RADIO
Happy Thursday, Rotoballers! Milwaukee is down 2-0, but Game 3 is pretty much their elimination game. If they can't get tonight's game, the series is a wrap. It's unfair to expect any team to beat Brooklyn four times in seven games, but four in a row may be impossible. The rest of the NBA should already be on notice, but the Nets have a chance to stamp their title favorite status with authority in Game 3. As for out west, I have no clue who should be more nervous. Los Angeles just came back from an 0-2 deficit in Round 1, but this Utah team is miles better than the Dallas squad they vanquished in seven games. For some reason, I think the Jazz need this more than the Clippers. Knowing your opponent has to beat you four times in five games would be a reassuring feeling for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
After that opening paragraph down the narrative street, we turn our attention to the actual DFS we are all keen to play. Vegas has the Nets-Bucks game slated for an over/under of 234 points, with Milwaukee as a 3.5-point favorite. That massive over/under has both Eastern Conference teams with higher implied totals than the Clippers or Jazz. If I'm stuck between two players from each game, I will probably lean towards the man playing in the Nets-Bucks clash.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 6/10/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. With COVID-19 a significant factor, remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Donovan Mitchell - PG/SG, UTA vs. LAC ($8,900)
It took a game or two to knock off the rust after a month off, but Donovan Mitchell is back. The fourth-year guard is making the leap from budding star to superstar, and he's ready to earn the Jazz a 2-0 series lead versus the Clippers. Over his last three games, Mitchell is averaging 35 points, 7.7 assists, 4.3 three-pointers, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals, and Utah is 3-0 in those contests. His 51.5/43.3/91.7 shooting splits show he's been efficient with his shot selection overall, but a 16-for-30 performance in Game 1 of the series leaves me with the feeling there is still more to unlock for Mitchell.
We will see if the Clippers decide to use Leonard or George on Mitchell tonight, but the Clippers switching on defense meant Mitchell could get whoever he wanted whenever the 24-year-old needed a bucket. It'll be interesting to see if that philosophy changes after Spida burned Los Angeles for 45 points to open the series.
Luke Kennard - SG/SF, LAC at UTA ($3,300)
Terance Mann - SG, LAC at UTA ($3,200)
I'm double-dipping here because Clippers Head Coach Ty Lue has been incredibly inconsistent with his rotation through eight playoff games. Hopefully, we can gain some insight with some pre-game comments, but Kennard and Mann are worth a look as value plays if you want to go with the stars and scrubs strategy on Thursday.
Kennard has already picked up four Coaches Decision-DNPs in the playoffs but is effective when he gets a chance. Meanwhile, Mann has played in seven straight games but only has one outing with more than 19 minutes. While it's an incredibly frustrating situation, I would lean Kennard. He recorded 18 points, four three-pointers, and two rebounds in Game 1, and we will have to hope Ty Lue likes what he saw from his 24-year old guard and rolls with it in Game 2.
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DraftKings DFS Forwards
Kevin Durant - SF/PF, BKN at MIL ($10,600)
It looks so effortless for Durant to be one of the best players in the world at times. If this is how he performs after only 35 regular-season games, I already can't wait for his 2021-22 follow-up. Regardless, the former MVP is electric in the playoffs right now. Durant averages 32 points on 55/50/91 shooting splits to go along with 7.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.7 triples, two blocks, and 1.3 swipes through seven games. James Harden (hamstring) is out tonight, and it paves the way for KD to continue his dominating 2021 playoffs. He has scored at least 50 DraftKings points in six of seven games, and he'll be a mainstay in all my cash game lineups.
Bojan Bogdanovic - SF/PF, UTA vs. LAC ($5,900)
Two game slates will be tough to differentiate your lineup, but Bogdanovich sitting under $6,000 seems like a great way to inject some scoring and rebounds into the lineup. He averages 29.2 fantasy points per game for the playoffs thanks to 18.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 threes, and 1.2 steals over his six games. The man from Bosnia and Herzegovina has drained at least three three-pointers in three straight games and is hitting 44.4 percent of his deep shots in the postseason. In addition, Bogdanovich can toss in a few numbers for the non-scoring categories, giving him a nice floor for cash game purposes. He's totaled at least 24 DraftKings points in five of his last six games, and if the Jazz wants the 2-0 lead, Bogdanovich will need to play his part and have another steady eddy night on the perimeter.
Bruce Brown - SF, BKN at MIL ($4,200)
With James Harden (hamstring) sitting, it's a kind of high tides raise all ships situation in Brooklyn. That includes Bruce Brown's ship for Game 3. In the first two games of the series, Brown returned to his midseason form as a DFS darling with 9.5 points, five rebounds, 3.5 assists, and a block per game. It's come out to 24.25 fantasy points per game, and we will gladly take that for the 24-year old and his current salary. Brown's starting status in Game 2 makes me want to play him in any contest, but there are undoubtedly higher-ceiling options available if you need to pivot away from too much Brooklyn exposure.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Blake Griffin - PF/C, BKN at MIL ($4,800)
Blake Griffin has made his way back to basketball relevancy with the Brooklyn Nets with injuries, retirements, and the planets aligning perfectly. He is posting some great numbers for the Nets and our DFS squads in the playoffs. So I'll happily roster him tonight with his $4,800 price tag. The 35 minutes Griffin received in Game 1 was a season-high in a Nets uniform for the six-time All-Star, and it produced 46 DraftKings points. With Harden (hamstring) on the sidelines for Game 3, DFS players can expect Griffin to get at least 25 minutes against the Bucks tonight. He's averaging 12.5 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.5 three-pointers through the first two games of this series, and I believe Griffin can get close to another 30-point fantasy outing on Thursday.
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