Thursday's NBA Value Rankings
Here are theScore's value rankings for Thursday's three-game playoff slate:
Point Guard
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Russell Westbrook (OKC) | at DAL | 9 |
| Kyle Lowry (TOR) | at IND | 7 |
| Stephen Curry (GS) | at HOU | 6 |
| Cory Joseph (TOR) | at IND | 6 |
| Shaun Livingston (GS) | at HOU | 5 |
| Devin Harris (DAL) | vs. OKC | 4 |
| J.J. Barea (DAL) | vs. OKC | 3 |
| Patrick Beverley (HOU) | vs. GS | 2 |
| Deron Williams (DAL) | vs. OKC | 2 |
| George Hill (IND) | vs. TOR | 2 |
Westbrook is the only sure thing on the slate. Curry would be, but his physical state is up in the air. If he plays, his minutes could be limited making his lofty price tag too much of a risk. Livingston would be worth more with Curry out of the lineup, so if Curry gets scratched, take a flier on the backup.
Lowry played much better in Game 2, doing a little bit of everything - 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. At his salary, he needs to do this, preferably more, to return value.
Shooting Guard
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Klay Thompson (GS) | at HOU | 10 |
| Raymond Felton (DAL) | vs. OKC | 9 |
| Monta Ellis (IND) | vs. TOR | 7 |
| James Harden (HOU) | vs. GS | 6 |
| DeMar DeRozan (TOR) | at IND | 5 |
| Rodney Stuckey (IND) | vs. TOR | 4 |
| Wesley Matthews (DAL) | vs. OKC | 3 |
| Norman Powell (TOR) | at IND | 2 |
| Dion Waiters (OKC) | at DAL | 2 |
Thompson has to be rostered in cash games. He is much less expensive than Harden and has returned greater value through the first two games of the series. Harden has the higher ceiling, but saving on Thompson will allow DFS owners to spend on someone else, like Westbrook.
DeRozan is certainly capable of much better than he's shown, which is why his value hasn't completely circled the drain, but he's nothing more than a tournament flier until he can show consistency. Felton is another bargain choice, especially if injuries continue to limit or keep Williams and Barea out of the lineup.
Small Forward
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Paul George (IND) | vs. TOR | 8 |
| Andre Iguodala (GS) | at HOU | 8 |
| Kevin Durant (OKC) | at DAL | 6 |
| Trevor Ariza (HOU) | vs. GS | 5 |
| Michael Beasley (HOU) | vs. GS | 5 |
| Harrison Barnes (GS) | at HOU | 5 |
| Justin Anderson (DAL) | vs. OKC | 4 |
| Solomon Hill (IND) | vs. TOR | 3 |
| DeMarre Carroll (TOR) | at IND | 2 |
It's one of those nights where small forward creates the biggest logjam of mediocrity. Durant's salary is so high that the risk of a repeat of Game 2 will have DFS owners gun shy. He's best suited to a GPP because of his high ceiling. George offers stability as the Pacers only real weapon against the Raptors.
Beasley and Ariza get equal billing. Beasley does more with his limited minutes, but his floor time is never a guarantee. He's a GPP option while Ariza is a low-end, cash-game punt play. He'll score 10-15 points most nights and flirt with 10 rebounds at his best. He won't break the bank, either. Stay away from Carroll in all formats until he can prove himself.
Power Forward
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Draymond Green (GS) | at HOU | 9 |
| Serge Ibaka (OKC) | at DAL | 7 |
| Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) | vs. OKC | 6 |
| Patrick Patterson (TOR) | at IND | 6 |
| Myles Turner (IND) | vs. TOR | 5 |
| Clint Capela (HOU) | vs. GS | 2 |
| Donatas Motiejunas (HOU) | vs. GS | 2 |
Green is the best player at power forward. He shouldn't have any trouble continuing his roll. If Curry is held out of the game, he'll be even more valuable as he'll be more heavily featured in the offense.
Otherwise, PF features a ton of question marks. Nowitzki is certainly capable of big games, but he's battling a right knee issue and has failed to return significant value through the first two games. Patterson might be a slick GPP option if he continues shooting well and gets the 30 minutes of playing time. He's a much better offensive option than teammate Luis Scola.
Center
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Jonas Valanciunas (TOR) | at IND | 9 |
| Dwight Howard (HOU) | vs. GS | 8 |
| Andrew Bogut (GS) | at HOU | 6 |
| Enes Kanter (OKC) | at DAL | 5 |
| Steven Adams (OKC) | at DAL | 5 |
| Bismack Biyombo (TOR) | at IND | 4 |
| Zaza Pachulia (DAL) | vs. OKC | 4 |
| Lavoy Allen (IND) | vs. TOR | 3 |
| Ian Mahinmi (IND) | vs. TOR | 3 |
The Pacers have not had an answer for Valanciunas. The only thing that has limited his production is foul trouble from Game 1. Otherwise, he's been a monster off the glass and he was more efficient from the floor in Game 2. He's the best option at the position. Howard is close behind, but the Warriors should be able to defend him better than the Pacers do Valanciunas.
Beyond them, it's a boatload of uncertainty. Bogut has seen his minutes waffle between the first two games. Kanter and Adams have alternated as focal points in the OKC frontcourt. Biyombo remains more of a defensive threat in limited floor time, though he would see an increase of effectiveness if Valanciunas is called for early fouls again.