This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
We have a two-game slate featured on DraftKings for Tuesday. The news to watch will be the availability of Giannis Antetokounmpo as he exited Game 4 early with an ankle injury. The Bucks were somehow able to stave off elimination despite that and may be tasked with finding a way to extend the series if their franchise player is unable to get back on the court.
Slate Overview
MIL vs. MIA (-3.5) O/U 217
It remains to be seen if Giannis Antetokounmpo will be able to power through the ankle injury that forced him out of Game 4. The Bucks leaned heavily on Khris Middleton after his departure, with Middleton taking 28 shots and racking up a massive 61.5 fantasy points along the way. Eric Bledsoe chipped in a double-double and both would be expected to carry the load should Antetokounmpo miss any more time. On the other side, Miami will look to close things out again, as they continue to rely on center Bam Adebayo with a range of performances from the Heat's backcourt.
HOU vs. LAL (-5) O/U 225.5
The Lakers were able to get one back in Game 2 on the shoulders of a near triple-double performance from LeBron James. Seasoned playoff veteran Rajon Rondo was marvelous as well, playing 29 minutes while dishing out nine assists. Game 2 also saw a surprise performance from forward Markieff Morris, who saw a playoffs-high 23 minutes off the bench and compiled 24.25 fantasy points at almost minimum salary. The Rockets had an all-around team effort with no player eclipsing 50 fantasy points. The standout showing was from big man P.J. Tucker, who churned out a 42.25 fantasy point double-double. It should be a contentious Game 3 atmosphere with both teams looking to take control of the series.
Injury Situations to Monitor
Giannis Antetokounmpo, (ankle) Questionable
All eyes will be on the status of Antetokounmpo after he rolled his ankle and had to exit early in Game 4. Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe stand to be the main beneficiaries if he's unable to suit up, in a 'win or leave the bubble' Game 5 versus Miami.
LeBron James, (groin) Questionable
It's mainly a formality at this point that James pops up on the injury report every game. He's probable to play and doesn't appear to be in any jeopardy of missing the game.
Anthony Davis, (finger) Questionable
Much like LeBron, Davis is regularly listed on the injury report but hasn't missed any time and should be good to go here.
Tyler Herro, (hip) Questionable
He was on the injury report before Miami's last game but was able to suit up and play 33 minutes off the bench. There doesn't seem to be much concern of him missing any time here, but check back closer to lock for the official word.
Kelly Olynyk, (knee) Questionable
After missing Game 3, Olynyk was able to give it a go for Game 4, playing 12 mostly ineffective minutes off the bench. He remains questionable heading into Game 5.
JaVale McGee, (ankle) Questionable
After exiting early in Game 2 with an ankle injury, McGee is listed as questionable for Game 3. His absence saw Markieff Morris play 23 minutes and Morris could be inline for a similar role if McGee were to miss further time.
Elite Players
Anthony Davis, LAL ($10,600)
The Kentucky product has been extremely reliable during the postseason. Scoring under 50 fantasy points only once, he comes in at a nice discount compared to LeBron, with nearly the same upside. Houston is extremely undersized when trying to match up with Davis, and he's made them pay for it by grabbing double-digit rebounds in back-to-back games. He should continue to dominate the paint and also can fill the center position that, outside of Bam Adebayo, is very thin on this slate.
Russell Westbrook, HOU ($8,400)
His salary keeps dropping. Could we see a sub-$8,000 Westbrook at some point? It's hard to imagine, but we are getting close. Either way, this is a guy who can score 60-plus fantasy points on any given night and is back playing over 30 minutes per game after missing part of the series against the Thunder. The main difference I've noticed with Westbrook is his lack of free throws. Normally a player that visits the charity stripe a handful of times per game, he's been there far less frequently since the playoffs started, which has significantly limited his ceiling. If he can get more aggressive we could finally see that upside game we've been hoping for at this egregious price tag.
Expected Chalk
Khris Middleton, MIL ($8,600)
If we get news the Giannis Antetokounmpo is inactive, it will most likely make Middleton the most rostered player on the slate. We have a decent sample size that sees a 26 percent usage rate for Middleton when Antetokounmpo is off the court, which was on full display with his 61 fantasy point outing that helped the Bucks extend the series. Regardless of Giannis' injury status, Middleton makes for a solid play as he's averaged close to 40 fantasy points per game since the playoffs started.
Jimmy Butler, MIA ($8,500)
It's been a mixed bag for Butler in this second round versus the Bucks. He struggled greatly in Game 4, making only six shots, and just never found any kind of rhythm as the Heat were looking to sweep Milwaukee out of the playoffs. Despite his inefficiencies, I will always play the bounce back win or lose. A player knows when they didn't play well, and the good ones usually respond accordingly. That should be the case with Butler here as he's done just that like clockwork through this postseason run. His usage has taken a slight hit since Goran Dragic entered the starting five, but Butler still carries a 20 percent share and always has the ability to take over any game.
Key Values
Rajon Rondo, LAL ($3,900)
The former champ came alive in Game 2, logging 29 minutes on his way to a massive 37.3 fantasy point showcase. I expect Frank Vogel to lean on the savvy veteran due to his extensive playoff experience, and at $3,900 you aren't taking on much risk as Rondo's able to stuff the stat sheet with assists and steals. He will most likely be a very popular option, so potentially pivoting to Alex Caruso ($3,800) could be a smart leverage play, but overall it looks like Rondo will be a key part of the Lakers title aspirations going forward if he can stay healthy.
Markieff Morris, LAL ($3,500)
This is a speculative play that rests on the availability of JaVale McGee after he tweaked his ankle eight minutes into Game 2 versus Houston. The departure opened the door for Morris to see 23 minutes of playing time, his most of the playoffs. He was able to chip in 16 points and five rebounds in addition to knocking down four shots from behind the arc. Dwight Howard could also be in for a larger role if McGee were to sit, but Howard didn't see the court at all in Game 2 and doesn't offer near the versatility of Morris.
