This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After a Game 1 that corroborated the Lakers had the ability to overcome adversity and hang nearly bucket for bucket with the Nuggets on their home court, we're set for a pivotal Game 2 on Thursday. There should be no absences of any note for either squad, giving us a full player pool to work with on the single-game slate.
With just one game on the ledger, we're dealing with FanDuel's single-game contest rosters, which are comprised as follows:
- MVP- (Garners points at 2x the normal rate)
- STAR- (Garners points at 1.5x the normal rate)
- PRO- (Garners points at 1.2x the normal rate)
- Two Utility spots- (Garner 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
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
The Nuggets are listed as 5.5-point home favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook as of early Thursday, a split they're 26-17-1 against the spread in since the start of the regular season. The line is notably a shade smaller than the 6-point figure they went into Game 1 with.
The projected total of 226.5 points is appealing for DFS purposes, representing a notable bump of four points from the Game 1 figure.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Davis is fully expected to continue playing through his probable designation and logged 41 minutes in Game 1 without any apparent issue.
LeBron James, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
James is also in line to suit up despite his probable designation and was able to play 39 minutes in Game 1 without setbacks.
Other notable injuries
Mo Bamba, LAL (ankle): OUT
Elite Players
The three highest-salaried players on the slate are Nikola Jokic ($17,500), Anthony Davis ($16,000) and LeBron James ($15,500). All three are excellent candidates for the MVP spot, and whichever two don't make the cut in your lineup are naturally very viable for the STAR spot.
After averaging 23.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 2.3 steals per contest while shooting 62.3 percent during the regular season, Jokic was spectacular in Game 1 with a 34-point, 21-rebound, 14-assist triple-double that netted 81.2 FD points across 42 minutes.
Davis was engaged in an epic battle with Jokic in Game 1 and held his own with a 40-point, 10-rebound double-double that resulted in 71.5 FD points.
James fell just an assist short of a triple-double in Game 1, turning in 26 points, 12 rebounds and nine dimes on his way to 53.9 FD points across 39 minutes. That performance came on the heels of a tally of 61.3 FD points in 43 minutes against the Warriors in Game 6 of the semifinal round.
Expected Chalk
With only one game on the ledger, the likes of Jamal Murray ($14,500), Austin Reaves ($12,000) and Michael Porter ($11,000) should also be very popular. All three players make for very viable options for the STAR or PRO spots.
Murray overcame his questionable designation due to an illness in Game 1 to compile 55.5 FD points in 37 minutes on 12-for-20 shooting, his fourth effort of more than 50 FD points during the postseason.
Reaves carried over his momentum from the semifinal round into Game 1, scoring 37.4 FD points on 50.0 percent shooting, including a 5-for-9 showing from three-point range.
Porter had posted over 34 FD points in three of the series' last four games against the Suns and then chipped in with a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double that included two assists and two blocks in Game 1 for a total of 35 FD points.
Key Values
The following players make for strong candidates for the Utility spots:
D'Angelo Russell, LAL ($10,000)
Given his recent erratic production, Russell is ideally suited for tournament play, but his upside remains undeniable. The talented guard sunk to a paltry 11.5 FD points in 26 minutes during Game 1 against the Nuggets, going just 4-for-11 from the floor, including 0-for-3 from behind the arc. However, Russell has exceeded 30 FD points in six of 13 postseason contests, and the Nuggets are ranked No. 18 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to point guards (26.7) since the start of the regular season. Russell also shot 58.3 percent, including 53.3 percent from three-point range, in three games against the Nuggets during the regular season, giving him some tournament viability.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, DEN ($9,000)
KCP now has back-to-back 21-point efforts on 57.1 percent shooting, leading to tallies of 40.5 and 35.9 FD points. Caldwell-Pope also furnished 28.9 FD points three games ago against the Suns, and Los Angeles has now surrendered 39.4 percent three-point shooting on the road in the postseason. Given the fact he's averaged 14 shots per contest in the last two games and also posted 22.3 to 30.5 FD points in three of four regular-season contests versus L.A., Caldwell-Pope is worth the shot at his salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Aaron Gordon, DEN ($9,500); Bruce Brown, DEN ($8,500)
