This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Game 3 tips off at 8:30 p.m. EDT in Miami, as the Heat try to even up the series. Like every other opponent in the playoffs, the Heat's opposition looks better on paper. Can the home advantage keep the Cinderella story going? We'll see if the Nuggets can respond after the Heat's narrow win.
SLATE OVERVIEW
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Before we begin, let's look at Game 2's winning lineup from one of FanDuel's most popular contests.
Nikola Jokic (2x) 110.4
Bam Adebayo (1.5x) 61.2
Jamal Murray (1.2x) 47.76
Kevin Love 25.5
Max Strus 28.4
TOTAL: 273.26
Kevin Love lit it up, as we had predicted in my previous article. Strus is a bit of a surprise, but the rest of the lineup is standard, with Jokic leading the way again. If anything, Game 2 solidifies the notion that Jimmy Butler's salary makes him virtually useless in this series. The Heat have relied on their supporting cast, and all signs point toward continuing that script.
INJURIES
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MIA Tyler Herro (hand) - OUT
It's official -- Herro won't return for Game 3. At this juncture, it looks less likely that we'll see him at all, but you can't rule out a heroic return later in the series if Miami evens things up. For now, players whose minutes would decrease upon Herro's return have little to worry about this time around.
MULTIPLIER CANDIDATES
Nikola Jokic ($18,500) MVP
Bam Adebayo ($14,000) STAR
Michael Porter ($10,500) PRO
Gabe Vincent ($10,000) PRO
FanDuel finally raised Jokic's salary, and it's currently in rarified air at 18.5k. Still, the increase will not deter me! I am firing him up at MVP in virtually every contest. However, I am fading Jamal Murray's potential for greatness. The $1,000 I will save by opting for Adebayo will come in handy later, and although Murray could torch us, I think Adebayo is the better dollar-per-point option.
The debate between Vincent and Porter in the PRO comes down to personal preference. I am going with Miami's home court intangible in this contest, so my build will weigh more in Vincent's favor.
UTILITY CANDIDATES
Bruce Brown ($9,000)
Kevin Love ($8,000)
Kyle Lowry ($8,000)
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I believe that will be the Heat's approach regarding Love, so I have no problem adding him here. Lowry's shot went cold in Game 2, but I have an easier time clicking his name over Strus, who we can't trust despite his appearance in the winning lineup in the previous game. Also, Lowry's a much stronger player at home, averaging around one point higher in every category at the Kaseya Center. Over a Jokic/Adebayo/Vincent build, you easily make the UTIL a Love/Brown combo or a Love/Lowry combo at the utility.
OTHER VARIABLES
Aaron Gordon's ($11,000) salary hits the pool awkwardly, making him less popular but an excellent contrarian pick. I'm not ready to revisit Caleb Martin ($9,500) yet, but a resurgent game for him is possible as he shakes off his recent illness.
