The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks resume the 2024 NBA Finals Wednesday evening with Game 3 as the series shifts from the Northeast to Texas with Boston holding a 2-0 lead. The Celtics can take command of the series and effectively wrap things up with a win Wednesday, while the Mavericks hope to punch back on their home floor and show signs of life after two rough outings in Boston. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA postseason.
Here’s a look at one potential DFS lineup strategy managers can use on DraftKings Showdown contests, complete with a captain’s pick, value plays and fades for Wednesday’s game.
Captain Pick
Luka Doncic, $20,700
Doncic saw a seven-game streak of 60+ fantasy points end in Game 1, and there were concerns about him playing through some injuries in Game 2. Those concerns were quickly alleviated when he got hot in the first half en route to a triple-double and 7.28 fantasy points. The series returns to Dallas where Doncic has been excellent all season, and I expect him to keep up his tremendous production after a huge Game 2 showing. For the Mavericks to win, Doncic needs to have a big game. He’s an automatic captain in DFS lineups.
Utility Plays
Jaylen Brown, $9,800
We’ve rostered the best Mavericks player in Doncic, so we might as well add Boston’s best player through two games in Brown. Even though there have been some other contributors, the forward has been the most consistent scorer. Brown has tallied 40+ fantasy points in three straight playoff games now and has the hot hand when it comes to filling up the basket. He’s been good in clutch moments too, which will be important should this become a close game as the oddsmakers expect.
Al Horford, $5,600
Kristaps Porzingis might be limited or even out due to a leg injury he suffered late in Game 2, which means Horford is in line for a decent role tonight. The veteran big man has maintained a solid presence in this rotation and continues to shoot the triple well enough to keep this offense flowing. Horford is unlikely to go for a big fantasy number but he’s set up to do very well in Game 3.
Daniel Gafford, $5,000
Gafford had a quietly strong game last time out with 13 points and nine rebounds to tally 26.3 fantasy points. The Mavericks big man will see a timeshare with Dereck Lively but does offer more offensively as Doncic’s primary pick-and-roll partner. Role players tend to play better in home games and it’s hard to go wrong with a starter at this price point.
Derrick Jones Jr., $4,600
Similar to Gafford, Jones Jr. was solid in Game 2 with 21.3 fantasy points. He tends to shoot the ball much better from the perimeter at home, so that’s a positive sign as the series shifts to Dallas. The versatile forward is also good at attacking the basket and being on the receiving end of Doncic’s lobs. The Mavericks need the supporting cast to rise to this occasion and Jones Jr. is one of the players capable of doing so. He’s a good addition at this price point to your lineup.
Payton Pritchard, $3,000
Rostering Doncic and Brown eats up a big chunk of the payroll, which means this last spot effectively becomes a dart throw. Pritchard is getting consistent minutes in the rotation and is making plays when he’s out there, so he gets the nod for me. I wouldn’t expect too much but at this price, 15 fantasy points would be more than enough.
Fades
Jayson Tatum, $11,600
Tatum is operating well as the facilitator in the team, and his rebounding has been excellent this postseason. However, that’s not worth this price tag. Tatum has been abysmal shooting the ball and I don’t know that a change of scenery to a more hostile environment is going to fix that. The forward is content to let his teammates do most of the heavy lifting offensively, which has worked out well through two games. Tatum is a solid fantasy player but this is too much to spend on someone in a funk.
P.J. Washington, $6,200
The Mavericks do need Washington to rediscover his form offensively, though I’m not sure they’ll be forcing him the ball. The forward hasn’t shied away from open shots but isn’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard. He’s a consistent presence hovering between 25-30 fantasy points per game but I believe players like Gafford and Jones Jr. offer better value compared to Washington. Leave him out of your lineup tonight.
