Tuesday brings an eight-game slate in the NBA, one of which is a matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions when the Golden State Warriors host the Milwaukee Bucks. This game is also the featured Showdown contest on DraftKings, so let’s discuss some players to consider while building your lineups.
Set your DraftKings Showdown lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$25K to 1st]
Golden State Warriors vs. Milwaukee Bucks
SHOWDOWN STRATEGY
Captain’s Pick
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($16,800 CP): Giannis did not suit up Saturday against the Kings, sitting out with reported knee soreness. However, the Bucks had just played Friday, so it was more than likely the team just giving their star the night off for the second leg of a back-to-back set. Expect him to take the floor in this game and dominate a Warriors team that doesn’t have a lot of size up front, which has contributed to them allowing the third-most rebounds per game in the league.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the Warriors.
Jrue Holiday ($13,200 CP): If you’re looking to go with a more well-balanced lineup, then deploying Holiday and his much more reasonable salary at this spot could be appealing. He’s been locked in lately, scoring at least 47 DKFP in each of the last four games. Although he’s not attempting as many shots with his new team, he’s made up for that with his efficiency, shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 81.6 percent from the charity stripe.
UTIL Plays
Stephen Curry ($10,600): Normally, Curry would be a top option for the Captain’s Pick in any game that the Warriors are a part of. However, this is a tough matchup for him against Holiday, who is one of the best defensive guards in the league. Curry’s 32.9 percent usage rate should mean that he still jacks up plenty of shots, but if he struggles with his percentage, playing him in a utility spot instead of the prime Captain’s spot could end up being a saving grace for your entry. He’s still someone to consider here, though, just in case he does go off for one of his insane shooting performances from deep that we have become accustomed to over the years.
Bobby Portis ($6,400): The concern with this game is that it becomes a blowout early. The Bucks remain one of the best teams in the league, while the Warriors lack of talent behind Curry, which has contributed to them losing seven of their last 10 games to fall to 23-27. Portis could benefit from garbage time minutes, especially with how much he likes to shoot. In fact, his 21.4 percent usage rate is the fourth-highest mark on the team behind only Giannis, Holiday and Khris Middleton ($8,600).
Pat Connaughton ($4,600): Make no mistake about it, Connaughton’s upside is limited. Still, he’s scored at least 21.5 DKFP in five of his last eight games, which should at least put him on your radar at this salary. Like Portis, he too could benefit from a potentially lopsided score. If you roll with Giannis at the Captain’s spot, taking a chance on Connaughton also does wonders for your budget.
Fades
Jordan Poole ($6,000): Poole has gone cold from the field, shooting 32.9 percent across his last seven games. That resulted in him averaging just 11.9 points per contest during that stretch. If he’s not scoring, then he’s not doing much in fantasy given that he’s averaging just 1.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists for the season. Facing a Bucks team that has the eighth-best defensive rating is not an ideal matchup for him to break out of his funk.
The Outcome
The only saving grace for the Warriors is that they will play this game at home, where they are 14-9. Still, these two teams have a major difference in talent and overall depth, a difference that will likely be too much for the Warriors to overcome. If Curry doesn’t get off to a hot start, this game could get out of hand in a hurry.
Final Score: Bucks 117, Warriors 104
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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 I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above.
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