Best lineup strategy for Mavericks vs. Warriors Game 2 NBA Showdown

Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors will tip off tonight at 9 p.m. ET on TNT. The Mavs are trying to regroup after a 112-87 blowout loss in Game 1 while the Warriors will try to grab a 2-0 lead before the series heads to Texas.

Let’s go over the Showdown fantasy outlook for the game for contests on DraftKings.

Captain’s Picks

Luka Dončić ($20,400) - Dončić was held to just 20 points on 33 percent shooting and seven rebounds in the 25-point loss in Game 1. He generated just 34.75 fantasy points in the blowout, the first time he had been held to under 51 since March. Chances are he won’t be held down for a second straight game and will rebound nicely in San Francisco tonight.

Steph Curry ($17,100) - Like Dončić, Curry is someone who warrants consideration for a captain’s spot without hesitation. Playing just 31 minutes in Wednesday’s victory, he still generated 47.5 fantasy points by putting up a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds. A more competitive contest will equate to him being on the court longer, increasing his value even more for tonight.

FLEX Plays

Andrew Wiggins ($7,600) - Wiggins was extremely valuable on the defensive end for the Warriors on Wednesday and rewarded DFS users as well. Coming off a double-double in the closeout game against the Grizzlies, he put up 19 points and five boards in Game 1 and earned 34.25 fantasy points for his troubles. He should be once again considered as he’ll most likely get 30+ minutes tonight.

Spencer Dinwiddie ($6,800) - Dinwiddie came down to earth a little bit following his 30-point effort in Game 7 against the Suns. He put up just 17 points in Wednesday’s loss, generating just 22.25 fantasy points. He’s averaged 11.0 shot attempts a game throughout the postseason and has been extremely valuable from a fantasy perspective in games where the Mavs try to get him going. That should be the case tonight as the team tries to tie the series at 1-1.

Kevon Looney ($4,800) - Looney is the biggest value proposition in showdown mode given his production compared to his price. The 6’9” center has played significant minutes over the last two games and has made a big impact with the opportunity. He earned 40 fantasy points by pulling down an astonishing 22 rebounds in Game 6 vs. the Grizzlies and opened this series with a nice 10 point, five rebound, and four assist performance in Game 1. His minutes may decrease a tad bit if this game is competitive but he’ll still be a solid value add.

Fades

Klay Thompson ($9,200) - Since the start of the second round, Thompson has only gone above 40 fantasy points once. He’s shooting 40.7 percent from three for the postseason but has been hit or miss over his last seven games. For just under $10,000, he hasn’t necessarily produced the fantasy value his price necessitates and it’d be wise to sit him for this game.

Jalen Brunson ($8,600) - Similar to Thompson, Brunson has also been hit or miss as of late. His value has decreased since Dončić returned from injury and he’s only gone above 30 fantasy points three times since the start of the second round. Fade him.

Jordan Poole ($8,000) - Poole has hit a bit of a wall offensively since the midway point of the second round. He’s combined for just 48 points over his last four games and hasn’t gone over 30 fantasy points once during that stretch. He’s been struggling from the field and I’d stay away from the young guard for now, even after a solid Game 1 showing.

The Outcome

The cliché’ is that the biggest adjustments of a series are made between Game 1 and Game 2 and that will resonate with the Mavericks tonight. Dončić will produce a better effort on the offensive end of the floor and this series will head to Texas tied at 1-1.

Final score: Mavericks 117, Warriors 110