This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Monday offers a three-game slate of Game 2 faceoffs, beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT. Along with Luka Doncic's absence for the Mavericks, the Raptors enter Monday's contest with key injuries of their own, which will affect expected numbers for both teams. The value of recent performances always helps our projections during playoff time, and we'll rely on them heavily as we proceed through the bracket.
SLATE OVERVIEW
PHI (-7) vs. TOR O/U: 217
UTA (-5) @ DAL O/U: 205.5
GSW (-6.5) vs. DEN O/U: 223.5
INJURIES
DAL Luka Doncic (hamstring) - DOUBTFUL
Doncic won't make Game 2, meaning Spencer Dinwiddie ($7,000) will pick up the start again in his absence. Jalen Brunson ($7,300) scored 24 points in Game 1, so he will also have a significant impact.
TOR Scottie Barnes (ankle) - DOUBTFUL
TOR Gary Trent (illness) - DOUBTFUL
TOR Thaddeus Young (thumb) - DOUBTFUL
The Raptors will enter Game 2 banged up. We'll address who to target later in the article.
ELITE PLAYERS
Elite centers dominate this slate, but the newly minted dual eligibility of these players is also in effect as well. Joel Embiid ($11,000) and Nikola Jokic ($11,700) are no longer limited to one slot and can now be used in the two available PF slots, which greatly increases their playability. Pascal Siakam ($9,600) is only available at power forward, but he gets a heightened endorsement based on key absences on Toronto's roster. Rudy Gobert ($7,700) did not get the benefit of an additional positional designation, and although he scored only five points in Game 1, his 17 rebounds definitely keep him in play.
James Harden ($9,700) and Donovan Mitchell ($8,600) both had excellent showings to open the postseason, so it's no surprise to see them atop the list as the most expensive guards. With 32 points in Game 1, Mitchell looks to be the best investment, although Harden's secondary numbers were much better in the Game 1 win. There will be a lot of pressure on Fred VanVleet to pace his team amid the absences of Barnes and Trent, but he'll need a better showing than his 18/6/1 line to justify his $7,600 salary.
EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
TORONTO VALUE
With Barnes, Young and Trent out, several Toronto players will need to step up, and Chris Boucher ($4,500) is the backup that first comes to mind. OG Anunoby ($6,100) and Precious Achiuwa ($4,300) will also need to produce more. When the starting lineup for Game 2 is released, give the replacements a bump.
Mike Conley, UTA ($6,000) @ DAL
Conley is a great way to get involved in Utah's backcourt if you are doing most of your spending at PF and/or C, which might put Mitchell beyond your reach. His 23.7 FDFP in Game 1 is well short of 5x value at this salary, but a possible adjustment for the Jazz may bring a more balanced approach against the Mavericks, who will almost certainly key in more on Mitchell after he destroyed them.
Dorian Finney-Smith, DAL ($5,300) vs. UTA
Finney-Smith is a four-slot option due to his multiple eligibilities, and he performed well without Doncic in the lineup. His 14 points and five rebounds in Game 1 is probably on the low end of what is possible, and could end up a significant bargain at this salary.
Will Barton, DEN ($5,700) @ GSW
Barton was a great help to Denver's offense in Game 1, and his 38.7 FDFP total ended up being one of the best value-beating numbers on that slate. As the Nuggets adjust after a Game 1 loss, they won't need to mess with Barton's role, and he'll be critical to Denver's effort to even up the series. The player they will definitely need more from is Aaron Gordon ($5,600), and if any major adjustment is made, it will likely lead to a better performance from Gordon.
Andrew Wiggins, GSW ($5,900) vs. DEN
There's no denying Jordan Poole and Stephen Curry's value to the Warriors, and it's very tempting to go to Poole at $6,300 after he led all scorers in Game 1. Despite the differential in production, I think Curry will regain his sea legs in Game 2, and while his shot volume will increase, his ball distribution numbers will also inevitably trend up. Wiggins is often the off-the-ball option that Curry dishes to, and the Nuggets are not especially strong on defense against Wiggins' position.
Reggie Bullock, DAL ($4,300) vs. UTA
Bullock emerges as one of the best values on the slate. His 15 points and six rebounds are a value-smashing stat line relative to his salary, even after it received a $400 boost after his first performance.
Also consider: Maxi Kleber, DAL ($3,700) vs. UTA
