This is a strange part of the DFS season. We have some series that have already ended, and some that are coming to an end. That leaves us with just one game for this slate, and we could have more of these going forward. That will obviously lead to shorter articles, but we still have plenty to discuss!
I don’t talk about betting much, but this is an essential series for yours truly. I put down a hefty wager on Memphis when they were down 0-1, and I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you I was rooting for the Grizzles here. I’m not sure they’ll close it out in this spot, but I believe we’re looking at a fourth-quarter game!
Schedule and Odds
MEM at MIN (MEM -1.5) O/U: 228.5
This is our one game of the day! We have Memphis entering this matchup with a 3-2 series lead, despite Minnesota having monster leads in two of their defeats. This has been the highest-scoring series of the postseason, and that’s likely to continue between two of the fastest-paced teams in the NBA.
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros >>
Injury Report
- Steven Adams
- Ziaire Williams
Core Plays
Ja Morant (PG – MEM)
: $11,800 DraftKings, $15,500 FanDuel
Morant needs to be in every lineup out there. This has been one of the best players in fantasy for months now, scoring at least 34 DraftKings points in each of his last 43 games. He’s also flirting with a 50-point average in that span, averaging 52 DraftKings points per game in this series. That production is no surprise when you look at the matchup, with Minnesota sitting 20th in total defense while playing at the fastest pace in the NBA. Just put Ja in your star slot and build from there.
Cash Game Considerations
Karl-Anthony Towns (C – MIN)
: $11,000 DraftKings, $15,000 FanDuel
It will be tough to fade KAT since this is a one-game card. It’s critical to get the top-scoring players, and Towns is the second-best bet for 40 fantasy points. The big man has scored at least 53 fantasy points in three of the five games in this series, scoring at least 28 DK points in all but two games all year. That’s a fantastic floor, and he should be in line for 20 shots and 40 minutes in this must-win elimination game.
Desmond Bane (SG – MIN)
: $8,600 DraftKings, $13,500 FanDuel
Bane is on his way to becoming a household name, and he’s showing why in this series. The bulky shooter has scored at least 42 DraftKings points in three straight outings, posting a 36-point average since the beginning of March. That makes him tough to avoid in such a tasty matchup, with Minnesota surrendering the third-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season while playing at the blistering pace we mentioned before.
GPP Targets
Jaren Jackson Jr.(PF/C – MEM)
: $7,200 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
Jackson just picked up his third foul in this game as I’m writing this article. That’s how deep the foul issues have been for this guy, playing 23 or fewer minutes in three straight games. He’s still averaging 27 DK points per game across 23 minutes a night in this series, and that sort of rate shows the potential that this guy has. JJJ can drop 50 fantasy points on any given night, and we’ll take a risk on him here with the drop in price and tasty matchup.
Jarred Vanderbilt (PF – MIN)
: $4,600 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
Vanderbilt will be the least exciting player in your lineup, but he’s a good bet at this price. The versatile forward has been playing 30 minutes a night over the last three games, averaging 29 DraftKings points per game in that span. That’s all you can ask for from such a cheap player, especially since Minny needs Vandy to match up with guys like Brandon Clarke
and JJJ. This is the best pairing out there if you want to try to squeeze in Towns and Morant into your build.
Value Plays
Brandon Clarke (PF/C – MEM)
: $8,000 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
Steven Adams
has been excised from the rotation because he can’t cover Towns, but Clarke has benefited dramatically from that change. BC has scored at least 24 DK points in six straight fixtures, generating a 34-point average in that span. That’s truly absurd from a player in this price range, and it looks like they’re going to give him all the minutes he can handle with Adams out.
Patrick Beverley (PG/SG – MIN)
: $6,800 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
Beverley has been one of the most consistent cheap players over the last two months. The feisty guard has scored at least 22 DK points in 40 of his previous 47 games. When you dive deeper into it, Pat-Bev was ejected or injured in five of those! That means he’s a near guarantee for 22 DK points, averaging 30 fantasy points per game in that span. He’s had success against Memphis all year, ctoo, soring at least 24 DK points in eight of their nine matchups en route to a 29-point average.
Advantageous Pricing
- Desmond Bane
(SG – MIN): $8,600 DraftKings, $13,500 FanDuel
- Jarred Vanderbilt
(PF – MIN): $4,600 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
- Dillon Brooks
(SG/SF – MEM): $7,000 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
- Jordan McLaughlin
(PG/SG – MIN): $2,000 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel
The pricing discrepancy is completely different on a single-game slate. With that said, these look like the best values on both sites based on how they’re priced.