Best DFS strategy for Bucks vs. Celtics NBA Showdown on Christmas Day

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics will meet in a battle of the East’s top teams on Christmas Day. Here’s a look at one potential strategy for DFS players in Showdown contests involving this game.

Captain’s Picks

Jayson Tatum ($17,400) - There’s no better Celtics player to captain than Tatum. He’s the engine for this offense and does enough on the glass to contribute those additional points you’d expect from a player in this spot. Tatum is averaging 51.8 DKFP per game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($19,200) - The Greek Freak is the natural captain’s choice on Milwaukee. He’s a dominant force on the interior, and should be able to rack up a ton of points in every category. The price point is a bit high but Antetokounmpo is averaging a whopping 56.6 DKFP per game. He’s worth this number and more.

FLEX Plays

Jrue Holiday ($8,600) - With Khris Middleton out, Holiday should be the Bucks’ second scorer in this game. The point guard does enough distributing the ball but should shoot more with Middleton out. The matchup is tough, so Holiday could falter. However, he’s been good recently and is averaging 40.4 DKFP per game. Players at similar production have a higher cost, so Holiday is a bit of the bargain here.

Grayson Allen ($4,000) - Allen is another candidate to benefit with Middleton out. He doesn’t carry the upside of Holiday but he’s an all-around player who gets heavy minutes. At this price, a player who gets heavy run is always a good bet to back.

Malcolm Brogdon ($6,000) - Brogdon gets good minutes and he’s an all-around player with some upside as a three-point shooter. The guard might not be as impactful on the glass in this game but he should have a solid outing and pay off on this price point.

Fades

Marcus Smart ($6,800) - Smart is actually not priced terribly here but he doesn’t offer the upside of some other flex plays. He’s also dealing with a hip injury, so he could be a bit limited in this contest.

Brook Lopez ($6,600) - Lopez has had some solid outings of late but this is a bad matchup for the big man. Robert Williams is back in, and Al Horford offers some support on the interior as well.

Joe Ingles ($2,800) - This number will intrigue people but Ingles is not close to being fully integrated in this team. He’ll have more utility as the season moves into February and March but he’s still getting into game shape after sitting more than 10 months recovering from an ACL injury.

The Outcome

The Bucks should be more aggressive after losing to two contenders heading into this contest. The Celtics have looked shaky during the week but got back to winning ways Friday against the Timberwolves. This should be a close contest and the home crowd might be the difference for Boston. This could be a conference finals preview.

Final score: Celtics 122, Bucks 118