This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a single-game slate on tap Tuesday night as the Clippers and Suns take the floor for Game 2 of their Western Conference Finals series. Each team will be missing a critical player, as both Kawhi Leonard (knee) and Chris Paul (COVID-19 protocols) will remain out of action.
With just one game on the ledger, we're dealing with FanDuel's single-game contest rosters, which break down as follows:
· MVP- (Garners points at 2x the normal rate)
· STAR- (Garners points at 1.5x the normal rate)
· PRO- (Garners points at 1.2x the normal rate)
· Two Utility spots- (Garner points at normal rate)
With the pricing also being different than in conventional FanDuel contests and top players inevitably headed for heavy roster rates, there are strategic elements particular to single-game lineups. Finding value plays for the two utility spots is key, as it enables you to fill out the multiplier spots with some of the top projected producers.
Slate Overview
Los Angeles Clippers at Phoenix Suns (Projected total: 224.5 points):
Despite the absences of Leonard and Paul, Game 1 finished with a total of 234 points. Each squad scored well over 30 points in both the second and third quarters, and there were several spectacular individual performances that could well be replicated in Game 2. None was more impressive than Devin Booker's 40-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist triple-double, and with Paul sitting out again, Booker should serve as the primary ballhandler and have another opportunity to significantly influence the total. As far as the home/road splits are concerned, the Clippers and Suns average 112 and 116.1 points per game while allowing 107.6 and 106.5.
Positional Breakdown
FanDuel single-game rosters don't have traditional positions that match those on a starting five, so we'll instead break down some candidates for the top three multiplier positions:
MVP (2x): Paul George ($15,000) and Devin Booker ($14,500) are the clear top candidates for this spot with Leonard and Paul out. George has averaged 59.8 FD points and shot 41.4 percent from distance over the last three games without Kawhi, including 54.3 in Game 1 of this series. Meanwhile, Booker put up the aforementioned triple-double in Game 1, which resulted in 70.1 FD points, and he owns a 34.8 percent usage rate with his veteran teammate off the floor.
STAR (1.5x): Whichever of the two mega-stars mentioned above doesn't make your MVP spot is the prime candidate here, but a case could also reasonably be made for Reggie Jackson ($12,500), who's scored 32.9 to 53.6 FD points in the last three playoff games and has another tally over 40 during the postseason as well. Deandre Ayton ($12,000) is also in play here, given his secure workload and consistency (at least 24 FD points in nine of 11 playoff games thus far).
PRO (1.2x): Jackson or Ayton are excellent for this spot, as are Nicolas Batum ($13,000), Jae Crowder ($11,500) and Mikal Bridges ($10,000). Each player should enjoy a secure role in Game 2, but the fluctuation in their production makes them more suited for this spot as opposed to the higher multipliers.
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 serves as a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written (usually late morning Eastern time), 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.
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee)/ Status: OUT
Leonard's absence should once again lead to major usage boosts for PG and Jackson while also keeping Terance Mann in the starting five.
Chris Paul, PHO (COVID-19 safety protocols)/ Status: OUT
Paul's second consecutive absence should lead to another start for Cameron Payne and another opportunity for Booker to take on primary ball-handling duties, and enjoy a significant usage boost in the process.
Elite Players
The two healthy highest-salaried players on the slate are Paul George ($15,000) and Devin Booker ($14,500). As already detailed in the Positional Breakdown section, each player has already produced multiple elite FD-point tallies during the series, and each should see very heavy usage once again.
Expected Chalk
With only one game on the ledger, George's and Booker's rostering rates should be through the roof, while the likes of Batum, Jackson, Ayton, Cameron Payne ($11,000) and Bridges should also be very popular.
Key Values
Note: On a multi-game slate, I typically try to highlight players that would be considered under-the-radar plays in this section. Naturally, with such a limited player pool, there will be very few low-rostered players that are likely to also be viable from a DFS perspective, so I'll instead focus on two of the best candidates to provide a strong return relative to salary for the two Utility spots in single-game lineups:
Mikal Bridges, PHO vs. LAC ($10,000)
As mentioned earlier, Bridges could be viable in the PRO slot, but he's also an interesting utility option. The talented wing scored 27.2 FD points in Game 1, and he's averaged 25.6 FD points over 11 postseason contests overall. He's frequently checked off every box on the stat sheet, and he's shot between 50.0 and 54.5 percent in each of the last three games. Bridges is also averaging 30.1 FD points per 36 minutes with Paul off the floor this season and postseason, furthering his case.
Rajon Rondo, LAC at PHO ($6,500)
Rondo appears to be part of Tyronn Lue's plans for this series, considering he logged 22 minutes in Game 1, which he parlayed into 25.1 FD points. There's certainly some risk involved in his rostering considering he's been everything from a healthy scratch to a 28-minute bench player. However, he's scored 23.8 FD points or more in three playoff games and 18 in another, and with Phoenix thin at point guard due to Paul's absence, Rondo could certainly thrive once again with enough minutes off the bench.
Other value plays to consider: Cameron Johnson, PHO vs. LAC ($8,500); DeMarcus Cousins, LAC at PHO ($6,500)
