NBA Showdown plays for Celtics-Heat Game 6

After putting the Nuggets away in Game 5 Saturday night, the Los Angeles Lakers now await the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals to see who they’ll meet in the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat have the chance to be that team and put the Boston Celtics away Sunday, but the Celtics have proven they won’t go quietly.

Similar to Friday, the projected game environment for Game 6 sets up for a ton of production for the NBA DFS showdown slate, as the Celtics check in as 3-point favorites with a game total of 214.5 (per DraftKings Sportsbook).

With the showdown format being vastly different between FanDuel and DraftKings, as you get the opportunity to roster three players that get a score-boost on FanDuel, while DraftKings only gives a boost to your MVP spot.

This article will be organized based on FanDuel’s formatting/multipliers, but I will also include my player rankings for DraftKings at the end of the article. I will include who I expect to be the top raw producers, as well as the top point-per-dollar options that make for good Captain plays given the 1.5x salary multiplier on DraftKings in that said captain spot.

MVP (viable Captains on DraftKings as well)

Jayson Tatum (FanDuel: $16,000, DraftKings: $10,600): Tatum has now topped 50 FanDuel points in all but one playoff game dating back to Sept. 9 against Toronto, and with the Celtics on the brink of elimination, he’s as good a bet as anyone to do it one more time. He leads the team with a 27.7% usage rate this series while also posting a 27.2% rebounding rate, making him in the top overall option on the slate.

Bam Adebayo ($14,500, $9,400): All it took was one semi-poor performance for Adebayo’s price to drop on both FanDuel and DraftKings, only strengthening his case as a must-play. While he doesn’t lead the team in usage (20.9%), he does make up for it with his team-high 33.3% rebounding rate and 23.6% assist rate. He’s easy to fit alongside another stud, which gives your lineup a massive floor as a starting point.

Jimmy Butler ($15,500, $9,000): Butler has now topped 40 FanDuel points in back-to-back games and has hauled in at least eight rebounds in three straight, bringing out his well-rounded upside at just the right time. His price on FanDuel makes him easier to fade given the above options, but he saw a price reduction on DraftKings, which makes him playable alongside Tatum and Adebayo.

Star

Fitting two of the three above players in your lineups should be a priority, with one in the MVP and another in the Star spot.

Jaylen Brown ($12,500, $8,600): Brown continues to come in lower-owned than he should and has now played at least 39 minutes in seven straight games while topping 36 FanDuel points in three straight games. He’s taken on more responsibility on offense over those three games, topping 20 points in each with a 23.3% usage rate, the second-highest among starters behind Tatum.

Goran Dragic ($10,500, $7,800): He’s topped 20 raw points in four of his last five outings and leads the entire Heat team in usage rate (26.6%) over that span. He should continue to play a big part in the offense if the Heat plan to put this series away, and he’s not priced nearly high enough for the ceiling he brings to the table.

Pro

Similar to the above note, all of the above players are viable in the Pro slot if you are not using them in the MVP or Star slot, given the fact that their upside is far higher than any other option on the slate.

Kemba Walker ($11,500, $8,200): Walker continues to get buried in these slates as he’s priced at a point where he’s just a bit cheaper than the studs, but also just a bit more expensive than the high-floor/ceiling value plays. Because of this, he makes for the best fade out of any of the aforementioned options. He’s failed to top 30 FanDuel points in two of the last three games and is falling down the pecking order on offense with Jaylen Brown’s emergence.

Tyler Herro ($11,000, $7,200): Immediately after dropping 37 points in Game 4, Herro was held in check in Game 5 in only 29 minutes of action. While it would be irresponsible to expect the same output as he had in Game 3, it could be equally irresponsible to expect the floor-game we saw Friday. He’s a phenomenal mid-tier option with a respectable floor/ceiling combination and should garner significant ownership in cash and single-entry contests.

UTIL

(In order of preference)

Marcus Smart ($10,000, $7,200): Flashing his ceiling last game, Smart saw his FanDuel price jump $1,000 after a performance buoyed by four steals and a near triple-double. While certainly capable of repeating, his price tag on FanDuel makes it hard to jam in studs, making him better suited for large-field GPPs.

Jae Crowder ($9,500, $6,200)

Duncan Robinson ($9,000, $5,000): After his 20-point outing in Game 5, Robinson has now topped 20 FanDuel points in three of his last four games. Because of this, however, his price has risen to an awkward point. On DraftKings, however, his $5,000 tag makes him a top value on the slate.

Gordon Hayward ($9,500, $6,800)

Daniel Theis ($9,500, $5,600): His price is far too expensive on FanDuel, but he looks like an incredibly reliable value on DraftKings.

Andre Iguodala ($6,500, $4,200)

Enes Kanter ($7,000, $2,200), Robert Williams ($6,500, $2,800): Like I said Friday, the debate between these two is like splitting hairs. Kanter got the nod in Game 5, posting eight points and four rebounds in 10 minutes, while Williams rode the pine. Because of the uncertainty in who will get the nod at backup center, these two are better left as desperation value plays in large-field tournaments.

Brad Wanamaker ($7,500, $3,800)

DraftKings rankings

Overall rankings

1. Jayson Tatum
2. Bam Adebayo
3. Jaylen Brown
4. Goran Dragic
5. Tyler Herro
6. Jimmy Butler
7. Kemba Walker
8. Marcus Smart
9. Jae Crowder
10. Duncan Robinson

Captain rankings (studs)

1. Jayson Tatum
2. Bam Adebayo
3. Jaylen Brown
4. Jimmy Butler
5. Goran Dragic

Captain rankings (value)

If interested in jamming in as many studs as possible, the best strategy would be to punt the captain spot. It carries more risk, but if you get a decent game out of them, you’ll be jumping the field.

1. Tyler Herro
2. Jae Crowder
3. Duncan Robinson — This is a risky captain play, but one that opens up a massive amount of flexibility in your lineup
4. Daniel Theis
5. Marcus Smart
6. Gordon Hayward