This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals was shocking. Golden State held a double-digit lead early on and looked in control going into the fourth quarter, but completely collapsed. It was surprising to see the Warriors fold so swiftly in their home building, especially with the importance of the game. With that in mind, let's dive into this critical Game 2.
Guards
Stephen Curry, GS ($38)
The Warriors' collapse was no fault of Curry. He was the best player in the opener collecting 34 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. That's the stud we've seen for weeks, with Steph scoring at least 37 Yahoo points in 15 of his last 16 games. He's also produced at least 49 fantasy points in four of his previous seven appearances, and it's clear this offense will run through the former MVP. Curry's played like this against Boston for two years now with at least 55 Y! in three of their last four meetings.
Marcus Smart, BOS ($24)
Smart sat out for large portions of the second half in Game 1 because of how hot Derrick White was, but he was still magnificent finishing with 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals en route to 38 Yahoo points. Doing that damage in 29 minutes is terrific because Smart was flirting with a 40-minute average the previous series. He was also averaging nearly 35 fantasy points, and both those totals mean he should be a $30 player. Smart has always been hungry against Golden State with at least 36 fantasy points in each of their last five head-to-heads.
Guard to Avoid
Jordan Poole, GSW ($23)
Poole was Golden State's best player in the Denver series, but has been a shell of that since Curry returned from injury. In fact, JP has managed 27 or fewer fantasy points in seven of his last nine games with less than 22 in five of those. That's disastrous from a player in this salary range, and it's no surprise Poole's shot attempts and minutes have plummeted in this relegated role. That's even more concerning with Andre Iguodala, Gary Payton II and Otto Porter all back in the rotation.
Forwards
Draymond Green, GSW ($23)
The Celtics' strategy was to leave Green open at the top of the key in the Game 1 win, and it worked beautifully because DG couldn't knock down a shot. With that said, it allowed him to stuff the stat sheet at ease with four points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals. We don't expect Green to shoot 2-of-12 from the field every night, and he should regularly flirt with triple-doubles as long as he's taking double-digit shots while running this offense out of the post. The ancillary statistics are just too good for him to be sitting below $25.
Otto Porter, GSW ($10)
Porter has been in and out of the lineup throughout the postseason, but he looked fully healthy on Thursday. The former Wizard posted 22 Yahoo points in the defeat and has been playing at that level for weeks. OPJ has recorded at least 19 Yahoo points in each of the last eight games he's finished with a 23-point average over that span. That might not sound like much, but it's a massive total from a minimum-valued player. Using Porter makes it much easier to get studs like Curry, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown into your lineup, and that's the most important thing on this slate.
Forward to Avoid
Grant Williams, BOS ($11)
Williams was a revelation earlier in the playoffs, but it looks like his role is falling off a cliff. The feisty forward went scoreless across 16 minutes in the Game 1 win, giving him a 21-minute average over the last four games. That simply won't get it done from a defensive player like this, with Williams averaging 17 Yahoo points per game across 26 minutes a night during the regular season. That's one of the worst per-minute rates you'll see, and the fantasy production will be minimal if the court time continues to decline.
Center
Al Horford, BOS ($25)
Big Al carried Boston in the opener with 26 points, six rebounds and three assists and looks hungry for his first ring. He's been doing that sort of damage for weeks by scoring at least 28 Yahoo points in 12 of his last 14 games. Horford also has a 37-point average over that stretch while taking over big man duties in Boston. Being an undersized center works wonders against a team like the Warriors, and will keep producing as long as he keeps logging 35-40 minutes a night.
Center to Avoid
Robert Williams, BOS ($21)
Getting minutes is one of the most important things in single-game slates, and Rob-Will is simply not getting enough to trust him. The defensive stud hasn't cracked 26 minutes in six straight while scoring 28 or fewer Yahoo points in all of those. That won't get it done from a player in this salary range, and Williams' minutes could drop in the teens against a Warriors team that plays more small-ball than any other team in the NBA.
