FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Friday 5/6/22

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

Daily fantasy basketball is very reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

The Slate and Key Injuries

We might have a series in Philadelphia.

Even though he's listed doubtful on the official injury report, Joel Embiid (orbital bone) is ramping up to try to return for Game 3 against Miami, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.

The Heat could be getting a reinforcement back, too. Kyle Lowry (hamstring) now joins the myriad of Miami's questionable listings on the report, including Tyler Herro (ankle), Gabe Vincent (hamstring), Max Strus (hamstring), and P.J. Tucker (calf). All -- except Lowry -- have played through the injuries all series.

As was this case on Wednesday, the Mavericks and Suns are at full health as the series shifts to Dallas.

Guards

Devin Booker ($9,000): Only time (due to a blowout) kept Booker from a second straight game hitting value to open this Mavs series. He still dropped 30 points after a 23-point near-triple-trouble in Game 1. With a much higher usage rate (28.5%) than Chris Paul (24.8%) at a lower salary, Booker gets the nod, but both should be viable options as Game 3 in Dallas perhaps stays a bit closer than the first two contests.

Jalen Brunson ($6,200): Phoenix held Luka Doncic to just 11 points, 1 assist, and 1 rebound with constant pressure, double teams, and seeking him defensively in the second half on Wednesday. That should open up opportunities for Brunson and the other Mavs. Brunson's excellent first round -- with and without Luka -- saw him post at least 33 FanDuel points in any game. He could return to that form if he can just improve his dreadful 9-for-28 (31.8%) shooting he posted in Phoenix.

Others to Consider:
Luka Doncic ($11,500): The salary makes you think. If Dallas' "others" find more success early at home, it could free him back up to single coverage.
Spencer Dinwiddie ($4,600): 28 minutes in Game 2. That's the best workload you'll get for the salary on this slate with rotation shuffling in the other game.

Wings

James Harden ($8,700): Harden's efficiency has been so poor, and he bottomed out in the pair of games in Miami. But, he's the one 76er that may benefit from Embiid's return just to shake defensive attention away from him. Harden eclipsed 54 FanDuel points in three of the six battles with Toronto when Embiid -- at less than 100% -- was simply just on the floor. The frustrating, declining star is still my favorite stud on this slate whether Embiid plays or not.

Reggie Bullock ($4,900): Bullock returned to a hefty 36 minutes of work in Game 2 after foul trouble in Game 1, and his third quarter (11 points) showed the scoring upside he can hold. Unfortunately, Bullock also was held to just 5 points and 1 rebound in the other three quarters combined. Dallas does a lot of watching Luka, but he's a shotmaker that poured in a few when Doncic began to face double teams. His salary is far from prohibitive for someone that can do that.

Others to Consider:
Mikal Bridges ($6,100): This salary is sliding back closer to normal with Booker back. Still a court-time warrior; at least 38 minutes in eight straight games.
Dorian Finney-Smith ($5,500): Foul trouble in Game 2. Logged just 20 minutes after averaging 43.3 last series. Take advantage of the resulting salary discount.

Bigs

Bam Adebayo ($8,500): Adebayo exploded for at least 23 points and 9 boards in each of the first two games without Embiid, and there's no doubt his production should decline with Embiid back. However, Embiid also carries a salary that can't be rostered given his role and production concerns due to the torn thumb before he broke his orbital bone. Adebayo's full role is still the most known quantity amongst the bevy of bigs except Deandre Ayton.

Deandre Ayton ($7,400): Well, there was one path to shutting down Ayton that Dallas properly executed in Game 2 -- getting him in foul trouble. Ayton played just 18 minutes ahead of JaVale McGee and Bismack Biyombo, who shared the time he was forced to the bench. As a trio, they still posted 24 points and 8 rebounds because the Mavs just lack size. They have the third-worst defensive rebounding percentage (70.7%) of teams left in the playoffs. Ayton has a high floor if he avoids fouling.

Others to Consider:
Tobias Harris ($8,000): Both he and Jimmy Butler are badly over-salaried as their high-usage teammates return. Take your best guess in tournaments.
Maxi Kleber ($4,500): Up to 28 minutes in Game 2 as Dwight Powell just can't get anything going. Amazingly, his 28 points are second-most for a Maverick this series. That's worth a flier at this stage.