Tuesday brings a light slate in the NBA consisting of just three games. The good news is, there are a couple of exciting matchups among them. One of them will be when the Los Angeles Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers. With this game also being the featured Showdown contest on DraftKings, let’s highlight some players to consider for your lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $175K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (POR vs LAC)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
SHOWDOWN STRATEGY
Captain’s Pick
Paul George ($18,000 Captain’s Pick): With Kawhi Leonard (knee) on the shelf, the Clippers are going to need plenty of big performances from George. He hasn’t let them down, averaging 27.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.7 steals and 3.2 three-pointers per game. His usage rate checks in at 34.1 percent, which is more than four percentage points higher than last season. Add that to him averaging 35 minutes per game and he stands out as one of the top options, if not the top option, for the Captain’s spot.
CJ McCollum ($13,200 Captain’s Pick): Despite the Blazers blowing out the Lakers by 15 points in their last game Saturday, McCollum did not play well. He scored only seven points, shooting 3-for-15 from the field across 24 minutes. Still, he’s been very busy this season, posting a 28.5 percent usage rate that is on pace to be the highest mark of his career. Add that to his averages of 4.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game and McCollum is a viable option for this spot if you want to roll with a more well-balanced entry.
UTIL Plays
Nicolas Batum ($6,600): Marcus Morris (knee) has only played in two games this season, which has resulted in an expanded role for Batum. He’s logged at least 28 minutes in each of the last four games, which helped propel him to score at least 33.5 DKFP three times. He still doesn’t carry a ton of scoring upside, but the added playing time should afford him with enough opportunities to contribute in other areas to be able to provide value.
Luke Kennard ($5,000): Kennard’s first season with the Clippers did not go well. After averaging 33 minutes per game with the Pistons the season prior, he only averaged 20 minutes per game. He’s become more involved this season, though, averaging 27 minutes across nine games. That’s helped him average 21.8 DKFP per game, which included him scoring 37.0 and 28.5 DKFP, respectively, the first two times these teams met.
Anfernee Simons ($4,200): The Blazers have depth issues, especially in their backcourt. One of their few bright spots off the bench has been Simons, who has averaged 14.0 points and 2.5 three-pointers across 23 minutes per game. He’s not shy about jacking up shots, recording a 22.7 percent usage rate. Don’t expect his role to change anytime soon.
Fades
Norman Powell ($6,400): The good news for Powell is that he is shooting 50.5 percent from the field. The bad news is that he’s only averaging 28 minutes per game. He’s had a history of being limited outside of the scoring column, so it’s not a surprise that his reduced playing time has resulted in him averaging only 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. At this salary, the lack of production in those areas could end up being his downfall.
The Outcome
These two teams have played each other twice already. The Clippers won the game in Los Angeles by 30 points, while the Blazers won the game in Portland by 19 points. Could another blowout be coming here? The Blazers might be able to keep things closer if Damian Lillard ($10,800) breaks out of his shooting slump, but with the Clippers sporting the advantage at home, look for them to emerge victorious.
Final Score: Clippers 115, Trail Blazers 108
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $175K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (POR 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.
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