NBA Playoffs Preview
Houston Rockets (2-2) at San Antonio Spurs (2-2)
Tuesday, May 9
8:00 ET at AT&T Center
The Rockets evened up this series at 2-2 the other night, and now travel to San Antonio to try and make it a 3-2 series. James Harden in Game 4 was absolutely fabulous, as he scored 28 points with 12 assists. Harden needs that momentum to carry into San Antonio, where they beat the Spurs in Game 1.
On the other side of things, Kwahi Leonard played terribly on the offensive end on Sunday. He only accumulated 16 points, which is not the norm for him. Leonard is better on his home floor, so look for him to bounce back tonight. We expect him to make a statement as to why he is the best two-way player in the league. We have the Spurs winning this one tonight, but in a close fashion. Overtime???
Rockets Projected Starters
PG Patrick Beverley
SG James Harden
SF Trevor Ariza
PF Ryan Anderson
C Clint Capela
Injuries- Onuaku, Taylor
NBA Playoffs Must Start- James Harden
Spurs Projected Starters
PG Patty Mills
SG Danny Green
SF Kawhi Leonard
PF LaMarcus Aldridge
C David Lee
Injuries- Anthony, Parker
NBA Playoffs Must Start- Kawhi Leonard
We will update our Pro Lineup Builder to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news. Please check back with us before tip-off. You can also follow us on twitter @thedklegends for the latest NBA news and notes from our pros.
NBA Playoffs Preview
Cleveland Cavaliers (3-0) at Toronto Raptors (0-3)
Sunday, May 7
3:30 ET at Air Canada Center
Cavaliers Projected Starters
PG Kyrie Irving
SG J.R. Smith
SF LeBron James
PF Kevin Love
C Tristan Thompson
Injuries- Tavares, Felder
NBA Playoffs Must Start- LeBron James
Raptors Projected Starters
PG Kyle Lowry (GTD)
SG DeMar DeRozan
SF DeMarre Carroll
PF Serge Ibaka
C Jonas Valanciunas
Injuries- Caboclo, Siakam, Lowry (GTD)
NBA Playoffs Must Start- DeMar DeRozan
If you have been reading our game previews this postseason, you know that we are high on the Cavaliers getting to the Eastern Conference Finals. Tonight is the night to do just that against a Raptors team that has shown no signs of life in this series. In three straight games, the Raptors have been blown out. Tonight we expect the game to stay a little bit closer, especially if Kyle Lowry is able to suit up and play his normal role. LeBron James has just been so dominant this entire postseason, and will look to continue that yet again tonight, so make sure that you lock him in your DFS lineups tonight. On the other side of things, look for DeMar DeRozan to take on a hefty workload tonight, as the Raptors do not want to get swept by the Cavaliers, especially on their home floor. DeRozan had 37 points the other night, and will see a similar stat line again tonight in an effort to make the series 3-1.
We will update our Pro Lineup Builder to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news. Please check back with us before tip-off. You can also follow us on twitter @thedklegends for the latest NBA news and notes from our pros.
San Antonio Spurs (3-2) at Houston Rockets (2-3)
Thursday, May 11
8:00 ET at Toyota Center
Tonight’s NBA Playoffs game features the Rockets returning home in a make or break game. They are trailing 3-2 to the San Antonio Spurs led by Kwahi Leonard. James Harden is going to play 45 minutes tonight, as he does not want to go home, and is pushing to force game 7. Harden is coming off a triple double, and will look to fill the stat sheet once again tonight against a tough Kwahi Leonard.
On the otherhand, Kwahi Leonard and the Spurs are looking to close things out in Houston tonight, and gain that extra few days of rest for their veterans. Kwahi had a monster 22 point and 15 rebound in Game 5. He may not grab that many boards tonight, but will definitely ramp up his scoring. We expect Kwahi to go for 40+ points, and lead the charge to take home a victory. This series has been incredible, and look for tonight to be another thriller.
Spurs Projected Starters
PG Patty Mills
SG Danny Green
SF Kawhi Leonard (GTD)
PF LaMarcus Aldridge
C Pau Gasol
Injuries- Anthony, Parker, Leonard (GTD)
NBA Playoffs Must Start- Kwahi Leonard
Rockets Projected Starters
PG Patrick Beverley
SG Eric Gordon
SF James Harden
PF Trevor Ariza
C Clint Capela
Injuries- Taylor, Hilario
NBA Playoffs Must Start- James Harden
We will update our Pro Lineup Builder to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news. Please check back with us before tip-off. You can also follow us on twitter @thedklegends for the latest NBA news and notes from our pros.
