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NBA DFS Picks: Top Captain Plays for Timberwolves vs. Thunder Game 1

NBA DFS Picks: Top Captain Plays for Timberwolves vs. Thunder Game 1

DraftKings Fantasy Advice DFS NBA

Published:

By: Alex Hunter

The Thunder are hosting the Timberwolves for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday. DraftKings is offering some huge Showdown contests for this Game 1 and below, I dive into two of my favorite captain plays for this Showdown slate.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $500K Shootaround [$100K to 1st] (MIN @ OKC)

SF/PF Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, $14,100 CPT

Williams thrived in last Sunday’s Game 7 win over the Nuggets, posting 43.25 FPTS. The first time All-Star has scored at least 38 FPTS in eight of his 11 starts this postseason. During these playoffs, Williams is logging 35 minutes per game and handling a 24.3% usage rate, both of which rank second for the Thunder, only trailing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Williams is scoring 1.2 FPTS per minute this season, and he was excellent against the Timberwolves in the regular season, averaging 40.3 FPTS per game in four matchups.

Williams should be oozing with confidence after dominating the Nuggets in Game 7. He should top 40 FPTS in this series opener against Minnesota as a strong combination of safety and upside. Rostering him as your captain gives you plenty of flexibility for the rest of your lineup.

SF/PF Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder, $11,100 CPT

If you’re looking to save even more at captain in order to roster multiple studs in your flex spots, McDaniels is a great mid-tier target that shouldn’t be rostered at captain by many DFS players. The forward has seen a huge uptick in his role in the playoffs. After logging 31.9 minutes per game in the regular season, McDaniels is logging 36 minutes per game in the postseason, which ranks third for the Timberwolves. The 24-year-old is producing 0.9 FPTS per minute this season. With the big minutes during these playoffs, McDaniels is averaging 30 FPTS per game.

The defensive specialist has surpassed 30 FPTS in six of these 10 games, and McDaniels is shooting an outstanding 55% from the field this postseason. Last, but not least, he was awesome against the Thunder in the regular season, posting at least 36 FPTS in three of his four matchups against them.

Alex Hunter
Alex Hunter is an avid DFS player and sports handicapper, who has been a proud member of the DraftKings Network team since 2020. He is a data-driven analyst, who earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at Worcester State University and has been in the sports content business for nearly a decade, covering the NBA, NFL and PGA TOUR. Alex is a diehard Boston Celtics fan, who loves to be on the golf course when he isn’t grinding lineups or producing content. For all of Alex’s work or if you need any lineup advice, be sure to follow him @Hunta512 on X.
Disclaimer

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) 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 skills 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.