I have to be honest. These conference finals have been disappointing so far. The first two rounds of the playoffs were terrific, but it’s been blowout central between these final four teams. Luckily, the Eastern Conference Finals are at 2-2, leaving us with a three-game series!
The Golden State-Dallas series is quickly coming to an end, but we have at least two games left in these Eastern Conference Finals. It’s tough to gauge precisely who will show up when, though, because we’ve been victim to a blowout in seemingly every game thus far. We don’t expect that trend to continue, with this Game 5 being the most crucial game of the year!
Schedule and Odds
BOS at MIA (BOS -2) O/U: 203.5
Boston absolutely bombarded Miami in Game 4 to even up the series at 2-2. That’s been the case for almost every game in this series, and it’s tough to know what to expect from these volatile teams.
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
Injury Report
- Robert Williams (knee) Questionable
- Kyle Lowry (hamstring) Questionable
- Jimmy Butler (knee) Questionable
- Max Strus (hamstring) Questionable
- P.J. Tucker (knee) Questionable
- Tyler Herro (groin) Questionable
- Marcus Smart (ankle) Questionable
- Jayson Tatum (shoulder) Questionable
- Gabe Vincent (hamstring) Questionable
Core Plays
Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $10,800 DraftKings, $15,500 FanDuel
Tatum and Butler have been trading off gems in this series, making them mandatory choices in every lineup out there. Tatum has been the more consistent of the two, scoring at least 36 DraftKings points in 33 of his last 34 games. He’s also scored at least 43 DK points in seven of his previous eight games, generating a 47-point average in that span. Get Tatum in one of your multiplier spots and then figure things out from there.
Cash Game Considerations
Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $11,200 DraftKings, $15,000 FanDuel
Butler had a bust of a game with every other Miami player in Game 4, but this guy is still impossible to fade. JB entered that matchup with an injury suffered in Game 3, but he will go off in this must-win Game 5. Before that injury, Jimmy Buckets had at least 42 DK points in 10 of his previous 11 games, posting a 54-point average in that span. That’s the highest total in this series, making JB the highest-upside play on the board. Just ride Jimmy and Jayson in your star slots and build the lineup with cheap guys!
GPP Targets
Bam Adebayo (PF/C – MIA): $8,800 DraftKings, $13,000 FanDuel
If you want to fade JT or JB, Adebayo is the way to go. The big man has been a disappointment for most of these playoffs, but he showed us his potential in Game 3. Bam finished that gem with 64 DK points, and that sort of upside makes him one of the best GPP plays on the board. We’re talking about a former All-Star who averaged nearly 40 fantasy points per game during the regular season, and that alone makes him way too cheap. It’ll be impossible to use all three of these guys, but swapping Bam for one of the aforementioned studs could be a way to separate yourself from the pack.
Derrick White (PG/SG – BOS): $5,000 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
If Smart ends up sitting here, White is one of the best plays out there. The former San Antonio guard started for him in Game 4, collecting 13 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals, despite struggling with his shot. That’s the ball-handler we saw for the Spurs, and he’s essentially stepping into Smart’s 40-minute role. All of that makes White a bit too cheap, but we’d stay away if Smart does end up playing.
Value Plays
Al Horford (PF/C – BOS): $7,800 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
Big Al has been one of the best players in this series, but he’s not being priced like it. The Boston big man has at least 29 DraftKings points in nine of his last 10 games, providing a 39-point average in that span. Part of the resurgence is that he’s doing more with Robert Williams nicked up, and that should be the case again with Williams leaving Game 4. He’ll do well if Williams plays or not, and he makes a great pairing with the studs above.
Kyle Lowry (PG – MIA): $6,800 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
Lowry was horrible along with the rest of the Miami players on Monday, but we’re going with the track record here. The former All-Star averaged over 30 DK points per game in the regular season and is priced like a 20-point player. We love that since his role might be even more significant here, playing a must-win Game 5 without Tyler Herro. That’s a lot of ball-handling duties for Kyle, and we expect him to do his usual stat-stuffing ways in such an important game.
Advantageous Pricing
- Robert Williams (PF/C – BOS): $6,400 DraftKings
- Derrick White (PG/SG – BOS): $5,000 DraftKings
- Bam Adebayo (PF/C – MIA): $13,000 FanDuel
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.