Fantasy Basketball 2021: Daily Fantasy Picks for Wednesday's NBA Playoffs

Wednesday's one-game NBA playoff slate featuring the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns forces a shift in daily fantasy basketball strategy from the typical multi-game schedules we have had for most of the postseason. 

The FanDuel single-game contest requires you to pick five players with a combined salary of $60,000. Nikola Jokic and Devin Booker carry the two highest salaries on the slate. 

You could opt to use both stars, but that strategy forces you into choosing one or two sleepers to fit within the salary-cap constraints. 

Another way to approach the contest is a combination of Jokic and Deandre Ayton, who both thrived in their head-to-head matchup in the paint. 

By rostering the two centers, you could add a handful of depth options without dipping below $8,000 in individual salaries. 

One or two of Facundo Campazzo, JaMychal Green, Austin Rivers and Cameron Payne should be added to the roster, and the correct combination of the quartet could provide the right support for Jokic and Ayton to push you into money-winning positions. 

The single-game schedule is the only type of DFS contest that allows you to combine Jokic and Ayton.

In multi-game contests, you can only roster one center, so it's worth taking advantage of the situation while you can.

Jokic carries the highest salary in Wednesday's contest, and he should have one of the top roster percentages. He could turn in a big performance one day after being named the NBA Most Valuable Player. 

In Game 1, the 26-year-old turned in 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a pair of steals. He finished with 48.3 FanDuel points, which is a bit lower than his average of 54.1. 

Jokic should push the 50-point mark in Game 2 and that makes him an ideal MVP candidate since that spot comes with double points. 

Ayton has been one of the pleasant surprises of the playoffs. He continued his strong postseason with 20 points and 10 rebounds on Monday. 

In four of the last six games, the 22-year-old had at least 34 FanDuel points. If he is more active in the paint, he should get to that total and again and be a top candidate for the Star (1.5x) and Pro (1.2x) positions. 

The addition of Ayton on his $12,500 salary allows you to have a bit more flexibility than if you rostered Booker or Chris Paul, and that could give you more quality across all of the roster spots. 

Mikal Bridges will be one of the most popular second-tier selections because of his 23-point outburst in Game 1. 

That point total beat his previous career best from Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers by 10 points. 

The 24-year-old got to that point by hitting four of his eight three-point shots. The same level of production may not be there in Game 2. 

Jae Crowder is typically the first player the Suns look at to knock down three-point shots, and he made at least three in his last four games. 

The 30-year-old's consistency is one of the reasons you should take him over Bridges for Game 2. He also has a salary of $1,500 less than his Suns teammate. 

Crowder attempted seven shots from deep in all but one of his postseason games with Phoenix, and he shot nine three-pointers in each of the last three. 

While three-point shooting is his primary strength, the Marquette alum also pulled in five or more rebounds in four games and started the postseason with multiple assists in five straight contests. 

If you partner Crowder with a Jokic-Ayton combination, you should have some comfort to add a few other second-tier players who have a decent shot volume. Or you could go the sleeper route to try to gain advantage over other rosters. 

If you load your roster with high-end names, there are three Denver players under $10,000 who could provide some depth. 

Facundo Campazzo ($9,500), JaMychal Green ($9,000) and Austin Rivers ($8,500) all played valuable roles at parts of the postseason. 

In Game 1, Campazzo chipped in 14 points, six assists and four rebounds, while Green had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Rivers only had seven points, but he added four assists and three rebounds. If his three-point shooting improves in Game 2, he could carry the best value for his salary. 

In Games 3 and 5 against Portland, the 28-year-old knocked down nine three-pointers, and he could worth the risk at his price to accommodate high-volume players. 

Campazzo is the most consistent option of the trio. He had five double-digit point games and chipped in at least five assists on five occasions. 

If Game 2 is a high-scoring affair, the Argentine's assist total should remain near his playoff average and he could attempt a few shots since he is in the starting lineup. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference.