Best lineup strategy for Rockets vs. Thunder Game 3 NBA Showdown

The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder are gearing up for Game 3 of their first round playoff series, which is set to tip at 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday. Houston is still without Russell Westbrook, but is looking to go up 3-0. DraftKings has Showdown contests centered around this matchup, and we’ll go over some ideal DFS strategies here. Set your DraftKings lineup here.

Captain’s Picks

James Harden ($18,600) hasn’t overpowered Oklahoma City like he’s capable of doing just yet, but he’s still averaging 54 DKFP per game in the first round of the playoffs. No player can match his ceiling, and there’s a ton of value to fill in as flex plays to offset his high price. He’s bound to have a truly electrifying performance at some point.

Chris Paul ($13,800) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($12,900) have alternated busting in this series so far, but both could have solid performances in Game 3. I’d give the edge to Paul because of his playoff experience and consistency. These players should only be considered if you think one of them can tally 50 or more DKFP without the captain’s multiplier. Harden will likely be right around that mark or better.

FLEX Options

Danuel House ($5,600) was in a but of a slump before Game 2, but was aggressive as a shooter and crashed the boards relentlessly in his last outing. The swingman tallied 19 points and 9 rebounds to tally 36.3 DKFP and should benefit from mismatches while Luguentz Dort attempts to slow down Harden.

Jeff Green ($6,000) is on the rise. The small ball center is averaging 15.3 points per game and has had a ton of open threes created for him in Houston’s offense. He’ll likely tally 30 minutes despite coming off the bench behind P.J. Tucker.