Out Of Options

Several are running out of options in DTTF. Across the board on polls, they have the San Antonio Spurs winning the series especially now that Serge Ibaka is out of the playoffs. One would think people will pick Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook in Game 1 if they still have them, or at least another Thunder. But if you look at Monday's picks, Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan are the hottest ones. Game 2 is no different; people are turning to the Spurs roster for picks early, and that will certainly have a major impact on the Finals for DTTF.


Here are your options for Game 1 from the Thunder..

• Kevin Durant (45 PRA). KD is the most likely to pick up the slack of losing Serge Ibaka. He will be extra-active especially on defense and will grab more rebounds. I already used him, but if I still have him, he'll get my pick.
• Russell Westbrook (43). There's talk of him attacking the paint more in light of Tony Parker's hamstring. He also is one of a rare breed of rebounding point guards in the league, and that will be displayed more now that the Thunder needs all the rebounds they can get. As my best available player in the team I consider to lose the series, he gets my pick.

Reggie Jackson (17) is the third hottest pick for Monday and Wednesday. The only reason I can think of why that is so is that many have already used Durant and Westbrook and they are left with Reggie. 17 PRA is not bad considering the options that are left, but I suggest waiting to see what the Thunder plans to do with their starting lineup and minutes distribution. For now you may pick from the other team...

If you are running out of options from the Thunder, feel free to use the Spurs in advance so that you delay picking of duds in the Finals instead of here now in the Conference Finals..

• Tony Parker (27). If you still have him (I don't) and are planning to use a Spur anyway within the first four games, I highly recommend picking him now. Not only is the Thunder paint open to Parker's drives for exploitation without Ibaka's rim protection, that hamstring (even if it is Grade 1 strain) still worries me. I am telling you, it will not get better until the playoffs are over. Pick him now while he's still moving fine.
• Tim Duncan (26). Mr. Fundamental gives you the Spurs' most consistent and reliable production. You are sure to get a PRA around his average. Ibaka's absence will benefit him too.

Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili (both averaging 22 PRA) are also options but I wouldn't recommend them now, unless they are your remaining top options among the Thunder+Spurs pool. If you are still picking them because you want to reserve Tony or Timmy for an elimination game, I don't see how that differs from picking them now. The Spurs system pretty much eliminates the need for hero-ball anyway, no matter the record.

As for the other series, the Pacers pulled off a convincing win over the Heat by using their height and spacing in Game 1. Despite that, I am still picking the Heat to win. My remaining pickable Pacers are George Hill and Lance Stephenson. I, too, will run out of options. That means if the Heat are to win, it will take at least up to Game 5 to finish the series. That means I am to use LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in Games 4 and 5 (unless a Pacer bench player comes out of hiding). So, how about I just switch a Heat pick in advance? My Round 3 usage of players will stay the same. So here now tentatively, my pick for Tuesday is Dwyane Wade.

Now that the Heat switched off Dwyane Wade from guarding Lance Stephenson after Game 1's halftime, he doesn't need to chase Stephenson anymore. That means, he'll conserve his energy during the game, and hopefully have more wings for offense.

Note that I am still sticking to my guns :) Just running out of options ;)