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The Los Angeles Lakers have won two straight games against the Phoenix Suns and will attempt to improve to 3-1 in the first round on Sunday. Chris Paul has been drastically affected by the shoulder injury he suffered earlier in the series, so Devin Booker will have a hard time holding down LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Let’s go over the best fantasy strategy of DraftKings.
Captain’s Picks
Anthony Davis ($17,100) has bounced back since Game 1. He’s scored 34 points in his last two games while cracking 50 DKFP in each appearance. Davis is also coming off two straight double-doubles and has dominated his matchup against Jae Crowder. It’s surprising that he’s not the most expensive player in the contest.
One sleeper captain to keep an eye on is Cameron Payne ($10,200). The Suns’ backup point guard has eclipsed 35 DKFP in two straight games and has excelled as a scorer off the bench since Paul hurt his shoulder. Phoenix is not willing to play Jevon Carter at this point in the postseason, so Payne has free range of the second unit and could be used to close out games. No bench player has a higher upside than Payne.
FLEX Plays
Deandre Ayton ($8,400) has not disappointed in the playoffs and is riding a streak of three straight double-doubles. He’s cracked 20 points in each of his playoff games against the Lakers’ elite defense while averaging 40 minutes per contest. The Suns were forced to throw Frank Kaminsky ($1,000) into the mix last game because of Dario Saric’s ($2,400) so expect tons of exposure for Ayton moving forward.
Dennis Schroder ($7,600) has also recovered since Game 1 and has scored at least 20 points in two straight games. That’s helped him score at least 34 DKFP in his last two outings, and the Suns’ backcourt defense has been damaged by Paul’s injury.
Fades
Devin Booker ($10,200) is very capable of breaking a game open, but he's been on the decline since leading all scorers in Game 1. His backcourt partner’s decline in fantasy production has resulted in two straight underwhelming performances. Booker has shot 36% from the field since Paul’s injury, so fading one of the higher raw scorers might be ideal.
The Outcome
The Lakers seem likely to complete a gentleman's sweep at this point. James, Davis, and Schroder are thriving. Both teams still have capable defense, but the impact of the Suns losing their floor general can’t be understated. Los Angeles should take the win and cover at home.
Final score: Lakers win 110-100.