This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
FanDuel has made some changes with their single game tournament, completely doing away with positions. They now have three spots (MVP, Star and Pro) that result in a multiple of the usual points that a player scores and two utility spots. Let's take a look at Game 1 of the series between the Warriors and Rockets and discuss some players who you may want to target for these spots.
MVP Candidates
James Harden, HOU ($18,000): The player slotted into the MVP option with receive two times the points, so if you are playing in a tournament, you want to use players with the highest upside here. Harden certainly fits that description after leading the league with a 36.3% usage rate during the regular season. This should be a high scoring series, so look for Harden to put up some hefty numbers.
Kevin Durant, GS ($17,000): The Warriors offense is loaded with scoring talent, but Durant still finished with a 30.3% usage rate during the regular season, which ranked 13th in the league. The Warriors haven't really been tested in the playoffs yet this year, but Durant still scored at least 41.8 FanDuel points in nine of 10 games. Sometimes lost in his excellent scoring numbers, Durant has recorded at least five assists in the playoffs seven times as well.
Star and Pro Candidates
Chris Paul, HOU ($12,500): The Star position receives 1.5-times the points and the Pro position receives 1.2-times the points, so it's important to make key selections in these spots, as well. The Rockets advanced to the Western Conference Finals with relative ease, beating both the Timberwolves and the Jazz in five games. Paul wasn't always needed to play heavy minutes due to the lopsided nature of some of those games, but has shown his excellent upside by scoring at least 53.6 FanDuel points four times in the playoffs. He should get plenty of playing time with this likely to be a tight series, making him a great candidate for the added points.
Draymond Green, GS ($12,000): Durant and Stephen Curry may have the biggest star power on the Warriors, but Green may be just as important to the team's success. He had an excellent series against the Pelicans, scoring at least 50.3 FanDuel points in four of the five games. He played very well during three regular season games against the Rockets, averaging 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.7 assists. His ability to contribute in multiple categories gives him a high floor, making him a great option for your entry.
Utility
P.J. Tucker, HOU ($9,500): Since there are not any multipliers for the utility spots, here is where you want to use cheap players who help your budget. Tucker has become a key part of the Rockets rotation, logging at least 33 minutes in five of his last six games. He's not one of their main scoring options, but he was still able to produce enough across the board to score at least 20.6 FanDuel points in all five of those contests. With cheap options who have value hard to come by, Tucker and his secure playing time make him one of the best cost-effective players available Monday.
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute ($7,000): Mbah a Moute missed the entire first round with a shoulder injury, but played in each game against the Jazz. He wasn't overly productive, but he did score at least 12.3 FanDuel points four times. He logged at least 20 minutes in a game three times in that series and should be one of the Rockets main players off the bench as long as he stays healthy. If you want to load up with three really expensive players for the spots with multipliers, Mbah a Moute could be someone to consider at utility.
