RADIO
The extended weekend rolls on but before we dive in, let’s take a moment to remember the men and women who gave their lives while defending our country. While we are at it, and even though it’s not Veterans Day, we should also take the time to recognize our current men and women serving in our military. Thank you for all that you do.
On Saturday, we witnessed the Milwaukee Bucks sweep the Miami Heat to advance to the next round of the postseason. The Blazers dispatched the Nuggets to knot up the series at two games apiece while the Jazz fended off a late surge from the Grizzlies to go up two games to one. Of course, the 76ers continue to look like a legitimate championship contender by decisively handling the Wizards.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 5/30/21. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @DennisMClausen and say hello.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Kyrie Irving, PG - @ BOS ($8,400)
How often will we see Irving with a rostering price this low? Not often, so why not take advantage of it?
Irving didn’t have a career performance in Game 3. However, he still had 16 points and had he not gone 6-for-17 from the field, which doesn’t happen often, his DFS asking price would have likely been higher ahead of the Game 4 matchup. The former Celtic played a team-high 41 minutes on Friday, so the likelihood of bouncing back is higher than usual. Fantasy managers should be willing to take the risk and forget about his last few performances.
Derrick Rose, PG - @ ATL ($7,100)
Elfrid Payton’s mama wasn’t too happy about her baby boy getting yanked from the starting lineup by Thibs. Nonetheless, the move gave Rose a chance to re-enter the starting unit and make some noise on the fantasy end.
The former MVP made the most of it, too, finishing with 30 points, six rebounds, and five assists throughout 38 minutes of work. He is averaging just over 37 fantasy points during this series and has been playing as well as he did 10 years ago.
Marcus Smart, SG - vs. BKN ($6,400)
Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash was quick to praise the team’s offensive prowess but stressed a need to be better on the defensive side of the ball moving ahead in the series with Boston. He also emphasized the need to clamp down on Jayson Tatum, who had 50 points in Game 3.
If the Nets successfully slow down the former No. 3 overall pick, someone will need to keep things moving for Boston on the scoring end. Kemba Walker is currently dealing with a knee injury and may not even play on Sunday, so Smart could be tasked with doing most of the heavy lifting. The 27-year-old was on fire on Friday night during the win over Brooklyn, and he finished with 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field while going 5-for-8 from distance. He also had six assists, three boards, and a steal.
Also Consider: Trae Young ($8,800), Cameron Payne ($5,900), Reggie Jackson ($4,900), Romeo Langford ($3,600 - if Kemba Walker is out), James Harden ($11,000), Paul George ($9,100), Alec Burks ($5,100), Jalen Brunson ($4,200 - if Luka Doncic is out)
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FanDuel DFS Forwards
Julius Randle, PF - @ ATL ($8,900)
It is no secret that if the Knicks are going to win, Randle will need to pick things up in Game 4 and any subsequent outing after that. However, he hasn't played well during this series against the Hawks, at least when you consider how efficient he was during the regular season.
Yes, he had a double-double in each of the three games this postseason, but after averaging 24.1 points during the year, he is more than capable of producing more than what we've seen lately out of him. He took 15 shots in Game 3, successfully draining two of them. However, it is doubtful that he will have a shooting performance as rough as that on Sunday. He has a great chance to bounce back, especially since Thibs recently indirectly challenged him to pick things up.
Evan Fournier, SF - vs. BKN ($5,500)
As mentioned, Kemba Walker may not play in Game 4 on Sunday, while Jayson Tatum’s DFS asking price may be too rich for anyone, especially if the Nets get after him defensively. Marcus Smart is a favorite to benefit, but Fournier may also be in line for another healthy outing.
His rostering cost doesn’t make much sense when you consider how well he has played. He scored 17 points in Game 3 and shot 4-for-7 from deep. He also had five boards, two assists, and a steal and has also racked up at least 26.2 fantasy points in two of the previous three games. The upside is certainly there, especially since this matchup will probably be the highest-scoring game on the slate.
Also Consider: Kevin Durant ($10,600), Kawhi Leonard ($10,300), Bogdan Bogdanovic ($6,900), Danilo Gallinari ($4,400), Jae Crowder ($4,900)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Deandre Ayton, C - @ LAL ($7,700)
After a decisive Game 1 victory over the Lakers, things appear to be falling apart for the Suns. Between Chris Paul’s shoulder injury to the team’s shoddy bench play, things aren’t looking promising moving ahead.
However, Ayton is still in the picture and has established himself as arguably the best player for Phoenix during this series. He had 22 points and 11 boards in Game 3, and he is also averaging 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds throughout the first three games. With many fantasy managers likely to set their sites on Tristan Thompson, Ayton may be the perfect solution to gaining an edge in both tournaments and cash games.
Tristan Thompson, C - vs. BKN ($5,900)
The Nets didn’t look the same on the defensive end in Game 3. Jeff Green remains out, and as a result, the team was lacking a stable presence underneath the rim. The Celtics also lost Robert Williams III after he only logged six minutes on Friday night. He continues to deal with a toe issue and is considered doubtful to play on Sunday.
With Williams’ absence, Thompson will have the green light to gain some extra minutes and chances on the offensive end. He had 19 points and 13 rebounds during his last time out, and even if he slows down from a scoring perspective, he will likely continue to have access to all the boards he can handle. Just keep in mind that he will be a popular option, so for those looking to make a move in large GPP tournaments, fading may be the way to go.
Also Consider: Nerlens Noel ($5,000)
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