FanDuel Single-Game Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Clippers at Suns (6/22/21)
The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.
With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.
Daily fantasy NBA is very reliant on opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries and COVID-19 situations. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news and we also have player news updates.
We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.
Let's take a look at who you should target for tonight's matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns, which tips off at 9:00 PM Eastern.
All injury updates are via the NBA's official injury report or numberFire's player news.
Read this piece by Brandon Gdula for some excellent in-depth analysis on how to attack a single-game slate in NBA DFS.
MVP Considerations
Paul George ($15,000) - For a majority of people, the MVP slot will come down to either Paul George or Devin Booker ($14,500). Since Kawhi Leonard went down, PG13 has dropped 67.7, 54.3, and 54.3 FanDuel points, and that certainly gives him a better floor than Booker. numberFire's algorithm has George outscoring Booker by 3.8 FanDuel points tonight, and every point makes a difference with the 2X multiplier in place.
Devin Booker ($14,500) - In Game 1, Booker pegged the Clippers for 40 real-life points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, and 70.1 fantasy points. A truly remarkable performance. Over his last six games, the 24-year-old has amassed FanDuel outputs of 53.2, 64.7, and the aforementioned 70.1, but he's also been held to 40.2 or fewer in the other three. The Clippers will likely throw everything but the kitchen sink at the young superstar, which has me leaning towards Paul George here, but Booker is still very much the target for the STAR slot.
Cameron Payne ($11,000) - The PRO slot is really where you can start to differentiate your lineups, and Cameron Payne provides an excellent target. With Chris Paul inactive in Game 1, Payne recorded 11 real-life points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals plus blocks, and 33.1 FanDuel points. In fact, in the three games this postseason that he's seen more than 26 minutes of action, the 26-year-old has totaled 33.1, 35.6, and 40.1 fantasy points. And at $11,000, his salary is far more manageable than the other two top options here.
Other Players to Consider: Reggie Jackson ($12,500), Deandre Ayton ($12,000)
Utility Considerations
Reggie Jackson ($12,500) - You can choose to flip-flop Jackson and Payne between the PRO and Utility slots, but either way, it is feasible to get them both in a lineup build. In the three games that Leonard has missed this postseason, Jackson has recorded 32.9, 53.6, and 35.2 FanDuel points. As Los Angeles' number two option at the moment, his role is unlikely to diminish any time soon.
Rajon Rondo ($6,500) - The simplest way to fit two of Payne, Jackson, Ayton, or even Nicolas Batum ($13,000) in your lineups would be by rostering Rondo, who has a game-low salary of $6,500. In the opener, Rondo racked up 8 real-life points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 25.1 FanDuel points, 14.6 of which came in the fourth quarter. The Clippers were in desperate need of more ball-handling, especially late in the game, and Rondo provided that. If the veteran sees more than 20 minutes once again tonight, he could wind up being one of the best value plays.
Other Utility Options: Terance Mann ($11,000), Mikal Bridges ($10,000), Cam Johnson ($8,500)
