This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
ATL vs. PHI (-6), O/U: 223.5
LAC vs. UTA (-7.0), O/U: 221.5
One of the big pieces of unexpected news that dropped this morning is that Kawhi Leonard could end up out for the whole series due to a knee injury. We know for sure that he's out for today's Game 5. The 76ers are expected to bounce back tonight after dropping Game 4 on Monday, and we've seen them blow out the Hawks in Games 2 and 3. With the series moving back to Philadelphia, it seems reasonable to plan for that again.
Injuries to Monitor
Kawhi Leonard (knee): OUT
Leonard tweaked his right knee during the final quarter of Game 4, and he remained on the bench down the stretch as the Clippers closed out a comfortable victory. That could lead to increased minutes for Terance Mann and Luke Kennard.
Mike Conley (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
Conley has yet to play in the Clippers series after injuring his hamstring in the close-out game against the Grizzlies. Joe Ingles has been starting in his place and Jordan Clarkson has seen extra minutes off the bench.
Danny Green (calf): OUT
Green will be sidelined 2-3 weeks after straining his calf in Game 3. Furkan Korkmaz started at small forward on Monday, while Matisse Thybulle played 21 minutes off the bench.
Elite Players ($9,000+)
Joel Embiid ($10,500)
Embiid is coming off his worst performance of the series on Monday when he shot just 4-20 from the field while putting up 17 points and 21 rebounds. He still managed a respectable 49.25 fantasy points despite not recording a block or steal. He'd been dominant before Game 4, scoring 58+ DK points in each of the first three games and showing upside for more. The 76ers are expected to bounce back at home tonight, and Embiid has 70+ potential in a close game. He's the top option on the slate.
Trae Young ($9,900)
Young scored 25 points and dished out 18 assists that helped him to 61 DK points as the Hawks evened the series on Monday. He could've had an even bigger game had he not shot 8-26 from the field. The 76ers have done a better job limiting Young offensively and specifically from a scoring standpoint after he torched them in Game 1. After being valued around $9,200 for four consecutive games, he's finally seen a significant bump in salary for Game 5 on the road tonight. That will probably have me spending up elsewhere, but he still makes sense in game stacks.
Donovan Mitchell ($9,000)
Mitchell is coming off a 37/5/5 line and 53.25 DK points in Game 4 on Monday. He's now scored at least 30 real points in six consecutive games. He's attempted at least 12 three-pointers in three of four games against the Clippers. Those are hard numbers to ignore and make the salary seem like a bit of a bargain still. He's my preferred option at guard.
Expected Chalk
Paul George ($8,600)
With Leonard out, George should be the primary driving force of the Clippers' offense. Fantasy managers will likely be expecting him to score upwards of 50 DK points. With Leonard off the court, George averages 1.3 DK points per minute. If you assume he's playing 40 minutes, that's 52 DK points. It will be a tougher task against the Jazz compared to a collection of regular-season teams, but the Clippers don't have too many other options.
Value Picks
Ben Simmons ($7,600)
Simmons was one assist shy of a triple-double but still finished with 45 DK points in Game 4 on Monday. He's put up 45+ fantasy points in three of his last five games, and the 76ers have the highest implied team total tonight.
Bojan Bogdanovic ($5,700)
Bogdanovic is coming off his best game of the series in Game 4 when he had 18 points and five assists that helped him to 33.75 DK points. We rarely see his salary under $6,000, and he'd be extra appealing if Conley is out again.
Joe Ingles ($5,200), if he starts
Ingles topped 30 fantasy points for the third consecutive game. He's just too cheap for his starting role in the absence of Mike Conley.
Nicolas Batum ($4,600), Marcus Morris ($4,500), Terance Mann ($3,000) and Luke Kennard ($3,100)
Morris is coming off 37.5 DK points in 35 minutes, while Batum has scored 30+ fantasy points and seen 30+ minutes in back-to-back games. Both salaries are a bit too cheap with Leonard out, and more minutes and usage are needed at forward. Mann and Kennard are somewhat dart throws, but their salaries are so inexpensive that it doesn't hinder the rest of your lineup if they don't even score 20 DK points.
Furkan Korkmaz ($3,800), if he starts
Korkmaz is expected to get another start at small forward in place of the injured Danny Green. He played 25 minutes and scored 18.5 DK points on Monday, and his salary only increased by $300. He's appealing because the cheap salary helps to afford the stars.
