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Best lineup strategy for Lakers vs. Jazz NBA Showdown

We break down how to craft a winning lineup for Monday night’s featured Showdown contest between L.A. and Utah on DraftKings.

By Ameer Tyree
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers run down the court during the game against the LA Clippers on March 8, 2020 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.  Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz are set to wrap up Monday’s five-game main slate. Both teams are 1-1 in the NBA bubble and looking to gain momentum after crushing losses. DraftKings has Showdown contests available for the matchup, and we’ll go over the best lineup strategies here.

Captain’s Picks

It’s highly unlikely that LeBron James ($18,600) and Anthony Davis ($17,400) will bust for a second straight game. Both of them have desirable matchups against the Jazz. Joe Ingles is nowhere near being capable of guarding James and was torched by Brandon Ingram in his seeding game debut. Royce O’Neal is listed as questionable because of groin pain, and Georges Niang is listed as Utah’s second string power forward. Things could get out of hand quickly with such thin frontcourt depth, and the Lakers’ size inside can’t be negated by Rudy Gobert alone.

FLEX Options

Los Angeles has given up 68 points to point guards through two bubble games, and Utah has plenty of guards who can fill it up. If you think the Jazz have a shot at making this a close game, Mike Conley ($7,400) is a reasonable option. However, Jordan Clarkson ($6,000) could bounce back after an underwhelming performance in his last outing if the Lakers build a significant lead.

Kyle Kuzma ($5,400) has shot the ball well since the NBA’s return and is averaging 30 minutes per game in the bubble. If the Jazz are undermanned he could get an offensive boost against reserves.

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