Wednesday was certainly eventful in the NBA with James Harden being traded to the Nets in a four-team deal. The follow up to that move is a limited five-game NBA slate on Thursday. One matchup will be the Golden State Warriors facing off against the Denver Nuggets, which also happens to be the featured DraftKings Showdown contest. Let’s dive into the game and discuss some players to consider for your lineups.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $120K Fadeaway [$30K to 1st] (GSW vs DEN)

Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors

SHOWDOWN STRATEGY

Captain’s Pick

Nikola Jokic ($17,400 CP): Jokic has been about as reliable as it gets, scoring at least 43.8 DKFP in every game this season. On top of that, he’s scored at least 60.5 DKFP in six of his 11 games. His ability to contribute in so many different areas, combined with his average of 35 minutes a game, makes him a prime pick for the Captain’s spot, regardless of how much damage his salary will do to your budget.

Stephen Curry ($16,200 CP): Fading Jokic in the Captain’s spot could be costly, but if you want to, then Curry is the next best option. He’s been the leader of the Warriors’ offense with his 31.9 percent usage rate, which is even more appealing when you factor in that they have played at the third-fastest pace in the league. The end result has been Curry boasting an average of 47.2 DKFP a night.

UTIL Plays

Draymond Green ($7,400): It’s been a slow start to the season for Green, who began it on the sidelines with an injury. He’s starting to play more now, though, logging at least 29 minutes in each of the last four games. Despite four tough matchups against the Pacers, Raptors and Clippers (twice), Green managed to average 6.3 points, six rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.3 steals during that stretch. His limited offensive game does stifle his upside, but he produces enough in other areas to at least make him worth considering for your entry.

Monte Morris ($5,000): Morris has been a staple of the Nuggets’ bench the last couple of seasons and is off to a great start with averages of 11.4 points, 3.2 assists and 1.3 three-pointers across 26 minutes a night. He’s reached double figures in the scoring column in all but two games, thanks in part to his robust 52.8 percent shooting from the field. He’s shot 48.2 percent for his career, so that number isn’t exactly all that crazy for him, either. This is a favorable spot for him to keep things rolling offensively with the Warriors allowing the sixth-most points per game.

Bol Bol ($1,000): The key here will be the status of Gary Harris (personal), who is listed as questionable. He did not play Tuesday against the Nets, which resulted in a rare start for Bol. He only scored 8.6 DKFP across 16 minutes, but at this cheap salary, he’s someone to consider if Harris is out again and you want to squeeze both Jokic and Curry into your entry.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball Classic lineups here: NBA $500K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]

Fades

Kelly Oubre Jr. ($7,000): For just the second time all season, Oubre made multiple three-pointers in a game when the Warriors fell to the Pacers on Tuesday. He finished 3-for-7 from behind the arc, which actually increased his season rate to 17.2 percent from long distance. He still has a long way to go to break out of his slump, and since his salary doesn’t come at much of a discount, it might be best to allocate your funds elsewhere.

The Outcome

Both of these teams were trending in the right direction before losses in their last games. Slowing down Jokic will be a problem for the Warriors and he has more offensive weapons around him than Curry does. If Curry has any sort of an off night, the Warriors have a tough time winning. Since their margin for error is so razor thin, I’ll lean towards Jokic helping the Nuggets pull off the victory.

Final Score: Nuggets 115, Warriors 111

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $120K Fadeaway [$30K to 1st] (GSW vs DEN).

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