This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The Timberwolves managed to pull themselves together in Game 4 and finally hang on for a victory in what has been an extremely close series. The Mavericks now have to try to close things out in enemy territory after escaping Minnesota with narrow victories in Games 1 and 2. Dallas could be getting talented rookie center back Dereck Lively for Game 5, but Minnesota is also expected to have its starting five at full strength.
With only one matchup, we're dealing with FanDuel's single-game contest rosters comprised as follows:
MVP- (Garners points at 2x the normal rate)
STAR- (Garners points at 1.5x the normal rate)
PRO- (Garners points at 1.2x the normal rate)
Two Utility spots- (Garner points at normal rate)
With salaries also being different than in conventional FanDuel contests on multi-game slates and top players inevitably headed for heavy rostering, there are definitely strategic elements particular to single-game lineups. Finding key value plays for the two utility spots is undoubtedly key, as it enables you to fill out the multiplier spots with some of the top projected producers.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, May 30 @12:00 a.m. ET:
Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves (-4.5) (O/U: 209.5)
After finally breaking through in Game 4, the Timberwolves now return home and have at least a modicum of momentum on their side going into a second straight elimination scenario. The fairly narrow but solid home favorite status is therefore unsurprising, and the lowish total is indicative of the mostly defense-centric series it's been.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Luka Doncic, DAL (knee/ankle): QUESTIONABLE
As has been the case for the bulk of the postseason, Doncic is expected to play through his pair of ailments despite the questionable tag. If he were to unexpectedly sit, Kyrie Irving would likely take over primary ball-handling duties and see a massive usage boost, while Dante Exum would potentially enter the starting five.
Mike Conley, MIN (Achilles/calf): QUESTIONABLE
Conley is expected to continue playing through his lower-leg issues, but if he were to unexpectedly sit out, Monte Morris would likely step into a starting point guard role.
Dereck Lively, DAL (neck): QUESTIONABLE
If Lively sits out another game, Daniel Gafford would once again see a big uptick in minutes and usage, while Maxi Kleber, who played 13 minutes in his Game 4 return, would serve as his primary backup.
Elite Players
The two highest-salaried players on the slate are Luka Doncic ($17,500) and Anthony Edwards ($16,000).
Doncic's availability will naturally need to be monitored, but assuming he's on the floor as usual, he's the clear-cut top candidate for the MVP spot after posting his second straight 60-plus FD-point tally in Game 4 and his fourth overall this postseason.
Edwards is averaging 49.9 FD points over the last two games, even as he's still shooting just 44.9 percent over that span. The star wing has taken 49 total attempts over that pair of contests, and his usage should once again be through the roof as Minnesota once again tries to stave off elimination.
Expected Chalk
With only one matchup, the likes of Kyrie Irving ($13,500), Karl-Anthony Towns ($12,500) and Rudy Gobert ($12,000) should also be very popular. All three make for great options in the STAR or PRO slots.
Irving did an excellent job as a complementary option to Doncic's exploits over the first three games of the series, scoring 34.8 to 43 FD points while shooting 52.5 percent, including 43.8 percent from distance. Even with a downturn to 23.4 FD points on 6-for-18 shooting in Game 4, Irving should still be highly rostered due to his upside.
Towns finally got his shooting on track in Game 4, draining an impressive nine of 13 attempts on his way to 25 points over 30 minutes. Even though the big man only finished with 28.5 FD points thanks to a modest five rebounds, one assist and four turnovers, the resurgence and his big-name appeal should keep him very popular at his salary.
Gobert bounced back with a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double in Game 4 that netted 27.5 FD points, following a downturn to 18.2 FD points in Game 3. Considering Gobert had also averaged 34.3 FD points in the six games prior to the outlier, and he should remain popular thanks to the combination of his salary and normally reliable floor.
Key Values
The following players make for strong candidates for the Utility spots:
Mike Conley, MIN ($11,500)
Conley is expected to play through his questionable tag again, and he's coming off a gutsy Game 4 performance where he scored a postseason-high 40.1 FD points over 34 minutes. That makes it at least 25.2 FD points for Conley in 12 of his last 13 postseason contests, and he's shooting a blistering 42.3 percent from three-point range over that span. With everything on the line for a second straight game and Dallas surrendering an elevated 31.0 offensive efficiency rating to point guards in the postseason, Conley is firmly in play at his salary.
Daniel Gafford, DAL ($11,000)
Gafford made good use of frontcourt mate Dereck Lively's absence in Game 4, posting his third-highest FD-point tally of the playoffs (35.1) over 31 minutes. The stellar performance included Gafford's third straight multi-block effort, and even if Lively is back in action Thursday, Gafford should have a solid chance of contributing another strong return given his defensive proficiency. Additionally, Minnesota is yielding the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (34.4) of the original 20-team postseason field, furthering Gafford's case.
P.J. Washington, DAL ($10,500)
Washington was down to 21 FD points in Game 4 after posting a series-high 28.6 FD points across 40 minutes in Game 3, but his corresponding salary decrease accounts for that downturn. Washington is still averaging 27.8 FD points per contest across 16 postseason games, and with Minnesota allowing 48.4 percent shooting, including 37.5 percent from three-point range, to power forwards during the postseason, Washington merits consideration as a value option.
ALSO CONSIDER: Derrick Jones, DAL ($8,500)
