The Thunder are hosting the Timberwolves for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday. DraftKings is offering some huge Showdown contests for this Game 2 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)
PG, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, $18,600 CPT
Paying up for Gilgeous-Alexander at captain is a smart move for Game 2, as the guard will lead this contest in FPTS, possibly by a comfortable margin. In the Thunder’s 26-point triumph over the Timberwolves in Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander posted 55.75 FPTS across 37 minutes, which was the largest fantasy output of the contest by 8.75 FPTS. The Kentucky product has been a thorn in Minnesota’s side all season, averaging 58.5 FPTS per game in his five matchups with the club. Gilgeous-Alexander scored at least 64 FPTS in two of these matchups against the Timberwolves and the guard should be ready to put on another show in front of his home crowd in Game 2, after Gilgeous-Alexander was just named the NBA’s MVP on Wednesday.
The superstar is scoring 1.6 FPTS per minute with a 34.1% usage rate and 29.6% assist percentage this season, and Gilgeous-Alexander has surpassed 50 FPTS in eight of his 12 starts this postseason. Oklahoma City is a 7.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook for Game 2 and when the Thunder have been favorited by single-digits at home this season, Gilgeous-Alexander has flourished with 58.8 FPTS per game (eight games).
PG/SG, Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, $3,400
If electing to not pay up for Gilgeous-Alexander at captain, dropping all the way down to Wallace is a viable strategy, that will allow you to roster many lucrative players in your flex spots. Wallace played a big role in Game 1 on Tuesday, logging 33 minutes off the bench, en route to 18.25 FPTS. The guard ranked third for the Thunder in playing time, only behind Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and Wallace’s 33 minutes wasn’t a result of garbage time, as he exited the game with Oklahoma City’s starters late in the fourth quarter when the win was sealed for the Thunder.
Wallace’s large role also didn’t come out of nowhere, as he played big minutes against the Timberwolves in the regular season as well. Overall, Wallace is averaging 30.3 minutes per game in his four matchups with Minnesota this season, which has translated into 20 FPTS per game for the defensive specialist. Oklahoma City’s coaching staff clearly thinks Wallace is a strong fit for this matchup, and if he continues to see high volume in Game 2, Wallace should score around 20 FPTS, which would be a great return at his low salary. Not only does rostering Wallace as your captain allow you to do essentially whatever you want with the rest of your lineup, but it should naturally make your lineup contrarian, as very few DFS players will considered punting at captain.
