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We’re back to a two-game postseason slate Thursday, as a pair of semifinal round series that have gotten off to markedly different starts roll on. The opener of the night features a Bucks team desperately trying to avoid falling into an almost certainly insurmountable 3-0 series hole as they return to their home court.
We then have the Game 2 installment between the Clippers and Jazz after each team took turns beating up on the other for a half in Game 1. Utah escaped with a narrow win, and Los Angeles will now look to forge a 1-1 tie before the series shifts to Staples Center.
ln this article, I will be providing multiple player suggestions for players at guard, forward and center on FanDuel, aiming to highlight one option apiece at the high, middle and lower end of the salary scale. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Kyrie Irving, PG – at MIL ($9,700)
Irving will once again assume primary ball-handling duties with James Harden (hamstring) set to sit out again, and he’ll check into Thursday’s contest having averaged 43.5 FD points in the first two games of the series. Irving already boasts a 31.1 percent usage rate and averages 49.1 FD points per 36 minutes with his teammate off the floor, making him worth the salary in a Game 3 tilt that should be a lot more competitive than Game 2 back in Brooklyn.
Donovan Mitchell, SG – vs. LAC ($9,500)
Mitchell has been outstanding since his delayed start to the postseason, averaging 45.8 FD points over just 31.4 minutes over the last five games. That includes his best performance yet at the expense of the Clippers in Game 1, when he racked up 45 actual points on his way to a tally of 59.1 FD points. Mitchell shot a more modest 42.9 percent during his three regular-season games against Los Angeles, but given how hot a hand he’s had thus far in the playoffs, he’s a near must-roster on Thursday
Jordan Clarkson, PG – vs. LAC ($5,800)
Clarkson had a particularly poor shooting night (6-18 FG) in Utah’s narrow Game 1 win and still came away with 24.9 FD points across a solid 28-minute workload. He’d averaged 25.3 FD points during the previous four games against the Grizzlies, and with a seemingly locked-in role off the bench, Clarkson is in play once again at his reasonable salary whether or not Mike Conley (hamstring) suits up.
Also consider: Paul George ($9,200); Jrue Holiday ($8,200); Bruce Brown ($5,900)
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FanDuel DFS Forwards
Giannis Antetokounmpo- vs. BKN ($11,300)
Throughout the two-game nightmare the Bucks have endured against the Nets so far, Antetokounmpo has been a relative bright spot. The big man exploded for 54.2 FD points in the much more competitive Game 1 defeat before logging just 31 minutes in Game 2 and still finishing with 37.2 FD points. Antetokoumpo will be back on his Fiserv Forum home floor Thursday in what is officially desperation time for Milwaukee, so his usage rate should certainly be even more through the roof than usual. The Nets have allowed the third-most FD points per game to PFs as well including the postseason, upping Antetokounmpo’s appeal even further.
Kevin Durant, SF – at MIL ($10,700)
Durant kept rolling on in Game 2, furnishing 48.8 FD points in 33 minutes. He’s averaged 50.1 FD points over the first two contests in the series and is shooting 55.8 percent, including 50.0 percent from three-point range, in that span. KD is sporting a 31.2 percent usage rate and averaging 52.4 FD points per 36 minutes with Harden off the floor as well, strengthening his already formidable case.
Royce O'Neale, PF – vs. LAC ($5,800)
O’Neale has quietly been on a nice run during the postseason, posting 30.3 to 42.2 FD points in his last three playoff games. He hasn’t scored any less than 23.4 FD points since Game 2 of the quarterfinal round, and his ability to contribute across the stat sheet always gives him the ability to outpace a salary the likes of which he carries Thursday. It’s also worth noting O’Neale has had the hot hand in that aforementioned span, draining 55.3 percent of his attempts, including 50.0 percent of his 5.6 tries from distance per contest.
Also consider: Kawhi Leonard ($11,000); Khris Middleton ($7,700); Bojan Bogdanovic ($5,400)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Rudy Gobert – vs. LAC ($8,800)
With just four teams in action, there’s naturally not a whole lot to pick from at center Thursday, making the newly crowned DPOY even more appealing than usual. Gobert tallied a relatively modest 28.4 FD points in 33 minutes in Game 1, but he produced yet another double-double and multi-block effort. The big man is averaging 40.6 FD points across 32.3 minutes in six postseason contests thus far, and he also generated an impressive line of 14.3 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.7 blocks in three regular-season contests against Los Angeles.
Ivica Zubac – at UTA ($5,000)
Zubac was a nice surprise fantasy-wise in Game 1, delivering 31.7 FD points across 20 minutes. Zubac had only seen a combined eight minutes in the final two games of the first-round series against the Mavericks, but with L.A. needing some size down low against Gobert and Serge Ibaka (back) already confirmed out again, Zubac should be in for a solid workload again Thursday. With his ability to check off every box on the stat sheet and his 7-foot frame enabling him to work down low against Gobert, Zubac is intriguing at his salary.
Also consider: Brook Lopez ($6,000)
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