Best lineup strategy for Hawks vs. Trail Blazers NBA Showdown

The Portland Trail Blazers will host the Atlanta Hawks for the first time this season on Saturday at 10:00 p.m. ET and there is a fun matchup between guards to look forward to. Trae Young is looking to rebounds from a poor performance against the Utah Jazz but will have his hands full with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Let’s go over ideal strategies for attacking showdown contests centered around the matchup.

Captain’s Picks

Lillard ($16,800) has been outdone by McCollum ($14,400) so far this season but will draw a matchup against Trae Young, who is arguably the worst defensive guard in the NBA. There’s no way Lillard won’t be as aggressive as possible in this matchup. Atlanta ranks 29th against point guards on DraftKings.

The sneaky captain’s play in this game is Clint Capela ($12,300). He’s grabbed at least 11 boards in every game but one this season and his scoring could get a bump against Enes Kanter. Jusuf Nurkic is set to miss weeks with a fractured risk and it’s no secret that Kanter’s weakness is defense. A playmaker like Young will take advantage of him in the post with lobs and other passes.

FLEX Plays

DeAndre Hunter’s ($7,600) streak of six straight games with at least 15 points was snapped in his last outing but the two-way wing should be primed to bounce back against a Portland team that's weak at small forward. Derrick Jones Jr. and Rodney Hood will be hard-pressed to match his physicality on both ends of the court.

Kanter is a defensive liability but that doesn't mean he’s not a viable fantasy option. He’ll get a huge boost in usage with Nurkic out. He’s eclipsed 30 DKFP three times this season and can get there again on Saturday.

Fade

Robert Covington ($6,000) impacts the game but remains a below-average fantasy option. he’ll have a tough matchup against John Collins on defense and is hardly averaging 20 DKFP per game. Cam Reddish ($5,600) stands out as a better option for less salary.

The Outcome

Atlanta is sliding fast and while Portland is also dealing with an injury it has two guards playing at an All-Star level. The Hawks’ lack of depth and lack of defensive prowess at the point guard position should lead to their demise in this one.

Final score: Trail Blazers win 125-117