This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Thursday's three-game slate features pivotal games in each respective series as all of the home teams are looking to avoid falling to 0-3. Even with the limited player pool, there are still plenty of value options with high upside Thursday.
Thursday's Value Plays
Point Guard
Derrick Rose, CHI, $6,100: Rose wasn't nearly as efficient in Game 2 as he was in the series opener (Game 1: 9-16 FG, 3-7 3Pt; Game 2: 4-14 FG, 2-6 3Pt), but he still put together a better all-around game with nine dimes and seven boards to blow his $6,100 price tag out of the water with 37.9 FanDuel points. He was also more aggressive getting to the line in Game 2, where he hit all five of his free throws. As Kevin Payne noted in Wednesday's two-day contest article, Rose is going to be highly owned in most contests, but his price tag is almost too good to pass up Thursday. You're essentially getting top-tier production out of Rose for a price you would've paid for guys like Zach LaVine or Langston Galloway during the regular season.
Marcus Smart, BOS, $4,300: Smart has had middling production through the first two games of the playoffs with outputs of 15.4 and 12.7 FDP. Still, he has the biggest role on his team among other lower salaried point guards like Norris Cole, Aaron Brooks, or Jerryd Bayless, all of whom's minutes are too unpredictable to be safe options Thursday. Smart has played 26 minutes in both of Boston's games this postseason and should get similar run Thursday. If you're desperate for a low-salary guy to help keep your lineup under the cap, Smart is a guy who you don't have to worry about laying a goose egg.
Shooting Guard
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL, $6,500: Milwaukee is in desperation mode after going down 2-0 in its series with Chicago, and they are going to need a big game from Antetokounmpo to avoid falling to 0-3, or at least that's what Captain Obvious thinks. Antetokounmpo struggled from the floor in Game 2, going 2-for-11 over 38 minutes. If you look at his shot chart from Game 2, you'll see that he was able to get to the basket, he just couldn't convert. If Antetokuonmpo can bump his field goal percentage closer to the 49.1-percent clip he shot during the regular season, it'll be icing on the cake, as you can expect him to fill the stat sheet in other categories.
J.R. Smith, CLE, $4,800: Smith bounced back from a 14.3 FDP dud in Game 1 to put together a solid 22.3 FDP outing in Game 2. The interesting thing about that is Smith has yet to click from deep, which is his bread and butter. He's just 3-for-15 from three so far in the playoffs, and he's due for one of those games where he starts raining threes at some point in this series. I don't expect him to swipe five steals Thursday like he did in Game 2, but I also don't expect him to stay dormant from deep all series either.
Eric Gordon, NOP, $5,100: Gordon has had back-to-back solid outings to start the postseason with 19.9 and 23.2 FDP in the first two games of New Orleans' series. He has been getting a solid number of shots thus far with 14 and 19 FGA in the series, and he canned five of his 10 attempts from three in Game 2. Gordon's value hinges almost entirely on his scoring as he doesn't add much in the rebounding or assist categories, but he should be able to have a productive outing in Thursday's must-win contest.
Small Forward
Jae Crowder, BOS, $4,900: Crowder has posted consecutive 20+ FDP outings in the first two games of Boston's series, going for 10 points and five boards in each contest. He'll be tasked with defending LeBron James when he's on the floor, a challenge that Crowder relishes. James has been turnover prone in this series with 11 turnovers through the first two contests, which means Crowder could be in line to rack up a couple steals. Crowder should get enough run Thursday to hit value for your lineup.
Andre Iguodala, GSW, $4,100: Iguodala is a key contributor off Golden State's bench, probably in a less tangible way than daily games players would prefer, but the 31-year-old can still get it done. He has had some tough luck shooting of late, going 35 percent from the floor over his last 10 games, but scoring isn't where Iguodala collects most of his FDP. Iguodala is a solid rebounder from his position and has the ability to find open teammates so that he can collect some assists. It's unlikely that he'll get much more than 20 FDP, but he'll be on the floor enough Thursday to have a decent fantasy output.
Power Forward
John Henson, MIL, $4,400: Henson's role has expanded in the postseason as he has gotten 25+ minutes in each of Milwaukee's first two games. He has taken advantage of his added run by topping 20 FDP in both of those games and could be relied upon heavily once again in Game 3 with Zaza Pachulia possibly being suspended Thursday. Even if Pachulia is let off the hook by the league, Henson's solid play to start the postseason should put him in position for another solid outing for just $4,400.
Ersan Ilyasova, MIL, $5,300: Ilyasova had an uncharacteristically poor shooting night in Game 2, going 3-for-10 from the floor and 0-for-3 from beyond the arc after shooting nearly 60 percent from the floor in his previous four outings. He'll be facing a thinned out Chicago frontcourt that is already missing Nikola Mirotic for Game 3, and Taj Gibson appears to be limited. Just like with Henson, Ilyasova could play an even bigger role in Game 3 if Zaza Pachulia is suspended.
Other Suggestion: Tristan Thompson, CLE, $4,400: Thompson posted 17.2 FDP in Game 2 without even attempting a shot. His rebounding will continue to be solid against the Celtics, and if he can add a few buckets, he'll be able to reach value.
Center
Timofey Mozgov, CLE, $4,700: While you won't have to dedicate a big chunk of your salary to roster the top two options at center on Thursday, Mozgov has the potential to match Joakim Noah or Andrew Bogut's production for $1,300-$1,700 less. Mozgov has been a beast in the paint through two games this series with eight blocks combined. He fouled out in Game 2, but not before posting 16 points (7-11 FG), seven rebounds, and five blocks. With Boston having to dedicate much of its defensive attention to stopping LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love, Mozgov should be able to get some looks in the paint and outperform his price tag.
