Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Lineup Strategy for Nuggets vs. Suns Showdown on June 13

Sunday’s NBA slate features a pair of contests, including Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals series between the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets starting at 8 p.m. ET.

The Suns have won each of the first three games of this series, and they’ve done so in convincing fashion. They’ve won each game by at least 14 points, so they have thoroughly dominated. They’re listed as three-point road favorites in Game 4, so there’s a good chance that they can wrap up this series on Sunday.

Historically, teams looking for a sweep have been able to get the job done. They’ve gone 36-27-4 against the spread dating back to 2006, and teams that are favored gone 32-23-3. That’s good for a +13.1% return on investment.

DraftKings is offering up a featured Showdown slate for this contest, so let’s break down some of the top options to consider for your lineups.

Captain’s Picks

Chris Paul ($14,400 CP) - Paul’s salary has increased drastically since the start of the series, but it is 100% deserved. He’s been fantastic in the first three games, scoring at least 49.0 DKFP in all three contests. He’s provided value in different ways, as well: He scored 27 points in Game 3 and had 15 assists in Game 2. I love players like Paul that can contribute in multiple categories because it gives them different paths to potentially return value. Paul seems to be fully recovered from his shoulder injury, and the Nuggets simply have no one who can guard him.

Jae Crowder ($9,000 CP) - I don’t think you need to consider paying down too far at Captain on Sunday. Crowder is about as low as I’m willing to go. He remains underpriced, and he’s managed to return value in all three games to start this series. That includes Game 2, despite the fact that he played just 25.5 minutes. He’s hit at least three 3-pointers in all three games, and he’s averaged a respectable 0.82 DKFP per minute this season.

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UTIL Plays

Nikola Jokic ($12,000) – I’m going to continue to take the same approach with Jokic in this series, which means using him as a utility instead of at Captain. That strategy burned me in Game 3 – he finished with 78.0 DKFP thanks to a monster triple-double – but this still stands out as a subpar matchup. Jokic needed 29 shots for 32 points in his last contest, and I’m not expecting a ton of progression vs. Deandre Ayton ($8,600). He’s one of the best defensive centers in the league, and he’s limited Jokic to 39.1% shooting from the field and 20.0% shooting from 3-point range as his primary defender.

Will Barton ($6,600) – Barton just rejoined the Nuggets’ rotation two games ago after missing an extended period with an injury, but the Nuggets have not had the luxury of easing him into action. He played nearly 28 minutes in Game 3, and he gave the Nuggets some good production. The Nuggets actually outscored the Suns with Barton on the floor, so expect his workload to be expanded further in a must-win contest. He’s averaged around 1.00 DKFP per minute in this series, so I love his prospects in Game 4.

Dario Saric ($1,800) – Saric is the strongest punt play on today’s slate. He’s dirt cheap at just $1,800, but he’s scored at least 15.0 DKFP in back-to-back games. He doesn’t see a ton of playing time as the Suns’ backup center, but he’s capable of averaging well over 1.00 DKFP per minute. He’s a good bet to crack double-digits in fantasy scoring once again, and that’s all you need at his current price tag.

Fades

Facundo Campazzo ($5,200) – Campazzo gave the Nuggets quality minutes when their backcourt was decimated by injuries, but his role is shrinking now that the team is nearing full strength. He played just 17.8 minutes in Game 3, and the Nuggets were outscored by -12 points with him on the floor. I’m expecting Barton’s additional playing time to come directly from Campazzo, and it’s going to be tough for him to return value in that situation.

The Outcome

The Suns have cruised through the first three games of this series, and I think they can do it again in Game 4. The Nuggets’ roster just isn’t that talented outside of Jokic, and Ayton has done an incredible job on him defensively. Jokic is still going to get his numbers, but the Suns are going to win if they can keep him inefficient as a scorer.

From a fantasy perspective, I love CP3 as my Captain. He has arguably the best individual matchup, and he has had no problems racking up fantasy points to start the series. You can pair him with Jokic and either Devin Booker ($10,000) or Ayton pretty easily, especially if you’re willing to roster Saric.

Ultimately, I think the Suns take care of business and rest up for either the Jazz or Clippers in the Western Conference finals.

Final Score: Suns 119, Nuggets 106

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