:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67318889/1267740798.jpg.0.jpg)
The Houston Rockets will get a chance to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder from the playoffs on Monday in Game 6 of their first round series. DraftKings has Showdown contests available for the matchup, and we’ll go over the best lineup strategies here.
Captain’s Picks
James Harden ($18,300) is coming off his most efficient shooting night of the postseason and scored 31 points on 11-of-15 shooting in 28 minutes. He didn’t play as much as usual because the Rockets ran up the score, but the game shouldn’t be that lopsided in Game 6. Russell Westbrook looked rusty in his 2020 playoff debut, so Harden should pace the team in minutes if the game is competitive.
One thing that’s been very evident to me is that Houston has no answer for Dennis Schroder ($12,000). He’s averaged 1.2 DKFP per minute from Game 2 forward. His ceiling was limited by an early ejection in Game 5, but I’m banking on him being aggressive in his return. Expect to see a lot of Oklahoma City’s prolific three-guard lineup.
FLEX Options
P.J. Tucker ($4,600) was also ejected from Game 5 and has been on a roll lately. The undersized center has thrived in his last two games while the Thunder has scrambled to keep up with Houston’s unconventional bigs. He tallied 19 DKFP in 21 minutes his last time out and should remain a lock to play heavy minutes moving forward despite the emergence of Jeff Green.
Luguentz Dort ($4,200) easily had his worst game of the playoffs in Game 5 and tallied 6.5 DKFP in 23 minutes. He was just 3-for-15 from the field and missed all nine of his shots from beyond the arc. While he wasn’t efficient, he’s being encouraged to knock down open shots. If you think he can bounce back, he’s worth playing in the flex. His opportunities will be linked to Harden’s playing time though.