Last season, the Dallas Mavericks finished fifth in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record. They got hot during the playoffs and made it to the Finals, but got cooled off by the Boston juggernaut. To start this season, they are only 5-5. They were seventh in offensive efficiency last season and are seventh so far this season.
It’s been the defense that has fallen off, as they are currently tied for 14th in defensive efficiency after being seventh last season. Dereck Lively II has missed some games and Derrick Jones Jr. is no longer on the team, so there have been some changes, but it’s still early in the season.
The Golden State Warriors limped to a 46-36 record last season, good for 10th in the Western Conference. Currently, they sit atop the Western Conference at 8-2. They were 10th in offensive efficiency last season, but are second this season.
The defense has seen the biggest improvement, going from 14th in defensive efficiency to second this season. Klay Thompson was traded to Dallas while the Warriors acquired Buddy Hield to replace him. They also added De’Anthony Melton to provide more defense in the backcourt and are running a 12-man rotation.
DraftKings Sportsbook has GS -2.5 at home with the total at 231. Andrew Wiggins and Dereck Lively II are questionable. PJ Washington is doubtful. Keep track of injury updates at DK Live.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$25K to 1st] (DAL at GSW)
Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks
Captain’s Picks
De’Anthony Melton ($6,600 CP): Melton did not play more than 19 minutes in any of the first four games he played this season. He missed five games due to a back issue. On Sunday, though, Melton started for the first time and played 27 minutes, finishing with 19 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and three steals, good for 42.5 FPTS. After the game, Kerr said that he will keep Melton in the starting lineup because he’s a cleaner fit there, providing spacing and versatility on defense. Melton is too cheap for his role and potential upside, and he allows one to fit all the studs in the lineup.
UTIL Plays
Luka Doncic ($13,000): Doncic has the highest floor/ceiling combo on the slate, as he’s a threat to triple-double on any given night and can put up the most raw points. He’s already gone for 70 FPTS this season and went for 100 last season. Putting him in the CPT slot seems too prohibitive.
Stephen Curry ($10,000): Curry has played fewer than 30 minutes five times this season. Most of those games were blowouts. In the two close contests against OKC and BOS, Curry played 37 and 34 minutes, finishing with 58.8 and 59.8 FPTS. Curry is garnering a 30.2% usage rate on the season and I expect him to get the full complement of minutes in this one.
Kyrie Irving ($10,200): Having Melton in the CPT allows all of Doncic, Curry and Irving to be rostered comfortably. The range of outcomes is wide for Irving, though, as he has two sub-30 FPTS games on the season, but he’s gone over 50 FPTS three times with a high of 63.3.
Fades
Buddy Hield ($7,600): It’s been an interesting season for Hield. He played 15 and 20 minutes in the first two games and received 21 and 19 minutes in the last two. The six games in between were all in the 28 to 29 minute range. And he balled out, going for over 30 FPTS in four with a high of 44.3. The issues with Hield, though, are that he doesn’t do much outside of score and teams will often hunt him on the defensive end.
THE OUTCOME
I think this game is highly competitive with unreal shotmaking from both sides. I just love what the Warriors are doing right now, on both offense and defense. The Mavericks are scuffling a bit and the Chase Center should be rocking and rolling.
Final Score: Warriors 120, Mavericks 115
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st] (DAL at GSW)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is sontzu) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
