Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks look to build on a 2-1 series lead over the Boston Celtics.
This is our first NBA Yahoo DFS article! This is something we’d like to continue for the remainder of the season because we know plenty of you play over there. The good news is that I’m very familiar with Yahoo pricing, playing there for a few years now. That makes me feel like I have a good read on what’s going on, so let’s break down this critical Game 4 slate!
Injury Report
- Ja Morant (knee) Doubtful
- Gary Payton II (shoulder) OUT
- James Wiseman (knee) OUT
- Khris Middleton (MCL) OUT
Core Plays
Tyus Jones (PG – MEM): $15
It looks like Morant will miss this game, making Jones the best play on the board. The good news is that Memphis has had a ton of experience without Morant, playing 25 games without him. Tyus has been starting at point guard in his absence, averaging 12.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in his 23 starts this season. That’s absurd from a $15 player, and he should continue to play a 30-minute role as long as Ja remains out.
Cash Game Considerations
Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF – MIL): $58
Giannis is the safest option on this slate. The former MVP has at least 29 Yahoo points in every game this season, dropping at least 35 fantasy points in all but two games this year. That has him flirting with a 60-point average, and he’s simply impossible to fade in such a short slate. Not to mention, he provided 74 Yahoo points in his most recent outing!
Marcus Smart (PG – BOS): $19
Seeing Smart below $20 is truly bizarre. This guy has been playing at a $25 level for weeks, averaging 30 Yahoo points per game across 32 minutes a night over his last 29 games played. That’s incredible from a $19 player, especially since he’s likely looking at 40 minutes in this must-win game. He’s mauled Milwaukee all year, too, averaging 31 Yahoo points across 34 minutes a night in their six meetings this season.
GPP Targets
Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF – MIL): $27
Jackson is the best GPP option on the board. This guy has a 50-point upside every time out, and that likelihood increases with Ja out of the lineup. We say that because JJJ leads the team with a 31 percent usage rate with Morant off the floor, averaging nearly 1.4 Yahoo points per minute. That makes him a heck of an option below $30, especially since he’s got at least 28 fantasy points in four straight fixtures, en route to a 37-point average in that span.
De’Anthony Melton (PG – MEM): $12
The minimum price on Yahoo is just $10, and it’s shocking to see Melton creep so close to that number. The stat-stuffing guard is averaging 26 fantasy points per game across his last three outings, doing most of that damage with Morant in the lineup. One has to believe his minutes, usage, and shot attempts will skyrocket with the All-Star out, making Melton the best GPP play on the board at this dirt-cheap price tag.
Value Plays
Robert Williams (C – BOS): $22
Yahoo scoring is a bit different than the other sites. Defensive statistics are more valuable on Yahoo than the other two sites, making a guy like Williams even more enticing. The big man averaged 32 fantasy points per game in the regular season, doing that damage in fewer than 30 minutes a night. We love that since his minutes restriction is loosening, with Rob-Will dropping 37 Yahoo points across 23 minutes in Game 3.
Grant Williams (PF – BOS): $12
Williams is one of the best defenders in the NBA, and Boston is playing him as much as possible to oppose Giannis. Grant has played at least 32 minutes in five of his last six games, generating a 25-point average in that span. That’s fantastic from a $12 player, and it’s hard to understand why Yahoo is keeping him so cheap. Stacking Grant and Giannis together is one of the best strategies out there because both of these guys will play nearly every minute together, and they’re on opposite ends of the pricing spectrum.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
