There is an old saying about the NBA playoffs that a series doesn’t start until one team wins on the road. While basketball fans have probably heard that saying enough times from the broadcasters and columnists, the reality is that teams that take a 2-0 series lead by winning each of their first two games at home go on to win their series 94% of the time, so for the most part the direction of a series is usually established by Game 2. That will put even more pressure on the three teams looking to avoid 0-2 holes heading in to Wednesday night’s games – including the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. Here is a look at the optimal lineup for Wednesday’s DraftKings daily fantasy league action.
PG: Tony Parker, San Antonio
Salary: $7,100
According to the stat listed above, the Spurs will be in a desperate spot heading in to Game 2 against the Clippers. In order to have any shot at bouncing back, they will certainly need more out of their star point guard after Parker was held to 10 points and one assist in Game 1. San Antonio is among the best teams in the NBA when it comes to adjusting from one game to the next and Parker needs to step up opposite Chris Paul in order for them to have a shot.
SG: J.J. Redick, Los Angeles
Salary: $4,300
Chris Paul and Blake Griffin tore the Spurs defense apart in Game 1 but with San Antonio making the necessary adjustments, they could have a tougher time in Game 2 and that should translate to turning to Redick even more than they did in their series opener. Redick registered just 10 points and three assists in Game 1 but he was 4-for-13 from the field. If he can hit even half of the shots he missed in the opener, he should register a stronger stat line.
SF: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio
Salary: $7,600
Leonard was the Spurs best player in Game 1 when he scored a team-high 18 points with six rebounds, four steals and three assists but he might need to top those totals in order for San Antonio to win Game 2 and even the series at 1-1. Leonard proved during last year’s championship run he can be the man in the playoffs, so expect a big performance on Wednesday night.
PF: Paul Millsap, Atlanta
Salary: $8,400
The Hawks are expected to blow past Brooklyn in Round 1 and with Al Horford dealing with nagging injuries, we could see more from Millsap in Game 2 as their primary big man. Millsap was just 2-for-11 from the field in Game 1 when he finished with just six points and seven rebounds but a better shooting performance should lead to better numbers.
C: Marc Gasol, Memphis
Salary: $8,600
Memphis will be looking to take the 2-0 series lead against the Trail Blazers and while they can expect Portland’s best in Game 2, they had no answer for Gasol in their series opener when he finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. Gasol looked locked in throughout Game 1 and we should be able to count on him for another monster performance in Game 2 against the Trail Blazers.
F: Demarre Carroll, Atlanta
Salary: $5,600
Millsap was the only Atlanta player that really struggled in its series opener but one player that stood out as a quality value play was Carroll, who finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Carroll has played an underrated role in the Hawks offense and with both Millsap and Horford banged up, Carroll might star again.
G: C.J. McCollum, Portland
Salary: $3,500
McCollum really struggled in his return to the Portland lineup for Game 1 against Memphis but Arron Afflalo is still questionable, so that means he will get another start for the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. McCollum should bounce back with a better performance than we saw from him Game 1 and considering his price tag, he will be a sneaky good play.
UTIL: Beno Udrih, Memphis
Salary: $3,000
With Jeff Green struggling from the field in Game 1, it was Udrih that came off the bench and stole the show for the Grizzlies with a team-high 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. While we can’t count on him to match those numbers exactly, there is every reason to love him as a strong value play to fill the UTIL spot with a $3,000 salary.
