Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

Another three-game playoff slate rolls around with a trio of game threes on the docket. The 76ers and Kings have jumped out to an early 2-0 series lead over the Nets and Warriors, respectively, while the Suns and Clippers series is currently split 1-1. It should be another exciting night of playoff basketball so let’s see what we can cook up for this Thursday night’s action! Best of luck!

Today’s Key Injuries:

76ers: J. McDaniels - Questionable (closer to probable)

Nets: None

Kings: None

Warriors: A. Wiggins - Questionable, D. Green - OUT, J. Poole - Questionable, G. Payton II - Questionable

Suns: C. Payne - Questionable

Clippers: K. Leonard - OUT, P. George - OUT

Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads

Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Plays

Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.

💫 = Favorite Play

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

PG Stephen Curry, GSW | DK: $9.7k, FD: $9.4k | vs. SAC

The guard spots are easily the positions of strength on tonight’s slate and there will be no shortage of star-caliber players to choose from. In Steph Curry’s case, we’re playing much more of a playoff series narrative rather than going off of how he has performed in the first two games against the Kings. He has not been “bad” by any stretch, but 41.75 DKFP and 41.0 DKFP performances are not going to cut it at his current DFS salaries. If the Warriors hope to avoid going down 3-0 in this series, Curry is going to need to have a massive night. The good news is that the Warriors are back at home where Curry has shot 45.3% from three this season and his usage has actually seen a significant +4.8% boost when Draymond Green (suspension/out) has been off of the court. The last time the Kings waltzed into Golden State territory, Curry dropped 47 points on 17-24 shooting and 72.5 DKFP. Can he post up a similar performance tonight? I wouldn’t put it past him. This game’s massive 240.5 over/under dwarfs the totals from the other two games on the evening so we can expect some fast-paced, high-scoring action from both sides of the ball in this one.

💫PG Russell Westbrook, LAC | DK: $8k, FD: $8.7k | vs. PHX

Paul George (knee/out) has been sidelined since March 21st and now Kawhi Leonard (knee/out) will be sitting out for the first time this postseason. That is going to put a massive amount of offensive responsibility on Russell Westbrook, who has already posted excellent DFS results in the first two games of this series (45.25 DKFP & 44.25 DKFP). RWB has played 36 minutes against Phoenix in the last two games while averaging 1.24 FPPM. The Clippers will bring this series back to LA tonight, where Westbrook has been a more efficient shooter and a tick better from an FPPM standpoint. Westbrook last played with both George and Leonard sidelined for the entire game on March 29th against the Grizzlies. He posted a vintage Westbrook performance, dropping 36 points, 10 assists, four rebounds, and two blocks, and ended up with 63.0 DKFP. There’s no guarantee he comes close to that sort of box score tonight, but that is where his upside lies when he’s the featured player in the Clippers’ offense.

💫SG Malik Monk, SAC | DK: $5.6k, FD: $6k | @ GSW

Malik Monk doesn’t start but he’s been a major spark plug off of the Kings’ bench and he’s coming close to starter’s minutes in this series with 29 minutes played in game one, and 31 minutes in game two. Monk has also thrived in this match-up throughout the season. Including this playoff series, Monk has played five games versus the Warriors this season and has averaged 35.1 FPPG and 1.23 FPPM. He’s very scoring-dependent and likely won’t put up significant peripheral stats, but if his shot is dropping, then he’ll end the night as one of the best value guards on the slate.

Other Guards to Consider:

💫PG De’Aaron Fox, SAC | DK: $9.1k, FD: $10k | @ GSW

SG Devin Booker, PHX | DK: $8.8k, FD: $9.9k | @ LAC

💫PG Chris Paul, PHX | DK: $7.4k, FD: $7.8k | @ LAC

💫SG Klay Thompson, GSW | DK: $7.2k, FD: $7.5k | vs. SAC

SG/SF Gary Payton II, GSW | DK: $4.4k, FD: $4.9k | vs. SAC (Note: Payton is currently questionable)

