This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After a rare day off Saturday, we're set for a two-game slate Sunday that marks the start of the semifinal round. There are some interesting dynamics at play in each Game 1, as there is a rest disparity between the favorites and underdogs that we'll soon detail. The injury report is also refreshingly light, with the only major absence of Khris Middleton one which the Bucks have already proven capable of managing effectively.
Slate Overview
Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics (-4.5) (O/U: 217.5 points)
Golden State Warriors (-2) at Memphis Grizzlies (O/U: 220.5 points)
The Celtics come into the opener with two days of extra rest on the Bucks, which they split the four-game regular-season series with. Milwaukee lost both of the matchups played at TD Garden, and that, combined with a healthier Boston squad that just swept the star-laden Nets, makes the hosts a modest but solid home favorite.
There's a marked rest difference between the Warriors and Grizzlies, with Golden State having wrapped up its first-round series with the Nuggets on Wednesday and Memphis just having concluded a grueling six games against the Timberwolves on Friday. That makes it less than a 48-hour turnaround for Taylor Jenkins' squad, largely explaining their somewhat surprising home underdog status.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following is a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate, including those carrying injury designations that aren't listed in this section.
Khris Middleton, MIL (knee): OUT
In Middleton's ongoing absence, Bobby Portis should remain in the starting five while Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton should continue to enjoy expanded roles off the bench.
Steven Adams, MEM (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
With Adams still out, Xavier Tillman is likely to remain in the starting lineup while Brandon Clarke could also see expanded bench opportunities.
Other notable injuries:
George Hill, MIL (abdomen): OUT
Ziaire Williams, MEM (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Sunday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800), Jayson Tatum ($10,300) and Ja Morant ($10,000).
Antetokounmpo averaged 55.2 FD points over the five games against the Bulls, and that was over a relatively modest average of 33.6 minutes. He also had his fair share of success against the Celtics during the regular season, having averaged 28.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block across 28.3 minutes in three games.
Tatum similarly led the charge for the Celtics in the first round, posting 48.3 FD points across 41.8 minutes per game versus the Nets while shooting an impressive 41.9 percent from three-point range. The star forward has had five full days to rest up from the heavy workload he logged during that series and was stellar against the Bucks this year with averages of 31.3 points on 47.1 percent shooting -- including 44.4 percent from three-point range -- 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks across three matchups.
Morant scuffled from the field over the last four games against the T-Wolves by shooting just 32.8 percent. However, he still averaged 50 FD points per game versus Minnesota and racked up 26.7 points, 6.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals across three games versus Golden State during the regular season.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Stephen Curry, GSW ($9,500)
Curry was back to a starting role by Game 5 against the Nuggets and averaged 43.4 FD points over 30.2 minutes in the series.
Jrue Holiday, NOP ($8,100)
Holiday's shot ran hot and cold against the Bulls, but he's averaging 44.8 FD points per 36 minutes without Middleton on the floor since the start of the regular season.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($7,900)
Brown is clear of any injury designation after tweaking his hamstring in Game 4 against the Nets and is coming off having averaged 41.7 FD points over the four games.
Desmond Bane, MEM ($7,300)
Bane caught fire from the field over the last five games of the first round by averaging 38.5 FD points on 51.2 percent shooting, including 50.0 percent from three-point range.
Key Values
Marcus Smart, BOS vs. MIL ($6,300)
Smart played second fiddle to Tatum and Brown during the sweep of the Nets, but not by much. The defensive-savvy guard showed plenty on the other end of the floor by posting a pair of 20-point tallies on his way to an average of 16.5 points and 33.0 FD points in the series. Smart was highly efficient against the Bucks during the regular season as well, draining 49.0 percent of his attempts, including 40.0 percent from behind the arc, while averaging a well-rounded 17.3 points, 7.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals across 35.5 minutes over four appearances.
Bobby Portis, MIL at BOS ($6,200)
Portis was one of the primary reasons Milwaukee was able to successfully navigate the absence of Middleton during the latter portion of the first round, as he averaged 31.2 FD points in the last three games after recording 33.4 in Game 1. The floor-spacing big rattled off three straight double-digit rebound tallies in Games 3-5 and was very productive against the Celtics over four regular-season meetings, posting 17.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 54.7 percent, including 38.9 percent from three-point range.
Gary Payton, GSW at MEM ($3,800)
Yes, Payton may very likely be chalky Sunday following a Game 5 breakout effort versus the Nuggets where he recorded 32.1 FD points in 26 minutes. However, the efficient guard's salary makes it difficult for him not be worthy of investment Sunday, especially considering he'll be facing what should be a fatigued Grizzlies squad. Payton enjoyed success against Memphis off the bench during the season by putting up 9.3 points on 64.0 percent shooting, including 55.6 percent from three-point range, and 2.8 rebounds over a modest 19.8 minutes per game in four outings. Memphis also ranks in the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency yielded to second-unit players, conceding a 19th-ranked 41.8 percent figure in that category.
