NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays and strategy for June 12
Can the Heat extend the the series with a must-win Game 5 on Monday?
The Nuggets are just one win away from a championship. They will try to close things out in Game 5 at home, meaning this could be our last opportunity of the season to play Yahoo’s single-game contest.
In addition to selecting two flex players, there are three multiplier positions in this single-game format. A player slotted into the Megastar spot will earn double their fantasy points scored. The Superstar spot will earn 1.5X their fantasy points scored. Finally, the Star will earn 1.2X their fantasy points scored. With that in mind, let’s discuss some players to consider.
Multipliers
Nikola Jokic ($56): Jokic battled foul trouble in Game 4, which resulted in him playing a series-low 37 minutes. Still, he scored 58.4 Yahoo points. He is a threat to record a triple-double whenever he steps onto the floor, and he has scored at least 55.2 Yahoo points in all four games against the Heat. Don’t overthink it. He is the top option for the Megastar spot.
Jamal Murray ($38): Murray wasn’t a great scorer Friday, posting just 15 points on 5-for-17 shooting from the field. However, he dished out 12 assists, giving him at least 10 in each of the four games against the Heat. He has the ball in his hands regularly playing a two-man game with Jokic, so he should continue to receive plenty of opportunities to rack up points and assists.
Bam Adebayo ($27): Adebayo finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Game 4, giving him his third double-double of the Finals. The one time he failed to accomplish that feat, he registered 21 points and nine rebounds. Since he’s scored at least 36.7 Yahoo points in all four games, he is an excellent option for a multiplier spot. It also helps that his salary won’t significantly hinder your budget.
Flex Plays
Aaron Gordon ($22): Gordon is one of the main reasons the Nuggets won Game 4. He scored 27 points, marking just the third time in the playoffs that he has scored at least 20 in a game. He was locked in offensively and also contributed seven rebounds, six assists and a steal. While it’s unrealistic to expect him to score like that again in Game 5, he has scored at least 33.5 Yahoo points in the last two games.
Kyle Lowry ($12): Gabe Vincent struggled again Friday, which resulted in Lowry playing 33 minutes. He scored 25.1 Yahoo points, marking the third time he’s scored at least that many points against the Nuggets. The Heat are facing elimination, so expect them to have a quick hook with Vincent if he starts out slow again.
Player to Avoid
Michael Porter ($19): Porter has struggled from behind the arc recently. He shot 0-for-3 from deep in Game 4, making him 3-for-22 on three-pointers in the series. With his shot not falling and his struggles on the defensive end, he has logged 26 minutes or fewer in the last three games. Although he can go off in any game, he’s too risky to roll with in DFS based on his recent cold spell.
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Mike Barner started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
