Best lineup strategy for Clippers vs. Rockets NBA Showdown

It’s possible that the Clippers have the best perimeter defense in the NBA. Between Kawhi Leonard ($10,200), Paul George ($9,400) and Patrick Beverley ($4,800), they have a lot of looks to throw at James Harden ($13,600). Will it matter? The last time these teams met, Harden scored 47 points and finished with 71 DKFP.

Captain’s Picks

If the salary cap wasn’t an issue, I would love to lock in James Harden ($20,400) as the captain. Therein lies the problem, Harden has a massive price tag and there are a number of stars that are worth rostering in this game. To save some bucks, I think it makes a bit more sense to go with Paul George ($14,100) or Kawhi Leonard ($15,300) as the captain. Between the two, George has been playing slightly better lately. In the Clippers’ last three games, PG is averaging 49.2 DKFP.

Flex Options

Clint Capela ($8,600) is on an absolute tear on the glass. He has double-digit rebounds in 17 consecutive games, bringing his season average up to 14.7 rebounds per game. Considering he has back-to-back games with at least 45 DKFP and he scored over 40 DKFP in each of his first two games against the Clippers, this is a good spot to ride the Rockets’ big man.

An injury situation to keep an eye on is the status of JaMychal Green ($1,400). A tailbone injury has held him out of seven of the last eight games and he’s questionable to play tonight. At near min price, he’s a good salary saving option and allows us to roster some of the stars in this game. If he’s out, Patrick Patterson ($1,200) would fill his role. The upside for Pat Pat isn’t massive, but it doesn’t have to be for his price. He’s scored double-digit DKFP in four straight games.

Always a pest when he matches up against Russell Westbrook ($10,400), Patrick Beverley ($4,800) is a player to consider in this game. Foul trouble is a bit of a concern since he fouled out the first two times these teams met, but he’s cheaper than we normally see him and he should be free to play big minutes tonight. Coming back from a concussion he only played 26 minutes last game and is expected to play more tonight. The last game we saw him play completely healthy, Beverley dropped 40 DKFP on the Pacers.

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