Best lineup strategy for Celtics vs. Bucks NBA Showdown on Christmas Day

The NBA has a full slate of games on Christmas Day, so there are plenty of players to choose from especially in Showdown Captain Mode on December 25th. With five games on the docket, you’ll have virtually non-stop NBA action starting at 12:00 p.m. ET, finishing up with the last tipoff coming at 10:30 p.m.

The 2:30 p.m. slot belongs to the Milwaukee Bucks hosting the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum. It’s unclear whether Giannis will make his return after missing several games in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, but there will still be plenty of stars to pick from regardless of his status.

Update — Marcus Smart, Jabari Park, Brodric Thomas, Romeo Langford and Juancho Hernangomez will play. Al Horford remains out for the Celtics.

Celtics vs. Bucks NBA DraftKings Showdown picks

Captain’s Picks

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, $15,900

Let’s just assume Giannis is out, and skip right down to arguably the next best option in Jaylen Brown. He’s been in better form than Jayson Tatum as of late, turning in 51 fantasy points against the Cavaliers on Wednesday. He’s scored at least 40 DKFP in his last three straight games, and should be able to turn in a similar performance against the defending NBA champs, especially if they’ll be missing Giannis on both ends of the court.

Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks, $15,300

Holiday has been huge for the Bucks especially in Giannis’ absence, averaging 49.7 fantasy points through his last five outings. He topped out at 56.25 DKFP in that stretch, really impressing fantasy managers who’ve had him in his lineup. His season-long DKFP average is just 36.9, so he’s been outperforming himself in a great run of form lately. You can’t go wrong with Jrue Holiday as a captain pick in your Showdown lineup.

Value Options

Pat Connaughton, Milwaukee Bucks, $6,200

Connaughton has put in some big performances for the Bucks over the last stretch, hitting over 30 fantasy points in several games through his last 10. He’s been almost consistently seeing at least 30 minutes in most of his games recently, and grabs a lot of his fantasy points from the glass in the rebound column. He won’t eat up too much of your salary cap and has a fairly high ceiling.

Dennis Schroder, Boston Celtics, $7,400 - OUT DUE TO COVID-19

Update - Schroder has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols, ruling him out for the contest. When it comes to value plays, Payton Pritchard ($3,500) and Jeff Teague ($3,000) could be good fallback options with Schroder sidelined.

A little pricier than Connaughton, Schroder is a solid play off the bench for the Celtics. He played a low 18 minutes in their last game against the Cavs, but other than that he’s consistently seeing 25-30 minutes per game or more. He’s generally been good for double digit points coming off the bench, and relative to some of the other players on the Celtics, comes in at a great price.