Best lineup strategy for Mavericks vs. Warriors Game 5 NBA Showdown

The Western conference finals returns to San Francisco tonight with Game 5 between the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors set to tip off at 9:00 p.m. ET on TNT. The Warriors hold a 3-1 lead and look to officially clinch a spot in the NBA Finals with a win this evening.

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

Captain’s Picks

Luka Dončić ($18,900) - Putting Dončić in your captain’s spot will cost you roughly a third of your salary. But like we’ve been saying all series, he’s worth every penny. While the rest of the Mavericks’ lineup has been inconsistent, he has stepped up by producing 60+ fantasy points in five out of his last six outings. His 30 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists in Game 4 on Tuesday yielded 70.5 points for Showdown players and with their backs against the wall once again, you can bank on him to once again put up similar numbers.

Steph Curry ($16,500) - The only other player besides Dončić that’s been worthy of a captain’s spot in this series has been Curry, who produces 40+ fantasy points even during his “off” nights. The all-time leader in threes has shot 47 percent from beyond the arc this series and is averaging just above eight attempts per game. He should be able to to get going in that category as the Warriors get rolling tonight, making him a must have at the top of your lineup for Game 5.

FLEX Plays

Jalen Brunson ($9,000) - Brunson hasn’t necessarily been explosive but he’s been a consistent No. 2 option for Dallas over the past few games of this series. He’s averaged 22 points, five rebounds, and four assists since Game 3 and has made a noticeable difference as the team has tried to crawl back into the series. Consider him for your lineup tonight.

Andrew Wiggins ($8,000) - Wiggins had a quiet night in Game 4 on Tuesday and that was mostly due to him playing just 31 minutes as the Warriors starters were pulled when the game started to get out of hand. He’s otherwise been solid throughout the series, averaging 18.8 points and 6.5 rebounds to earn Showdown players 34.4 fantasy points per game. He’ll be another solid addition for tonight.

Kevon Looney ($7,000) - Looney has been a rebounding maniac off the bench for the Warriors, averaging just under nine per game for the series. He’s clocking in just over 27 minutes a game and has made great use of every second that he gets in the paint. Assuming the Warriors handle their business tonight, he should get a lot of run on the floor and will be a valuable sleeper asset for your lineups.

Fades

Klay Thompson ($8,800) - The other half of the “Splash Brothers” duo has made modest contributions throughout the Western conference finals but has yet to live up to his high price point for your lineups. He’s yet to cross 20 points in the series, is shooting under 30 percent from downtown, and is providing just 4.25 rebounds per game. Fade Thompson and stay away.

Dorian Finney-Smith ($6,600) - Finney-Smith is coming off a strong performance for the Mavericks in Game 4 on Tuesday, putting up 23 points and six rebounds in the win. It was a significant step up for him as he had combined for just 24 points through the first three games of the series and really struggled to get going. Expect him to regress back to the mean on the road this evening.

Spencer Dinwiddie ($6,200) - Dinwiddie was effective as a distributor in Game 4, dishing out eight assists to go along with his 10 points in the win. He was held in check by the Golden State defense the game prior and one of the Warriors’ priorities will be to limit his effectiveness on the floor. Fade him.

The Outcome

While Dončić should once again shoulder the load with a strong performance for the Mavericks, the Warriors should be able to shut this series down tonight. The combination of home court advantage and veteran leadership will make this look like one of the classic Golden State games from the past decade where the momentum starts to snowball in the second half.

Final score: Warriors 122, Mavericks 107