Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks travel to Golden State for Game 1 of the West finals tonight.
This is the opening night of the Western Conference Finals. Dallas is the genuine surprise here, handing Phoenix a 40-point beatdown in Game 7 to get to this point. Most people expected to see Golden State here, but they haven’t been playing their best either. Watching Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic go at it will be must-watch basketball!
Injury Report
- James Wiseman (knee) OUT
- Tim Hardaway Jr. (foot) OUT
- Otto Porter (foot) Questionable
Find the best fantasy matchups each day using our Defense vs. Position Tool >>
Core Plays
Stephen Curry (PG/SG – GSW): $11,000 DraftKings, $15,500 FanDuel
Curry has had one dud in this postseason run, and it was that bizarre Game 5 blowout against Memphis. The former MVP has at least 38 DraftKings points in all the other nine games while scoring 48 or more DK points in seven of those. That’s why he’s one of the greatest postseason performers in our generation and why he’ll go off in this series. He’s done well against Dallas all year, scoring at least 43 fantasy points in each of their last three matchups.
Cash Game Considerations
Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $13,400 DraftKings, $16,500 FanDuel
Luka should be the first selection in every lineup out there. This 23-year-old is the best fantasy producer left in these playoffs, scoring at least 53 DraftKings points in each of his last 19 games. The All-Star is also approaching a 60-point average in that span, doing everything for this Dallas offense. He had one of the games of the year in his last matchup with the Warriors, tallying 41 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists back in March.
GPP Targets
Klay Thompson (SG/SF – GSW): $9,000 DraftKings, $13,000 FanDuel
Any pure shooter is a GPP play in the NBA because they can get hot on any given night. Klay stays hot more than most, coming off a 52-point masterpiece in the Game 6 closeout over Memphis. That sort of masterclass shows shy Klay is one of the best GPP plays out there because his minutes and shot attempts have been on the rise in the postseason. If one of the best shooters in our game is getting more opportunities, he should be more expensive!
Maxi Kleber (PF/C – DAL): $5,000 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
This series is interesting from a personnel perspective. One would have to assume that these teams will go small for most of the series, which benefits a guy like Maxi. This is one of the best stretch centers coming off the bench, averaging 20 DraftKings points per game across 26 minutes a night in his last 11 games. That’s pretty good from such a cheap player, and we obviously don’t mind that Kleber played 26 minutes a night in their three matchups with Golden State this year. If he gets hot from three like he’s capable of, Kleber will be the best GPP play on the board in 25-30 minutes of play.
Value Plays
Draymond Green (PF/C – GSW): $8,200 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
Draymond struggled for most of the Memphis series, but his Game 6 gem is a sign of things to come. This is one of the best stat-stuffers around, collecting 14 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists in that win. We’ve been waiting to see that all postseason, with Green generating a 32-point average during the regular season. He was doing that damage in fewer than 30 minutes a game, and we have to assume that he’s in line for 35-40 minutes in these crucial playoff games.
Dorian Finney-Smith (SF/PF – DAL): $6,800 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
Finney-Smith has remained way too cheap throughout these playoffs. He’s played at least 37 minutes in nine of the 12 playoff games, flirting with a 40-minute average. He’s also averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game in those nine outings, and it’s going to be tough for Dallas to keep him off the floor with the offensive firepower that Golden State possesses. DFS has been dandy against them all year, scoring at least 27 DK points in three of their four meetings while playing over 37 minutes in each of those.
Advantageous Pricing
- Dwight Powell (PF/C – DAL): $3,400 DraftKings
- Maxi Kleber (PF/C – DAL): $5,000 DraftKings
- Spencer Dinwiddie (PG/SG – DAL): $10,500 FanDuel
- Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $16,500 FanDuel
* * *
Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
