With the end of our eNBA DFS 2K Bracket featuring historic rosters comes a new form of video game simulations and contests brought to you by FanDuel. For the month of April, we will be using NBA 2K20 to simulate the NBA playoffs that would have started this month were it not for the suspension of the season.
As with the Throwback 2K Tournament, we’re giving away prizes with Daily Contests where you are asked to predict aspects of the day’s simulated game(s). Get the most correct answers and you’ll be eligible to win loads of prizes! Today’s winner will receive $100 cash! Enter now (and every day) by clicking on the following link:
Tonight we have a phenomenal doubleheader with both conferences to break down. First up is the Miami Heat looking to take down the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference. After that, we will head out west to see the upset-minded Blazers looking to continue their run. Portland was able to force the biggest upset so far with a takedown of the No. 1 seed Lakers in the opening round. The winners of these games will head on to the conference finals.
The Teams
Miami Heat
Starters:
PG – Kendrick Nunn
SG – Duncan Robinson
SF – Jimmy Butler
PF – Derrick Jones Jr.
C – Bam Adebayo
Miami was impressive in their opening game against Indiana, but a much tougher test awaits here. In the opening round, it was actually Goran Dragic who sparked the offense from the bench and they will need key contributions once again. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo both can cause problems for the Bucks and if the backcourt holds up, then this is a dangerous team to face.
Milwaukee Bucks
Starters:
PG – Eric Bledsoe
SG – Wesley Matthews
SF – Khris Middleton
PF – Giannis Antetokounmpo
C – Brook Lopez
The Bucks are the top seed in the East, but they nearly joined the Lakers in going home in the opening round. The Magic had them dead and buried before a late rally allowed Milwaukee to survive. They obviously have the matchup nightmare in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is going to be the priority if Miami is to have any hope of pulling the upset. Other than Giannis, the Bucks have plenty of other scoring options and on FanDuel, you can look to multiple Bucks in your lineups.
Portland Trailblazers
Starters:
PG – Damian Lillard
SG – C.J. McCollum
SF – Trevor Ariza
PF – Carmelo Anthony
C – Hassan Whiteside
The Blazers were not even guaranteed a spot in the bracket as they were in the play-in tournament for the eighth seed. They were forced to win three games to even make the playoff tournament, and then they had to knock off the Lakers in round 1. Damian Lillard translates well to NBA 2K and he is the type of player who single-handedly can win games. He is not alone, though, as Jusuf Nurkic plus Hassan Whiteside on the inside give them plenty of presence in the interior.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Starters:
PG – Chris Paul
SG – Luguentz Dort
SF – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
PF – Danilo Gallinari
C – Steven Adams
Oklahoma City looked impressive against Utah in the opening round despite being on the road. The combination of Chris Paul in the backcourt with Steven Adams patrolling the paint is the right combo to match the Blazers’ Lillard-Whiteside attack. The other bonus is that the Thunder are now home which is never a bad thing. Like most games, having someone step up from off the bench could be the key to surviving and advancing to the Western Conference Finals.
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FanDuel Plays
Damian Lillard – PG – Blazers – $12,000 FanDuel
There is a reasonable debate to be had whether Lillard is the best player we have seen so far. He took the Blazers though the gauntlet in the play-in tournament and then went into the Staples Center and took out the Lakers. In that game, Lillard had 34, four and five and added three steals in route to a 50-point FanDuel output. I see no way that you can fade him considering the skill and volume he is going to have. At $12,000, that is the easy starting point for your guards.
Goran Dragic – PG – Heat – $10,000 FanDuel
Guards seem to be easier to project in NBA 2K with them dominating the ball and the usage they produce. Even though he comes off the bench, Dragic should be involved and we can save some salary by going here. Against Indiana, he had 18 points off the bench and played major minutes. I will continue to buy here as I think he is a starter in terms of usage and role, but still might not be as popular as he should be.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – SF – Bucks – $12,500 FanDuel
We want Lillard in the backcourt, but we still have enough money to grab the MVP in Giannis. That will force us into some cheap options in the utility spots, but it is more then doable on this two-game slate. Having Giannis gives us access to the monster ceiling that he brings as he contributes across the board. Against Orlando, his late performance allowed Milwaukee to survive and he ended with a quiet 27, six and two. This almost seems like a middling game considering how Giannis can get out in transition and at times can be effective from the outside. Giannis and Lillard are an expensive duo, but stars and scrubs seem like the logical building format on this slate.
Steven Adams – C – Thunder – $9,500 FanDuel
Adams only scored four points in the opening round, but that did not stop him from having a big FanDuel day. He added eight rebounds, one assist and four blocks, which helped boost his output without much volume. I would expect Adams to get a few more looks which can help take the pressure off the blocks/steals even though the ceiling will remain intact. This Blazers team has capable bigs so Adams should be asked to play major minutes and have all the opportunity he would need to replicate his performance from round 1.
Final Thoughts
This is a fantastic doubleheader with four teams all primed to possibly win the tournament. The game out of the East features two teams who are coming at this with much different expectations, while the West game should produce some fireworks. If Lillard and C.J. McCollum bring their A-game they are as good of a one-two punch that the league has, while the Thunder have a center who could easily dominate the game in the paint. With a two-game slate, it’s all about finding the value to build around the few superstars you get in your lineup and these two games give you plenty of ways to go with your lineups.
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