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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on August 22, 2020. Euan Leith provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
All-day basketball should never end. Alas, what goes up must come down, and there is a chance this is one of the final days that we get to watch four playoff games in one day. So let's enjoy this considerable amount of basketball while it lasts and find those players that will win us some FanDuel contests on Saturday.
On the injury front, Russell Westbrook will sit for a third straight playoff game for the Houston Rockets. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Anthony Davis are all listed as game-time decisions, but they are going to take the court. They may remain on the injury report for the rest of the playoffs. Jae Crowder for the Miami Heat and Rajon Rondo for the Los Angeles Lakers are situations to watch. Both were cleared to play in their respective game twos, but Rondo remained inactive while Crowder posted 10 points and eight rebounds against the Pacers.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 8/22/20. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Feel free to give me a follow on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut. Good luck.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Malcolm Brogdon, PG - IND vs. MIA ($7,400)
Brogdon is Indiana's primary offensive weapon, so far, in their first-round series versus the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, it hasn't led to any wins for the Pacers. They find themselves in a 0-2 hole, and their season is on the line tonight. However, Brogdon's performances have been good for daily fantasy players. He's scored at least 17 points and dished nine assists in both contests versus the Heat and returned 38.2 points and 36.5 fantasy points, respectively. It may be a struggle at times against a stifling Heat defense, but the 27-year-old gets his fantasy points one way or another.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, SG - OKC vs. HOU ($6,900)
The Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves down two games to zero versus a strong Houston Rockets team, but they made a noticeable change in their offense that they should build upon in game three. For game one, SGA was held to nine points on eight shots and only got to the line four times. It was a different situation in game two, where the second-year guard scored 31 points on 17 shots and attempted 11 free throws. The Thunder were blown out in game one, while game two was a much tighter affair between the two teams. Expect Gilgeous-Alexander to continue his aggressive form from game two and help the Thunder get back into this series.
Tyler Herro, SG - MIA vs. IND ($5,000)
Tyler Herro has not been shooting the ball well during the first two games of the series versus the Indiana Pacers but is still finding a way to earn fantasy points for his daily managers. Herro shot 38.9 percent from behind the arc during his rookie campaign but is 4-for-13 from deep to start his postseason career. Despite that, he has scored at least 25 fantasy points in both contests with a combination of rebounds, assists, and steals. The rookie guard has shot the three-ball well against Indiana before the playoffs (46.4 percent in the regular season), and if that rhythm returns with his 25-fantasy-point floor, Herro could return massive value at his current price on Saturday.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Anthony Davis, PF - LAL vs. POR ($10,700)
This pick isn't too hard to figure out for today's slate. Anthony Davis was a dominant force in game two versus the Portland Trail Blazers to tie the series at 1-1. He produced 31 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one block, and a steal in 29 minutes during a blow out win. LeBron James had a historical performance in game one, but it came with a loss. Davis is the key to beating Portland in Round One for Los Angeles, and hopefully, the coaching staff has figured that out. He's returned 53.7 and 52.7 fantasy points in the first two games of the series. If the Trail Blazers can keep it close tonight while the Lakers correctly utilize Davis, the power forward could finish as the top scorer today.
Eric Gordon, SF - HOU vs. OKC ($5,300)
Eric Gordon is having a miserable time from behind the three-point arc to begin the 2020 playoffs. He has made two of his 16 attempts and went 0-for-10 in game two. That sounds like bad news. Well, not so fast, my DFS friend. Gordon has still given his managers 28.6 and 32 fantasy points in both round one games. With the way he shot in the first two games, it's only a matter of time before there is some regression, and Gordon gets hot from downtown. It may not happen in game three, but daily players will wish they had a piece of that action when it does happen. The small forward's salary is cheap enough that he deserves a spot in lineups just for his upside when he does, eventually, catch fire.
Nerlens Noel, PF - OKC vs. HOU ($3,700)
This pick is hazardous, but one that can pay off huge if it hits. If you have watched the first two games of this series, it's beginning to look like Steven Adams is being played off the floor. The Rockets space the court like no other team in the NBA, and Adams can't seem to keep up. Houston has done it to many centers since they started the three-point revolution, and, unfortunately for Adams, it looks like OKC needs more speed on the perimeter to stay alive in the series.
That is where Nerlens Noel enters the equation. He logged four points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and one assist in 17 minutes during game two. The 2013 lottery pick is faster around the court than Adams at this point in his career, and the 17 minutes in game two suggest that Billy Donovan noticed that. There should not be any expectations for Noel in tonight's game, but if he gets the playing time, he is a lock to return decent value on his bottom of the barrel price.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Nikola Vucevic, C - ORL vs. MIL ($8,500)
I can't blame Vucevic for taking the money that Orlando offered him last offseason, but it would be so fun to see him on an elite team one day. On the broadcast in game two, it was mentioned that he is a perfect center in today's NBA, and it's hard to argue. He's notched back-to-back double-doubles in the first two games of the series and is thriving in the matchup versus the Lopez brothers. For the series, the All-Star is averaging 33.5 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists in 35 minutes, while shooting 59.6 percent from the floor and making 3.5 three-pointers. Vucevic is the most expensive center on today's slate, but he is well worth the $8,500 when you consider the amount of fantasy points his production returns. Expect the big man from Switzerland to continue his impressive playoff form in game three as the Magic try to put another scare into the Milwaukee Bucks.
