Jayson Tatum and the Celtics host the Warriors for Game 4 leading the series 2-1.
Golden State made a third-quarter run to make it competitive, but it felt like Boston would never lose Game 3 after a dominating opening frame. The crowd and energy in the building were electric, and it’s going to be tough for the Warriors to win in TD Garden. We have Game 4 in that building once again, so let’s get started with the injury report!
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Injury Report
- James Wiseman (knee) OUT
- Gary Payton (shoulder) Probable
- Otto Porter (foot) Probable
- Marcus Smart (ankle) Probable
- Robert Williams (foot) Probable
- Stephen Curry (foot) Probable
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Core Plays
Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $40
Tatum struggled with his shot yet again in the Game 3 victory, but his playmaking has been unbelievable in this series. He’s playing a de facto point guard from the power forward position, handling the ball on almost every play. That’s led to JT scoring at least 41 Yahoo points in 13 of his last 14 games, posting a 46-point average in that span. That’s scary since he hasn’t had a hot shooting night, and he could be in line for 50-60 fantasy points if he finds his shot one of these nights.
Cash Game Considerations
Stephen Curry (PG/SG – GSW): $38
Chef Curry is carrying this Warriors offense on his shoulders right now. The sharpshooter has at least 38 Yahoo points in 17 of his last 18 games, generating a 50-point average in this series. The simple fact is, Curry is taking 20-25 shots and playing 35-40 minutes a night. As long as those usage trends continue, Curry should never be below $40. This is a must-win game for the Warriors, down 2-1, and you better believe Curry will play 40 minutes in such a critical matchup.
GPP Targets
Draymond Green (PF – GSW): $21
Green really struggled to get anything going in Game 3, but that’s an outlier performance in what’s been a phenomenal playoff run. The former All-Star had at least 28 Yahoo points in seven of his previous eight games before that stinker, providing a 31-point average in that span. That’s all you can hope for from a sub-$25 player, and you know he will bring the energy in this crucial Game 4. Effort alone should be enough for DG to succeed because he just needs to do his usual stat-stuffing and play the 35-40 minutes we anticipate to provide value at this price tag.
Robert Williams (C – BOS): $21
The workload has been really frustrating, but Rob-Will showed how amazing he could be in Game 3. The big man played just 25 minutes but provided eight points, 10 rebounds, three steals, and four blocks. We love that because defensive statistics are worth more on Yahoo, with Williams dropping 41 fantasy points in that masterpiece. This is simply one of the best per-minute producers around, and if he plays 25 or more minutes, he should never be this cheap.
Value Plays
Smart has been one of the most valuable players in this lengthy playoff run, and it’s hard to understand why Yahoo keeps him so affordable. The Kia Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 33 Yahoo points per game across 36 minutes a night across his last 12 outings. That’s a fantastic total from a $25 player, and it’s clear Yahoo is undervaluing the Celtics point guard. He’s one of the safest pairings with Curry and Tatum.
Looney didn’t play much in Game 3, but it’s hard to understand why. The big man had 16 Y! points across 17 minutes, and he’s been performing whenever he’s given the minutes. In fact, Looney is averaging 32 Yahoo points per game across 28 minutes a night in his previous eight games played. All of that makes it hard to believe that he’s still below $20 because he’s the only sub-$20 player with a 30-point potential.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
