This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After a convincing 107-89 win in the opener, the Celtics will try to keep the ball rolling at home and take a 2-0 series lead. Action begins in the Garden at 8:00 p.m. EDT, and we have the best endorsements for FanDuel's single-game format below.
SLATE OVERVIEW
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
While FanDuel's single-game format adjusts salaries to make up for the new environment, it differs from other sites with static ones regardless of roster slot. You're looking for your top three scorers on any given night, followed by two additional utility spots without a multiplier. There is no salary penalty for putting a player in a multiplier. The three positions are as follows:
MVP - 2.0x
STAR - 1.5x
PRO - 1.2x
We'll begin by looking at the optimal Game 1 lineup from one of FanDuel's most popular contests.
MVP : Luka Doncic 91
STAR: Jaylen Brown 72.3
PRO: Kristaps Porzingis 42.24
UTIL: Al Horford 28.9
UTIL: P.J. Washington 25.1
The winner took Doncic for the multiplier despite Brown being the best choice overall, and a route that I took that resulted in a cash. The money left on the table by omitting Doncic and taking the cheaper route with Brown didn't make much difference, as implementing Porzingis as a multiplier was the real difference-maker at the top of the standings. Porzingis' return makes the Celtics hard to beat, and they'll be all but unstoppable if their proficiency from deep continues.
INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
There are currently no significant injuries to report for this matchup.
MULTIPLIER CANDIDATES
MVP
Jaylen Brown, BOS
($14,500)
Luka Doncic, DAL
($17,000)
The two studs are the presumptive favorites for the top score, though White's slight salary increase from Game 1 is worth considering. Despite the optimal result for Doncic on Thursday, I still believe his lofty salary steals a bit of potential value for our UTIL candidates and we can get away with more in those spots if we utilize Brown.
STAR, PRO
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS ($12,000)
Derrick White, BOS ($11,500)
Jrue Holiday, BOS ($11,000)
I'm definitely leaning toward a 4-1 stack for Boston, yet we can probably use a UTIL candidate in one of these multiplier positions. Of the three, Porzinigis is the one I like the most and I'll gladly take the potential upside and put him in the 1.5x multiplier over Brown. Holiday would be the first one to go, but a Brown/Porzingis/White combo would still make Holiday reachable at UTIL.
UTILITY CANDIDATES
P.J. Washington, DAL ($10,000)
Al Horford, BOS ($9,000)
We aren't allowed to fully stack one team, so we must use Washington in our strongest build. Similarly, Horford can only be used if we opt for Doncic somewhere in the multiplier. Using Luka would require some sacrifices in the other multipliers, and there's no combination that keeps us out of the bargain bin. I'm hesitant to go lower than Horford as Porzingis' presence has rendered bargains like Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively less effective.
CONCLUSION
A combo of Brown/Porzingis/White/Washington/Horford seems to be the wisest option, but sprinkling in Holiday over Horford and switching White for Porzingis in the multiplier is a good way to diversify if you're using multiple lineups.
