This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The Celtics were able to pull off another season-saving win in Game 5 while once again looking dominant most of the way, setting up Saturday's third straight elimination scenario. Each team does come in with one noteworthy injury concern, but otherwise, Game 6 has the chance to serve as an instant classic where the biggest stars play very heavy minutes.
With just one game on the ledger, we're dealing with FanDuel's single-game contest rosters, which are comprised as follows:
- MVP - (Earns points at 2x the normal rate)
- STAR - (Earns points at 1.5x the normal rate)
- PRO - (Earns points at 1.2x the normal rate)
- Two Utility spots - (Earn points at normal rate)
With salaries also being different than in conventional FanDuel contests on multi-game slates and top players inevitably headed for heavy rostering, there are definitely strategic elements particular to single-game lineups. Finding key value plays for the two utility spots is undoubtedly key, as it enables you to fill out the multiplier spots with some of the top projected producers.
Slate Overview
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The Celtics are notably listed as up to three-point road favorites for Saturday's contest.
The projected total of 210 points is appreciably lower than Game 5's 215.5 and appears to be a nod to Miami's recent offensive struggles in particular.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Gabe Vincent, MIA (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Vincent sat out Game 5, and if he were forced to miss a second straight contest, Kyle Lowry would likely re-enter the starting five.
Malcolm Brogdon, BOS (forearm): QUESTIONABLE
Brogdon has been playing with a partially torn tendon in his elbow and is officially also dealing with a right forearm strain after exiting Game 5 early. If he can't suit up Saturday, more minutes off the bench could be available for Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams.
Other notable injuries:
Tyler Herro, MIA (hand): OUT
Elite Players
The two highest-salaried players on the slate are Jayson Tatum ($17,500) and Jimmy Butler ($17,000). Both are excellent candidates for the MVP spot, and whichever doesn't make the cut in your lineup is naturally very viable for the STAR spot.
Tatum scored 49.1 FD points in Game 5 while dishing out a series-high 11 assists and shooting at least 50.0 percent for the second straight game. He's now averaging 54.9 FD points in the last pair of contests and should naturally see his usage go through the roof again Saturday.
Butler took a postseason-low 10 shot attempts in Game 5 as the Celtics focused on limiting him, and he netted 31.5 FD points in the process. He's been under 40 FD points twice in the last three games, but he also been over 50 in the other three contests versus Boston.
Expected Chalk
With only one game on the ledger, the likes of Bam Adebayo ($14,500), Jaylen Brown ($13,500) and Marcus Smart, BOS ($12,500) should also be very popular. All three players make for very viable options for the STAR or PRO spots.
Adebayo bounced back to score 33.1 FD points in Game 5 as the Celtics bestowed plenty of attention on Jimmy Butler, and the big man should once again be very popular as the clear-cut top center option on the slate.
Brown is coming off his best shooting game of the series Thursday, which led to a series-high 34.4 FD points, his third performance of over 30 FD points thus far against Miami. With everything once again on the line, his rostering rate should once again be through the roof.
Smart produced a series-high 42.6 FD points in Game 5 with the help of 7-for-12 shooting and should once again play a key complementary role, especially if Brogdon is forced to sit out.
Key Values
The following players make for strong candidates for the Utility spots:
Derrick White, BOS ($11,000)
White continued to validate his insertion in the starting five in Game 5, posting 34.1 FD points to slightly outpace the 32.4 he'd offered in Game 4. The defensive-minded guard has taken double-digit shot attempt in both of those contests and drained them at a 61.9 percent clip, a figure that includes a 60.0 percent success rate from three-point range. White has scored in double digits in four of the first five games of the series overall, and with a pair of steals apiece in each of the last two contests, he's doing a very good job of complementing his offense in that regard. Although there's been a corresponding salary increase for White, he remains a very affordable value proposition Saturday.
Duncan Robinson, MIA ($7,500)
Robinson saw extended run in Game 5 and made good use of it, tallying 35.3 FD points while shooting a blistering 70.0 percent from the floor. Gabe Vincent's absence certainly had a part to play in Robinson logging a series-high 28 minutes, but it actually marked his third time over 20 minutes in the first five games against Boston. Robinson delivered 20.7 and 29.4 FD points on those two other occasions, and with an extremely modest salary and the possibility of another Vincent absence, he's a very good tournament option against a Celtics team that's 38.8 percent three-point shooting on the road during the postseason.
ALSO CONSIDER: Caleb Martin, MIA ($10,000)
