This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Memorial Day provides an elimination game in the Eastern Conference, as the Celtics try to close the book and book their ticket to the Finals. Tipoff is at 8:00 p.m. ET, and we will try to keep our cash streak going with single-game format recommendations.
SLATE OVERVIEW
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While FanDuel's single-game format adjusts salaries to make up for the new environment, it differs from other sites with static ones regardless of roster slot. You're looking for your top three scorers on any given night, followed by two additional utility spots without a multiplier. There is no salary penalty for putting a player in a multiplier. The three positions are as follows:
MVP - 2.0x
STAR - 1.5x
PRO - 1.2x
We'll begin by looking at the optimal Game 3 lineup from one of FanDuel's most popular contests.
MVP (2.0x) - Jayson Tatum 138
STAR (1.5x) - Andrew Nembhard 72.45
PRO (1.2x) - Derrick White 49.8
UTIL- Al Horford 40
UTIL- T.J. McConnell 44.8
Nembhard and McConnell were beneficiaries of Haliburton's absence, which tipped the scales for players who kept tabs on the injury.
INJURIES
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Obviously, Monday's DFS outlook hinges on Tyrese Haliburton's (hamstring) availability. With the Pacers up against it in Game 4, the team could certainly use his production despite faring reasonably well without him. His status means more to us as a portal for obtaining value elsewhere, as his $15,000 salary is too high considering his injury. For the article, we will work on the assumption that he takes the floor. We'll list some contingency plans if he is out.
There is also some concern about Jrue Holiday (illness). I expect him to play and will assume his illness won't be enough to sideline him.
MULTIPLIER CANDIDATES
MVP
Jayson Tatum, BOS ($17,000)
Tatum is the most prolific and consistent scorer of the series, and only blowout potential from the Celtics would tempt me to move away from the All-Star. His salary limits our options and will force us to seek value down the ballot. FanDuel's format is all about slotting the best fantasy producers without any salary adjustment, so I advise taking the cap hit and rolling with Tatum once again.
PRO, STAR
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($14,000)
Derrick White, BOS ($11,500)
Myles Turner, IND ($10,500)
Al Horford, BOS ($9,000)
I used Horford in the PRO spot for Game 3 and cashed, but he's probably more suitable in the UTIL spot. It's not often that we'll see Horford drain seven threes, but the veteran is certainly feeling it in the playoffs and shows a lot of upside. We'll discuss the Indiana pivot plan later in the article, but I'm sold on some combination of this quartet if Haliburton is active. Pascal Siakam's ($13,500) absence is notable. While I could see a pivot off of Brown, leaning to the Celtic is motivated by what I believe to be the game's final outcome.
Derrick White is almost a universal add for me. He's a better option than Holiday right now, who sits at a $500 discount. If Holiday plays a full complement of minutes, I can envision a pivot at the PRO spot, but White's nightly totals are slightly more consistent. A group of Tatum/Brown/White at the top leaves us a median salary of $8,750, while a Tatum/White/Horfod build offers an average gives us $11,200 to play with. This is a point where Turner's salary becomes a bit more attractive. If I am pivoting anywhere, it's a Turner swap. A Tatum/Turner/White build puts you in an odd no-man's land at $11,500 per player, but using Horford in the utility boosts that average to $12,000. The pivot makes more sense if Haliburton is out, which I will outline below.
INDIANA PIVOT PLAYS
Andrew Nembhard, IND ($10,000)
T.J. McConnell, IND ($9,500)
An absence from Haliburton puts both guards in the forefront. As we see in the optimal lineup above, Nembhard came up huge in the multiplier spot. A Haliburton absence will force you to rethink your entire strategy. A full absence would increase your Indiana exposure because using Turner over Brown is one of the easiest ways to get Nembhard involved. Taking a Tatum/Nembhard/White route becomes a viable build for a second consecutive game, and McConnell's addition to the UTIL spot would be another given. While the Haliburton absence is possible, I don't believe it will shake down that way. Regardless of the outcome, Nembhard and McConnell are still solid UTIL considerations, but loading up with Tatum, Brown and White won't get you there.
CONCLUSION
As you can see, the Tatum/Brown/White build looks good at first glance, but the $8,750 average forces you to look at guys like Aaron Nesmith next to Horford. I'm leaning toward Tatum, Turner and White to allow for more solid utility prospects, even if it means we leave some salary on the table. I would still want Horford involved. If we took White out instead of Brown, we'd have a solid build of Tatum/Brown/Turner/Horford/McConnell. Excising Brown does give us a bit more utility flexibility, as a Tatum/Turner/White combo could give you Nembhard/Horford or Holiday/Horford at the bottom.