We have two more playoff games in the NBA on Thursday and two teams will be facing elimination. One of them will be the 76ers, who will be trying to stay alive when they face the Heat in Philadelphia. As you prepare to build your DraftKings Showdown lineups, here are some players to consider.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$25K to 1st] (MIA vs PHI)
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat
SHOWDOWN STRATEGY
Captain’s Picks
Jimmy Butler ($17,100 CP): Butler has been carrying the Heat in this series. He’s scored at least 45.3 DKFP in each of the last four games, and that includes Game 5 when he barely played in the fourth quarter. Not only should he receive plenty of shot attempts in this game, but he should also provide added assists with Kyle Lowry (hamstring) out. There may be no player in this game that is more appealing for the Captain’s spot.
James Harden ($15,000 CP): If you want to fade Butler, then Harden could be worth the risk at this spot. He hasn’t had a great series, scoring 37.5 DKFP or fewer four times. However, he showed his upside while playing at home in Game 4, scoring 55.3 DKFP. If he can get hot from behind the arc like he did in that game, he could provide another juicy stat line.
UTIL Plays
Tyrese Maxey ($7,600): Not much went right for the 76ers in Game 5, and Maxey was no exception. He shot just 2-for-10 from the field, including 1-for-4 from behind the arc. That was a rare off night for him, though, given that he shot 48.5 percent from the field and 42.7 percent from deep during the regular season. With their backs up against the wall, look for Maxey to bounce back with a more efficient shooting night.
Victor Oladipo ($6,800): The Heat are lucky that they had Oladipo waiting in the wings if someone got hurt. He’s made a big impact in this series, scoring at least 24.3 DKFP three times. He was only needed to play 18 minutes in Game 5, so with this likely being a closer contest, Oladipo has a favorable opportunity to provide value.
Gabe Vincent ($4,800): Lowry has missed five games during the Heat’s playoff run and Vincent has started each time he’s been out. He scored at least 24.0 DKFP three times, and he had his best performance in Game 5 with 26.8 DKFP. At such a cheap salary, he’s someone to at least consider for your entry, especially to help offset Butler’s hefty salary if you deploy him at the Captain’s spot.
Fades
Tobias Harris ($8,000): Harris has delivered two duds, scoring 26.3 and 16.8 DKFP, respectively, the last two games. He’s averaged just 12.3 shot attempts across the three games that Joel Embiid ($11,000) has played in, compared to 17.5 over the two games that Embiid missed. As long as Embiid is healthy, Harris should continue to see a limited role within the 76ers’ scoring attack.
THE OUTCOME
The home team has won every game of this series, so it’s no surprise that the 76ers are the favorites. However, the two games that the Heat lost, Lowry played. He didn’t look like himself, and he may have actually been hurting the team given his compromised health. The Heat may actually be better off without him, so it’s not crazy to think that they could end the series here.
Final Score: Heat 110, 76ers 105
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $100K Fadeaway [$25K to 1st] (MIA vs PHI)
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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.
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