the safest options in this price range.
Other Options – Tyrese Maxey ($7,100), Victor Oladipo ($4,500)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns vs. Dallas Mavericks ($8,200) – It’s going to be tough to avoid Booker on Wednesday. His price has dropped precipitously since the start of the postseason, and his $8,200 salary is nothing short of a steal. Booker is coming off 48.25 DKFP in his last outing, so he can definitely pay off that figure. The Suns’ implied team total of 111.25 is also the top mark on the slate, further increasing Booker’s appeal.
Other Options – James Harden ($9,600)
Value
Max Strus, Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers ($4,900) – Strus is another potential source of value for the Heat. He’s also listed as questionable – along with Tyler Herro, P.J. Tucker, and Caleb Martin – but he’s been a solid contributor during the postseason. He’s coming off a poor showing in Game 1 vs. the 76ers, but he returned value in each of his previous five outings. He also logged 32.8 minutes in his last contest, and he’s averaged 0.80 DKFP per minute this season. He should be able to bounce back in Game 2.
Other Options – Spencer Dinwiddie ($5,300)
Small Forward
Stud
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers ($9,000) – Butler is really your only option if you’re looking to pay up at small forward. He’s priced at $9,000, and no one else at the position is priced above $6,000.
However, Butler is not a priority pay-up for me at that price tag. He’s put together some huge games during the postseason, but Butler has historically underperformed salary-based expectations by nearly 5.0 points on average with a comparable price tag. The game between the Heat and 76ers also figures to be a bit of a slog, with both teams ranking in the bottom five in pace this season. The total currently sits at just 208 points, and the first game landed exactly on that figure.
Other Options – None
Value
Dorian Finney-Smith, Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns ($5,600) – Finney-Smith is my preferred option at SF on this slate. He’s reasonably priced at just $5,600, and he’s playing all the minutes he can handle for the Mavs. He’s racked up at least 39.8 minutes in each of their seven playoff contests, including 40.5 minutes in Game 1 vs. the Suns. DFS isn’t an elite per-minute producer, but his average of 0.75 DKFP per minute over the past month is enough to get the job done.
Other Options – Mikal Bridges ($6,000), Reggie Bullock ($5,200)
Power Forward
Stud
Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat ($7,700) – Harris has emerged as one of the 76ers' most trusted scorers during the postseason. Bet you didn’t see that twist coming. He struggled mightily after the addition of Harden before the trade deadline, but he’s settled into his new role. He’s scored at least 31.25 DKFP in seven straight games, and he’s racked up at least 37.0 in five of them.
Harris is also going to have to pick up the slack with Joel Embiid sidelined. He saw one of the largest usage bumps on the team in Game 1 vs. the Heat, leading the squad with a 29.7% usage rate.
Other Options – None
Value
P.J. Tucker, Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers ($4,300) – It never feels great to roster Tucker, but it has paid off more than not recently. He’s returned positive value in four of the Heat’s first six postseason contests, including Game 1 vs. the 76ers. He’s also increased his production to 0.80 DKFP per minute over the past month, and he should play around 30 minutes in competitive contests. That’s enough to make him viable at $4,300, especially at a weak position.
Other Options – Jae Crowder ($4,800), Maxi Kleber ($4,000)
Center
Stud
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers ($8,000) – Adebayo is one of the most underrated players in basketball, but perhaps that will change after the postseason. He’s coming off back-to-back big games, including 51.0 DKFP in Game 1 vs. the 76ers. He was a nearly perfect 8-10 from the field, and he should continue to have his way with the 76ers’ frontcourt for as long as Embiid is sidelined. He’s underpriced at just $8,000.
Other Options – Deandre Ayton ($7,600)
Value
DeAndre Jordan, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat ($3,900) – Jordan earned a spot start for the 76ers in Game 1, but he disappointed with just 9.5 DKFP over 17.3 minutes. That said, Jordan has averaged 1.02 DKFP per minute this season, so he should be able to improve with a comparable workload in Game 2. I’m not sure if Jordan will earn another start, but he’s worth consideration if he does.
Other Options – Paul Reed ($4,600), JaVale McGee ($3,200)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $450K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
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