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We're set for a pair of intriguing Game 4 clashes Monday night, as the Celtics look to wash out the bad taste of a 103-101 Game 3 loss that featured some questionable officiating at its conclusion. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies try to prevent falling into a 3-1 hole while managing the likely absence of Ja Morant (knee), whose Game 3 injury was the source of plenty of controversy in its own right.
Speaking of Morant's doubtful status, whenever there are star players sidelined, there's always plenty of opportunity for others on their squads, and the good news is salaries aren't always commensurate to the expected expanded roles. Those types of circumstances help guide some of today's selections.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/9/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineup lock, which is at 7:30 pm ET tonight. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Stephen Curry - PG, GSW vs. MEM ($9,400 DK; $9,400 FD)
Curry has bounced back from some ragged shooting in Game 1 to go 18-for-39 over the next two games, leading to one 40-plus and one 50-plus fantasy-point tally. The sharpshooter's salaries remain very reasonable for his upside, and without having to worry about defending Morant on Monday, Curry could be in for an even bigger night than usual. The Grizzlies surrendered 53.1 percent three-point shooting to the Warriors in Game 3 as well, which could bode very well for Curry's Game 4 prospects.
Jrue Holiday - PG/SG, MIL vs. BOS ($8,000 DK; $8,600 FD)
Holiday has shot just 37.1 percent over the first three games of the series, but since he's averaging a whopping 23.3 shot attempts per contest, he's still churning out solid fantasy production. Holiday has scored over 37 fantasy points in each game thus far, and he has one total of over 50 on each site as well. The veteran will have to deal with plenty of Marcus Smart's and Jaylen Brown's defense again Monday, but given his usage in the ongoing absence of Khris Middleton (knee), he's right back in play.
Jordan Poole - PG/SG, GSW vs. MEM ($7,100 DK; $7,200 FD)
Poole got some heat for his role in Morant's knee injury, but he also exploded for 27 points over 31 minutes. Poole has now scored at least 20 actual points in each of the first three games of the series, leading to one tally over 30 and another 50 over the first three games. The third-year guard could also have an easier time as well without Morant in the backcourt, and Memphis' recent weakness on the perimeter combined with Poole's 42.9 percent shooting from distance thus far in the series could help lead to another big note.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tyus Jones, MEM at GSW ($3,400 DK; $3,700 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF, MIL vs. BOS ($11,400 DK; $11,300 FD)
Antetokounmpo has essentially been an unsolvable problem for the Celtics over the first three games, averaging 31.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 9.0 assists. The big man is averaging 27.3 shot attempts per game as well, and although he's only draining them at a 43.9 percent clip, like Middleton, his usage has been more than enough to justify his elevated salaries. The Greek Freak should naturally be in the driver's seat again Monday in terms of the Bucks' attack, making him the best investment on the slate if you're paying up for an elite player.
Jaylen Brown - SF, BOS at MIL ($8,200 DK; $8,900 FD)
Brown has 53.3 and 50 DK points in his last two games, outstanding returns on his current salaries. The talented wing is shooting 48.9 percent, including 41.7 percent from three-point range, in the first three games of the series despite a rough Game 1, and he's complementing his 23.0 points per game with averages of 8.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest. The Bucks are weaker defensively without Middleton, and Brown has already proven amply capable of taking advantage.
Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM at GSW ($6,300 DK; $6,900 FD)
Jackson sports a 30.1 percent usage rate and averages 45.8 DK/47.2 FD points per 36 minutes without Morant on the floor, automatically making him the best potential mid-salary play of the night. The big man did foul out of Game 2, but he's accrued just three in the other two games, a marked improvement on a first-round series against the T-Wolves when he fouled out of two games and racked up five fouls in three others. Jackson should naturally have an elevated role Monday, giving him a chance to overdeliver on his modest salaries.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jayson Tatum, BOS at MIL ($9,700 DK; $9,900 FD); Dillon Brooks, MEM at GSW ($5,500 DK; $5,000 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Al Horford - BOS at MIL ($6,600 DK; $7,400 FD)
Center is barren Monday due to the teams in action, but the center-eligible Horford is certainly an excellent play at his salary. The veteran has three straight double-doubles to open the series, putting up 15.0 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks across 37.3 minutes per game during that stretch. Horford is also averaging a solid 12.7 shot attempts per game in the series, a major boost on his co-career-low 8.2 figure from the regular season. The Bucks are ranked in the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency allowed to power forwards, and Horford has already proven highly capable of exploiting that weakness.
Robert Williams III, BOS at MIL ($5,200 DK; $5,400 FD)
Williams is also very much in play against the Bucks frontcourt, especially after scoring over 20 fantasy points on each site in each of the first three games, including 32.3 DK/37.0 FD points in Game 3. The defensive-savvy big has multiple blocks in each game as well, and his rim-protecting prowess gives him a chance to overdeliver on his minuscule salaries by a handsome margin, even if he just sees minutes in the low 20s again.
ALSO CONSIDER: Brook Lopez, MIL vs. BOS ($3,800 DK; $4,000 FD)
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