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 Celtics juggernaut. To start this season, they are only 5-6. They were seventh in offensive efficiency last season and are eighth 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 Utah Jazz have planted the Flagg for Cooper. They have won only two games on the season and are occupying the cellar in the Western Conference. Utah is 28th in defensive efficiency and, surprisingly, dead-last in offensive efficiency.
DraftKings Sportsbook has DAL favored -8.5 on the road with the game total at 233. Walker Kessler is out. Keep track of injury updates at DK Live.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (DAL at UTA)
Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks
Captain’s Picks
Luka Doncic ($19,500 CP): Fall to your knees, spread your arms out wide, look to the heavens and sing, “HalleLuka!” Doncic averages a robust 1.61 FPTS per minute and has the highest floor/ceiling combo on the slate.
Yes, he’s expensive, but for good reason. He stuffs the stat sheet, is a threat to record a triple-double on any given night, and is the only player who has 100-FPTS upside. Over the last six contests, Doncic has gone for over 50 FPTS in every game, with two over 60 and a high of 71.8. Utah is seventh in pace and 28th in defensive efficiency. The Flagg blows strong in Utah.
UTIL Plays
John Collins ($8,000): With Walker Kessler out last game, Colliins played a season-high 34 minutes and produced 57.5 FPTS. In the other game he received over 30 minutes, Collins also finished with over 50 FPTS. Walker Kessler has already been ruled out for this one, which benefits Collins.
Quentin Grimes ($1,600): The range of outcomes is extremely wide for Grimes. Over the last two games, he’s been a DNP in one and played 29 minutes in the other. Head coach Jason Kidd had seemed to sour on him, criticizing his defense and poor shooting. Grimes was often playing minutes in the low-teens. Grimes played relatively well on Wednesday, shooting 2-of-4 from downtown and played decent defense. Maybe that has bought some goodwill.
Lauri Markkanen ($8,800): Markkanen went for 50.3 FPTS in the opener. Since then, he’s exceeded 30 FPTS just twice. He is the alpha on offense for the Jazz, though. He has played 31 and 36 minutes over the last two contests, after playing sub-30 minutes in three of the prior four games.
Fades
Keyonte George ($7,600): George showed flashes during his rookie season and many were expecting a level up. While he’s received more playing time, the shooting efficiency has decreased, and it was pretty bad to begin with. Last season, he shot 39% from the field and 33% from downtown. Through nine games this season, George is shooting 32% from the field and 29% from downtown. He did go for 53.8 FPTS three games ago, but has finished with 21.3 and 18.8 over the last two contests.
THE OUTCOME
The Mavericks should smash the Jazz in this one, getting back into the win column after dropping three in a row. With that said, it’s an island game and the Jazz are at home. However, the potential for posters of Cooper Flagg plastered on every hallway in the stadium next season will be too much to ignore for the Jazz as their quest for the first-overall pick continues.
Final Score: Mavericks 125, Jazz 112
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (DAL at UTA)
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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.