NBA Playoffs Preview
Utah Jazz at Golden State Warriors
Tuesday, May 2
10:30 PM at ORACLE Arena
Jazz Projected Starters
PG George Hill
SG Joe Ingles
SF Gordon Hayward
PF Boris Diaw
C Rudy Gobert (GTD)
Injuries- Bolomboy, Burks, Favors (GTD)
NBA Playoffs Must Start- Gordan Hayward
Warriors Projected Starters
PG Stephen Curry
SG Klay Thompson
SF Kevin Durant
PF Draymond Green
C Zaza Pachulia
Injuries- Jones, Looney, Barnes (GTD), Livingston (GTD)
NBA Playoffs Must Start- Stephen Curry
The 2017 NBA Playoffs keep rolling on as Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals will see the Utah Jazz coming into ORACLE Arena looking for a huge win. The Jazz pulled through a big game 7 win against the Clippers the other night. The team will look to carry that momentum into tonight’s matchup against a Warriors team that has had a ton of rest. Gordan Hayward was phenomenal in round 1, and he will look to continue his hot shooting against a tough Warriors defense that features Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green. Hayward is going to need to lead his team in scoring if he wants to take a 1-0 lead tonight.
On the other hand, the Golden State Warriors are the team to beat as they looked absolutely dominant in the opening round vs. the Portland Trailblazers. The Big 4 looks to pick right up where they left off and take care of business as usual. This game is going to be slow paced, and has a chance of a blowout, which means we are recommending avoiding this game, especially with the other game on the slate projected to be high scoring.
We will update our Pro Lineup Builder to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news. Please check back with us before tip-off. You can also follow us on twitter @thedklegends for the latest NBA news and notes from our pros.
Kennys Vargas should be on your radar!
A player to keep an eye on throughout this year is 6’ 5’’, 26-year old switch hitter Kennys Vargas from the Minnesota Twins. The 26-year old is smashing .308 with one homerun in four starts since being called up from Triple-A. In 2016, Vargas hit .230 in 47 games, and cranked out an impressive 10 homeruns. The biggest problem last season for the first baseman was his strikeouts at the plate. He struck out 57 times in 177 plate appearances. During the offseason, Vargas worked a lot on his patience at the plate, and so far he only has 3 strikeouts through 13 at bats. Through 4 games, Vargas seems to be making the most of his opportunities this year with 5 hits in 13 at bats. Keep an eye out for this guy in your DFS, or season long fantasy leagues. If he catches some fire, he can become the next Eric Thames.
Would I Start Him In DFS?
Yes. I started Vargas against the Rangers on April 25th. He delivered a homerun, which led to a win for me on Fanduel. Vargas has a lot of boom or bust potential, but is a great punt play since he bats around fifth or sixth in the order for the Twins. Keep him on your radar. If he starts to get hot, start him in your lines. If his salary is right, his power can score you a ton of DFS points.
NBA Playoffs Preview
Utah Jazz at LA Clippers
Sunday, April 30
3:30 PM at Staples Center
Jazz Projected Starters
PG George Hill
SG Joe Ingles
SF Gordon Hayward
PF Boris Diaw
C Rudy Gobert (GTD)
Injuries- Bolomboy, Burks, Robert (GTD)
Start Em- Gordan Hayward
Clippers Projected Starters
PG Chris Paul
SG Austin Rivers
SF J.J. Redick
PF Luc Mbah a Moute
C DeAndre Jordan
Injuries- Griffin, Stone (GTD)
Start Em- Chris Paul
Will this be Paul Pierce’s final game of his career or will the Clippers pull through and move on to the next round and face the Warriors for a 7 game series? The Clippers had a huge win the other night as Chris Paul led the charge with 29 points and 8 assists. Chris Paul is going to see a ton of minutes again tonight as his team wants to go home, He is a great play tonight against a Jazz team that is having a hard time stopping him on defense.
The Jazz, on the other hand, are trying to bounce back, and come into L.A., and move on to the next round of the playoffs. The player to look out for is Gordan Hayward, who was stellar yet again the other night, scoring 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in 42 minutes. He is carrying this team on the offensive end, and will look to stay hot again tonight. This game is going to be very low scoring, which means we recommend staying as far away as you possibly can on this game, and really target the Wizards vs. Celtics game as the over/under is sitting at 192 points compared to 215.5.
We will update our Pro Lineup Builder to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news. Please check back with us before tip-off. You can also follow us on twitter @thedklegends for the latest NBA news and notes from our pros.
Is James Paxton Legit?
The 28 year old Canadian left hander is off to a really hot start, as he is 3-0 with a 1.39 ERA. The Seattle Mariners have found something special as Paxton’s command and velocity has been vastly improved over the last few seasons. Besides a bad outing where he allowed 5 earned runs in Oakland on April 20th, James Paxton has not allowed a single run in his 2017 campaign. Of course that is going to change, but his spectacular 0.84 WHIP and 39:6 K:BB in 32.1 innings is really something to key in on. Bearing no setbacks, James Paxton is a player that should be on everyone’s radar in all fantasy formats.
