NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, May 21

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, May 21

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

MIA at BOS:  Miami leads the series 2-0 after earning two road wins in Boston. The Heat have a chance to take a commanding 3-0 lead if they can keep up their strong play at home. 

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Injuries to Monitor  

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MIA - Tyler Herro (hand): OUT

Elite Players

Guards

Marcus Smart, Celtics ($10,800) at Heat 

Smart totaled 38.3 DK points in Game 1, but he came up short in Game 2, posting just 15.5 DK points on seven points, four rebounds and three assists. Nonetheless, he continues to bring a solid effort during the postseason, averaging 15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.1 steals through 15 postseason outings, including seven outings with at least 35 DK points.

Jaylen Brown, Celtics ($13,800) at Heat 

Brown finished with just 25 DK points in Game 2 after he had 38.3 DK points in Game 1. He averaged 30.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists through three encounters with the Heat during the regular season and must find a way to get back to that level in what is essentially a must-win game on the road. 

Forwards/Centers

Jayson Tatum, Celtics ($18,300) at Heat 

Despite the loss, Tatum amassed 62.8 DK points on 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in Game 2. He has been a major force throughout the postseason, averaging 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.1 blocks over 15 outings, including 10 with more than 50 DK points and a high of 83.3. The Celtics need their leading scorer to come out in full force in Game 3 if they hope to avoid an ugly 0-3 hole. 

Bam Adebayo, Heat ($14,100) vs. Celtics

Adebayo came up big with 57.8 DK points on 22 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists in 38 minutes of action in Game 2. He is averaging 18.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals over 13 outings in the postseason, including five games with more than 40 DK points. Adebayo has a good chance to pad his stats at the foul line, where he is shooting 8.6 percent better at home than on the road. 

Expected Chalk 

Jimmy Butler, Heat ($18,300) vs. Celtics 

Butler continues to excel, posting more than 50 DK points in the first two games of the conference finals, including a high of 63.3 in Game 1. He is averaging 31.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.2 steals through 12 appearances in the postseason, and he is shooting a blistering 51.8 percent from the field, including 36.6 percent from long range. Butler should be up for another major performance with the benefit of home-court advantage and the prospect of earning a dominant 3-0 series lead. 

Value Picks

Malcolm Brogdon, Celtics ($10,200) at Heat 

Brogdon tallied more than 23 DK points in both Games 1 and 2, including a high of 26.5 in Game 1 when he stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and two blocks. He remains a go-to option off the bench for Boston and is averaging 28.3 minutes per game in the postseason. 

Derrick White, Celtics ($6,600) at Heat 

In four outings since moving to a bench role, White is averaging 8.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 18.8 minutes per game. He averaged 15.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals through four meetings with the Heat this season, and he likely has to step up if Boston is going to earn a win on the road in the conference finals.  

Caleb Martin, Heat ($9,300) vs. Celtics 

Martin came up huge in Games 1 and 2 of the conference finals, surpassing 30 DK points in each contest. He had a major offensive effort in the most recent outing, posting 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting. He has provided a great, well-rounded boost off the bench throughout the postseason, averaging 12.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 13 games. 

Kevin Love, Heat ($5,100) vs. Celtics 

Love is averaging 6.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists through 11 consecutive starts this postseason. He topped 20 DK points five times during that stretch, including a high of 37.5 in Game 5 of the first round. He faces a good chance to get his long-range shooting going, as he is shooting a better rate at home, and the Celtics are giving up 12.6 threes per game in the postseason. 

Al Horford, Celtics ($9,900) at Heat 

Horford came up short in Game 2 with just 14 DK points in 29 minutes of action. He is averaging 6.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.0 blocks across 15 games in the playoffs, including eight with more than 25 DK points and a high of 43.5. 

Robert Williams, Celtics ($7,500) at Heat 

Williams has shined in four consecutive starts, topping 20 DK points in three while averaging 10.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per outing. He is expected to maintain the starting job and must continue to make his mark in the paint, standing up against the Heat's hard-nosed offense. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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