This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is upon us. The Nuggets made it here after claiming the top seed in the conference. The Lakers had to fight their way in through the Play-In tournament. This exciting matchup leaves us with another opportunity to play a single-game contest on Yahoo.
In addition to selecting two flex players, there are three multiplier positions in this single-game format. A player slotted into the Megastar spot will earn double their fantasy points scored. The Superstar spot will earn 1.5X their fantasy points scored. Finally, the Star will earn 1.2X their fantasy points scored. With that in mind, let's discuss some players to consider.
MULTIPIERS
Nikola Jokic ($55): Jokic continues to put up monster stat lines. During the Nuggets' playoff run, he is averaging 30.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 1.1 steals. He's shot 54.9 percent from the field while logging an average of 38 minutes per game. Not only is he a must for one of these important multiplier positions, but rolling with him at the Megastar is likely ideal.
Anthony Davis ($50): The only question that ever surrounds Davis is his ability to stay healthy. He has done just that in the playoffs, which is likely why the Lakers have advanced this far. He dominated the undersized Warriors in the previous round, averaging 21.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.2 blocks. As good as Jokic is, he's not exactly known for his defensive prowess. There is the potential that Davis gets into foul trouble while trying to slow Jokic down, but he's still one of the safer options for this slate.
Jamal Murray ($33): Murray thrives at home. He shot 46.3 percent from the field there during the regular season, helping him average 20.7 points over 36 games. He also chipped in 4.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game on his home floor. His salary is considerably cheaper than both Jokic's and Davis's, and while he's likely not an option for the Megastar or Superstar spot, deploying him at the Star is a viable strategy.
FLEX PLAYS
Michael Porter Jr. ($20): When Porter is locked in offensively, the Nuggets are difficult to beat. He has the ability to be a deadly three-point shooter, evidenced by his 41.4 percent shooting from behind the arc during the regular season. After scoring at least 34.6 Yahoo points in three of the last four games, Porter could provide value at this salary.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($14): With plenty of stars taking the floor in this game, finding the right value play option could be key to help balance out your budget. One who should at least play a lot is Caldwell-Pope, as he's averaged 33 minutes per game during the playoffs. While his numbers don't jump off the page because of his defensive-minded role, he has scored at least 25.0 Yahoo points in three of the last five games.
PLAYER TO AVOID
Aaron Gordon ($23): Gordon is in line for a difficult series. He is one of the Nuggets' best frontcourt defenders, so he could spend a lot of time on LeBron James. He could even see time guarding Davis when Jokic gets a rest. Not only could he find himself in foul trouble, but he hasn't been great to begin with, scoring 25.7 Yahoo points or fewer in four of the last five games.
