Which players should you build around and which players should you fade for the Tuesday-Wednesday NBA DFS contests? Our experts have the answers.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's Kyle Soppe and Joe Kaiser, and DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Renee Miller -- LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
Aldridge is more of a default building block, because who else are you going to use at PF? Nothing against him -- he's had his good games, including a 26-point, four-block game against Houston Friday, and his floor is respectable enough that I don't mind paying his salary -- but when the alternatives to him and Markieff Morris are David Lee, Ryan Anderson, Jason Smith and Amir Johnson, all with a floor of 0-5 points any given night, you just have to go with the top option. DraftKings provides some relief to the problem with multi-position eligibility, but I think you still are going to need Aldridge tonight. With the Spurs back at home and aiming to take the lead in this series, I'm looking for Aldridge to step up and take advantage of the above-average fantasy matchup he gets with Anderson and the Rockets' frontcourt again tonight.
Kyle Soppe -- John Wall, Washington Wizards
Wall has struggled on the road this postseason, but ... ooooh wait, no he hasn't -- he's thrived. During Washington's five road contests this season, Wall has averaged 30.6 points, 10.8 assists and 3.6 steals-plus-blocks per game. That'll work! The Wizards have tasked Wall with creating both for himself and for others when on the road, and while we can debate if that'll get them a win (they are 1-4 away from home this postseason), there is no denying that his fantasy floor/ceiling is impressive. I'm not sure there is a player on Boston who can consistently slow Wall, which is why he is my pick for top fantasy scorer on this two-game slate.
Joe Kaiser -- Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Thomas and the Celtics are looking to get the series back in their favor after dropping consecutive games on the road to knot the series at 2-2. If they have any chance to do that, they're going to need another monster effort out of their star point guard, and don't forget what Thomas did in the first two games of the series in Boston: 33 points in Game 1 and 53 points in Game 2. Look for him to put the Celtics on his back in Game 5.
Players to fade
Renee Miller -- Marcin Gortat, Washington Wizards
I hate to fade anyone from this game, as the whole series has been DFS money, but Gortat may not make it into any of my lineups on this two-day slate. He had been crushing with three consecutive double-doubles before falling to just 26 minutes, 6 points on (5 FGAs) and 7 rebounds in the Wizards' last win over Boston. These small slates are all about upside, and I think you can get more of it from Al Horford and/or Clint Capela. Gortat's price isn't a deal breaker, particularly on FanDuel, but the reduced usage is when options are so limited.
Kyle Soppe -- Avery Bradley, Boston Celtics
He is very important to the overall success of Boston, but that doesn't mean he is someone you want to lock into your DFS roster. His point total has decreased in five straight games (one free throw attempt this series certainly doesn't help); a major problem when you consider that he's not exactly a well-rounded source of production (six or fewer rebounds-plus-assists in the majority of games this postseason). From a value perspective, I'd rather take a player like Danny Green or Eric Gordon, a pair of players who are on the court for 30-plus minutes for their bucket-getting ability, as opposed to a higher-priced player who operates with a defensive mentality.
Joe Kaiser -- James Harden, Houston Rockets
The Spurs-Rockets series heads back to San Antonio for Game 5, and that's bad news for Harden. In the first two games of the series in San Antonio, Harden shot 9-of-30 and averaged just 16.5 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists and 3 steals. While those numbers might seem decent, they aren't nearly enough to warrant paying up for the Rockets' star on Tuesday. Harden is too risky for me tonight on the road with Kawhi Leonard draped all over him.
