This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Two-game slates mean some positions can end up without much foreseeable value, as is the case with small forward and center Friday. Still, plenty of options remain at other positions like shooting guard and power forward, which each have five players at or above $5,000.
Point Guard
Rajon Rondo, NOP vs GSW ($7,500)
"Playoff Rondo" continues to be a real thing, as he's averaged 12.7 points, 12.7 assists, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 35.6 minutes while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from deep this postseason. All of those numbers exceed his season averages. He hasn't slowed down against the Warriors, despite the Pelicans falling into an 0-2 hole. In fact, Rondo has arguably played even better than he did in Round 1. In the first two games against Golden State, Rondo is averaging 15.5 points, 11.5 assists, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals, adding up to 47.8 fantasy points. Priced at $7,500, Rondo needs 37.5 fantasy points to reach 5X value, which he's done on a regular basis. He's only dipped below that number twice all throughout the playoffs, with one game at 35.5 fantasy points and another game at 37.4 fantasy points. All things considered, it's hard for me not to plug Rondo into a lineup Friday.
Shooting Guard
Donovan Mitchell, UTA vs. HOU ($8,900)
Mitchell's only "down game" this postseason was Game 1 against Houston where he provided 21 points, five assists and three rebounds while committing four turnovers, resulting in a 28.1-fantasy-point effort. Aside from that contest, the rookie has averaged 44.6 fantasy points in the playoffs. Mitchell also hasn't taken fewer than 20 shots in a game in the postseason, contributing to his high fantasy floor. Plus, with Ricky Rubio (hamstring) likely out again for Friday's Game 3, Mitchell should continue to play the role of a facilitator. His 11 assists in Game 2 was the best mark of his career -- his previous career high being nine assists. Assuming he can continue passing well and hit a higher percentage of his shots than we saw in Games 1 and 2 (34.9 percent), Mitchell could end up being one of the better values on the slate.
Small Forward
Kevin Durant, GSW at NOP ($10,600)
This pick is far from bold, but the small forward crop is bare for Friday's slate. Many of the other options are pure shooters -- Trevor Ariza, E'Twaun Moore, Darius Miller -- which is risky for DFS, or role players whose prices represent their probable ceiling -- Joe Ingles at $6,700, Royce O'Neale at $5,200, P.J. Tucker at $4,600. So that leaves Durant at a reasonable price of $10,600, meaning he needs 53 fantasy points to hit 5X value. In seven postseason games, he's averaged 48.5 fantasy points by way of 28.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and a combined 2.0 blocks/steals. His best game was also his most recent game, where he dropped 59.7 fantasy points via 29 points, seven dimes, six boards, three blocks and two steals in 41 minutes.
Power Forward
Nikola Mirotic, NOP vs. GSW ($7,200)
Mirotic was slow out of the gate to begin the Pelicans' series against the Warriors, posting a playoff-low 21.6 fantasy points in 29 minutes. However, he immediately bounced back during Game 2, recording 36.3 fantasy points via 18 points, nine boards, two steals and an assist in 39 minutes. Considering how poorly he played during Game 1, it makes sense that his price is at a modest $7,200. But, that could end up being one outlier game surrounded by other impressive performances, as he's averaged 42.6 fantasy points in the playoffs when ignoring his worst outing. Ultimately, I'm willing to take the gamble with Mirotic here, as this may be the lowest his price ever gets during the playoffs.
Center
Clint Capela, HOU vs. UTA ($8,900)
Like the small forward group, Friday's choice of centers is bare, with Capela and Rudy Gobert representing the only players over $3,500. Capela gets the nod from me here, however, as his role in the offense has grown since the end of Houston's Round 1 series against Minnesota. Through the first three games of the playoffs, Capela saw 9.0 field-goal attempts and averaged 13.0 points per game. Since then, he's averaged 13.3 field-goal attempts and has averaged 19.3 points. Taking that along with his 13.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.8 assists per game, the center has averaged 45.4 fantasy points over the last four outings. I don't think his ceiling extends much beyond 45 fantasy points, but his high floor is worth spending up for on this slate.
