This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Friday's NBA slate is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. EDT and consists of the single-game contest for Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Heat and Lakers. Miami started hot in the series opener and raced out to a 13-point lead, but it was all downhill from there. The Lakers ultimately won 116-98, while the Heat's three best players all suffered injuries, though Jimmy Butler was at least able to play through his while Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic hit the locker room early.
Injury Situations to Monitor
Bam Adebayo strained his shoulder when Jayson Tatum pulled it awkwardly in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Heat's starting center aggravated the injury on Wednesday. He's doubtful for Game 2 after putting up eight points and four rebounds in 21 minutes prior to his departure in the series opener.
Goran Dragic tore the plantar fascia in his left foot in the first half of Game 1. He's doubtful for Game 2, and there's a good chance he's done for the series. A silver lining for Miami is that rookie Kendrick Nunn played well at point guard after Dragic's departure.
Jimmy Butler sprained his ankle on a drive in the final minute of the first half, but was able to play through the injury in the second half and should be good to go for the injury-riddled Heat.
Elite Players
In Game 1, LeBron James ($13,000) came up one assist short of what would have been his third triple-double over the last four games. He actually outrebounded Anthony Davis 13-9, though Davis outscored him 34-25. When picking between LA's top two players for your captain spot, James represents the safer option due to his ability to contribute significantly in every category.
Anthony Davis ($12,200) led all scorers with 34 points in Game 1, but his nine rebounds were nothing to write home about. In order to be worth locking in over LeBron, Davis will need to keep piling up points while supplementing his scoring with strong efforts on the glass and on defensive.
With Bam Adebayo ($10,400) likely to be limited - if he plays at all - even more pressure will fall on Jimmy Butler ($9,800) to carry the Heat. Butler led the team with 23 points in Game 1, but he'll need to be more involved in other facets of the game to play up to his lofty valuation. Butler averages 6.4 RPG and 5.7 APG, but recorded just two rebounds and five assists in Game 1.
Expected Chalk
Kendrick Nunn ($5,000) should see almost universal usage if Dragic sits. Nunn saw his usage cut dramatically in the postseason after the Heat cut their rotation, but averaged 13.9 PPG this season and racked up 18 points, five rebounds and two assists in just 20 minutes after Dragic went down in the series opener. Expect Nunn to fill a large part of the production void left by Miami's injuries.
Danny Green ($4,000) is no stranger to the big stage, and he started his fourth NBA Finals off on the right foot with 28.0 fantasy points thanks to a trio of treys, three blocks and two steals. The 3-and-D wing is filling his role to a T, so Green should continue to play a significant role after tying Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for third on the team in minutes with 30 in Game 1.
Rajon Rondo ($6,600) experienced a quiet Game 1, but the veteran point guard usually plays his best in big moments and offers a fantasy-friendly skill set that allows him to rack up assists, rebounds and steals. He's the clear-cut No. 3 fantasy option on the Lakers after LeBron and Davis.
Key Values
Andre Iguodala ($3,400) had a rare offensive outburst with 15 points in Game 6 against the Celtics, and he backed that effort up with a well-rounded Game 1 performance that included seven points, five rebounds, six assists, a block and some tenacious defense. Iguodala played 25 minutes in the series opener and Miami will try to squeeze every minute out of the 36-year-old's body, so look for the 2015 Finals MVP to keep stuffing the stat sheet.
Kelly Olynyk ($3,000) performed admirably after Adebayo left in Game 1 by totaling four points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks over 18 minutes. With the Lakers playing a big starting lineup that includes both Davis and Dwight Howard, there should be room in the Heat's rotation for the sharpshooting center, even in the unlikely event that Adebayo's able to suit up tonight.
