UPDATE: Deandre Ayton will return to the lineup vs. the Trail Blazers.
Deandre Ayton will return tonight from a right ankle sprain that sidelined him 5 games after suffering injury in his return game from 25-game suspension .
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 31, 2019
This will be just his 3rd game as the #Suns will play their 23rd game tonight. Facing #RipCity in 3rd of 4-game road trip.
Monday’s fantasy basketball Showdown contests feature a choice between two NBA games on DraftKings: Brooklyn Nets at Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 p.m. ET) and Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 p.m. ET). Here are a few options to consider for the late game between the Suns and Trail Blazers:
CAPTAIN OBVIOUS
Damian Lillard ($15,600 CP; $10,400 FLEX)
Lillard’s 24.6 player efficiency rating ranks best among qualified point guards, and he is playing a heavy 37 minutes per game, third most among all players. The combination of Lillard’s efficiency with his minute volume makes him a strong fantasy asset. Lillard takes his team-high 28% usage rate into a good matchup against the Suns, who have allowed the sixth most points to opponents and play an elevated pace, ranking in the top 10 in possessions per game.
CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS
Devin Booker ($14,400 CP; $9,600 FLEX)
Booker isn’t quite the fantasy asset that Lillard is, but he still draws an appealing matchup against a Trail Blazers defense that ranks in the bottom third in points allowed per game and points allowed per possession. Booker is tied for the second best fantasy output in this contest by average DraftKings fantasy points per game (DKFP). In addition to being poor at limited points to opponents, the Trail Blazers have also been poor on the glass, ranking in the bottom third of the league by the percentage of missed shots they rebound.
FLEX MEN
Hassan Whiteside ($8,400 FLEX; $12,600 CP)
The Suns rank poorly on the glass and poorly at defending the interior, which is notable given Whiteside’s skill set. The Suns rank as the league’s seventh worst rebounding team by the percentage of missed shots they rebound, giving Whiteside a quality matchup on the glass. The Suns also rank in the bottom third in field goals allowed within five feet of the basket, and Whiteside has taken roughly 70% of his field goal attempts in that zone. Despite the appealing matchup, Whiteside’s price has fallen to its lowest mark this month and is down $700 from his most recent game.
CJ McCollum ($7,600 FLEX; $11,400 CP)
McCollum has played strong minute volume, averaging just under 37 minutes per game, sixth highest among all players. McCollum’s 26% usage rate ranks second on the Trail Blazers, and he will be in good position to take advantage of a Suns team that has allowed elevated points to opponents on the back of a below average defense and quick pace. In his previous game vs. the Suns this season, McCollum lit them up for 50.8 DraftKings fantasy points (DKFP).
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is timfinn521) 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 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.