Tuesday brings three more playoff games in the NBA. One of them will be impacted by injuries when the Phoenix Suns host the Los Angeles Lakers. This game is also the featured Showdown contest on DraftKings, so let’s discuss how things might play out for both teams.
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Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers
SHOWDOWN STRATEGY
Captain’s Pick
LeBron James ($17,700 CP): The Lakers suffered a key loss in Game 4 when Anthony Davis went down with a groin injury. He’s unlikely to play in Game 5 and his status for the remainder of the series is certainly in doubt. With him out, the Lakers will have to rely heavily on James to get them through at least this one game. When you also factor in his ability to contribute in multiple categories, James is an ideal option for the Captain’s spot.
Deandre Ayton ($13,500 CP): Losing Davis also hurts the Lakers’ defense. Ayton is already having an impactful series, scoring at least 37.0 DKFP in all four games. He’s been as efficient as it gets, shooting 80.9 percent from the field on his way to averaging 19.8 points and 13.5 rebounds. While he doesn’t have the upside that James does, he’s a viable option for this spot if you’re looking to deploy a more well-rounded lineup.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
UTIL Plays
Devin Booker ($9,800): Booker has gone cold the last three games, shooting a combined 36.0 percent from the field. Still, with his high usage rate and ability to get to the free-throw line, he averaged 22.3 points during that stretch. He shot 48.4 percent from the field during the regular season, so if he can get back on track against a compromised Lakers defense in Game 5, he could provide an excellent stat line.
Jae Crowder ($5,600): Crowder once again finds himself with an important role on a playoff team. The “Three-and-D” specialist rebounded from poor shooting performances in the first three games of the series to hit three of his eight three-point attempts in Game 4. He’s also provided strong defense throughout the series, totaling six steals and four blocks.
Montrezl Harrell ($1,000): There are several high-salary stars in this game that are appealing. If you’re looking for a punt-play option in tournaments, then Harrell could be worth considering. He’s fallen out of favor lately, failing to take the floor in two of the four games in this series. However, with Davis out, he could emerge with a larger role off the bench. Despite only averaging 23 minutes per game during the regular season, he averaged 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocks.
Fades
Mikal Bridges ($6,400): Bridges normally plays a lot of minutes, but he only had a 14.9 percent usage rate during the regular season. He was still able to average 13.5 points per game thanks to him shooting 54.3 percent from the field. The problem is, he’s only shooting 34.3 percent in this series, which has contributed to him scoring 22.0 DKFP or fewer in all four contests.
The Outcome
With Davis likely out, the Lakers are in trouble. In addition to that, Chris Paul ($8,200) looked to be improved from his shoulder injury when he had 18 points and nine assists across 32 minutes in Game 4. Look for the Suns to capitalize on Davis’ absence with a win on their home floor.
Final Score: Suns 105, Lakers 99
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
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