This article is part of our PrizePicks NBA series.
And then there were four. After a wild second round, the Conference Finals tip off Tuesday with the Warriors hosting the Blazers. With that game comes another opportunity to play PrizePicks. For those unfamiliar with the platform, it provides a unique spin on DFS in which you pick two, three or four players and predict if each will go over or under their projected fantasy score.
If this is your first time playing on PrizePicks, be sure to sign up using our promotional offer. New members who sign up and make their first deposit get a free 2-pick entry to win $25 and a 25% first deposit instant match. For the instant match promotion, the maximum deposit is $4,000 for $1,000 in Promo Money. If downloading the app, use promo code: WIRE.
Here are some players to target and avoid while creating your entry.
Players to Target
Damian Lillard, POR: Over 46.2 FP: After a disappointing exit in the first round last year, moving onto to the Conference Finals has to feel so sweet for the Blazers. Lillard struggled from the field (3-for-17) in Game 7 against the Nuggets, but he's averaging 28.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, six assists and two steals during the playoffs. If the Blazers are going to have any chance of advancing, he's going to need to have a monster series. Lillard will likely receive all of the shots that he can handle while still providing plenty of assists, which makes the over very appealing.
Draymond Green, GS: Under 43 FP: With Kevin Durant (calf) and DeMarcus Cousins (quadriceps) out, the Warriors are going to need more than one player to help pick up the slack. While Green still might not receive a ton of scoring opportunities, he should rack up plenty of rebounds and assists. The problem is this fantasy projection is a pretty high number. He's scored 37.9 and 32.5 fantasy points, respectively, in the last two games and has scored more than 43 fantasy points only twice in the playoffs. Roll with the under.
Andre Iguodala, GS: Over 29.7 FP: For all of the stars that the Warriors have on their roster, they are extremely lucky to have a player like Iguodala waiting in the wings to handle a larger role when necessary. He was stellar in Game 7 against the Rockets, scoring 17 points to go along with two rebounds, three assists and five steals. He also attempted 11 shots in that contest, which tied for his most in a playoff game this year. With his increased scoring opportunities and ability to contribute on the defensive end, I like the over.
Players to Avoid
C.J. McCollum, POR: 38 FP: With Lillard struggling in Game 7 against the Nuggets, McCollum helped pick up the slack, scoring 37 points on his way to a 55.3 fantasy score. That was huge considering he hadn't produced a fantasy score higher than 33.2 in any of the previous three road games in the series. As talented as McCollum is offensively, this could be a tough series for him having to face Klay Thompson's strong defense. In four regular season games against the Warriors, McCollum averaged 18 points a game while shooting 36.6 percent from the field. Even though he has the ability to explode in the scoring column on any given night, Thompson's defense is worrisome. It might be best to just avoid picking a side here.
Enes Kanter, POR: 28.9 FP: Kanter has done an admirable job battling through a shoulder injury in the playoffs. While his numbers didn't suffer at first, he's averaging just 7.5 points a game while shooting 33.3 percent from the field across his last four contests. This might not be a favorable matchup for him against a Warriors team that will likely be deploying a lot of small lineups without Durant and Cousins. This projection doesn't seem very high based on Kanter being a double-double threat whenever he takes the floor, but it might be best to wait on adding him in your entry for the time being.
Zach Collins, POR: 21 FP: With Kanter struggling, Collins has stepped up to record at least a 25.5 fantasy score in three straight games. He's been a monster on the defensive end, recording nine blocks over his last two contests. However, he faces the same uncertainty that Kanter does with the Warriors propensity to use small lineups. There's a chance that leaves Collins with fewer minutes, so don't take a chance on adding him to your entry.
