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The NBA Finals tips off Thursday with an improbable matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. To add even more excitement to the evening, we have another Showdown contest to play on DraftKings. Let’s highlight some players to consider for your lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: $2.25M Fantasy Basketball Millionaire [$1M to 1st + ToC Semis-Entry] (MIA vs DEN)
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Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat
Captain’s Picks
Nikola Jokic ($21,000 CP): Jokic is on the doorstep of the first championship of his career. He has steamrolled through the playoffs, scoring at least 70 DKFP 10 times. While his salary makes it difficult to balance out the rest of your budget, not much of a case needs to be made for building your entire entry around him at this important position.
Jamal Murray ($16,200 CP): The two most popular options for the Captain’s Pick will likely be Jokic and Jimmy Butler ($20,100 CP). It’s difficult to argue against either. However, for those looking to differentiate their lineup in tournament play, or build a more balanced entry, Murray is worth considering. He is shooting 48% from the field during the playoffs, which has helped him score at least 41.3 DKFP in 12 of 15 games.
UTIL Plays
Michael Porter Jr. ($7,600): Porter is risky. He has laid some eggs in the playoffs, including two games in which he scored fewer than 20 DKFP. However, he has generally played well. During the Nuggets’ run, he has averaged 14.6 points and 8.0 rebounds. Over the last eight games, he scored at least 33.5 DKFP six times. With his 3-point shooting prowess and rebounding production, he’s still an appealing option.
Caleb Martin ($7,400): The Heat would not be here without Martin. In desperate need of someone to help take some of the pressure off of Butler, Martin stepped up to average 19.3 points and 3.1 3-pointers in the Eastern Conference Finals. His role increased as the series moved along, including him starting and playing at least 41 minutes in both of the last two games. Considering how well he performed, expect him to remain in an expanded role.
Kyle Lowry ($5,200): The Heat don’t ask Lowry to score much. Against the Celtics, he only averaged 6.7 points on 6.9 shot attempts per game. However, he still managed to produce enough across the board to score at least 20.5 DKFP five times in the series. It’s difficult to find players with cheap salaries who are viable options with teams shortening their rotations, but Lowry is at least one that could provide value.
Fades
Aaron Gordon ($6,600): The Nuggets have plenty of scorers on their roster with Jokic, Murray and Porter leading the way. They don’t need much in that department from Gordon, who had just a 21.1% usage rate during the regular season. He has seen even fewer opportunities in the playoffs, averaging just 9.8 shot attempts per game. Combine that with his modest averages of 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the playoffs and there isn’t much to get excited about for DFS purposes with Gordon.
THE OUTCOME
The Nuggets are the overwhelming favorites in this series. Not only do they have a far more talented roster, but they haven’t lost a home game yet in the playoffs. The fact that they haven’t played in over a week could get them off to a slow start, but with the Heat coming off their grueling seven-game series vs. the Celtics, look for the Nuggets to come away with the victory.
Final Score: Nuggets 116, Heat 104
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: $2.25M Fantasy Basketball Millionaire [$1M to 1st + ToC Semis-Entry] (MIA vs DEN)
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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.