The Memphis Grizzlies will look to close out the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight as they head to Minnesota for Game 6 with a 3-2 lead. The action tips off on Friday night at 9:00 p.m. ET. DraftKings Sportsbook has the Grizzlies favored by 1 point with the total at 229.
Let’s go over the fantasy outlook for the game for Showdown contests on DraftKings.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $500K Shootaround [$100K to 1st] (MEM vs MIN)
Captain’s Picks
Ja Morant ($17,700) - Morant averages 1.41 DKFP per minute, the highest on the slate. He played 45 minutes on Tuesday and played 41 minutes in Game 3. He’s scored over 30 points in two games, grabbed at least eight rebounds in four games with two of those over 10, dished out at least eight assists in every contest with three of those over 10 and racked up a steal in every game with a whopping 3 last game. He’s scored at least 45 DKFP in every contest with three of those over 50 and a high of 65.25. The usage rate has been over 25% in four of the five games. Does Morant have the highest floor/ceiling combo on the slate? Ja.
Karl-Anthony Towns ($16,500) - Towns has had an erratic series, as he has two games under 40 DKFP with one in which he scored only eight points and grabbed five rebounds. In the two most recent contests, though, the usage rate has been over 30% and he’s produced 55 and 57 DKFP. Towns averages 1.36 DKFP per minute and has the ability to stuff the stat sheet every night. In Game 5, he went for 28 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, three steals and two blocks. If the Timberwolves are going to have any chance of extending the series, Towns will have to be heavily involved at both ends of the floor.
FLEX Plays
Desmond Bane ($8,600) - After a slow start to the series, Bane has really picked it up the last three games and been an offensive force. The usage rate has been above 20% and the field goal attempts have spiked to 20, 18 and 19. As a result, he’s scored 25, 34 and 26 points, which has resulted in over 40 DKFP in each contest. He has also been a force on defense. In the first two games, he produced a block. In the last three games, he’s totaled four steals and five blocks. He has also played 45, 35 and 41 minutes.
Value
Jarred Vanderbilt ($4,600) - If you need some savings, Vanderbilt could be your guy. After playing only 19 and nine minutes in the first two games, he’s received 32, 35 and 22 minutes in the three most recent contests. Vanderbilt is a low-usage player who makes his hay on the boards and defense. He’s grabbed 10, 8 and 13 rebounds while racking up six steals and one block in the last three games. That’s resulted in 21.5, 27.5 and 36.25 DKFP.
Fades
Anthony Edwards ($9,400) - The ceiling and potential for Edwards is sky high, as evidenced by his 72.5-DKFP performance against the Spurs earlier in the month. He went for 49 points, six rebounds, eight assists and one steal in that one. The problem with Edwards from a fantasy perspective, though, is that he is not a consistent contributor in the categories outside of scoring. Case in point, in Game 5 of this series, he scored 22 points with only one rebound. He’s scored fewer than 34 DKFP in three of the five games and has gone over 50 just once. Could he have a ceiling game? Sure, anything can happen in one game, especially with this being an elimination game. That said, the Grizzlies have been tough on small forwards all season long, neutralizing the FPPM by 7.57% below the league average.
Jaren Jackson Jr. ($7,200) - Jackson Jr. averages 1.16 DKFP per minute and is such a unique player in that he can defend the rim while being able to stretch the floor on offense. That said, the usage rate fluctuates, he doesn’t dish out many assists and the rebounding numbers are low since he hangs out on the perimeter. The biggest bugaboo, though, has been the penchant for fouling. He fouled out the last two games and had five, four and five in the other three contests. As a result, he’s played more than 25 minutes only once this series. From a DKFP perspective, he has a high of 31.5 DKFP and has gone under 30 in three games.
The Outcome
The Timberwolves shocked the Grizzlies in Game 1 with a 13-point win in Memphis. The Grizzlies came back and spanked Minnesota by 29 points in Game 2. In the last two games, the final spread of victory has been one and two points. The feeling out period is way over and these teams know each other on an intimate level. I’d expect another close and competitive affair with the Timberwolves prevailing at home to force a Game 7. Minnesota was 26-15 at home during the regular season.
Final score: Timberwolves 106, Grizzlies 103
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $500K Shootaround [$100K to 1st] (MEM vs MIN)
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