RADIO
We have an intriguing Game 5 of the Hawks-Bucks series on tap Thursday, one that has several major injury question marks looming that will make monitoring news leading up to tip-off particularly important. Giannis Antetokounmpo does have a strong amount of certainty surrounding his status, as he’s a virtual lock to sit out. However, Trae Young (foot) and Clint Capela (face) are both legitimately questionable, and that means flexibility in terms of lineup construction will be critical.
I’ll outline a pair of candidates for each of the three multiplier spots (MVP. STAR and PRO) in FanDuel’s single-game roster format, and I’ll also offer another two players to consider for the two Utility spots that accrue FanDuel points at a non-multiplier rate.
Read on to see my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 7/1/21. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
Featured Promo: For this week only, take 50% off any full-season or yearly Premium Pass on the site! Just enter discount code THANKS when checking out. Thanks for being a reader, and Happy Holidays! Sign Up Now!
FanDuel DFS MVP Picks (2x)
Trae Young, PG - at MIL ($15,500) *MONITOR INJURY STATUS*
Young is the first and most prominent player sporting an injury tag that has a realistic chance to play, and if he’s announced as available and without restrictions, he’s certainly worthy of consideration for this spot. The star point guard has been outstanding even when not shooting well this postseason, turning in only two-sub-40-FD-point tallies over the last 13 playoff contests, and only on under 33.6 in the entirety of Atlanta’s playoff run. Additionally, with Antetokounmpo not expected to play, Young should have an easier time in the paint and should also benefit from Jrue Holiday, who could often serve as his primary defender, likely being a bit more consumed than usual with offensive responsibilities.
Khris Middleton, SF – vs. ATL ($14,500)
If Young is out or even if he does suit up, Middleton has to be considered for this multiplier spot as well. The veteran wing has a ceiling north of 60 FD points, which he’s already demonstrated once this postseason. Additionally, he sported a 32.0 percent usage rate and averaged 45.8 FD points per 36 minutes without Giannis on the floor this regular season, and he’s put up an average of 40.3 FD points across the first four games of the series while sharing the court a good chunk of that time with Antetokounmpo.
Want more NBA DFS tools and content? Our NBA Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Slack Chatrooms where members can chat with our NBA analysts. Check out this recent big win from RotoBaller premium member Bsuperak on FanDuel - join in on the winning!
FanDuel DFS STAR Picks (1.5x)
Jrue Holiday – vs. ATL ($14,000)
Holiday will naturally take on plenty of extra usage as well with Giannis out, and he generated a 28.0 percent usage rate and averaged 47.5 FD points per 36 minutes without his teammate on the floor this past regular season. Like Middleton, Holiday has had his struggles offensively from time to time this postseason, but he’s drained a solid 46.3 percent of his attempts over the first four games of the series, including 38.5 percent of his three-point tries. Holiday has put together an average of 42.8 FD points over that span with a well-balanced line of 20.0 points, 9.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 block across 38.5 minutes, and whether he’s frequently matched up against either a potentially limited Young or Williams on Thursday, he should be in a position to deliver a strong return in the 1.5x spot.
Bogdan Bogdanovic – at MIL ($13,500)
Bogdanovic also carries an injury designation, but it’s a probable tag that he’s expected to play through as he did with plenty of success in Game 4. The sharpshooting wing exploded for 41.1 FD points across 33 minutes, a game after posting 25.9 FD points. Bogdanovic’s shot still isn’t fixed – even in Game 4, he drained just seven of 19 attempts and is shooting just 29.8 percent overall in the series – but he did go 6-for-14 from distance Tuesday, offering a reminder of what he’s capable of when he gets hot. Bogdanovic’s ceiling will be affected by whether Young plays or not, so it’s certainly possible to pivot him down to PRO spot if the latter is announced as available.
FanDuel DFS PRO Picks (1.2x)
Clint Capela – at MIL ($13,000) *MONITOR STATUS*
Capela is yet another important player whose health must me monitored leading up to tip-off, as he is reportedly experiencing swelling in his right eye after getting poked late in Game 4. If he’s able to play and is in the starting five as usual, he’s a viable candidate for this spot after tallying 29.2 and 26.9 FD points in Games 3 and 4 and also supplying 43.8 FD points in Game 1. Capela hasn’t had much trouble with Brook Lopez down low, and with Antetokounmpo not expected to be available, scoring in the paint and bringing down rebounds should be a less arduous proposition for the big man as well.
Kevin Huerter – at MIL ($12,000)
There’s still some risk in rostering Huerter given the heavily fluctuating nature of his production, but he’s a very good tournament play due to his ability to pile up fantasy points in a number of ways. He naturally becomes even more appealing if Young is out, as Huerter did a lot more ball handling in his teammate’s absence in Game 4 and finished with his second straight seven-assist effort while also putting up 15 points, six rebounds and a steal. However, it’s worth noting Huerter has over 35 FD points in back-to-back games and also eclipsed 40 in the last two games of the semifinal round against the 76ers, and all but one of those four contests naturally unfolded with Young on the floor with him.
Utility Spot options to consider:
John Collins ($12,000); Brook Lopez ($11,000); Bobby Portis ($10,500); Lou Williams ($10,000)
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!
