Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals will take place Monday night with the Boston Celtics looking to close out the Dallas Mavericks and secure the franchise’s 18th banner. The Celtics were primed to sweep the Mavericks but Dallas came out guns blazing in Game 4 in what turned into a blowout win for the home side. Boston will now try to avoid further pressure and wrap up the Finals Monday night.
Here’s a look at one potential DFS lineup strategy in Showdown contests on DraftKings for Game 5 with a captain’s pick, value plays and fades.
Captain Pick
Jaylen Brown, $14,700
This is the first instance of Brown being put in the captain spot for me in this series. I’d usually roll with Luka Doncic, but he’s been quietly producing well below his high price point at more than $20k for this spot. I’d rather go with Brown, who has been more consistent and should bounce back from a poor Game 4 effort. The forward has shot over 50% from the floor in each of the first three games and is the favorite to win Finals MVP. I expect him to deliver a big-time showing at home in Game 5.
Utility Plays
Jayson Tatum, $11,400
After back-to-back showings of 49+ fantasy points, Tatum joined Brown in putting up a clunker in Game 4. The star forward has generally been able to make up for his poor shooting performances with strong rebounding efforts, but that wasn’t the case in Game 4. I expect Tatum, like Brown, to bounce back in Game 5 at home. The forward got some much-needed rest at the end of the blowout loss and should channel that energy into a big performance tonight.
Derrick White, $7,600
It was a common theme for Celtics starters to be non-factors in Game 4. White has generally not been worth his price tag in this series, hovering between 30-35 fantasy points per game. He’s due to break out at some point for behind the arc, but more importantly he should experience some positive regression along with Boston’s offense. White is a free agent this summer and this could be the last chance for him to truly boost his value. A winning effort in Game 5 would do just that.
Jrue Holiday, $7,000
You might as well roster all those Celtics starters who couldn’t get the job done in Game 4, as they’ll be primed to rebound in Game 5. Holiday has dropped off from his hot start in this series but remains a valued contributor in this starting lineup. He often delivers big performances right when he seems to be fading away and it makes little sense to back Boston’s other top perimeter players while leaving Holiday out. He fits in the lineup at this price point and is also set to recover from a horror showing in Game 4.
Dereck Lively, $5,400
It’s hard to leave Lively out of action after logging 30+ fantasy points in back-to-back games. The rookie has been excellent in these playoffs and will emerge as a real contributor for the Mavericks for years to come. It has generally taken Lively a few games to adjust in each series but now he appears to have found his niche and is continuing to excel. He’s worth rostering even if he’s unlikely to start over Daniel Gafford for the Mavericks.
Derrick Jones Jr., $3,800
Jones Jr. has struggled for most of these Finals, which is why his price point has fallen below $4k. I do think he’s going to get enough run to put up a decent fantasy number in Game 5, which makes him the natural choice as our dart throw for DFS lineups. The Mavericks haven’t quite gotten the pick-and-roll with Jones Jr. going, which has taken away some easy dunks the forward usually gets to boost his confidence. He’s worth taking a flier on with your last flex spot.
Fades
Kyrie Irving, $9,000
Irving was a star in Dallas for Games 3 and 4, tallying a combined 77.8 fantasy points. He only managed 47.8 fantasy points over Games 1 and 2 in Boston, which is where Game 5 will take place. Eventually, Irving is due for a strong showing at TD Garden despite his struggles there since leaving the Celtics. Given his price point, I would stay away from him in tonight’s DFS contests.
Al Horford, $6,000
I do believe Horford is a solid DFS option at this price point but I’m fading him since I’ve rostered all the other Celtics starters. Someone is going to be left out and the veteran big man seems like the best candidate for that. Horford is not going to demand shots, and he’ll continue to be a bit contributor if that’s what it takes to win a championship. I see Horford sitting back a bit and allowing the other starters to take this game over.