This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have two Game 4s Sunday, and action begins in Denver with a 3:30 p.m. EDT tipoff. I ran up one of my best scores of the year with this slate Friday evening, but you didn't get those endorsements because I was off the clock! I'm going to travel down similar avenues on Sunday with a couple of minor value adjustments.
SLATE OVERVIEW
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INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. We have no significant injuries listed for Sunday's slate.
ELITE PLAYERS
Nikola Jokic ($11,500) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,700) are once again atop the player pool. I elected to fade both on Friday and finished in the Top-20 of a popular GPP contest, so I'm proof positive you can survive without the two superstars. To ensure stability throughout my lineup, I'll take the same route. OKC's defense has shown great effectiveness in neutralizing Jokic. And though I'm willing to give SGA a shot in a few builds, the dynamic play of a certain Cavalier is much more attractive.
Of course, I speak of Donovan Mitchell ($9,700) as he's been on fire this series. The $1,000 difference from SGA is a point-per-dollar gap that Mitchell can easily, and he's one of a few Cavs Indiana has struggled against. He's also the only player in the $9k range and will be my top spend in most lineups.
We're only given three options in the $8k tier, and two turned things around in Game 3 with Jalen Williams ($8,300) much more involved in the offense and Evan Mobley ($8,000) contributing a playoff-best 57.6 FDFPs in the decisive 22-point victory against Indiana. I'm interested in giving Mobley additional exposure on Sunday, but I think it's a toss-up between Mobley and Williams. There are paths to include both, though salary cap restrictions will likely limit us to one. I'll go with Mobley for GPP upside and Williams for cash-game floor stability.
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EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
Russell Westbrook, DEN ($5,200 vs. OKC
Rather than list my favorite plays from the top down, I've switched things up for the playoffs and identified value plays before proceeding with mid-range options. Though we don't see Westbrook for much of the first quarter, he'll end up logging 20-25 minutes. It's fairly easy for him to beat 5x value at this low salary, and the former MVP has shown flashes of brilliance against his former club. I'm 99 percent sure I've used Westbrook in every Denver playoff slate, and I'll keep rolling with him on Sunday.
Michael Porter, DEN ($5,400) vs. OKC
You had to admire Porter's grit during Game 3 as he played through a shoulder injury. I'll keep my ear to the ground for news of any potential soreness after hustling through 42 minutes in the OT win. But barring a reaggravation of the shoulder, I'm a fan of slotting in Porter at this lower salary.
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Mid-range Centers
Fading Jokic has been easy for this series as several big men are bargains. I'm clustering them together since it's mostly a matter of preference. Jarrett Allen ($7,500) has been a regular favorite, though Myles Turner ($6,200) and Isaiah Hartenstein ($5,900) have also posted excellent totals. You could also use Chet Holmgren ($7,700) at the position, yet I've utilized him at PF with more frequency. His salary has spiked considerably and I'll look for a way to get him in, but I may have to choose someone like Hartenstein instead of Allen to get there. Turner is more of a risk-reward play, though is worth considering.
Aaron Nesmith, OKC ($5,500) @ DEN
Nesmith has been a huge help to me through this series while his low salary is a major reason why I've prevailed so often the past two weeks. Darius Garland's return is making me a bit wary regarding Cleveland role players, but Nesmith has carved out a significant role for Indiana that's unlikely to diminish.
Andrew Nembhard, IND ($5,800) vs. CLE
Nembhard has been another consistent target who's come through multiple times. One player who might persuade me to move away from Nembhard is Bennedict Mathurin ($4,600) as he's registered three consecutive value-beating numbers and his low salary could allow us to reach more mid-range targets. I believe Nembhard will be more popular, though Mathurin offers eligibility at SG and SF. You could conceivably field both with little difficulty.
SUMMARY
I've offered several values at or below $6k, so who do we grab after taking advantage of the cheap salaries? As mentioned earlier, Mitchell is a lock for me. Beyond him, it's easy to make a case for Jamal Murray ($7,900), though my propensity for Westbrook creates some negative correlation. A Nugget I'll happily spend for is Aaron Gordon ($6,600) as he's saved the Nuggets three times with last-second heroics. We've mentioned Allen, Mobley, Holmgren and Williams as the primary targets at the higher end.
Low-exposure Value: Max Strus, CLE ($5,300) @ IND, De'Andre Hunter, CLE ($4,500) @ IND
