Tuesday, June 15, has the Brooklyn and Milwaukee playing Game 5 knotted at two games each. Though the prize pools are gigantic, there are still enough decision points for differentiation. Let’s look at the Nets and Bucks player pool and discuss the top NBA DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo lineups. Don’t forget to head over to the Awesemo NBA DFS home page for more great written daily fantasy basketball content, including the FREE NBA Deep Dive — the most in-depth article in the industry.
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NBA DFS Picks: Building Blocks, Tuesday, June 15th
Yahoo Play of the Day — Khris Middleton: Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 39.71 | DraftKings: 41.72
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 75.3% | FanDuel 37.4% | DraftKings 45.4%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $29 | FanDuel $13,000 | DraftKings $9,800
With only a $29 salary on Yahoo, Khris Middleton stands out as a wildly appealing option. His ability to contribute in all facets of the game makes him rarely a disappointment from a fantasy perspective. Only twice in the playoffs has he notched less than 32 Yahoo fantasy points. Those subpar outings occurred in a 34-point Milwaukee win against Miami and a 39-point loss to Brooklyn. In this series he has 17-plus points in three games, eight or more rebounds in three and is averaging 3.7 assists.
Kevin Durant: Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 52.79 | DraftKings: 55.43
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 95.5% | FanDuel 91.4% | DraftKings 85.4%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $49 | FanDuel $15,500 | DraftKings $12,000
Just when it looked like Brooklyn was going to overcome the absence of James Harden, Kyrie Irving suffered an ankle injury and will be out for at least tonight’s game and potentially Thursday’s as well. This means that Kevin Durant is going to have to put the team on his back and carry the offensive load. He should record something north of 40 minutes and around 30 field-goal attempts. The Bucks defense will be focused on making Durant work for every possession. There was a mid-morning upgrade of Harden to doubtful, but even if he does suit up, it is unlikely he will be effective given his relatively serious hamstring strain.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 60.1 | DraftKings: 62.37
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 95.5% | FanDuel 98.2% | DraftKings 91.4%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $54 | FanDuel $15,000 | DraftKings $11,800
It is going to be a very popular strategy rostering both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Durant tonight in the same lineup. While Giannis has failed to top 50 fantasy points in two of the four games in this series, he is still a core play for those only creating a handful of lineups. A double-double is a near lock, but it needs to be noted that Antetokounmpo has only one steal and six blocks in the last six postseason games. The defensive stats will unleash his upside, and without at least three combined blocks/steals it seems unlikely that he will reach the Awesemo projection of 60-plus fantasy points. Now that the Nets are without their two best ball handlers, there is the potential for Antetokounmpo to corral a wayward pass or two tonight.
Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball Discount Dandies
Brooklyn Nets
- Bruce Brown, $12: Brown gave way to Jeff Green and Mike James from late in the first quarter until midway through the third. While he is not a safe play, he is cheap and should remain in the starting lineup. If he cedes his spot to Green, then make that pivot in lineups if at all possible.
- Mike James, $10: It would make sense for James to get the first shot as the primary distributor with Irving on the shelf. It should be noted that Joe Harris and Brown will also see some of that responsibility. Plus, Tyler Johnson and Landry Shamet are lurking, which further clouds the picture.
- Nicolas Claxton, $10: Even with the Nets shorthanded, it is hard to envision Claxton’s role changing much from what it has been in the first four games. Expect something in the 14- to 15-minute range with a handful of rebounds and points.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Pat Connaughton, $11: Connaughton is unlikely to record another six combined blocks and steals like he did in Game 4. That said, his role seems more secure than that of fellow bargain basement option Bobby Portis.
- P.J. Tucker, $10: Prior to his 13-point outburst in Game 4, Tucker had tallied 23 combined points in his eight prior postseason games.
- Bryn Forbes, $10: Forbes should continue to get 12 or 15 minutes, with everything predicated on his shot finding the bottom of the net.
Final Thoughts on the Tuesday, June 15 NBA DFS Slate
Have realistic expectations on the single-game slates, and while the giant tournaments are fun, the smaller-field contests can be lucrative with fewer lineup duplications. Keep in mind that salaries and scoring formats differ across the various fantasy sites, and a slam-dunk play on Yahoo may be a below-average NBA DFS pick on DraftKings or FanDuel.
