This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We've reached critical Game 7 battles in both of the remaining semifinal series, which should make for a highly entertaining Sunday of DFS action. The injury report doesn't contain any surprises, as both players carrying designations have been doing so for multiple games. Oddmakers are actually favoring the two home squads by significant margins, and defense is certainly expected to take center stage based on projected totals.
Slate Overview
Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics (-5) (O/U: 206.5 points)
Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns (-6.5) (O/U: 205.0 points)
The Bucks-Celtics series has been memorable so far, with each squad notching critical victories on the other's home floor the last two games. It all comes down to TD Garden on Sunday, where Milwaukee has already recorded a pair of victories. Both Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to provide superhuman production for their squads in Game 6, and each should be particularly strong DFS plays again with everything that's on the line.
There's somewhat of a similar dynamic at play in the Mavericks-Suns clash, as Luka Doncic has gone off all series and Devin Booker has provided multiple stellar DFS performances. However, each team has put forth a significant offensive clunker of less than 90 points in the last two games, so production has been hard to trust outside of the two aforementioned stars. Matters may be different Sunday as each team goes all out to avoid elimination.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following is a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate, including those carrying injury designations that aren't listed in this section.
Khris Middleton, MIL (knee): OUT
Middleton's ongoing absence should continue to afford the likes of Pat Connaughton, Grayson Allen and Bobby Portis extra opportunity.
Robert Williams, BOS (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Williams were to miss another game, Daniel Theis would likely keep starting at center.
Elite Players
We have three healthy players with five-figure salaries on Sunday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000), Luka Doncic ($11,600) and Jayson Tatum ($11,000).
Antetokounmpo exploded for 80 FD points in Game 6 and has at least 40 actual points in each of the last two to arguably making him the surest play on the slate. Given he's proven unstoppable for the Celtics despite their excellent defense, he's worth the lofty salary.
Doncic recorded 69.2 FD points on Thursday, his second tally of over 69 this series. He's also managed over 55 in two of the last three and should naturally continue to enjoy massive usage on Sunday.
Tatum took matters to another level in Game 6 with a 61.8 FD-point tally and has scored over 50 in three straight. The star forward has logged at least 40 minutes each game this series and has put up at least 24 shot attempts in each of the last three outings.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Devin Booker, PHO ($9,300)
Booker has posted over 40 FD points in four of the first six games of the series and is shooting 44.4 percent from three-point range over the series.
Jrue Holiday, MIL ($9,000)
Holiday has been far from efficient against the Celtics' tough defense, but he's still averaging 45.2 FD points this series.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($8,500)
Brown is averaging 40.9 FD points over the last five games while shooting 50.0 percent, including 47.1 percent from behind the arc.
Deandre Ayton, PHO ($6,900)
Ayton has been a steady force for all but one game this series producing between 29.2 to 37.6 FD points in five games.
Other likely chalk play: Marcus Smart, BOS ($6,500)
Key Values
Bobby Portis, MIL vs. BOS ($5,700)
Portis remains a somewhat risky play, although his reduced salary does help mitigate some of that uncertainty. The big man disappointed in Game 6 with just 16 FD points due to a rough shooting night, but he's demonstrated the ability to overdeliver on his current salary as recently as two games ago when he posted 38 FD points on the strength of a 14-point, 15-rebound double-double. Portis also recorded 31.7 FD points in Game 1, meaning his two best DFS efforts of the series have come at TD Garden.
Reggie Bullock, DAL at PHO ($5,300)
Bullock has been a wild card in his own right with 33.4 FD points on Thursday and contributing solid tallies of 23.8 and 31.8 in Games 2 and 3. The veteran wing has also turned in a pair of clunkers of under 12 FD points, but he could remain aggressive and continue to build on the 40.5 percent success rate he's generated from three-point range from the last five games with everything on the line Sunday.
Pat Connaughton, MIL at BOS ($4,500)
Connaughton has posted five straight double-digit scoring efforts, a stretch where he's shot a blistering 60.0 percent, including 50.0 percent from three-point range. The veteran sharpshooter is also logging an elevated 30.4 minutes with Middleton out and should continue to be a key complementary source of scoring off the bench in Game 7.
