Two second-round playoff series begin tonight, and in daily contests at DraftKings, the one in Houston could be the key to profits. Presumably exhausted after a thrilling seven-game defeat of the Spurs and with Chris Paul $9800 nursing a sore hamstring, the Clippers could have used another day off (or two) and may not be at their very best in the opener.
James Harden $10400 and all the Rockets are well-rested and at home, ready to take advantage in what should be the higher-scoring game.
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A superb matchup in the paint between Dwight Howard $8400 and DeAndre Jordan $8000 will be one of the highlights of this series and could go a long way in determining the outcome. Howard missed their last three regular-season meetings, but seems fully healthy at just the right time. Assuming the centers each prevent the other from dominating, Blake Griffin $10300 is the best L.A. player to own. J.J. Redick $5000 is affordable, and Matt Barnes $4300 was huge in Game Seven. If you are using an extreme stars-and-scrubs approach like my sample lineup (below left) Austin Rivers $2200 or Glen Davis $2300 might be worth a shot.
Apart from Harden and Howard, Josh Smith $6500 and Trevor Ariza $5600 are the best Houston targets, as Terrence Jones $5300 will be trying to slow down Griffin. They don’t really have a PG until Patrick Beverley (wrist) returns; Jason Terry $3700 starts and Pablo Prigioni $2500 is a potential bargain. Corey Brewer $4600 is capable of getting hot off the bench.
The Cavaliers are also well-rested and at home, but missing 40% of their starting lineup. Kevin Love (shoulder) is done for the year and J.R. Smith (suspension) must sit out the first two games. That means Iman Shumpert $4100 will start at SG and Tristan Thompson $5000 at PF in extremely tough circumstances. It definitely makes LeBron James $11100 and Kyrie Irving $8500 more likely to dominate the ball and do most of the scoring. Cleveland’s bench will be paper-thin. Matthew Dellavedova $2300 is the third guard, Kendrick Perkins $2000 the third big and Mike Miller $2200 should be more prominent despite not playing at all in the sweep of Boston.
The Bulls have a huge advantage up front, with Pau Gasol $8500 facing Thompson and Joakim Noah $6300 starting against Timofey Mozgov $5200. I’m guessing that Taj Gibson $4000 will see a lot more action than Nikola Mirotic $3400. The critical component is Derrick Rose $7400, who was brilliant at times against Milwaukee but turnover-prone as the series progressed. The versatile Jimmy Butler $8700, Chicago’s best player, will be a factor at both ends of the floor.
Building a team tonight begins with the expensive superstars. Kyrie is the best bet at PG until we see how mobile CP3 is. LBJ is almost a must-start because SF talent drops off so dramatically. I’m trying to save at PF and C because there are decent options there at lower prices. If you like Mozgov — who will play a lot if he avoids foul trouble — the Cleveland starters cost only 33900 and leave you 16100 to fill three spots. I have wedged Harden in there, but prefer Noah at C and two ultra-cheap guys.
It takes a combination of skill and luck to win. May the Fourth be with you.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Kyrie Irving $8500 | Derrick Rose $7400 | M. Dellavedova $2300 |
| SG | James Harden $10400 | Jimmy Butler $8700 | Iman Shumpert $4100 |
| SF | LeBron James $11100 | Josh Smith $6500 | Matt Barnes $4300 |
| PF | Blake Griffin $10300 | Pau Gasol $8500 | T. Thompson $5000 |
| C | Dwight Howard $8400 | DeAndre Jordan $8000 | Timofey Mozgov $5200 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.