Which players should you build around and which players should you fade in DFS as we tip off Monday night's NBA action? Our experts have the answers.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's Kyle Soppe and Joe Kaiser, plus DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Kyle Soppe -- John Wall, Washington Wizards
I'm not going to say you're crazy if you don't build around Wall, but that's more because I'm a nice person than it is my feeling of fading the Wall-star. He's averaging a cool 31 points (on 55.4 percent shooting), 10 dimes and 4.3 boards in his 36 minutes per game during this series, and as impressive as the raw numbers are, the advanced metrics that like him to sustain this level of elite production are even better. As opposed to taking what the defense is giving him, Wall is forcing defenses to deal with his elite slashing ability and forcing them to stop him. Good idea. His average shot distance dropped more than 16 percent this season from his previous three-year average, a level of aggression that led to a spike in free throw attempts. You're looking at the best player on what Vegas expects to be the night's closest game -- this is an easy call for me.
Renee Miller -- Norman Powell, Toronto Raptors
I don't know if basketball is as superstitious as baseball, but Powell started Game 4 on Saturday and the Raptors came away with a much needed win. Of course, DeMar DeRozan had plenty to do with that, but Powell has scored 12 points in each of the last two games (after not playing Game 2) while adding a block, two steals and a handful or rebounds and assists. It amounts to more than 20 fantasy points per game, so if he is announced as a starter again tonight, I think it's fair to expect more of the same. At his deeply discounted salary, he fills a tough position (SF) on DraftKings, and paves the way to afford more star power on both sites.
Joe Kaiser -- Norman Powell, Toronto Raptors
The Raptors moved Powell into the starting lineup in Game 4 and found great success along the way, playing the second-year swingman 34 minutes in an 87-76 win over Milwaukee. Tonight's game swings back to Toronto with the series knotted at 2-2, and you can count on the low-priced Powell to be back in the starting lineup once again. He finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block last game, while also going 3-of-3 from long range, and anything close to that tonight would make him one of Monday's top values.
Players to fade
Kyle Soppe -- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
He's the best player in this series and should be locked into the top half of the first round in redraft fantasy basketball leagues next season, but I'm not paying the premium tonight. As good as he is, there are concerns about his ability to stretch the defense at all (he shot below 33 percent from more than eight feet away from the bucket this season), and I don't think it's a coincidence that a Toronto scheme change (Jonas Valanciunas to a reserve role) coincided with Antetokounmpo's struggles (6-of-19 from the field with seven turnovers) on Saturday night. Antetokunmpo isn't your typical star player who owns an elevated DFS floor, and I'd much rather fill out a balanced lineup alongside Wall than go with the top two players and chase value elsewhere.
Renee Miller -- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
This is more of a gut feeling than a knock on Lillard himself. Losing Game 3 at home after a huge halftime lead -- I went to sleep sad only to wake up and watch the second half with amazement -- has to be a gigantic blow to the Trail Blazers' energy and motivation. They know the rule: No one comes back from 3-0. Jusuf Nurkic will not play tonight, and as good a spark as CJ McCollum has been, I just have the feeling that Lillard is not going to get up a 50-plus fantasy-point performance tonight. That plus his price, combined with the several other options around his price range, have me out on Lillard. Wall and Stephen Curry are the top PG plays today, but I'm more than a little intrigued by Kyle Lowry's DraftKings salary in tournaments (I'm not worried about his back).
Joe Kaiser -- Zaza Pachulia, Golden State Warriors
Pachulia is a low-priced starting center who might be tempting in a game in which Nurkic (leg) has been ruled out, but those who have watched the series closely have seen that JaVale McGee -- not Pachulia -- has had a greater impact on the series for the Warriors. Keep Pachulia out of your lineups on Monday, and if you're going to go for a discount big man, opt for McGee instead.
