This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After a spirited upset victory in Game 1, the Mavericks try to pull off the nearly unthinkable Friday and steal another game at Target Center before heading home. Dallas projects to be at full strength heading into gameday, as even Luka Doncic is off the injury report, for now, after typically sporting a probable tag due to his knee and ankle injuries in recent games.
With only one matchup, we're dealing with FanDuel's single-game contest rosters comprised 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 salaries also being different than in conventional FanDuel contests on multi-game slates and top players inevitably headed for heavy rostering, there are definitely strategic elements particular to single-game lineups. Finding key value plays for the two utility spots is undoubtedly key as it enables you to fill out the multiplier spots with some of the top projected producers.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, May 24 @12:00 a.m. EDT:
Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves (-5.5) (O/U: 207.0)
Oddsmakers are unsurprisingly projecting a Timberwolves resurgence in Game 2 after tripping up in the series opener, a stumble that could ultimately prove critical. Minnesota could be without key veteran presence Mike Conley, but for the moment, the hosts are fairly solid home favorites and the total implies they'll be able to play their usual stingy defense even if Conley is out.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Mike Conley, MIN (Achilles): QUESTIONABLE
If Conley sits out, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who scored 28.9 FD points in a spot start for Conley back in Game 5 of the semifinal-round series against the Nuggets, will be in line to handle point guard duties.
Other notable injuries:
Maxi Kleber, DAL (shoulder): OUT
Elite Players
The two highest-salaried players on the slate are Luka Doncic ($17,500) and Anthony Edwards ($15,500).
Doncic opened the series by scoring 60.2 FD points across 41 minutes, his third straight postseason game with at least 55 FD points. He took 26 shot attempts in the contest, and there's no reason to think he won't be just as heavily involved Friday, especially if Conley is forced to sit out for Minnesota.
Edwards has gone over 40 FD points in three straight games and posted a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double in Game 1 despite going 6-for-16 from the floor. He's shot just 34.7 percent over the last four postseason contests overall, but Edwards' upside still warrants him consideration for the highest multiplier spot.
Expected Chalk
With only one matchup, the likes of Kyrie Irving ($14,000), Karl-Anthony Towns ($13,000) and Rudy Gobert ($12,000) should also be very popular. All three make for great options in the STAR or PRO slots.
Irving bounced back from three straight sub-25-FD-point tallies to produce 43.0 FD points in Game 1, which should help keep him very popular Friday.
Towns scored 32.1 to 46.4 FD points in Games 4-7 of the semifinal-round series against the Nuggets, but he was down to 29.4 FD points on 6-for-20 shooting in Game 1 versus the Mavericks. However, on a one-game slate and at his salary, he should be very popular.
Gobert scored over 30 FD points for the second straight game in Game 1 and is always a threat for a double-double and multiple blocks, which makes him a good candidate for the lower multiplier spots.
Key Values
The following players make for strong candidates for the Utility spots:
P.J. Washington, DAL ($11,000)
Washington posted an acceptable 24.4 FD points in 41 minutes in Game 1, even as he shot only 40.0 percent overall. The floor-spacing big man has scored at least that amount in five of the last six contests overall, making him a solid value at his salary. The Timberwolves have yielded 50.8 percent, including 42.0 percent from three-point range, to power forwards during the postseason as well, furthering Washington's case.
Jaden McDaniels, MIN ($10,000)
McDaniels has impressively picked up his game on the offensive end over the last three contests, eclipsing 20 actual points in each while shooting a blistering 68.6 percent, including 66.7 percent from three-point range. The versatile big man has put together a very diversified line in that span as well, averaging 22.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks across 36.3 minutes per game. If McDaniels puts up double-digit shot attempts for the fourth straight contest Friday, he should have a good chance of delivering a strong return on investment akin to the 36.8 FD points per contest he's averaged in the last three games.
Dereck Lively, DAL ($9,500)
Lively continued his strong stretch of postseason production in Game 1, posting 31.7 FD points across 27 minutes. The rookie big man is now averaging 29.8 FD points over his last five contests, producing 10.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 blocks per game in that span. Lively's work on the boards and as a defender give him a fairly solid floor as long as he stays out of foul trouble, and Minnesota is conceding the fifth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (35.1) of the original 20-team postseason field.
ALSO CONSIDER: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, MIN ($7,000)
