This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
The Pacers, Wizards and Thunder will try to extend the first round a little while longer on Friday, as all three teams face elimination.
While most of the top performers on the slate have largely produced predictable work, it has been as difficult as ever to pin down the moderately-priced role players that will make or break your lineup. We will first take a look at our high-priced targets and then attempt to highlight the most productive low-cost guys in our featured picks below.
LeBron James ($12,200) once again leads the group of 10K-plus targets, and you can expect another prolific night on the heels of his game-winning buzzer beater in Game 5. Russell Westbrook ($11,200) will also endeavor to bring the Thunder back from the brink once again, and John Wall ($10,400) will attempt to continue his inspired play with the Wizards up against it at home. You don't need a PhD in Data Science to surmise that these three will undoubtedly be top-five producers on Friday, but once again, you can probably only target one if you hope to have any balance across the rest of your roster.
When this slate played last, it was Westbrook who fit best in the perfect lineup, with Jae Crowder, Alex Abrines and Ekpe Udoh providing value with Paul George and Ricky Rubio as the other anchors. Guys like Udoh illustrate that it isn't always necessary for a flier to put up a big stat line if their presence gives you options like Westbrook and George together, but it probably won't work out unless one of the low-cost guys (Crowder, in this case) strikes gold. In first-round perfect lineups so far, the most production has come from the PG slot, so the stats support a need to spend up there. While it's difficult to fade James -- I will likely make a play for him in one lineup -- I think building around Westbrook, Wall, or both of them is the way to go with these elites.
Of course, these aren't the only excellent plays Friday. The following is an array of players with varying price points at each position, with an emphasis on value players that can turn the tide, in tournament play especially. Let's get to it!
GUARDS
Ricky Rubio, OKC at UTA ($7,400): It's hard to walk back from Rubio and his 45.6 DKFP average in this series. While Donovan Mitchell will put up big numbers alongside him, it's cost-prohibitive when you can find comparable production for $1,100 less. Although Rubio regressed slightly last game, it's hard to find a better floor in this category.
Delon Wright, TOR at WAS ($4,700): Wright continues to see about 25 minutes per game with Fred VanVleet (shoulder) unavailable, and if for some reason there are signs of improvement in the morning shootaround, I'd pull back on Wright, as VanVleet is the prime contender to pilfer minutes away from him. Wright's line has jumped around a bit in this series but it is definitely trending up after a 31-DKFP performance in Game 5.
Kyle Korver, CLE at IND ($4,600): The Cavs have opted to put their faith in Korver's considerable playoff experience in lieu of giving guys like Rodney Hood and Jordan Clarkson more time. With George Hill (back) questionable again on Friday, Korver could be the low-priced guard to explode again. He certainly crushed value with 30 DKFP in Cleveland's last game.
Other guards to consider: Kyle Lowry, TOR at WAS ($8,000), Cory Joseph, IND vs. CLE ($3,600)
FORWARDS
Paul George, OKC at UTA ($8,700): You can afford George even with an elite in your mix, and there's no question that he's worth it. With four games of 40 DKFP or more in this series, you could make an argument that $8,700 is too cheap, but I'm not going to complain. My exposure to George will be close to 100 percent, and I'm sure I won't be alone there.
Joe Ingles, UTA vs. OKC ($5,800): A slew of quality options emerge in the second tier after a considerable salary drop from George, and I decided to highlight Ingles based on his potential from a usage perspective. I wavered between Ingles and Thaddeus Young ($5,600) in this salary range, but the Jazz gave Ingles a bit more time in Game 5. If Ricky Rubio and Ingles get hot it's tough for the Thunder to defend them both. I wouldn't go with a Rubio/Ingles stack in cash games but it's certainly something to consider in a deep tournament.
Jae Crowder, UTA vs. OKC ($4,600): He isn't going to be overlooked after his breakout game on Wednesday, but he's still at a reasonable enough price even if he comes back to earth a bit in Game 6. You're going to need one or two guys in this range and while there's always risk with Crowder, his defense should allow him ample minutes Friday and lead to enough output to justify significant exposure as a value pick.
Other forwards to consider: Domantas Sabonis, IND vs. CLE ($4,800), Kelly Oubre, Jr., WAS vs. TOR ($4,200), Jakob Poeltl, TOR at WAS ($3,400)
CENTERS
Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. OKC ($7,000): It's rare when the top center on the slate is in the 7k range, so I won't feel much guilt in trying to squeeze the No. 1 guy in somewhere if I can. Gobert has arguably the most reliable floor among big men Friday, and while you could certainly go lower, Gobert provides you the least concern about a subpar showing.
Derrick Favors, UTA vs. OKC ($5,700): I go with an alternate Utah option who can also go into the PF slot here, as Favors has proven too be a bit too quick for Carmelo Anthony inside. While Anthony has had a good series, it's definitely a soft spot defensively for the Thunder, and it's likely you'll see both Gobert and Favors sharing a lot of time together. Like Ingles and Rubio above, I wouldn't pair these two in cash games, though.
Marcin Gortat, WAS vs. TOR ($4,700): Gortat was fairly inconsistent in the regular season, but he has helped keep the Wizards alive in this series by holding his own against Jonas Valanciunas. The differential among these mid-range picks at center should be fairly narrow, so I see no problem filling in my lineup with Gortat despite the potential risk.