Is Paxton DFS Worthy?
Absolutely. When creating a DFS lineup, the pitcher is most important position on your roster. Through his last four starts, Paxton has struck out at least 8+ batters in each game, which is huge for the DFS world. In addition, he is backed by a great hitting ball club. This allows him to obtain wins, which is crucial to any starting pitcher. Expect Paxton’s 1.39 ERA to dip throughout the season. After watching him, he reminds me of a Clayton Kershaw on the mound. He is not a must start on every night he pitches, but definitely give him a great look when he plays teams that have a high strikeout ratio against lefties.
NBA Playoff Preview
Washington Wizards (3-2) at Atlanta Hawks (2-3)
Friday, April 28
7:30 ET at Philips Arena
Wizards Projected Starters
PG John Wall
SG Bradley Beal
SF Otto Porter
PF Markieff Morris
C Marcin Gortat
Injuries- McCullough, Mahinmi, Smith (GTD)
Start Em- Bradley Beal
Hawks Projected Starters
PG Dennis Schroder
SG Tim Hardaway
SF Taurean Prince
PF Paul Milsap
C Dwight Howard
Injuries- Kelly, Bembry
Start Em- Paul Millsap
Washington comes into Atlanta trying to stay hot and finish off the Hawks in 6 games. The duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal have been incredible this entire series, and look to carry all that momentum from Game 5 into tonight’s game.
On the other side of things, the Hawks led by Dennis Schroeder and Paul Millsap, look to force a game 7. Schroeder is coming off of a 29 point and 11 assist performance. He will look to continue his hot shooting behind the arc where he shot 5/6 in Game 5. This duo is going to play a ton of minutes tonight, and since this game is going to be very high scoring, make sure to take a few players in this game- especially since it is a very small 3 game slate.
We will update our Pro Lineup Builder to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news. Please check back with us before tip-off. You can also follow us on twitter @thedklegends for the latest NBA news and notes from our pros.
NBA Playoff Preview
Toronto Raptors (3-2) at Milwaukee Bucks (2-3)
Thursday, April 27
7:00 ET at Harris Bradley Center
Raptors Projected Starters
PG Kyle Lowry
SG DeMar DeRozan
SF Norman Powell
PF DeMarre Carroll
C Serge Ibaka
Injuries- Caboclo, Siakam
Start- Norman Powell
Bucks Projected Starters
PG Malcolm Brogdon
SG Tony Snell
SF K. Middleton (GTD)
PF G. Antetokounmpo
C Thon Maker
Injuries- Parker, Middleton (GTD)
Start- Giannis Antetokounmpo
The first game on this two game slate starts with the Bucks hosting the Toronto Raptors. Toronto is seeking to finish off the series on the road tonight against a Raptors team that is will be fighting to force a game seven. On the Bucks side of things, look for the Greek Freak to play a hefty amount of minutes as his team is trying to stay alive in this series. Giannis has played 41 and 42 minutes in his previous two game, which means that he should expect to see around 40-45 minutes again tonight. His home splits during the year are phenomenal, meaning that Giannis is great start especially coming off a 30 point performance last game in Toronto.
On the Raptors sides of things, Norman Powell has been the big story here. Powell has scored 12+ points in 3 straight games, including a whopping 25 the other night in a huge win for Toronto. Ever since Powell has jumped into the starting lineup, he has played 34 minutes in each of those games. Look for him to hit around that number once again, and look for Powell to be a chalk play in all DFS formats tonight.
We will update our Pro Lineup Builder to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news. Please check back with us before tip-off. You can also follow us on twitter @thedklegends for the latest NBA news and notes from our pros.
NBA Game Preview
Atlanta Hawks (2-2) at Washington Wizards (2-2)
Wednesday, April 26
6:00 ET at Verizon Center
Hawks Projected Starters
PG Dennis Schroder
SG Tim Hardaway
SF Taurean Prince
PF Paul Milsap
C Dwight Howard
Injuries- Kelly, Bembry
Start- Paul Milsap
Wizards Projected Starters
PG John Wall
SG Bradley Beal
SF Otto Porter
PF Markieff Morris
C Marcin Gortat
Injuries- McCullough, Mahinmi
Start- John Wall, Bradley Beal
The Washington Wizards host the Atlanta Hawks in a game that will decide who goes up 3-2 in the series. On the Wizards side of things, look for the duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal to do most of the scoring and play great yet again on their home court.
On the Hawks side of things, look for Paul Milsap to continue his dominance in the paint. He has scored 19+ in every game so far in each of 4 games this postseason. This game is going to be high scoring and very uptempo, which makes this game a great game to target on this 2 game slate.
We will update our Pro Lineup Builder to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news. Please check back with us before tip-off. You can also follow us on twitter @thedklegends for the latest NBA news and notes from our pros.