This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
As FanDuel continues to experiment with different types of contests for single-game slates, we will once again have to adjust our strategy for Wednesday. The biggest contest features the following roster spots: MVP (2x points), STAR (1.5x points), PRO (1.2x points) and two UTILITY spots. However, each position has different scoring settings.
MVP - 2X Points
3-Point Shot Made (3P) = 2
Assists (A) = 3
Blocks (B) = 6
Field Goal Made (FG) = 4
Free Throw Made (FT) = 2
Rebounds (R) = 2.4
Steals (S) = 6
Turnovers (T) = -2
STAR - 1.5X Points
3-Point Shot Made (3P) = 1.5
Assists (A) = 2.25
Blocks (B) = 4.5
Field Goal Made (FG) = 3
Free Throw Made (FT) = 1.5
Rebounds (R) = 1.8
Steals (S) = 4.5
Turnovers (T) = -1.5
PRO - 1.2X Points
3-Point Shot Made (3P) = 1.2
Assists (A) = 1.8
Blocks (B) = 3.6
Field Goal Made (FG) = 2.4
Free Throw Made (FT) = 1.2
Rebounds (R) = 1.44
Steals (S) = 3.6
Turnovers (T) = -1.2
UTILITY
3-Point Shot Made (3P) = 1
Assists (A) = 1.5
Blocks (B) = 3
Field Goal Made (FG) = 2
Free Throw Made (FT) = 1
Rebounds (R) = 1.2
Steals (S) = 3
Turnovers (T) = -1
With those specific scoring settings in mind, the following players are my top candidates for each position:
MVP CANDIDATES
Kevin Durant, GS ($16,500): Durant and James Harden are the two highest-priced players on the slate, but Durant seems to fit this specific slate's scoring settings much better. Points, of course, are still important, where both Durant and Harden excel. However, blocks and steals are both worth a whopping six FanDuel points, which makes Durant the easy choice for MVP honors. While Harden can swipe a steal or two a game, Durant has the defensive capability to tally both steals and blocks at a high rate on a good day, giving him a slightly higher upside in my opinion. The icing on the cake here is that Durant is also $1,000 cheaper than Harden, which seals the deal for me.
Runner-up: James Harden, HOU ($17,500)
STAR CANDIDATES
Draymond Green, GS ($12,500): While the STAR player's stats are worth slightly less than the MVP, there's still a benefit to using someone that has the capability to rack up multi-category production. Green is the poster boy for that sort of a line, especially considering he's logged nine or more rebounds in each of the last eight games, as well as nine or more assists in seven of the last eight. Blocks and steals for the STAR position are also inflated at 3.6 FanDuel points, giving Green another resume booster. Since the start of the playoffs, Green has averaged 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks. Chris Paul is also a very solid option here, but is a bit pricey at $14,500, so he might be a tough fit alongside Durant.
Runner-up: Chris Paul, HOU ($14,500)
PRO CANDIDATES
Clint Capela, HOU ($13,500): Capela had a fairly modest performance in Game 1 against the Warriors, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks across 30 minutes. However, he's previously double-doubled six times so far in the playoffs, while also tallying four or more blocks four times, so he's got a ton of upside overall as a DFS option. I'll provide a few cheaper options in the utility section below to fit Capela in lineups with guys like Durant and Green, so his price shouldn't be devastating. The Rockets also played a lot of iso ball in Game 1 and ultimately took the loss, so it wouldn't be surprising if more pick and rolls were put in place, which would get Capela more involved.
Runner-up: Klay Thompson, GS ($10,500)
UTILITY
Andre Iguodala, GS ($8,500): Iguodala continues to work with the starters and should do so again Wednesday after the Warriors picked up the victory in Game 1. During that contest, Iguodala posted 11 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals across 28 minutes. While that doesn't necessarily scream high value for DFS purposes, he does fill a need as a low-cost option, and is actually one of the better options in his price tier considering it's a single-game slate. Iguodala has now had two or more steals in five straight games, which would give him a solid floor considering steals are worth three FanDuel points for the utility slot.
Eric Gordon, HOU ($9,000): Gordon is kind of the exact opposite of what I've preached throughout this article so far, considering he's a one-trick pony with his scoring ability. He's shot just 35.5 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from deep over the last three games, so it's about time he turns things around. The positive outlook here is that Gordon has put up double-digit shot attempts in four of his last five games, so he's not getting discouraged and is going to have his share of opportunities to put points on the board. If Gordon gets hot, he can be a steal at a price of just $9,000.
