This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
With a solid four-game playoff slate available Wednesday, there's plenty of options to sort through at all levels of the price scale. The following list should provide a handful of players to consider building your lineup around:
Guards:
Russell Westbrook, OKC vs. UTA ($10,600): There was plenty of drama surrounding Westbrook following the Thunder's loss in Game 4, as he played a bit out of control and got into a few different tussles with opposing players. That really hurt his production and he's now put together back-to-back games of 39.3 and 38.7 FanDuel points, which is very poor for Westbrook's standards. That said, after starting the series priced upwards of $12,100, Westbrook's salary has decreased over $1,000, so fantasy owners have the opportunity to grab him at a very discounted price. With the Thunder on the brink of elimination, Westbrook is going to have the ball a ton and will take it upon himself to get his team to at least a Game 6. For all those reasons, Westbrook seems like a no-brainer and is my favorite top-tier option for Wednesday's slate.
Donovan Mitchell, UTA at OKC ($8,600): Opposite Westbrook is Rookie of the Year candidate Donovan Mitchell, who the Thunder haven't been able to slow down this series. Over the first four games, Mitchell has averaged a whopping 45.3 FanDuel points, while scoring less than 40 just once. The Jazz have a chance to close the series out Wednesday and Mitchell will continue to be the team's go-to player offensively, so barring an off night where he just can't hit his shot, Mitchell seems like a safe bet to surpass that 40-FanDuel-point plateau once again.
Derrick Rose, MIN at HOU ($4,000): If you're looking for some cheap options in order to pay up for guys like Westbrook and Mitchell, Rose makes a ton of sense. He played a hefty workload in Game 4, seeing the floor for 32 minutes, while posting 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. That was good enough for 26.2 FanDuel points, marking his second straight outing with at least 25. The Timberwolves could once again be without Tyus Jones (knee) and that would leave Rose to soak up a huge load of reserve backcourt minutes. That said, even if Jones is available to play, Rose has solidified himself as the top backup and I'm fully on board for taking a risk on him in tournament settings at a meager $4,000 price.
Forwards:
LeBron James, CLE vs. IND ($11,800): I typically don't suggest two players in the five-digit price range, but James is another guy that's tough to pass up. Westbrook's price is nearly $1,000 cheaper and I'm still rolling with him as my top choice for the expensive players, but you can't go wrong with James either if you're able to pay up that far. He's had 54 FanDuel points or higher in all four games thus far and peaked at 70.9 in Game 2. James' supporting cast is struggling mightily and once again, it's going to be all on James to lead this team to a 3-2 lead in the series. It wouldn't be surprising if James pushes for triple-double type numbers in doing so.
Thaddeus Young, IND at CLE ($6,600): Young has quietly produced all season long and continues to churn out strong numbers in round one of the playoffs. In the last two games, he's posted 44.7 and 35.9 FanDuel points, respectively, with his price only increasing a few hundred dollars. As a result, he's one of the more reliable power forwards in terms of hitting value and also leaves some room to pay up elsewhere with his mid-tier price.
Kelly Oubre, WAS at TOR ($4,300): Like I mentioned in the Rose blurb, DFS owners are likely going to have to pay down at a few different spots in order to get the big contracts in your lineups. Oubre presents another player who's been solid at his specific price range. He's put up four straight games surpassing 24 FanDuel points, all the while averaging 26.3 minutes during that stretch. That sort of workload for a $4,300 priced player could pay dividends for those in tournament settings. His upside is certainly limited, but again, he's consistently hit value at his specific salary, so he's got plenty of validity as a DFS option.
Centers:
Clint Capela, HOU vs. MIN ($8,200): While I like catching players at their lowest price, I'll admit that I'm suggesting a player here that has seen his salary rise throughout the first round of the playoffs. That's been for good reason though, as Capela has dominated the Timberwolves on a few different occasions. He's certainly been a bit inconsistent, but Capela does have two separate outings where he notched 51.9 and 49.9 FanDuel points, which shows his overall upside. Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,500) has been very disappointing so far against the Rockets, so I'm putting my trust in Capela, who's the second highest priced center on the slate.
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR vs. WAS ($5,800): If you can't afford to pay up for Capela, Valanciunas provides a cheaper player at the position to pivot to. His minutes are definitely a concern, considering he played just 15 minutes in Game 4. However, he logged 23 minutes in the first three contests and peaked with a 40.2-FanDuel-point showing in Game 2, so he's got the upside to surpass value at his price on a good night. Again, I'm doing everything I can to pay up for Capela, but if there's a cheap option I feel comfortable taking a chance on, it's Valanciunas.
