Fantasy Basketball Picks: 76ers vs. Warriors DraftKings NBA DFS Showdown Strategy for November 24

EDITOR’S NOTE: 76ers SG Seth Curry (back) and SF Danny Green (hamstring) are available Wednesday vs. the Warriors. PF Tobias Harris (hip) has been ruled out.

This is an exceedingly difficult game to preview. The Philadelphia 76ers are going through a tidal wave of injury issues, with Tobias Harris ($9,400; hip), Seth Curry ($6,000; back) and Danny Green ($3,200; hamstring) all questionable for Wednesday’s contest. Obviously, that’s on top of Joel Embiid (health protocols) and Ben Simmons (personal) remaining sidelined for the indefinite future, too.

The 76ers will also have arguably the toughest matchup a team can draw, as they’ll square off with the red-hot Golden State Warriors, meaning there’s some potential for a lopsided scoreboard and a wonky script.

It’s a lot, but best we can, let’s break down tonight’s action from a Showdown perspective.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$25K to 1st] (PHI vs GSW)

SHOWDOWN STRATEGY

Captain’s Picks

Stephen Curry ($18,900 CP) - After scoring at least 55.0 DKFP in four-straight starts — and averaging 35.3 points per game — Curry had an off-night in the Warriors’ victory over the Raptors on Sunday. Still, I wouldn’t worry too much about that result. Toronto was hyper-aggressive in getting the ball out of Curry’s hands, content to be destroyed from the corners by the likes of Andrew Wiggins ($8,600) and Jordan Poole ($8,400). I doubt Philadelphia will be as single-minded in its approach. That means it’s all systems go for Curry, who is producing a mouth-watering 1.51 DKFP per minute so far in 2021-22. I’d likely steer clear of using 40% of your salary in the Captain’s slot if Harris and Seth Curry are eventually ruled out; yet if both are healthy, I could see the 76ers keeping this close enough for Steph to hit his ceiling. I mean, the former MVP logged 37.1 minutes in the aforementioned 15-point win over Toronto. Steve Kerr isn’t really holding back.

Tobias Harris ($14,100 CP) - Feel free to pivot to Tyrese Maxey ($9,000) if Harris sits, but I do believe the 29-year-old is Philadelphia’s clear option at the Captain’s spot if he’s able to suit up. In the 194 minutes Harris has logged this season with Embiid off the court, the forward has registered a massive 30.4% usage rate. Harris has also generated 1.16 DKFP per minute in that scenario, a figure which ranks second on the team to only Andre Drummond ($9,600). So, why not use Drummond at 1.5x value? Well, aside from Golden State surrendering the fewest DKFP per contest to opposing centers, I simply think the big man is going to be run off the court on Wednesday. The Warriors lead the NBA in assist rate (70.8%), the second-highest percentage of their field goal attempts come from three (47.9%) and they rank sixth in pace. Drummond’s going to get exposed on defense and Doc Rivers might have to choose to go small.

Value UTIL Plays

Kevon Looney ($4,600) - As mentioned above, I don’t think Drummond is long for this game — at least in his usual role — however, while the 76ers’ big man is on the court, it’ll be Looney’s job to contain him in the paint and on the glass. That last part shouldn’t be too much of an issue, as Looney’s been rebounding at the best rate of his career so far in 2021-22. In fact, coming into Wednesday’s slate, Looney’s 18.1 rebounds per 100 possessions is the seventh-highest mark of any player who has logged at least 300 minutes. That level of efficiency has shown itself in Looney’s box scores, as the 25-year-old has averaged 11.4 rebounds the last five times he’s played 20-plus minutes in a start. I think he clears double-digits once again this evening.

Matisse Thybulle ($3,600) - The truth of the matter is we’re going to have to wait for Philadelphia’s final injury report before we determine where the value lies on this roster. For instance, in Monday’s 102-94 win over the Kings, Thybulle, Shake Milton ($5,400) and Georges Niang ($5,200) all played well over 30 minutes with Harris, Curry and Green all unavailable. Still, I’d keep my eye specifically on Thybulle, who leads the NBA with a 4.5% steal rate and should end up as Philadelphia’s cheapest rotation asset on Wednesday. Thybulle’s logged at least 30 minutes in three of his last four games, so even as a low-usage offensive weapon, the former first-round pick has the volume needed to make a DFS impact.

Fades

Andre Drummond ($9,600) - As a wise man once said: “I simply think the big man is going to be run off the court on Wednesday.” The Warriors lead the NBA in assist rate (70.8%), the second-highest percentage of their field goal attempts come from three (47.9%) and they rank sixth in pace. Drummond’s going to get exposed on defense and Doc Rivers might have to choose to go small.” That was me. I said that earlier. I plagiarized myself. Even if this wasn’t a terrible matchup — which it is — Drummond has no right being the 76ers’ most expensive asset on this slate. His production has tapered off since the return of Harris from the heath and safety protocols, as he’s registered fewer than 10 points in five of his last six contests. I’ll pass.

THE OUTCOME

If Philadelphia was at full-strength, this might have Finals preview written all over it. However, as it stands now, the 76ers are going to be incredibly overmatched from a talent perspective on Wednesday evening. The Warriors are outscoring teams by an insane 12.9 points per 100 possessions and they’re 8-1-1 ATS across their past 10 games. Golden State is also 10-1 ATS in its last 11 home games against an opponent with a winning record. They just don’t lose.

Final Score: Golden State 115, Philadelphia 99

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$25K to 1st] (PHI vs GSW)

Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.

For sports betting, head over to DraftKings Sportsbook or download the DK Sportsbook app.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) 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.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN).

21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/IL/IN/IA/MI/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.