We’re chugging along in these first-round matchups! We have elimination games every day at this point, and there’s simply no better time to be an NBA fan!

We have three games making up this slate. The only thing that concerns me is that we have the top-seeded home team hosting all three matchups, which could lead to some blowouts. All three spreads are six points or higher, and one would have to believe that all three favorites take care of business. We have to pray for no blowouts because that could ruin the slate for everyone.

Schedule and Odds

ATL at MIA (MIA -7.5) O/U: 217.5
Miami established its dominance in Game 4 and now has a commanding 3-1 lead in this series.

MIN at MEM (MEM -7) O/U: 232.5
Minnesota evened things up in Game 4, making this series 2-2.

NOP at PHX (PHX -6) O/U: 214
The Pelicans grabbed a blowout win in Game 4 to even up the series, 2-2.

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Clint Capela (knee) Questionable
• Kyle Lowry (hamstring) OUT
• Devin Booker (hamstring) OUT
• Zion Williamson (foot) OUT
• Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) Questionable
• P.J. Tucker (calf) Questionable

Core Plays

Ja Morant (PG – MEM): $9,900 DraftKings, $9,900 FanDuel
Ja was one of the frontrunners for MVP, and it’s easy to understand why. He scored at least 34DraftKings points in his final 42 games of the season, posting a 49-point average over the final two months of the year. That obviously makes him one of the safest plays out there, especially since he faces a 20th-ranked T’Wolves defense that played at the fastest pace in the NBA during the regular season. Not to mention, he’s scored at least 46 fantasy points in all four games of this series.

Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $9,200 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel
Butler was one of the most reliable players in the regular season, and he’s taking his game to another level in this postseason. He’s scored at least 40 DK points in the last four fixtures, generating a 56-point average in that span. That’s absurd from a player in this price range, but it’s far from surprising with Atlanta ranked 26th in total defense in the regular season. This is also a closeout game for Miami, and you know that JB will be on full tilt.

Cash Game Considerations

Chris Paul (PG – PHX): $9,000 DraftKings, $10,300 FanDuel
CP3 needs to take over in the absence of Devin Booker. He didn’t do that in Game 4, but he will do that here. We’re talking about one of the most momentous point guards of all time seeing a bump in minutes, shot attempts, and usage. That’s led to him posting a 48-point average over his last five games played. CP3 could also be looking at a season-high in minutes here, which puts him in line for 50 DK points in such a critical game.

Brandon Ingram (SF/PF – NOP): $8,900 DraftKings, $9,600 FanDuel
The Pelicans are the surprise of the postseason, and Ingram is the primary reason why. He’s taken over this offense in the absence of Zion, scoring at least 40 DraftKings points in five of his last six games. That’s led to BI generating a 51-point average over his last three games, taking 21 shots across 37 minutes a night. Those usage numbers make him an easy cash game pick, and Phoenix currently has the third-worst defense in the playoffs thus far.

GPP Targets

Jaren Jackson Jr.(PF/C – MEM): $6,000 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
JJJ has been in so much foul trouble that it feels like he’s starting these games with three fouls before the opening tip. That’s not the case, though, and it’s dropped Jackson’s price way too far. This is still a stud that has shown a 50-point upside on numerous occasions this season, averaging 33 fantasy points per game in the regular season. That makes him an easy pick in such a tasty matchup, with the T’Wolves owning a 24th-OPRK against opposing power forwards this year.

Max Strus (SG/SF – MIA): $4,600 DraftKings, $4,400 FanDuel
Strus has taken over Duncan Robinson‘s role, and he’s becoming another hidden gem for the Heat. The sharpshooter has started the last 10 games for Miami, averaging 23 DK points per game across 27 minutes a night. That might not sound like much, but it’s fantastic from such a cheap player. He’s had the green light recently, too, combining for 29 shots and 65 minutes over the last two games.

Value Plays

Jae Crowder (SF/PF – PHX): $4,900 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
Someone needs to step up in Phoenix with Booker out, and Crowder looks like the best value of the bunch. Crowder has played 14 games without DB this season and is accumulating a 27-point average in that stretch. We love that since Jae has scored at least 23 DK points in eight of his last 10 games, averaging 24 fantasy points per game in that span. That’s brilliant from a sub-$5K player, and we believe he’s in line for 40 minutes in this must-win Game 5.

Patrick Beverley (PG/SG – MIN): $5,600 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
Beverley has sat below $6K for most of the season, and it’s hard to understand why. The gritty guard is averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game over the final two months of the regular season. He’s been even better against Memphis, scoring at least 25 DK points in seven of their eight meetings this year en route to a 30-point average. Good luck finding that sort of consistency from a player in this price range.

Advantageous Pricing

• Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $9,200 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel
• Chris Paul (PG – PHX): $9,000 DraftKings, $10,300 FanDuel
• Trae Young (PG – ATL): $9,300 DraftKings, $8,200 FanDuel
• Tyler Herro (PG/SG – MIA): $6,500 DraftKing, $5,500 FanDuel
• Jarred Vanderbilt (PF – MIN): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel

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