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There will only be five games in the NBA on Thursday, one of which has blowout potential when the Phoenix Suns host the Orlando Magic. This game will also be the featured Showdown contest on DraftKings, so let’s highlight some players to consider while building your lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (ORL vs PHX)
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Phoenix Suns vs. Orlando Magic
Captain’s Picks
Devin Booker ($18,300 CP): The Suns are back squarely on the shoulders of Booker with Kevin Durant (ankle) out again. Never one to disappoint, Booker has averaged 33.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.3 three-pointers over the four games since Durant went down. If the Suns do blow out the Magic, it will likely be Booker’s scoring prowess that got them to that point. As far as players with the highest floors go, it’s hard to argue against Booker being the top option.
Deandre Ayton ($13,500 CP): Ayton only scored 25.0 DKFP against the Bucks on Tuesday, but it wasn’t a great matchup for him. He found himself in foul trouble trying to defend the paint against Giannis Antetokounmpo, which resulted in him playing only 25 minutes. He also had to deal with one of the best defensive centers in the league, Brook Lopez. With his averages of 18.4 points and 10.2 rebounds for the season, look for Ayton to bounce back in short order.
UTIL Plays
Markelle Fultz ($8,000): After missing the first 21 games of the season because of an injury, Fultz has played in 48 straight games for the Magic. He was eased back into things at first, but he has been unleashed down the stretch. He has logged at least 30 minutes in 19 straight games, averaging 15.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.6 steals during that span. Expect a similar workload for him in this matchup.
Franz Wagner ($7,600): Wagner is one of the main reasons why the Magic have such a bright future. He has become a better shooter from deep in his second season, averaging 1.7 three-pointers per game while shooting 37.2 percent from behind the arc. He has also improved as a passer, such as him dishing out at least four assists in four of his last five games. The Suns are a good defensive team, but Wagner still has a high enough floor to be worth deploying at a utility spot.
Terrence Ross ($4,000): Ross laid an egg against the Bucks on Tuesday, going scoreless over just 11 minutes. That marked the fourth time over his last six games that he has scored fewer than 10 points. However, in the other two games during that stretch, he scored 24 and 18 points, respectively. With the potential for added minutes in the second half if it turns into a blowout, Ross has the potential to get hot against his former team and provide value in DFS along the way.
Fades
Jalen Suggs ($6,200): Suggs has seen his role diminish this season, averaging three fewer minutes per game compared to his rookie campaign. He has improved his efficiency some, but he’s not exactly standing out in a good way by shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 71.6 percent from the free-throw line. Combine his limited minutes and efficiency issues with a difficult matchup against a good defensive team and Suggs brings plenty of risk to the table.
THE OUTCOME
The Suns have lost two straight home games, but those were against quality opponents in the Kings and Bucks. The same can’t be said of the Magic, who are 12-22 on the road. They also enter this matchup having lost four of their last five games, overall. That included an embarrassing 18-point loss to the tanking Spurs on Tuesday. Look for the Suns to win this convincingly.
Final Score: Suns 114, Magic 104
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (ORL vs PHX)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mbarner51) 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.