Skip to content

NBA Daily Fantasy Dose: Playoff Edition

Bob Stanton / Reuters

Here's a look at the NBA daily fantasy picture for Saturday, April 16:

Bargain Plays

  • PG Shaun Livingston (vs. Rockets): The Rockets-Warriors game has a total of 225 - far above any other matchup. DFS players should look for exposure to what is going to be an up-tempo, high-scoring affair. Livingston offers cheap access into this matchup and should benefit from the lively game flow. He is a veteran player with playoff experience so minutes and opportunity shouldn't be a concern. If the Warriors first unit can put the game out of hand early, Livingston could also be in for some nice garbage time production.
  • SF DeMarre Carroll, Raptors (vs. Pacers): Carroll will return to the Toronto starting lineup, but how many minutes he ends up playing is still unclear. In the Raptors' final three games, Carroll finished with a combined 52 minutes in which he totaled 18 points and 11 assists. With his low salary, Carroll can provide value with his seasonal averages of 11 points and 4.7 rebounds. If you're not going to spend on Kevin Durant or Paul George, go cheap with Carroll.
  • C Steven Adams, Thunder (vs. Mavericks): Adams has been a solid presence for Oklahoma once again this year. He played in 80 games this season averaging 25 minutes of action with eight points and 6.7 rebounds. Going into Game 1, Adams looks to have double-double potential against the Dallas defense that surrenders 102.6 points per game and ranks as one of the poorer rebounding teams. Adams can be implemented as a cheap cash game thanks to his stable role and will help DFS players roster an elite option at another position.

Counterattack

  • SF Michael Beasley, Rockets (at Warriors): Beasley could be another beneficiary of the up-tempo matchup in Oracle Arena. He has shown flashes of tournament upside throughout the season scoring at least 15 points in nine of 21 games. He was especially strong in March averaging 14.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. The biggest concern with Beasley this time around is how many minutes he will end up playing. Though he averaged 20 minutes in March, that number fell to 12 for six games in April.
  • C Andrew Bogut, Warriors (vs. Rockets): With a thin pool of talented centers available on Saturday, many DFS players will likely spend up on Al Horford or Dwight Howard. However, Bogut offers double-double upside at a reduced price. In three regular season matchups against the Rockets, Bogut averaged 11 points and 11 rebounds. A double-double would provide solid value.
  • PF Myles Turner, Pacers (at Raptors): Turner will be another candidate for reduced playoff minutes. As a 19-year old rookie, Turner's playoff role is not established. However, he was a bright spot for Indiana averaging 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds and finishing fourth on the team in scoring. Turner's appeal Saturday will come via the fact that Indiana's backcourt of George Hill and Monta Ellis are unlikely to keep up with their opposition of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. This mismatch may force Indiana to look for increased production in the paint. Turner's Per 36 averages of 16.3 points and 8.7 rebounds indicates how he could produce if given more substantial playing time.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox