The NBA brings seven games to the table Tuesday, one of which is a battle of Los Angeles with the Lakers taking on the Clippers. This matchup will be the featured Showdown contest on DraftKings, so let’s highlight some players to consider while crafting your lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $120K Fadeaway [$30K to 1st] (LAC vs LAL)
Captain’s Picks
LeBron James ($18,900 CP): James is officially listed as questionable with an ankle injury. He has been on the injury report often, but he has still appeared in 37 games. He has played in six straight, logging at least 35 minutes each time. With the expectation that he also plays in this game, he is the top option for this position with his averages of 29.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.9 three-pointers per game.
Kawhi Leonard ($17,400 CP): Leonard is starting to catch fire. Over his last seven games, he has averaged 29.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.4 three-pointers. He logged at least 36 minutes in six of those games, so while he still isn’t playing both games of back-to-back sets, he’s not being limited when he suits up. With that kind of playing time, he provides an extremely high floor.
UTIL Plays
Paul George ($10,000): George has had injury issues this season, including recently missing five straight games. He has played in three of the last four games for the Clippers while logging at least 32 minutes in both of their last two games. That helped him score 42.3 and 34.5 DKFP, respectively. His upside isn’t as high when Leonard is healthy and playing so well, but in a matchup between two teams that have some underwhelming options for DFS purposes, George is still worth considering for a utility spot.
Ivica Zubac ($6,800): There is some risk that comes with deploying Zubac. Although he is averaging a career-high 29 minutes per game for the season, his playing time has been all over the place recently. Over the last 10 games, he has logged 23 minutes or less four times. Across 22 games in which he has played at least 30 minutes this season, he has averaged 13.1 points, 13.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. If he receives similar playing time against a Lakers team that is lacking size up front, another double-double could be coming.
Nicolas Batum ($3,600): Behind Zubac, the Clippers often play small at center. That has helped propel Batum into the role of being one of their key reserve frontcourt players. While he doesn’t score much, his ability to contribute in multiple areas has still provided him with some value. Over the last five games, he has scored at least 20.3 DKFP three times. That’s enough to make him a viable option in tournament play at this cheap salary.
Fades
Norman Powell ($7,200): The Clippers have a lot of depth, which has contributed to Powell playing only 26 minutes per game this season. He has stepped up when Leonard and George have missed time, providing the occasional scoring outburst. However, with their health situation improving, Powell has scored 29.5 DKFP or fewer in three of the last five games. Given that his salary does not come at much of a discount, it might be best to keep him out of your entry.
THE OUTCOME
Operating under the assumption that James plays, this has the makings of a close game. The Lakers have won three of their last four games, which included wins over the Grizzlies and Trail Blazers. The Clippers have won back-to-back games with George and Leonard healthy. Those two being back should help propel the Clippers to a win, but don’t be surprised if the game is decided in the final seconds.
Final Score: Clippers 119, Lakers 115
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $120K Fadeaway [$30K to 1st] (LAC vs LAL)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mbarner51) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.