This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
On the heels of a pair of wild Monday Game 1s in the second round of the postseason, we have one Game 2 and a series opener Tuesday night. There aren't many injuries, but those that are hanging over the slate are notably all on the Cavaliers. That adds a level of intrigue to the two-game ledger from a DFS perspective, considering some value plays on Cleveland could be particularly viable.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Tuesday, 5/6 @1:30 a.m. ET:
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers (-9) (O/U: 229.5)
Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves (-7) (O/U: 209.5)
The Pacers' Game 1 upset and the Cavs' injury concerns notwithstanding, Cleveland has been installed as a sizable favorite to bounce back in Game 2. However, there is a definite trend in the meetings between these two teams, as Indiana has won four of the five games between them since the start of the regular season. That now includes three wins at Rocket Arena, and three contests, including Game 1, that have exceeded Tuesday's projected total.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are unsurprisingly sizable home favorites themselves and will have a notable rest advantage – four days – over Golden State. That looms particularly large by this point in the NBA calendar, but it's worth remembering the Warriors took three of four from Minnesota in the regular season, including 10- and one-point victories at Target Center.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Evan Mobley, CLE (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Mobley can't play, Dean Wade will likely draw the start at power forward and the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen should see even more usage than usual.
Darius Garland, CLE (toe): QUESTIONABLE
If Garland can't suit up, Sam Merrill would likely draw another start at point guard, while Ty Jerome will likely be a primary beneficiary off the bench.
Other notable injuries:
De'Andre Hunter, CLE (thumb): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
The three highest-salaried players on Tuesday's slate are Anthony Edwards ($9,600), Donovan Mitchell ($9,500) and Tyrese Haliburton ($9,100).
Edwards had a nightmarish shooting night in Game 5 against the Lakers, but he averaged 49.9 FD points and shot 43.2 percent from three-point range in the first four games of the season. He also shot 43.6 percent from behind the arc against the Warriors in four regular-season meetings.
Mitchell managed 48 FD points in 33 minutes against the Pacers in the Game 1 loss, although he only went 1-for-11 from three-point range. However, he shot 53.8 percent from beyond the arc in the last three games of the first-round series against the Heat and 47.5 percent against the Pacers in two regular-season games.
Haliburton has scored 62.5 and 56.1 FD points in the last two postseason games, and he supplied a 22-point, 13-assist double-double against the Cavaliers in Game 1.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Jimmy Butler, GSW ($8,900)
Butler has scored over 42 FD points in three of the last four postseason games and is shooting a solid 46.6 percent thus far in the postseason.
Stephen Curry, GSW ($8,800)
Curry recorded 44.4 and 54.5 FD points in the last two postseason contests and should naturally be very popular against a T-Wolves teams he shot 45.8 percent from three-point range against in four regular-season meetings.
Evan Mobley, CLE ($8,000)
If Mobley is able to play through his ankle issue, he should be very popular at his salary thanks to his typically safe floor.
Jarrett Allen, CLE ($7,400)
Allen will be even more highly rostered if Mobley is out, but he should be in plenty of lineups irrespective of his frontcourt mate's availability after eclipsing 34 FD points in three of the last five postseason games.
Julius Randle, MIN ($7,200)
Randle has the upside of a much higher-salaried player, and to that point, eclipsed 40 FD points in two of his last four games alone.
Key Values
Draymond Green, GSW at MIN ($6,300)
Green helped close out the Rockets in the first round by posting 38.7 FD points in Game 7 with a full stat line of 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal across 40 minutes. The veteran big also scored 22.5 to 32.6 FD points in the first three games of the series plus 29.5 FD points in Game 6, so the upside at his salary is certainly there. Green also registered tallies of 23.7 and 36.8 FD points in his two meetings with Minnesota during the regular season, and after playing at least 31 minutes in all but one game during the first round, his playing time should be a non-issue.
Myles Turner, IND at CLE ($6,200)
Turner has been excellent during the Pacers' six-game postseason run thus far, averaging 33.1 FD points on the strength of 16.2 points (on 51.6 percent shooting), 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.2 blocks per contest. The versatile big man is also draining a solid 37.0 percent of his 4.5 three-point attempts in that span, and he's eclipsed 39 FD points on three occasions during that span. The typically tough matchup against the Cavs' frontcourt didn't deter him in Game 1, either, as Turner generated a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included three steals and two blocks.
Ty Jerome, CLE vs. IND ($6,000)
Jerome's outlook would certainly brighten should Garland be announced as unavailable for a fourth straight game, but the 2019 first-round pick is an appealing value option under any circumstance. Jerome has 31.1 to 39.1 FD points in Garland's first three absences of this postseason, but during the regular season, he delivered over 5x return on his current salary on 15 occasions as well. Jerome stood out during his one regular-season game against Indiana as well, posting 36.4 FD points via a 24-point, six-assist, two-rebound, one-block performance across 26 minutes in a spot start.
ALSO CONSIDER: Rudy Gobert, MIN vs. GSW ($6,100); Andrew Nembhard, IND at CLE ($5,700)
