Yahoo NBA DFS Breakdown: Monday, May 17

Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat host the Boston Celtics for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

What if I told you at the beginning of the year that the Nets, Lakers, Suns, Bucks, and Clippers would all miss the conference finals? That’s what’s happened, and it should be fun to watch these final four battle for an unlikely championship. With that said, let’s kick things off with these Eastern Conference finals between Miami and Boston.

Injury Report

• Robert Williams (knee) Probable
• Kyle Lowry (hamstring) OUT
• Marcus Smart (foot) Questionable

Core Plays

Jimmy Butler (SF – MIA): $41

Jimmy doesn’t have a ring yet, but he’s doing everything possible to earn his first one. The wingman has scored at least 49 Yahoo points in seven of his last nine games, averaging over 50 Y! points per game in that span. That’s obviously some of the best production in the NBA, and it makes him tough to fade since he’ll play 40 minutes, take 20 shots and lead Miami in usage once again.

Cash Game Considerations

Jayson Tatum (PF – BOS): $42

I wasn’t sure that Tatum was ready for superstardom, but the Eastern Conference semis changed my mind. The former Blue Devil carried Boston at times, scoring at least 51 Yahoo points in five of the final six games of that series. What’s impressive is his playmaking, averaging about six assists per game since the final month of the regular season. This guy should be in every lineup if he’s assisting like that while providing his usual 25 points and eight boards.

GPP Targets

Grant Williams (PF – BOS): $12

Williams just had the best night of his career in Game 7. The defensive stud dropped 27 points and six rebounds in that masterclass, playing 39 minutes. That minute total is the thing that matters for us, with Grant averaging 21 Yahoo points per game across 31 minutes a night in his last nine outings. That’s all you can ask for from such a cheap player, and he’s going to keep getting heavy minutes because of his defense.

Gabe Vincent (PG – MIA): $10

We call this a GPP play because we have no idea if Kyle Lowry will play. The former Toronto All-Star is dealing with a hamstring issue, and Vincent has always started for him when he’s out. Gabe has been splendid in this role, averaging 23 Yahoo points per game across 31 minutes a night in his 33 spot starts this season. That’s a brilliant total from a minimum-priced player on Yahoo, and he’s a mandatory choice if you want to squeeze in Tatum and JB.

Value Plays

Marcus Smart (PG – BOS): $21

We’ve had Smart in every Yahoo article that I’ve written up, and he’s going to remain in it if he stays around $20. The Kia Defensive Player of the Year has been crushing that price tag recently, averaging over 31 Yahoo points per game across the last two months. He’s been even better in these playoffs, posting a 33-point average across nearly 40 minutes a night. Someone who plays like this getting 40 minutes should be at least $25! He’s done well against Miami all year, averaging 33 Y! points per game in their last two matchups.

Max Strus (SF – MIA): $15

Strus was one of the biggest surprises in their series win over Philly, and it’s clear he’s stolen Duncan Robinson’s role. The sharpshooter from DePaul has a double-double in back-to-back games, flirting with a 40-point average in that span. This has been going on for a while, with Max averaging 24 Y! points per game across 29 minutes a night over his last 16 outings. Good luck finding that from another player in this price range!

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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.