This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
IND at CLE: The Pacers won three of their four games against the Cavs during the regular season.
HOU at GSW: This series is tied at 3-3. The winner will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semifinals.
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Injuries to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Players Ruled OUT in Red
IND - Isaiah Jackson (calf)
CLE - Darius Garland (toe)
HOU - Jock Landale (knee) and Jae'Sean Tate (ankle)
Elite Players
Guards
Stephen Curry, Warriors ($9,400) at Rockets
Chef Curry always cooks when the lights are the brightest, and you know he'll show up in this Game 7. He had a couple of duds in Games 4 and 5, but dropping 44 DK points in Game 6 is closer to what we expect here. We're talking about a guy who averaged nearly 45 DraftKings points per game during the regular season while dropping 65 fantasy points in Game 3. We're expecting something similar here, with Curry averaging 32.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.8 steals in the five Game 7s throughout his career.
Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers ($8,800) at Cavaliers
Haliburton's dad has gotten more press than the All-Star, and it's difficult to understand why. The former Olympian had 63 DraftKings points in a clincher against Milwaukee, maintaining a 46-point average in that series. That's on par with what we saw in the regular season, with Hali pairing that with a 30-point floor. We also love his season statistics against the Cavs, collecting 55 DK points in their most recent matchup just a few weeks ago.
Forwards/Centers
Jimmy Butler, Warriors ($8,400) at Rockets
Playoff Jimmy is a silly nickname, but it really does feel like Butler plays better in the postseason. The perennial All-Star has scored at least 45 DraftKings points in seven of his last eight games. The only outlier was that blowout in Game 5, and he barely played the second half! We expect Jimmy to play 45 minutes and take 20 shots in this must-win Game 7, and there's no safer bet for 40-50 DK points with that type of workload.
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers ($7,700) vs. Pacers
Mobley is one of the most overlooked stars in our league because he's a stud on both ends of the floor. He posted some subpar numbers in the opening series against Miami, but that lowered his salary to a place we can't overlook. The All-Star averaged 40 DraftKings points per game during the regular season and had even better averages in the second half. In addition, he had 35 and 41 fantasy points in his two matchups with the Pacers.
Myles Turner, Pacers ($6,200) at Cavaliers
Turner can be an inconsistent player, but not many big men have the potential that Turner has. The big man averaged over 32 DK points per game during the regular season while scoring 31 and 45 DK points in the final two games of the Bucks series. That sort of potential makes him a heck of a bargain around $6K, especially since Indy needs him to play big minutes to oppose big men like Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Expected Chalk
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers ($8,600) vs. Pacers
Mitchell was the best player in the Cleveland-Miami series, and he's proven to be a playoff stud throughout his career. The perennial All-Star had 48 and 52 DraftKings points in the first two games of that series. His numbers dipped in the clinchers, but that's no surprise since those games were both blowouts. That's actually been the thing that's held back Mitchell all season, but he averaged 47 DK points per game in the 39 outings he's played at least 32 minutes. Getting 32 minutes should be his floor in this competitive series, which is incredible since he had 54 fantasy points in his most recent matchup with Indiana.
Mid-Range Money
Fred VanVleet, Rockets ($6,700) vs. Warriors
If you watched VanVleet in the final month of the regular season, there's no chance you would have seen this run coming. In any case, this veteran has put his head down in this series, scoring at least 32 DK points in three straight outings. That culminated with a 49-point masterpiece in Game 6, and it's clear Houston is leaning on their veteran in these must-win matchups. Don't be surprised to see FVV play 40-45 minutes and take at least 10 threes, making him one of the best options south of $7K.
Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers ($6,500) vs. Pacers
Allen doesn't have a massive upside, but he's one of the safest bets to record a double-double. The big man scored at least 35 DraftKings points in three of the four games against Miami, which isn't far off his 33-point average during the regular season. That's all you can ask for from a player in this price range, and we don't mind that he had 28 and 35 DK points in his first two matchups with the Pacers. He was limited in the last two meetings, but we're willing to overlook that because he played less than 20 minutes in both of those. That won't happen here!
Aaron Nesmith, Pacers ($5,200) at Cavaliers
Every team has a defensive stopper on the wing, and Nesmith is that guy in Indy. They will need him out there for 40 minutes to oppose Mitchell and Darius Garland in this series. If he gets that type of role, Nesmith will be the best value in this series. He scored at least 37 DK points in two of the final three games in the Milwaukee series and has a 29-point average when he plays at least 30 minutes. We expect that to be his floor because of his defense, and all you need is 25-30 DK points for Nesmith to be an immense value.
Value Picks
Andrew Nembhard, Pacers ($5,500) at Cavaliers
Nembhard doesn't get talked about much in Indy's backcourt, but this is one of the most underrated guards in the NBA. The Gonzaga product has scored at least 29 DraftKings points in four of his last five fixtures, dropping 42 fantasy points in the clincher against the Bucks. We don't need much from him at this salary, but we saw Nembhard score over 30 DK points in two of his four matchups with the Cavs during the regular season.
Max Strus, Cavaliers ($4,400) vs. Pacers
Strus is probably the riskiest player in this article, but we need to find some cheap players to pair with the studs. This sharpshooter is just that, because he can provide value with his three-point shooting and stat-stuffing ability. Strus scored 29 and 36 DK points in Game 2 and Game 3 of the Milwaukee series, averaging 22 DK points per game during the regular season. He also dropped 30 DK points across 22 minutes in his last matchup with Indy, and a line like that would make him one of the best values out there.
