NBA DFS Playbook: April 25

What calf injury? Luka returned in Game 4 and played 34 minutes, scoring 30 points with 10 rebounds and four assists. We've said all series that the Jazz struggle to defend the guard position and Luka took it to them. I look for more of the same here tonight.

The Raptors may have won Game 4 but I think the series ends tonight. Fred VanVleet has already been ruled out for Toronto and if this one gets out of hand I see Maxey having an impact with some blowout run.

Smart went for 42 FP in Game 1 and had 30 FP in Game 3. Both pay off the price tag here tonight. With this being a close out game I can see Smart coming up big on the defensive end while continuing to score in double-figures.  

Clarkson has been a solid contributor over the past three games, averaging close to 25 FP a game. He provides instance scoring off the bench and should continue to play close to 30 minutes. 

Harden hasn't exploded in this series but with Joel Embiid dealing with a torn thumb ligament, there is a chance that we do see him step up his offensive involvement here moving forward. The Raptors do have good defensive plays at the wing but Harden still gets his fantasy points with the ability to fill the stat sheet.

Mitchell has been exactly what we thought he would be in this series which is an elite scoring guard that will fill the stat sheet. In the four-game series he hasn't scored less than 45 FP in any game with a series high 52 FP coming in Game 1. I see no reason to expect anything less tonight.

Jayson Tatum gets most of the love but Jaylen Brown has been very good in this series against the Nets, averaging 41.6 FP per game this series. We should see another 20+ point with a share of rebounds and assists coming out of Brown here again as he draws the more favorable defensive matchups.

Luka came back but Brunson kept on chugging, scoring 23 points and finishing with 35 fantasy points in Game 4. It's a great sign when it comes to his fantasy value that he can still be this productive with Luka back on the floor.

With Fred VanVleet ruled out we likely see Trent as the point guard tonight and with the ball more in his hands he should see an increase in scoring opportunities. Good price here in a decent matchup. Since recovering from his illness, he has gone for 36 and 37  fantasy points.

The Nets have gotten decent production from their secondary players like Curry in this series as they find themselves with more open shots with the Celtics defense focusing on Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The under $5,000 price tag is really appealing here for a guy like Curry who can get hot from three-point range.

Tatum was money in Game 3, scoring 39 points with five rebounds, six assists and six steals. The six steals is for sure an outlier but we know Tatum can score 40 and even 50 actual. He has also been a much better passer this series and still pulling down a handful of boards. In a closeout game tonight, we could see another ceiling performance out of JT here.

Anunoby popped off in Game 3 but cam back to Earth in Game 4, scoring just 11 points on 3-of-13 shooting. With Fred Vanvleet ruled out I can see him getting a few more shot opportunities to filter his way tonight. Short slate, small player pools keep Anunoby in the mix.

It's not even really up for debate, Bruce Brown has been the best player on the Nets over the last two games, finishing with 45 and 46 fantasy points. It feels pretty clear that the Celtics are willing to let Brown beat them and he keeps hitting shots. This really isn't a fluke either, Brown has been very good for most of this season.

Bojan had a bad shooting night in Game 4 but has been strong for most of this series. I like the price at under $6,000 and I see no reason not to think we get another 30 fantasy points out of Bogdanovic here in Game 5.

Good looks on Bullock this series as the return of Luka Doncic could have easily taken away his value but instead, he knocked down the shots that came his way and finished with 24.75 FP which is his lowest total all series. 

So, Scott Foster is reffing tonight's game between the Celtics and Nets. Teams trailing their playoff series are 19-2 with Scott Foster as the official during the playoffs. That said, this could be a night where Durant gets a few more foul calls go his way or that Jayson Tatum gets in early foul trouble and therefore he gets a much more favorable defensive matchup. Durant has yet to crack 40 FP in this series but if you wanted to take a dart throw on the ref angle then maybe tonight is the night we get a vintage Durant performance.

Harris was basically a nobody following the James Harden trade but during this playoff series he has been fantastic, pulling down 10+ rebounds in each of the last three games while scoring no less than 33 fantasy points. Love the price and with Embiid dealing with an injury those rebounds should continue to be his.

Barnes came off the bench and played 26 minutes in his return to the lineup. He shot poorly, just 1-for-6 but he did grab 11 rebounds. I expect Barnes to re-enter the starting lineup tonight with FVV ruled out.

Dorian Finney-Smith went for 25 FP in Game 4 and is averaging 28 FP in this series. There are only a few guys on the Mavericks with an actual ceiling but they all have a pretty good floor when it comes to fantasy upside.

Well, that was unexpected now wasn't it? After not playing more than eight minutes in any game this series we saw Thad play 30 minutes off the bench in Game 4 and he put up a typical stat line, scoring 13 points with five rebounds, five assists, one block and three steals. If these minutes are for real then Thad can easily give us another night of 3-4 blocks+steals while filling the stat sheet.

So, Embiid is dealing with a torn ligament in his thumb based off reports but it is an injury he is going to play through. That said, you have to wonder if it is going to eventually impact him on the offensive end. He scored 21 points in Game 4 with eight rebounds. The eight rebounds were his lowest total of the series and something that could also be impacted by the thumb.

Siakam had a tough Game 3 but in Game 4 he had his best game of the series, scoring 34 points and finishing with 56 fantasy points. With FVV out tonight I look for Siakam to continue to lead this team in shot attempts.

Will continue to dominate the glass and any scoring is great too. I don't think he has the biggest ceiling just given how this series has been played but I like the price and he feels safe.

So, by all accounts, Williams felt good after his 16-minute return to the Celtics lineup.  Reports were that if Williams was good to go after his return that he would see a quick ramp-up in minutes which means we could see him in the starting lineup tonight. He didn't make the biggest impact in his 16 minutes but I won't hold that against him seeing as he was just returning from knee surgery. Play with caution. 

Claxton has been the Nets best center in this series given his athleticism and while he is a defensive liability when forced to switch in Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, he is also a good shot blocker that can score around the rim and pull down rebounds.