DraftKings
Alec Burks , SF NYK ($4,400)
The Knicks are thin at guard with Derrick Rose ruled out and Elfrid Payton listed as doubtful, so we should see Burks get extended run here. He’s topped 27 minutes in two straight games now and has taken 30 shots total in those two. Burks is a solid scorer off the bench, scoring 13+ actual points in five of his last nine games. He gets a nice uptempo spot against the 25th ranked defense in the league.
Alex Len , C WAS ($3,700)
Playing Alex Len isn’t always going to work out, but he delivered the last time out in this same match-up against Milwaukee. The kicker was he played 33 (!) minutes, which was more than he played in the three games prior combined. There’s no reason to think he wouldn’t start again here once again and honestly, moving forward as long as he continues to perform. He’s still really, really cheap and that’s ultimately the kicker.
Rodney McGruder , SG DET ($3,400)
It’s not the sexiest option, but McGruder should approach 30 minutes in this spot. He played 28 minutes against the Nets, the second time in four games he’s played at least 26. Hamidou Diallo , Dennis Smith Jr. and Wayne Ellington will likely miss this game opening the door for McGruder to play big minutes. He’s cheap as hell on DraftKings and the match-up against the Spurs is a good one. McGruder has scored 10+ actual points and 18+ DKP in three-of-four.
FanDuel
Immanuel Quickley, SG NYK ($4,600)
This feels like such a mistake and honestly, it’s not a feeling, it’s just a fact. Derrick Rose has been ruled out and Elfrid Payton has all but been ruled out, which means all Quickley all the time. Franky Smokes may have started the last game, but Quickley played 33 minutes and scored 21 points and 35.6 FDP. The Nets are an exploitable defense and we’ve seen how explosive of a fantasy producer Quickley can be when he gets the run.
Cody Zeller , C CHA ($4,300)
The minutes and production are on the rise since we’ve come out of the break. He’s so cheap at just 4.3K on FD and has averaged 24 minutes and 25 FDP in his last two games. The Kings are not only the worst defensive unit in basketball, they struggle to defend the center position specifically ranking 25th in DvP. With Sacramento playing a traditional big man in Richuan Holmes and that should keep Zeller on the floor here.
Caris LeVert , SG IND ($4,100)
WHYYYYYYYYYYY! Now, I say that, but obviously I’m going to roster him, but there is NO reason he should be priced this way. None at all. He played 26 minutes in his debut and looked good, scoring 13 points with seven rebounds and two assists. He likely gets ramped up to 30 minutes here and he’s going to absolutely SMASH at that price. He’s a core play for me at 4.1K and I’m going to shout that from the rooftops for everyone to hear.
Player News
Buddy Hield had 15 points (5-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and four three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Hield moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup in the first round and the team became somewhat reliant on his scoring. With Stephen Curry (hamstring) out in Game 2, Hield started and played 29 minutes. The 32-year-old shooting guard led the Warriors in field goal attempts, though no one in a Golden State uniform was able to reach 20 points. The Warriors weren’t able to overcome a double-digit first half deficit. Despite the four made three-pointers, they’re going to need more from Hield as the series shifts to Golden State, especially if Curry remains out.
Jimmy Butler had 17 points (6-of-13 FGs), seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Butler couldn’t get it done without Stephen Curry (hamstring) on the road in Game 2. The Warriors fell behind by double-digits early and never recovered. Butler had 17 points on 13 shots, which wasn’t far off from the 20 points he had in Game 1. Still, the Warriors have to regroup as they head home for Games 3 and 4 as they try to figure out a way to keep this series close until Curry can return to the court.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four three-pointers in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Alexander-Walker was a key scorer off the bench in Game 2. He, Naz Reid and Donte DiVencenzo combined for 10 made three-pointers off the bench. In a game where the Warriors were desperate for scoring without Stephen Curry (hamstring), those bench points were too much to overcome as the Timberwolves won by 24 points.
Julius Randle had 24 points (10-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, 11 assists and one three-pointer in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Randle led the Timberwolves in scoring in the Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old power forward was just three rebounds away from a triple-double. He was a steadying presence in his 33 minutes as Anthony Edwards dealt with an ankle injury towards the end of the first half. Edwards recovered from his injury to play 34 minutes, but Randle is still the next most important player in this series for the Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards had 20 points (6-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block and two three-pointers in the Timberwolves’ 117-93 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Thursday.
Edwards appeared to suffer a sprained left ankle towards the end of the second quarter as the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his foot. Edwards turned the same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and appeared to re-aggravate the injury. The 23-year-old shooting guard would go on to start the second half and play a team-high 34 minutes in the Game 2 victory. Edwards will only have one full day off before the series resumes in Golden State for Game 3 on Saturday.
Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post in Game 2 against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
No surprise here as Curry was always a long shot to make it back for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with hamstring injury. While there has been a report that the 37-year-old point guard is expected to miss a week, there is no firm timetable for his return. The Warriors will go big with their starting lineup for Game 2 with center Quinten Post entering the lineup in Curry’s absence.