Best lineup strategy for Trail Blazers vs. Grizzlies NBA Showdown

The play-in game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies is set for Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Both teams are looking to make the playoffs by securing the 8th seed in the Western Conferences. DraftKings has Showdown contests available for the matchup, and we’ll go over the best lineup strategies below.

Captain’s Picks

Damian Lillard ($18,000) has essentially been unstoppable in the bubble and is averaging more than 37 points per game since the NBA restart. He wasn’t as hot as usual the first time he played the Grizzlies late last month, but Memphis isn’t capable of containing him. Jaren Jackson Jr. isn’t around this time though, and Lillard might not be worth it if the game is a blowout. Jusuf Nurkic ($15,000) is also a viable option. He manhandled Jonas Valanciunas in July and is a triple-double threat on most nights.

Ja Morant ($14,700) should have sky-high usage and sets the table for the Grizzlies. He had a double-double the last time he faced Portland and gives you enough flexibility to fit Lillard and Nurkic in the flex comfortably. Dillon Brooks ($9,900) is the wild card to look out for. He’s averaging more than 17 shots per game in the bubble. While he doesn’t offer much as a rebounder or distributor, he gives you room to fit all the heavy hitters in the flex. You just have to hope for well balanced scoring if you captain him.

FLEX Options

Brandon Clarke ($5,800) is rebounded well since taking a back seat to Anthony Tolliver briefly after Jackson’s season-ending knee injury. He’s affordable and has cracked 20 DKFP in four straight games.

Although Hassan Whiteside ($5,400) has been pushed to the bench by Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic, he is still a capable big. He proved that by posting 16 points and 9 rebounds in a mere 15 minutes against the Brooklyn Nets his last time out. He doesn’t need a ton of time to make an impact and will be against a team that lacks post depth.