The Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Golden State Warriors for Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Thursday, May 4. Tipoff from the Chase Center in San Francisco, California is set for 9 p.m. ET, with the game airing on ESPN. The Lakers are currently up 1-0 in the series, picking up an important road win on Tuesday.
Here we’ll take a look at one potential DFS strategy for Showdown contests on DraftKings involving this matchup with Captain’s picks, flex plays and fades.
Captain’s Picks
Anthony Davis ($17,100) - Davis was dominant in the Game 1 victory. Not only did he lead the team with 30 points, but he finished with a double-double by adding 23 boards. 19 of them were defensive, helping Los Angeles get out on the break and limiting the second-chance opportunities for Golden State. Kevin Looney had 23 boards of his own but doesn’t present much resistance for Davis to go off yet again.
Stephen Curry ($16,800) - Curry has the best chance of anyone on the Warriors for having a big game. He had his lowest point total of the playoffs in the first game but still dropped a team-high 27. Curry added six rebounds, three assists and a steal. He did have five turnovers but if the Warriors are going to pick up a win in this game, it will be because Curry stepped up.
FLEX Plays
Dennis Schroder ($4,200) - Schroder played 31 minutes off the bench in the first game of the series. He tallied 19 points, but it was largely due to his ability to hit free throws after getting to the line. Schroder went 5-10 shooting and missed his lone three-pointer but nailed nine of his ten free throw attempts. He should be able to be just as productive coming off the bench Thursday.
Jarred Vanderbilt ($4,800) - The flex prospects after Schroder are bleak, so I am going with Vanderbilt, despite him being a more expensive option. He got the starting nod at power forward in the series opener and played 26 minutes. The Lakers will likely utilize a similar starting rotation, and if Vanderbilt can improve on his 2-7 shooting in the series opener, he could add some valuable points to your DFS lineup.
Fades
Austin Reaves ($7,200) - Reaves has been a solid contributor for Los Angeles this season and was expected to be a difference-maker in this series. Unfortunately, it didn’t come together for him in the series opener. Despite playing 39 minutes, he came away with just 10 points, five rebounds and three assists. That wouldn’t be bad for a flex play, but not at the current cost for Reaves.
Draymond Green ($7,600) - Green’s biggest asset to his team is his physicality and his ability to get into his opponent’s heads. Unfortunately, that doesn’t translate into fantasy points. He played 34 minutes in Game 1 and only took nine shots. Green finished with six points, four rebounds and seven assists. At his price tag, you can find a more valuable player.
The Outcome
Los Angeles pulled off an impressive upset in Game 1 of the series. The Warriors are a juggernaut at home, and the Lakers being able to pick up a win on the road was huge for this series. I think Golden State responds with a win in Game 2, but LA keeps things close.
Final score: Warriors 123, Lakers 118