Thursday marks the final slate of games before the All-Star break. There will only be three games, but one of them is an exciting matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers. This will also be the featured Showdown contest on DraftKings, so let’s highlight some players to consider for your lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (LAC vs PHX)
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Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Captain’s Picks
Kawhi Leonard ($15,900 CP): Leonard couldn’t have looked much better in a win over the Warriors on Tuesday, hitting seven of nine attempts from behind the arc on his way to scoring 33 points. Over his last 16 games, he has averaged 28.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.9 steals and 2.5 3-pointers. The key is, he also played 36 minutes per game during that stretch. When healthy, he is showing that he can still be one of the most productive players in the league.
Deandre Ayton ($14,400 CP): There has been no slowing down Ayton lately. Across the last 10 games, he has averaged 23.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks. He has been more aggressive offensively, averaging 16.1 shot attempts per game, compared to his season mark of 13.8 attempts per game. He will be hard-pressed to maintain that kind of usage once Kevin Durant (knee) is healthy, but for now, he should continue to have a high floor.
UTIL Plays
Devin Booker ($10,200): When Booker is part of a Showdown contest, he is usually one of the top options for the Captain’s spot. However, deploying him there could come with some risk for this game. In three games since returning from injury, he didn’t play more than 29 minutes in any of them. He can score with the best of them, which still makes him appealing for a utility spot. However, the potential for him to play slightly fewer minutes than normal might not make him the best option for the Captain’s spot.
Terance Mann ($5,200): Mann enters this matchup having scored at least 29.3 DKFP in three of the last four games. He is locked in as the Clippers’ starting point guard, although he likely won’t be fully unleashed given the depth that the team has. Still, his salary is cheap enough for him to be able to provide value in his current role.
Jock Landale ($2,000): There are a lot of top-tier options available for this contest with so many excellent players on both teams. In order to fit more than two of them into your entry, you’ll need to take a chance on a player with a really cheap salary. One to consider is Landale, who has settled in as Ayton’s primary backup. In that role, he has been able to score at least 12.5 DKFP in four of the last six games.
Fades
Mason Plumlee ($6,800): Plumlee made his debut with the Clippers on Tuesday, playing just 17 minutes off the bench. With Ivica Zubac ($6,600) leading the way at the center position, Plumlee likely won’t come close to the 28 minutes per game that he was averaging as a member of the Hornets. His salary doesn’t reflect his new role enough, so be sure to keep him out of your lineups.
THE OUTCOME
The Clippers will be missing a key bench scorer for this game in Norman Powell (rest), who is averaging 17.0 points per game. The Suns have won five of their last six games, and are 15-3 in home games that Booker has played. This has the makings of a close game between two start-studded teams, but the Clippers not having Powell’s scoring punch off the bench should give a slight edge to the Suns.
Final Score: Suns 117, Clippers 114
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (LAC vs PHX)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mbarner51) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.