Blake Griffin is less than 100 percent due to a knee injury.
Keep an eye on Spurs PG Tony Parker ($139K), who suffered an apparent foot injury in Game 4 against the Jazz. He was walking with a noticeable limp, although he said after that game back on May 7 that he was fine. He has had over a week to rest any potential injury, so he is expected to be just fine. In the first three games of the series Parker averaged 33.7 fantasy points per game, and he was limited to 27 minutes in Game 4, while posting just 19 fantasy points.
In the middle, PF/C Tim Duncan ($155K) was solid in each of the four games against the Jazz, although he was more impressive during the early going. Duncan had double-doubles in Games 1 and 2, averaging 31 fantasy points per game during those two contests. In the final two games, he posted a total of six blocked shots to make up for the lack of double-doubles. He can do it all, and he averaged 29.8 fantasy points per game in the four outings against Utah. He is a nice investment because there is little worry about uneven performances. He rarely has a poor shooting night, and is always in the mix for boards and swats to please fantasy owners.
If you’re searching the bargain bin, check out Spurs C Tiago Splitter ($82K). While he had just seven fantasy points in seven minutes in Game 1, and he didn’t even play in Game 2, Splitter came on and posted 38 total fantasy points in Games 3 and 4. Watch how head coach Gregg Popovich uses Splitter in Game 1 against the Clippers. If he plays well, hop on board and ride Splitter before his salary rises.
Speaking of bargains, swingman Manu Ginobili ($82K) has a very low salary, making him a tempting play. However, he was very disappointing in the opening series. In Games 1 and 2, Popovich rested Ginobili, limiting him to 25 minutes in the opener, and just 19 minutes in Game 2. That was mostly due to lopsides scores. Ginobili was much better with 41 total fantasy points in Games 3 and 4 in Salt Lake. The games against the Clippers should be closer, so with less blowouts Ginobili will see more playing time.
Clippers PF/C Blake Griffin ($150K) made some comments this week that might scare away potential fantasy owners. He said his knee is about “75 to 80 percent”, but he fully intends to play in Game 1. The fact he will play is good. The fact he is not 100 percent is not, especially since he’ll be working against the wily veteran Duncan. Fantasy owners might want to avoid Griffin in the first two games of the series. If the Clippers fall behind by a large margin, it is likely Griffin could be rested for long periods, limiting his fantasy value.
Fantasy owners will want to pay close attention to PF Reggie Evans ($70K), who had 12 or more fantasy points in six of the seven games against the Grizzlies. He has fantasy value, because he snared at least eight rebounds in each of those six games. He won’t score a lot of buckets, but his rebounding and occasional shot blocking makes him a solid option, especially at this low price. Speaking of low prices, G Randy Foye ($63K) had nine or more fantasy points in each of the seven games against Memphis, including 11.7 fantasy points per game in Games 5 through 7, and a 23-point fantasy performance in Game 3. Again, not a great option, but at this price level he could be a steal.
Lastly, Clips PG Chris Paul ($178K) will likely see even more responsibilities early in the series if Griffin is not quite 100 percent. Paul went for 26 or more fantasy points in each of the seven games against Memphis, and he had three games with 41 or more fantasy points. He shook off a hip injury late in the series, but that shouldn’t be a concern heading into this one. Paul averaged 22.3 points per game (ppg) with 8.7 assists per game (apg) in three meetings with San Antonio this season.
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