This article is part of our DraftKings EuroLeague DFS Picks series.
Slate Overview
The flagship $1,000-for-first-place contest returns to DraftKings for Tuesday's Game 3 slate, and I could not be more excited to break down the board. For those of you who normally enter EuroLeague DFS contests on DraftKings -- and if you can do so responsibly -- throw another entry in there so DraftKings doesn't regret bringing this prize pool back.
Now to get back to brass tacks, the biggest key to Tuesday's slate is the availability of Maccabi's Wade Baldwin IV, who is questionable due to a hamstring injury that prevented him from playing in Game 2. Baldwin's status is the key to everything, and we will discuss both scenarios below. I should also note that the Olympiacos vs. Barcelona series has been the lowest-scoring of the four to date, so I'd advise against doing a full stack with players in that game. Good luck, everyone!
Guards to Go After
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Lorenzo Brown, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($9,600)
Wade Baldwin IV, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($10,000)
The two high-usage studs have led Maccabi this far and have them in position to pull off an upset. If Baldwin remains out, we will just keep rolling with Brown and the other guards I'll mention below. If Baldwin is able to suit up, I don't think that necessarily removes Brown from contention, but I'd hesitate to include him in my favorite lineups and might lean toward the riskier Baldwin, who is the true alpha when healthy.
Kostas Sloukas, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($10,300)
What Sloukas has been doing since the end of the regular season and into the Playoffs has been nothing short of amazing. He's doing exactly what Panathinaikos brought him in to do. When he's not shooting it well he can still stuff the stat sheet in other areas and returning meaningful value, and when he's on he can break a slate. Sloukas almost always works as a reserve so do not be alarmed if he's not included in the starting lineup.
Thomas Walkup, Olympiacos Piraeus ($9,000)
His playing time was extended a bit in Game 2 with Nigel Williams-Goss getting into foul trouble, but I think he will always see 27-to-30 minutes -- provided he avoids fouls of his own -- due to his impact on the defensive end. Walkup has been searching for his jumper of late, but that's nothing a return to his home arena can't fix.
Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($9,300)
I keep waiting for the game in which he surprises and outscores Sloukas, but it hasn't happened lately, and he's going to have to get really hot in order to do so. For that reason he's just a GPP pivot for me.
Ricky Rubio, FC Barcelona ($7,900)
Head coach Roger Grimau was fully ready to let Rubio take the lead for Barcelona. I noticed it in Game 1, and then again in Game 2 when he joined the starting lineup. I was all-in, and unfortunately Rubio came out and had his worst performance in a few weeks. I think this will prevent him from starting again, but I don't think it will prevent him from getting minutes in the mid-20s as long as he is playing well. He's a GPP pivot or last man into lineups with some upside.
Valuable Values
Tamir Blatt, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($7,200)
Antonius Cleveland, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($6,800)
John DiBartolomeo, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($4,900)
These are the three affordable Maccabo guards I'll be considering if Baldwin is ruled out. I'd rank them as I have them listed. All have really stepped up but I trust Blatt's skills and what he brings from a fantasy perspective. DiBartolomeo is Maccabi's captain and should start if Baldwin remains sidelined, but unless he's hitting shots or defending well he could get a quick hook.
Marius Grigonis, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($6,200)
Jerian Grant, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($7,000)
These are the two budget-friendly Panathinaikos guards I like as flyers. Grigonis will almost certainly start and Grant would most likely do the same if Baldwin is back. Grigonis is a knockdown shooter whereas Grant is the best perimeter defender in the league. You could tell that Grant lost minutes in Game 2 with his defensive presence being less important in Baldwin's absence.
Isaiah Canaan, Olympiacos Piraeus ($7,600)
Much like Walkup, Canaan has struggled to shoot, which is way more out of character for him as that's what he does. He will start at the shooting guard spot and could get hot courtesy the home rims. Canaan picked up four fouls in Game 2 and lost minutes as a result.
Nigel Williams-Goss, Olympiacos Piraeus ($8,200)
I'm listing Williams-Goss because if you include someone in the first game who tosses up a dud, he is a great option to swap to. He hasn't shown it in a while, but he has the potential to put up 30.0 DraftKings points and help you make up some ground.
Frontcourt in Focus
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Jabari Parker, FC Barcelona ($9,200)
Seeing Parker get 32 minutes in Game 2 was just beautiful. What's even better is how impactful he has been in every aspect of the game -- even defense. I think the ceiling could be very high for Parker moving forward provided he gets the playing time, and he could be listed at $10,000 sooner rather than later.
Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($9,800)
Mr. Consistency is generally right at or at least close to returning 3x value. He's a walking double-double and has really been able to take advantage of the foul trouble Josh Nebo has gotten into.
Josh Nebo, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($8,300)
Speaking of Nebo, he gets to return to familiar surroundings in Serbia, and maybe he can catch a home whistle as a result. If he gets the minutes he really is a problem inside, and he has block upside as well. That's enough to land him here despite a tough matchup.
Bonzie Colson, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($8,700)
Regardless of Baldwin's status I have interest in Colson at this price. The minutes are incredible and Colson really seems to go off when people least expect it so he could be a low-owned GPP winner.
Jan Vesely, FC Barcelona ($8,800)
Willy Hernangomez, FC Barcelona ($8,000)
These are the two centers for Barcelona. Both are talented but unfortunately they eat into each other's production so much and never share the court together. It doesn't help that Olympiacos is tougher on centers than any other team in the league.
Valuable Values
Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos Piraeus ($7,400)
Papanikolaou's return comes at an ideal time for Olympiacos, as they have been getting lit up at that spot lately. He provides length and defense to frustrate players on the opposing side. If he starts I think he will handle his usual workload, and he can really get hot from long range.
Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($7,800)
I know he hasn't been great lately, but he sees a dramatic price drop. With his minutes I think he should always be around $8,300, especially with Juancho Hernangomez unable to spell him. The floor is not great, but at this price he could honestly return 5x if he's playing well. That tends to happen he sees his first shot fall, which ignites his entire game.
Ioannis Papapetrou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($5,000)
The one thing we saw from head coach Ergin Altman last game was the commitment to going big and playing Papapetrou at the small forward spot. I'm curious to see if that happens again. If you believe so, I think Papapetrou is in play, and I have no issue chasing the points.
Nikola Kalinic, FC Barcelona ($7,500)
He's a last-piece-in guy. One strategy you could employ if you want to go with Papanikolaou is swap in Kalinic if the former doesn't doesn't draw the start in his return.
James Webb III, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($5,600)
Webb will only be an option if Baldwin sits out a second straight game.
