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The Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies are knotted at 1-1 in their first-round playoff series and one side will take control by the end of Saturday’s game, which is set to tip-off at 9:30 p.m. ET. Ja Morant’s 47-point performance in Game 2 wasn't enough to overcome the impact of Donovan Mitchell’s return. The two guards are set to face off for the second time this postseason, and we've broken down some key DFS plays on DraftKings worth considering ahead of game time.
Captain’s Picks
Ja Morant ($14,100) is coming off one of his best performances ever and is shooting 55.3% from the field against the Jazz. Captaining him against one of the NBA’s best defenses is risky despite his recent success. Morant has one of the highest ceilings, but several other players can match his production and have higher floors. If you think Morant will be the most productive fantasy option in the game, captain him.
Mike Conley ($12,000) has shown that he can be one of the most consistent players on the court with or without Mitchell. He’s averaging more than 50 DKFP per game in the series and the Jazz’s dependence on his playmaking has helped him record two 20-point double-doubles. Mitchell appeared to favor his ankle at times during Game 2, so Conley could very well end up being Utah’s most important offensive player. Conley’s price is a steal, considering that Jordan Clarkson ($11,700) and Dillon Brooks ($11,400) are within $1,000 of him.
FLEX Plays
The Jazz don’t really have a traditional power forward and have leaned on Royce O’Neale ($4,800) heavily in the playoffs. The small ball 4’s defensive versatility keeps him on the court and he led all Utah players in minutes with 37 in Game 1. He followed his performance by scoring 14 points in 34 minutes in Game 2. Memphis has plenty of perimeter threats, so O’Neale is a lock to play more than 30 minutes and will be relieved by Georges Niang ($2,600) periodically.
Fades
It’s clear that Mitchell is going to be the priority on offense when it comes to scoring, but three other Jazz starters cracked 10 shot attempts in his first game back. He led Utah with 25 points on 19 shots in Game 2, but Conley and Gober also scored at least 20 points with better efficiency while topping his fantasy output. Mitchell has scored less than 35 DKFP in three straight games. If his playmaking doesn’t get better, he’ll likely have to score more than 30 points to reach his DKFP average.
The Outcome
Utah came alive with Mitchell’s return and led by 20 at the half of Game 2 before Memphis mounted a comeback thanks to a 42-point third quarter. The Jazz won 75% of their games before he sprained his ankle in April. While Mitchell might not be at 100%, Utah is 7-1 straight up in its last eight games against Memphis.
Final score: Jazz win 120-112