This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Guards:
John Wall, WSH vs. TOR ($10,500): Wall has been one of the five best players in the playoffs, as he's scored at least 46 FanDuel points in all three games he's played. Adding on to that, Wall is averaging nearly 60 fantasy points per game against the Raptors. It really shows in his usage, considering he leads all starters in the playoffs with a usage rate of 35.6 percent while taking 20 shots per game. He should continue to abuse this matchup too, as Toronto owns the third-worst defense in the playoffs based on efficiency ratings.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR at WSH ($8,500): DeRozan is one of the only Toronto players playing consistently right now and he has over 26 fantasy points in 10-straight games. The two most recent playoff games paint an even brighter picture, as he's averaged 41 FanDuel points per game during that stretch. In seven total games against the Wizards this season, DeRozan is averaging 45 fantasy points.
J.R. Smith, CLE at IND ($3,600): Smith is a hard player to trust, but he's playing way too much to be priced at a near minimum salary. Not only is he averaging over 32 minutes per game in this series, Smith is also averaging over 22 FanDuel points in his last four games. That's 6X production from a $3,600 player and the minutes alone should allow him to be a great bet to reach the desired 5X value. In addition, Smith is averaging 24 fantasy points in seven games against the Pacers this season, so this production is far from a fluke despite his struggles in the regular season.
Forwards:
LeBron James, CLE at IND ($12,200): LBJ is one of the only players on this slate who's reliable enough for 40 fantasy points on any given night, making him a critical player to consider. Not only has he scored at least 54 fantasy points in all three playoff games thus far, he's averaging close to 60 fantasy points per game since the all-star break. James has just obliterated the Pacers all season too, averaging 60 fantasy points per game in seven outings against them.
Thaddeus Young, IND vs. CLE ($6,200): Young is seeing a steady rise in his fantasy production, as he's averaging 32 fantasy points per game in his last two outings. What really makes him a great pick is this matchup though, as Cleveland allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards in the regular season. That's no surprise either when you consider the fact that Young is averaging 31 fantasy points per game in seven meetings with the Cavaliers this season.
Andre Iguodala, GS at SAN ($4,700): With an injury to Stephen Curry, Iguodala has risen into fantasy relevance. The fact that he's played at least 23 minutes in all three playoff games proves he's been given an expanded role, with Iguodala averaging 28 FanDuel points per game in this series. That's exceeding 6X value and he gets to face a San Antonio defense who owns the second-worst defense in the playoffs based on efficiency ratings.
Centers:
Myles Turner, IND vs. CLE ($6,000): The center position on this slate may be the slimmest it's been all season, as Jonas Valanciunas and Turner are tied for the highest priced centers. It's Turner's upside that makes him a better choice over Valanciunas, considering he gets a far better matchup and is averaging more fantasy points per game. In fact, Cleveland ranked 29th in defensive efficiency in the regular season, while Turner is averaging 25 fantasy points per game in four contests against them. The fact that Valanciunas hasn't played more than 25 minutes in over a month is a good reason to fade him as well, while Turner is playing over 28 minutes a game for the season.
Marcin Gortat, WSH vs. TOR ($4,200): With such limited options at center, Gortat makes for a solid cheap option with his upside and modest consistency. The 23 fantasy points per game in the regular season already make him a great value at this diminished price and he's coming off a 22.5 fantasy points game in his most recent outing. Gortat has actually scored at least 22 fantasy points in 10 of his last 14 games as well, which is plenty of production from a $4,200 player.
