This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Friday's three-game slate continues our march through the first round of the NBA playoffs. The combination of teams in play on Friday leaves us with a dearth of options at certain positions, with the center position standing out as a spot where you won't need to spend a lot of your allotted salary.
Out storyline on Friday follows a similar theme as it's almost impossible to ignore LeBron James' ($11,800) inherent value. While he cooled off toward the end of Game 2, he started off the contest with 20 points in the first quarter and despite his 40 percent ownership across most contests, his ability to boost your lineup total is invaluable. Similarly, Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,600) and the Bucks are up against it in Game 3 and Milwaukee will definitely be depending on the Greek Freak to avoid going down 3-0 against the Celtics on Friday. With DKFP totals of 55 and 67 in the first two games, Giannis is a great play for comparative value to James at $1.2K less. While a tournament win is certainly feasible without either of these standouts, your cash lineups are in serious jeopardy without at least one of them.
I will do my best to identify as many value options as possible in order to best accommodate these two elite players. Value targets will also come in handy if you elect to field players like John Wall ($9,300) and Victor Oladipo ($8,8000), both of whom look to be in favorable positions on Friday.
GUARDS
Terry Rozier, BOS at MIL ($7,100): While Jaylen Brown's superlative performance in Game 2 grabbed most of the headlines, Rozier has continued to be a stable source of production as Kyrie Irving's replacement. The Celtics have certainly been a surprise but the Bucks haven't exactly given them much resistance. Rozier has averaged 30 minutes of court time in the first two playoff games, which should result in a good stat line at this price.
Delon Wright, TOR at WAS ($4,500): While one shouldn't expect the Raptors to put on the brakes with their 2-0 advantage over the Wizards, Wright has definitely come in handy as the second-unit replacement for DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, and if his two-game average of 26 minutes remains constant, he sets up well as a method for grabbing higher-priced options on the slate.
Ty Lawson, WAS vs. TOR ($3,500): Lawson is currently filling a similar role to Wright's, and it appears that the recently-signed eight-year veteran is another excellent value play for DFS backcourts after logging 31 minutes in Game 2. I wouldn't pair him with John Wall or Bradley Beal, but it's hard to find a better value on Friday in the 3K range.
Other guards to consider:Eric Bledsoe, MIL vs. BOS ($6,300)
FORWARDS
Khris Middleton, MIL vs. BOS ($7,300): Middleton is averaging 42 minutes on the floor in the playoffs and there's no indication that he'll be slowing down. Middleton heavily depends on a hot night from beyond the arc to meet his season average of 36.2 DKFP per game, and he's been scary accurate against the Celtics, averaging 69.2 percent from long range.
Serge Ibaka, TOR at WAS ($6,000): I slid past Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to highlight Ibaka, not because I don't like either prospect, but Ibaka's innate ability for explosive production is too tempting below the DK median price. Toronto's game flow can sometimes betray him but in playoff mode Ibaka has been rock-solid. With dual eligibility at forward and center, he's a great option due to the meager amount of big men available..
Mike Scott, WAS vs. TOR ($3,800): Scott demonstrated considerable versatility for the Wizards in Game 2, as the power forward converted four threes. He's drilled 41 percent of his 78 attempts from long range this season, and it's a key ingredient necessary for Scott to reach value. He's in a tough spot against the Raptors' dominant defense inside, but the Wizards apparently need to mix it up a bit to get anywhere in this series, and Scott will see more time as a result.
Other forwards to consider:Jaylen Brown, BOS at MIL ($6,500), Markieff Morris, WAS vs. TOR ($5,700)
CENTERS
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR at WAS ($5,900): Valanciunas took a cue from Serge Ibaka in Game 2 and took his turn to dominate inside against the Wizards. His usage has remained pretty consistent this season, but it would be nice to see a little more than the 23-minute average he's had during the playoffs. He's put up great stat lines regardless, and he should add considerably to the 23 rebounds he's already snagged in this series.
Myles Turner, IND vs. CLE ($5,600): While Kevin Love is good to go after the awkward hand injury he sustained, there's no telling how the Cavs' frontcourt rotation will be affected. It could prove advantageous for Turner, who has also historically fared a bit better at home. He's averaged 35 minutes on the floor in this series, which is a full seven minutes more than his season average.
