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Tuesday brings a packed slate in the NBA consisting of 10 games. One of them will be a Western Conference battle between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. This game will also be the featured Showdown contest on DraftKings, so let’s highlight some players to consider for your entries.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $120K Fadeaway [$30K to 1st] (MIN vs LAC)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Captain’s Picks
Anthony Edwards ($15,900 CP): Edwards had a rare off night in his last game against the Warriors, scoring only 12 points on 5-for-19 shooting from the field. He did somewhat salvage his stat line with five rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. With his averages of 24.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.7 steals for the season, look for him to bounce back in short order.
Kawhi Leonard ($15,300 CP): As appealing as Edwards is for this important position, Leonard might actually be a better option. He has a slightly cheaper salary, but his upside is just as high. Over his last 19 games, Leonard has averaged 28.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.8 steals. He shot 53.4 percent from the field during that stretch, and he is now shooting 51.0 percent for the season, overall.
UTIL Plays
Russell Westbrook ($8,200): Westbrook has jumped right into the starting point guard job for the Clippers. He played 39 minutes in his debut Friday against the Kings, then followed that up by logging 25 minutes against the Nuggets on Sunday. He made the most of his opportunities, scoring 44.8 and 38.8 DKFP, respectively. As long as he’s in a prominent role, his ability to contribute in multiple areas makes him a very appealing option.
Kyle Anderson ($6,800): There isn’t much flash to Anderson’s game, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been productive. Over the last five games since returning from injury, he has averaged 12.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 steals. He is one of the best passers on the Timberwolves, and his veteran presence has proven to be important after the team moved on from Patrick Beverley in the offseason. In his secure starting role, Anderson can provide value, while also not destroying your budget.
Taurean Prince ($2,200): Prince is not listed on the injury report after missing the Timberwolves’ last two games for personal reasons. Prior to his absence, he had scored at least 18.3 DKFP in four of his previous six games. Given his extremely cheap salary, he is at least worth considering in tournament play.
Fades
Mike Conley Jr. ($7,000): Conley has mostly been quiet, scoring 22.5 DKFP or fewer in three of his five games with the Timberwolves. He’s more of a pass-first point guard, but he loses some assists to Anderson, who is also very capable of facilitating for his teammates. Add in his salary not coming at much of a discount and Conley is someone to avoid.
THE OUTCOME
This game could come down to location. The Clippers are a modest 15-14 at home, so their advantage there hasn’t exactly been significant. However, the Timberwolves are just 11-18 on the road, compared to 20-14 at home. They defeated the Clippers by 13 points in Minnesota earlier this season, but they lost to them by 11 points in Los Angeles. Look for the Clippers to take advantage of the Timberwolves’ road woes and come away with the victory.
Final Score: Clippers 117, Timberwolves 111
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $120K Fadeaway [$30K to 1st] (MIN vs LAC)
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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.