NBA DFS Picks & Playbook for Today’s Games: March 15th

MPJ left the bench area during a Game 4 scuffle but won’t face suspension if he suits up on Tuesday. He logged a series-high 42 minutes in Game 4 and will likely play a significant role in Game 5 if healthy and engaged.

After missing Game 3, Butler was back in the lineup on Monday. He started off slow, but he scored 23 points after halftime to help Golden State take a 3-1 lead in the series. This was “Playoff Jimmy” on full display. Excluding his early exit in Game 2, Butler had scored at least 24 points in his last six completed games, dating back to April 9. If he’s playing this well, the Warriors will be tough to beat in a seven-game series. It’s worth noting that Jonathan Kuminga, who started in place of Butler in Game 3, was back to being out of the rotation in this game. Expect Butler to continue to dominate as Golden State attempts to clinch this series in Houston in Game 5 on Wednesday.

Jimmy Butler’s return from a one-game absence also allowed Hield to enter the starting lineup after scoring 17 points in Game 3. He really struggled in Games 1 and 2, but he was able to build on his performance from Saturday in Monday’s win. Hield is a streaky shooter, but he has been on recently and hit eight triples across Golden State’s two home games. He’ll look to carry this shooting with him to Houston for Game 5 on Wednesday.

With Jimmy Butler, head coach Steve Kerr bumped Post back to the bench, though he still played a significant reserve role. After playing 27 minutes as a starter, he played 20 minutes off the bench in Game 4 and scored in double figures for the second time this postseason. The numbers weren’t eye-popping, but the threat of a stretch big certainly opens things up on offense for Golden State. Post will continue to be an important part of the team’s rotation moving forward.

Podziemski has made things happen in this series. He scored in double figures in Games 1 and 3, which were wins. He exited early from Game 2, which was a loss. He played 40 minutes in Game 4 and had his best game of the postseason, which helped the Warriors take a 3-1 lead in the series. Podz did a little bit of everything in this game, but he did most of his damage beyond the arc. He’ll look to stay hot in Game 5 on Wednesday to help the Warriors close out the series.

Thompson dealt with some foul trouble in the first half, but he was able to turn things around after the break. He was able to turn in decent numbers, but Thompson’s first postseason hasn’t been as expected. Through four games, he has averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor. He has also contributed just 1.3 defensive stats per game after averaging 2.6 per game during the regular season. The Rockets will need him to be much better to keep their season alive in Game 5 on Wednesday.