This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
We have a single-game showdown on DraftKings for Saturday. The Celtics, down 2-0 in the series, square off against the Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. At this point in the playoffs, both teams are running extremely tight rotations, so it's fairly easy to pinpoint where the production will be coming from, it's just a matter of how many you can fit into your lineup without having to take shots on players who have been playing limited minutes off the bench. Potentially going cheaper with your Captain selection can allow you to roster players that have been providing a consistent floor rather than focusing on ceiling, since raw points matter most in a showdown format.
Slate Overview
MIA vs. BOS (-2.5), O/U 213.5
After blowing back to back leads, which has resulted in some clear frustration within the locker room, the Celtics will look to right the ship in Game 3. Standing in their way, the Heat have shown remarkable resiliency battling back after trailing in both games to take a commanding 2-0 advantage in the series. As I said, the starters for each team have barely been leaving the floor as both coaches have opted to dip into their respective benches as little as possible, a trend that should continue for the remainder of this round.
Injury Situations to Monitor
Gordon Hayward, (ankle) Questionable
Since suffering an ankle injury during Game 2 against the Sixers, Hayward has been working his way back and could have a chance to return here after being upgraded to questionable. The Celtics could certainly use his help, although he presumably would be on a minutes restriction if he's ultimately cleared to take the court. Marcus Smart could return to a bench role in a corresponding move.
Andre Iguodala, (back) Probable
The former champion is dealing with back spasms but should be available to play despite being mostly ineffective in this round of the playoffs.
Elite Plays
Jayson Tatum, ($10,400) Captain: ($15,600)
Coming in as the most expensive player in the game, Tatum has flashed 60+ fantasy point upside throughout the playoffs with his most recent coming in the Game 1 loss versus the Heat. With Hayward off the court, Tatum is commanding a 24 percent usage rating and will be relied on heavily to will his team back into this series. After turning the ball over five times in Game 2, he'll hope to clean up those mistakes and be more efficient from behind the arc after taking only two shots from downtown, missing both. He continued staying aggressive, getting to the foul line on multiple occasions, so if he can limit the turnovers and improve his shooting, we should see a big bounce-back game despite the potential return of Gordon Hayward.
Bam Adebayo, ($9,200) Captain: ($13,800)
The Celtics have virtually nobody that can stop Bam Adebayo so far, he's had his way with Daniel Theis, posting a monster 21 point, 10 rebound double-double in Game 2. They even threw Enes Kanter at him only to see the big man get torched on both ends of the court. At this point, a bad shooting night or getting into foul trouble is really the only hope the Celtics have in slowing him down. He makes for a nice Captain play at almost a $2,000 discount from Tatum with nearly the same floor and far better matchup, as he should continue to find success in the paint versus Boston.
Expected Chalk
Goran Dragic, ($8,200)
Since being inserted into the starting lineup for Kendrick Nunn, the seasoned veteran has made the most of the opportunity averaging over 30 fantasy points a game during the playoffs, while commanding the highest usage rate (24.1) on the team. His scoring has stood out the most in this series, with 29 in Game 2 which included three makes from behind the arc. He should continue running the floor, while adding assists with the occasional rebound giving him a safe floor at his midrange price point.
Tyler Herro, ($7,200)
If you can't find the salary for Dragic, his direct backup has been equally efficient and plays nearly the same minutes, as he is one of the most reliable bench players in these playoffs. Averaging over 30 minutes per game, Herro can do just about everything from scoring to assists to rebounds, and he flirted with a triple-double in Game 1, coming up just one assist short. Normally extremely reliable from the three-point line, he shot 1-8 in Game 2, so if a couple more of those fall, he always has the chance to reach the 40 fantasy point upside he flashed from the bench in Game 1.
Key Values
Jae Crowder, ($6,800)
Locked into his starting role, Crowder consistently plays over 30 minutes a game and provides extra toughness with his physical play that results in steals and blocks. He also has the ability to step back behind the three-point line, knocking down eight over the last two games.
Brad Wanamaker, ($4,800)
Despite having an undefined role, Wanamaker has seen an uptick in playing time the last two games with the Celtics opting to go smaller at times due to the inefficiency of Daniel Theis. He remains a boom or bust option but can provide a spark off the bench and is capable of adding assists and steals with the occasional make from behind the arc, going 2-3 from downtown in Game 2.
