Last season, the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons played one of the more tightly-fought playoff series in NBA history, with each of the final four games being decided by a single possession, and this season, they’re just three games apart at the top of the Eastern Conference nearly halfway through the season.
It should be no surprise, then, that their 7 p.m. ET clash tonight in Detroit is the featured Peacock game. It’s also the headliner of DraftKings’ six-game featured DFS slate.
In order to win a share of the $300,000 prize pool, users won’t only need to pick the right stars but the right budget options as well. Here are three that I like from tonight’s contest:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $300K Zone Special [$100K to 1st].
PG/SG Jordan Goodwin, Phoenix Suns at Houston Rockets, $4,700
Goodwin made a major statement last night as his Suns upset the Oklahoma City Thunder and he led the team with 26 points (34.5 FPTS) in 31 minutes off the bench. All in all, he’s snagged a major role in Phoenix’s rotation, recording at least 30 FPTS in three of his past five games. While his scoring role isn’t as consistent as some other sixth men, he is an excellent pound-for-pound rebounder, snagging 15 on December 31 against the Cleveland Cavaliers (27.2 FPTS). He’s also a solid defender, recording positive DARKO DPM in each of the past four seasons, and is averaging a career high in steals and steal percentage.
Houston hasn’t been the easiest opponent for opposing players; it has the league’s sixth-best defensive rating and has allowed the fourth-fewest FPTS per game to opposing guards. However, the Rockets’ defense has slipped somewhat to 18th over the past 10 games, and they’re dealing with some injuries. They probably won’t be quite as dominant on the glass with Alperen Şengün ($9,400) out and Steven Adams ($4,700) questionable, which should allow Phoenix to extend more possessions than usual, even if Goodwin doesn’t get the board himself. Plus, they’re very turnover-prone, which could allow Goodwin to come up with a few steals. Houston hasn’t put its best defenders on Goodwin, guarding him with Aaron Holiday ($3,100) and Reed Sheppard ($5,300) across the teams’ first two matchups.
C Luka Garza, Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls, $4,600
The surprisingly competitive Celtics have had plenty of unsung heroes — Neemias Queta ($5,100), Jordan Walsh ($4,000) and rookie Hugo González ($3,800) have all been integral in helping keep them afloat despite Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear — but Garza’s recent breakout has been particularly critical. The former Wooden Award winner has taken on a bigger role in Boston’s rotation over the last two weeks, and across that span, he’s recorded at least 20 FPTS in six of his seven games, including a 30.5-FPT outburst against the Toronto Raptors in which he recorded his third career double-double. He should be expected to play between 20 and 25 minutes tonight, splitting time in the middle almost evenly with Queta.
Plus, the Bulls are a dream matchup for opposing centers. This season, Chicago has allowed the most FPTS per game to the position, and given that it plays at the league’s second-fastest pace and allows 1.5 more shots per game in the restricted area than any other team, that is guaranteed to continue. It has also allowed the 11th-most catch-and-shoot three-point attempts. That combination culd work well for Garza, who has attempted nearly half of his shots at the rim and an additional third on catch-and-shoot threes. He’s been ruthlessly efficient, hitting more than 70% of his restricted-area tries and 47.1% of his catch-and-shoot triples.
SF/PF Javonte Green, Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks, $3,900
Green wasn’t part of the teams’ epic first-round series last season, as he was a deep bench piece for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he’s gotten more opportunities with the Pistons as of late and has made the most of it. Since December 6, he’s averaged 19.9 minutes per game, averaging 17.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals (17.0 FPTS) per game. He’s never going to be a particularly high-usage player, but someone who can reliably provide at least eight points and either a steal or a block is always an asset, both in real life and in fantasy basketball. There’s a reason his team has been better with him on the court than off in five of his seven professional seasons.
The Knicks, meanwhile, are in a bit of a tailspin, having lost each of their last three games and going just 5-5 since lifting the Emirates NBA Cup on December 16. They’ve been particularly poor defensively across that span, ranking fifth-to-last in defensive rating, and missing Josh Hart ($7,100), who ranks 58th in D-LEBRON this season, limits their wing depth, especially against bench units. New York has a propensity to give up corner threes, allowing the ninth-most per game this season, and Green’s 47.4% accuracy ranks 37th among the 182 players who have attempted at least one corner triple per game.
