A great NBA slate on Sunday comes to an end in New Orleans, where the Pelicans play host to the Clippers in the nightcap. Both teams come in fully rested and nearly fully healthy, with just a couple of lingering injuries. With so many great names in this one, let’s get right into how to construct your Showdown lineups for Sunday evening.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$25K to 1st] (LAC vs NOP)
Captain
Kawhi Leonard ($15,900 CP)
As far as big-name captains go, this is actually a pretty decent price to pay if you’re going to go all the way up. I certainly wouldn’t blame you for it, not only is the price right but the matchup is, too. The Pelicans have a horrific defense on the whole, and rank 28th against opposing small forwards. Leonard’s recent games, which have been so-so, may keep people from spending up as well, but in a game where you want to attack the Pelicans’ defense, this is probably going to be your best bet.
Reggie Jackson ($7,500 CP)
If you want to attack the Pels’ defense but still want a unique build, I think this is your man. Jackson remains the starter at point guard for the Clippers with Patrick Beverley sidelined, and never has to be asked more than once to shoot the ball. The Pelicans rank 28th in defending the three, giving it up at a 39.2% clip, and are pretty brutal against the point guard position as well, ranking 24th in the league. Tonight should definitely be a night where Jackson’s shots are falling.
Fades
Brandon Ingram ($9,200)
It’s a no from me, dog. At this price, there just isn’t enough upside with Ingram, and the risk you’re taking is so grand. It’s never fun to take the guy who’s going to be guarded by Kawhi Leonard, but, uh, are we sure it’ll be Ingram 100% of the time? BI’s playing time has been fluctuating lately, as have his shooting numbers. He’s anything but a sure thing right now, and on the other side of the coin, Leonard’s defense is one of the surest things in basketball.
Value FLEX Options
Nickeil Alexander-Walker ($4,600)
The kid is an incredible talent, and I think he should have an easier time than the Pelicans’ starters against this tough defense. He should have the benefit of facing either Reggie Jackson or Lou Williams, who aren’t fantastic defensive players, so I don’t think he’s in an awful spot here. He’s been a pretty decent fantasy option over the past two games despite hitting just two threes in eight tries, and I think the shooting could turn around in this matchup. His minutes have been steady enough to warrant a long look at this price.
Nic Batum ($4,400)
We spoke earlier about the Pelicans’ struggles in defending the three, and I think that gives Batum some serious upside here. He’s still starting for LA, so I’m not super worried about just a 15-minute stint his last time out. He’s one of the Clippers’ surest shooters on the wing, and has taken a whopping 5.4 threes per 36 minutes this year, his highest average in a number of years. I’m going to stick with my strategy of targeting talented shooters against a bad 3-point defense. This is crazy value to me.
The Outcome
The Clippers’ win over the Warriors was mightily impressive to me; they finally seem healthy and ready to assert their dominance in the West. The roll should continue against a Pelicans side that is pretty strong in their rebounding, but weak everywhere else. They should get beaten down on the perimeter and lose this one in a high-scoring affair.
Final Score: Clippers 130, Pelicans 120
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$25K to 1st] (LAC vs NOP)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is jetsfan196) and I 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 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.