💫PG/SG Terrence Mann, LAC | DK: $4k, FD: $3.8k | vs. PHX

PG/SG Seth Curry, BKN | DK: $3.5k, FD: $3.7k | vs. PHI

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

💫SF/PF Kevin Durant, PHX | DK: $9.6k, FD: $10.4k | @ LAC

The forward options are severely lacking on this slate and Kevin Durant is the only healthy superstar forward available to choose from. He has played monstrous minutes in each game this series -- 45 minutes in game one, and 44 minutes in game two. In game one, he fell one rebound shy of a triple-double, ending with 27-9-11 with two blocks and a steal (63.25 DKFP). Game two was much more of a floor game for Durant (43.5 DKFP) while Devin Booker dropped 38 points… but a KD floor game is still nothing to sneeze at. There will be some blowout concerns with the Clippers playing without their two best players, but if Durant is going to continue to exceed 40+ minutes, he’s destined for another absurd game based on his 1.37 FPPM average this season.

💫SF/SG Norman Powell, LAC | DK: $4.9k, FD: $5.7k | vs. PHX

We can expect Norman Powell to slide into the starting rotation in place of the injured Kawhi Leonard tonight. He’s been the primary bench scorer for the Clippers this season and has averaged a respectable 0.98 FPPM. Powell has handled a significant +4.83% usage boost and +10.19 FP average (per 48-min) when both George and Leonard have been off the court this season. Assuming Powell logs mid-30s minutes as a starter this evening, he should easily pay off his modest DFS salaries.

PF/C Jonathan Kuminga, GSW | DK: $4.2k, FD: $3.9k | vs. SAC

It’s unclear whether or not Kuminga will start in place of the suspended Draymond Green, but after playing a combined 14 minutes in the first two games of this series, his minutes should see a significant bump up one way or the other, whether it’s as a starter or off of the bench. Kuminga has averaged 0.92 FPPM on the season and he has often exceeded that average when given extended run in games. The Kings have ranked 23rd (L20Gms) versus opposing power forwards and there will be a huge amount of shots and peripheral stats to go around in this fast-paced match-up.

Other Forwards to Consider:

SF/PF Tobias Harris, PHI | DK: $5.9k, FD: $7k | @ BKN

SF/PF Cameron Johnson, BKN | DK: $5.8k, FD: $6.3k | vs. PHI

SF/PF Harrison Barnes, SAC | DK: $5.1k, FD: $5.9k | @ GSW

💫PF Torrey Craig, PHX | DK: $4.7k, FD: $5.5k | @ LAC

Centers to Consider 🏀

💫C Joel Embiid, PHI | DK: $10.7k, FD: $11.2k | @ BKN

From a DFS perspective, game three of the 76ers @ Nets series will have the least appeal on the slate. Neither of these teams play particularly fast (BKN: 23rd in pace, PHI: 27th in pace) which is a contributing factor to the low 209.5 over/under. But that doesn’t mean a player of Joel Embiid’s caliber can’t pay off his lofty DFS salaries. In game two of this series, which ended with just 180 combined points scored, Embiid still produced a 59.75 DKFP score in 37 minutes. Now that this series has moved over to Brooklyn, the 76ers are narrow 4.5 favorites, which is the closest spread of the evening. If Embiid is pushed close to 40 minutes again, he’s nearly a lock to land in the optimal lineup. The Nets have also ranked dead last versus starting centers over the last 20 games.

C Mason Plumlee, LAC | DK: $3.7k, FD: $4.3k | vs. PHX

If you’re looking to take a risk on a cheap center play tonight, Mason Plumlee may just be the ticket. He doesn’t require huge minutes to pay off these sorts of salaries, and he showed that off in game one of this series where he 23.75 DKFP in just 18 minutes off of the bench. Plumlee owns a 1.11 FPPM average on the season and there’s always the off-chance that Ivica Zubac gets into foul trouble and Plumlee has his minutes increased. It’s a risky play, but one that could pay off at low ownership.

Other Centers to Consider:

💫C Domantas Sabonis, SAC | DK: $9k, FD: $9k | @ GSW

💫C Deandre Ayton, PHX | DK: $6.4k, FD: $6.8k | @ LAC

C Kevon Looney, GSW | DK: $5.5k, FD: $5.8k | vs. SAC

C Ivica Zubac, LAC | DK: $5.3k, FD: $5.8k | vs. PHX

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That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!