Best lineup strategy for Celtics vs. Lakers NBA Showdown

The rivalry returns with the latest installment of Celtics vs. Lakers, this time Sunday afternoon at Staples Center. LeBron James and Anthony Davis will welcome in the Celtics, who will be without All-Star PG Kemba Walker. Still, Boston has a very resilient bunch who should get up for this matchup despite missing a key player. We still have to account for the absence of Walker in this Showdown contest on DraftKings. Let’s take a look at how to craft your lineup.

Who should I play at Captain?

Jaylen Brown ($12,000)

Normally I’d go with LeBron ($17,100) or Davis ($18,300) but both are really expensive and I’d rather be able to play four studs instead of just three. Brown is the cheapest of the trio that will benefit the most from Walker’s absence. All three scored 25+ points on Friday against the T-Wolves with Kemba out. Brown gets the easiest matchup considering James could be on Hayward and AD will likely guard Tatum. Brown helps us maintain a strong ceiling in the Captain without breaking the bank.

Who should I stack with Brown?

LeBron James ($11,400)

There isn’t a ton of appealing value plays in this contest, so it may actually be tough to get LeBron and AD in there. I’ll opt for the cheaper option in James, who has just as high a ceiling and should dominate this game. LeBron has scored 32 points in back-to-back games spanning the break. He should continue to be more aggressive on offense, plus Davis is a little banged up and may be held back.

Where can I find value?

Enes Kanter ($3,800)

The Celtics got by against Minnesota with a very light rotation, which I don’t think will be the case vs. L.A. The Lakers are a much tougher team to deal with in the front court, so Kanter should see more playing time. Despite seeing just nine minutes vs. the T-Wolves, Kanter was able to grab seven rebounds. I could see him getting involved on offense a bit as well.

Who should I fade?

Kyle Kuzma ($5,200)

It’s just so weird that the Lakers opted to keep Kuzma and continue for him to be underutilized. Kuzma really only has value if Davis or JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard is sidelined. Now, Markieff Morris is in the fold for L.A., so it’s only a matter of time before Kuzma is phased out of the rotation even more. He’s only seeing around 15-20 minutes per game. I’d monitor AD’s availability in this game — he’s probable, so nothing crazy should be expected. Kuzma just doesn’t have the ceiling or floor for this price tag.