We have moved into April, and even though we do not have NBA games, it does not have to mean the end of NBA DFS action. We here at Awesemo are committed to bringing you contests while sports are on hiatus. The $15,000 Bracket Challenge continues each night and in addition, we have the Awesemo’s NBA2K Daily Challenge, featuring the 2011-12 Thunder on the road against the 15-16 Golden State Warriors.
Here’s what we’re doing: over the next few weeks, we’re giving away $20,000+ in prizes in FREE TO PLAY contests based on simulated NBA games that will air on YouTube and Twitch streams involving your favorite Awesemo personalities. There will be Daily Contests where you are asked to predict aspects of the day’s simulated game. Get the most correct answers and you’ll be eligible for great prizes. Prizes will vary from day-to-day and tonight’s prize is a TRU-Infrared Smoker Roaster and Grill! Enter now (and every day) by clicking on the following link:
https:www.awesemo.com/nba2k-daily-challenges
Through April 3, we’ll also be running a $15,000 Bracket Challenge with $10,000 to first. You’ve made your bracket picks and if you get the highest score you could walk away with $10,000.
Additional details regarding both the $15,000 Bracket Challenge and the Daily Contests, including full Terms and Conditions, are available here:Â https:www.awesemo.com/nba2k
Thank you for supporting us and we’re thrilled to have this opportunity to give something back. We aren’t going anywhere and hope you feel the same.
The Teams
Tonight’s quarterfinals matchup features two teams with loaded rosters, both of which have a realistic chance to take down this entire bracket. The 2011-12 Thunder may have been the most impressive team in the opening round as they took down the 2000-01 Lakers. The trio of James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant is a problem for any team and they showed how dangerous they can be. In the opening round, it was Westbrook being aggressive from 3-point range, setting the tone while Durant wasn’t called on to do much of the heavy lifting.
2011-12 Thunder
Starters:
PG – Russell Westbrook
SG – James Harden
SF – Kevin Durant
PF – Serge Ibaka
C – Kendrick Perkins
As the second seed in the West in 2012, Oklahoma City went on an impressive run in the playoffs, beating the defending-champion Mavericks in four and the Lakers in five to reach the Western Conference Finals. There they saw the top seed San Antonio and were able to break through in six games, leading to a NBA Finals matchup with LeBron James and the Heat.
The Thunder had the talent to match up with this Miami superteam, and even took Game 1. That was the pinnacle of their success, however, as Miami took control and ended the series with four straight wins and a NBA finals win in five games.
2015-2016 Warriors
Starters:
PG – Stephen Curry
SG – Klay Thompson
SF – Harrison Barnes
PF – Draymond Green
C – Andrew Bogut
The Warriors entered the 2015-16 season as the defending champs and were set up to repeat and solidify their dynasty run. They started the season 24-0 and demolished the regular season like no team has ever done, winning 73 games. They entered the playoffs as the heavy favorite and for most it seemed like a foregone conclusion they would make the Finals and most likely repeat as champions. The Cavaliers had other plans and down 3-1, Cleveland completed one of the most impressive comebacks in NBA History to win in seven. The Cavs still are alive in this tournament and if Golden State and Cleveland win their quarterfinals game, it will set up one of the can’t-miss games of this bracket.
This Warriors team was maybe the most dangerous of all time from behind the arc with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson leading the way. They both shot over 40% on 3’s during the season as well as over 84% from the free throw line. This makes them the obvious target for the first 3-pointer tonight. Curry led them in scoring with 30 points a game while Draymond Green was the glue guy averaging 14 points 9.7 boards and 7.5 assists.
In the first round of this tournament, the Warriors needed every bit of their Championship DNA to survive the opening round as they were down 15 points in the second half against the Celtics before rallying late. Of all players, it was Harrison Barnes stepping up with 11 points in the fourth quarter, which shows how many ways this team can beat you.
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The Studs
Stephen Curry – PG – Warriors – 15,000 FanDuel
Curry is always going to be MVP-worthy with his abilities from behind the arc and his scoring upside. He was the leader of this team and with so many other options, the Thunder will have problems slowing him down. The game also figures to be more up and down which fits in perfectly with how Curry wants to play and where he is at his best.
Curry is the most expensive option on the FanDuel slate, but with the amount of quality options, we still can easily roster him and have room to maneuver with the rest of our roster. He should be popular, but I like Curry here and would recommend using him in one of the multiplier spots.
Russell Westbrook – PG – Thunder – 14,000 FanDuel
Westbrook is never shy. There is a line which Westbrook sometimes crosses in terms of reckless aggression, but from a FanDuel standpoint, we don’t mind the inefficient shots he attempts. It is hard to envision a type of game where he isn’t taking a ton of shots. Plus, Westbrook is always live for a few steals which can add up quickly. The fast pace of the Warriors sets up perfectly for Westbrook and he is firmly in play in any multiplier spot, including the MVP.
Klay Thompson – SG – Warriors – 13,500 FanDuel
If you want to really be different in the MVP spot, then Thompson is the high-upside/lower-floor option that could be the difference in a large-field tournament like this. We have seen many times where he has taken over a game by getting insanely hot from behind the arc. He comes in at $13,500 which is a $1,500 savings from Curry if choosing between them. I think a ton of people will be rostering Thompson but mostly at spots other than MVP, so that is something to consider when constructing lineups and trying to create leverage. The Warriors will need to separate from behind the arc to win this game and Thompson will be heavily involved in the offense.
Draymond Green – PF – Warriors – 12,000 FanDuel
I am not sure I would reach this far down for MVP, but Draymond Green makes for a very strong Star or Pro play. He is going to contribute across the board and showed that throughout the season with his passing and rebounding skills. Add in the fact he can rack up blocks and steals as well and you have a guy who should easily return value at $12,000.
Green will be tasked with slowing down the offensive firepower for the Thunder and may even get matched up with Durant or Harden at times. I would expect him to be involved on both sides of the ball for Golden State and he is live to hit a few 3’s when open. Pairing him up with either Curry or Thompson seems like the logical move with the potential for a lot of correlation between them.
Reggie Jackson – PG – Thunder – 6,500 FanDuel
With all the top-end talent we want to get in our roster, we may need to look down the board for a salary saver. With six-minute quarters, the opportunity for these guys to see the floor is limited, but they also do not need much to return value. In the opening round, we saw Jackson get plenty of run as the backup to Westbrook and that makes him appealing at this $6,500 price tag. The guards in NBA2K have been the way to go with their abilities in transition and he is the logical spend-down option on this slate.
Final Thoughts
We saw the Warriors be tested in round 1 and they were a few minutes from going home early. The Thunder showed why they belonged in this bracket with the impressive win over the Lakers and both of these teams are capable of beating anyone they face. The star power is loaded in this game which is why we have so many options for those top spots on FanDuel. With some value options like Reggie Jackson, there is plenty of room to spend up in a few spots and still have enough salary to fill out your roster. This game has shootout written all over it and the play makers should have every opportunity to do their part
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