The Houston Rockets pushed the Golden State Warriors to the wire in Game 2. However, a turnover in the final seconds kept them from getting a potential game-winning shot off in a 99-98 loss. Houston returns home facing an 0-2 deficit and will once again need to ramp up the urgency and desperation in order to try and fight their way back into a series. So why are we stacking our lineup with Warriors players? Read on to find out.
PG: Stephen Curry, Golden State
Salary: $10,500
The Rockets desperation won’t matter very much if the NBA MVP continues to dominate. While his salary continues to rise in this series, there is nothing we can do but go back to him for a third straight game. Curry dominated in Game 2 with a team-high 33 points, six assists, three rebounds, a steal and five three-point shots. There is no reason to think he won’t tear apart the Houston defense once again in Game 3 on Saturday night.
SG: James Harden, Houston
Salary: $9,800
Harden has been an absolute monster in each of the first two games of the series for the Rockets and with their backs against the wall in Game 3, you can bet he will be ready to put on a show. Harden registered a game-high 38 points with 10 rebounds, nine assists, three steals, a block and three three-point shots on the road in Game 2 and he’s still stinging from that failed last possession. Expect him to be extra-focused in this one.
SF: Harrison Barnes, Golden State
Salary: $4,900
Barnes might not be the best option at the small forward spot and his missed basket nearly led to the game-winning bucket for the Rockets in Game 2, but we only have so much money to go around. With Curry and Harden already locked in as the highest paid players available at their respective positions, we will go with a value play here. Barnes has averaged 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.8 steals per game in these playoffs and even if he can match those averages, he will be a strong value play.
PF: Draymond Green, Golden State
Salary: $7,900
Curry and Harden are the top two players on the board by far but if there is a third player that deserves to be a lock for Game 3 it should be Green. Steve Kerr has used Green as a small forward, power forward and center this season. While his point totals can be inconsistent at times, his ability to stuff the stat sheet in other areas separates him from the rest. Game 2 was the perfect example of that as Green scored 12 points with eight rebounds, seven assists, a steal, a block and a three-point shot and we will go back to him for Game 3 expecting similar totals across the board.
C: Andrew Bogut, Golden State
Salary: $4,600
With Curry, Harden and Green locked in, we have to mind the budget for this position. However, Bogut is coming off a solid effort. Golden State relied on him much more in Game 2 when he scored 14 points with eight rebounds, four assists and an outstanding five blocks, so to plug him in to our lineup at under $5K makes him an excellent value bargain play for Saturday night.
G: Shaun Livingston, Golden State
Salary: $3,200
Livingston wasn’t as productive in Game 2 of this series as he was in Game 1 but he is still available at just over $3K and that is an excellent price for a guard that has averaged 13.0 points and 5.5 rebounds so far in this series. Livingston has the potential to provide valuable minutes off the bench for Golden State and he is worth his salary price here.
F: Terrence Jones, Houston
Salary: $4,600
With Warriors players plugged in to five of our first six positions, we finally find a solid value play for the forward spot in Jones. He still costs substantially more than Livingston but also has the higher potential of the two for Game 3. Jones scored 12 points with two rebounds, one assist, one steal and three blocks in Game 2 and with Houston back home in a desperate spot, they will need him to help provide a spark off the bench.
FLEX: Corey Brewer, Houston
Salary: $4,300
We will turn back to the Rockets for our FLEX play position as well with Brewer coming off a terrible performance in Game 2 but with the potential for a much better outing in Game 3 at home. We have already underlined the circumstances for Houston heading in to Saturday night and they will need more out of Brewer than the three points on one-of-five shooting that he put up in 19 minutes on Thursday night. Andre Iguodala is another interesting option but we prefer to give Brewer with the Rockets being at home.
