NBA DFS Picks & Playbook For Today: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, May 16th
After getting off to a 2-0 series lead, the Minnesota Timberwolves have their backs up against the wall down 3-2 but host the Denver Nuggets tonight. Can Anthony Edwards respond to what’s happened over the previous three games? Will Nikola Jokic continue to dominate and get his team into the conference finals again?
Let’s break down today’s top NBA DFS picks and showdown options on Thursday, May 16th.
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves DFS Plays
- Total: 204.5
- Spread: MIN -2.5
- Season Series: 3-2 DEN
NBA Injury Report Today, 5/16
Nuggets Injuries
- Jamal Murray - QUEST
Timberwolves Injuries
- Mike Conley - Expected to play
NBA DFS Showdown CPT/MVP Top Plays
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Do the Timberwolves change their coverages on Nikola Jokic after what he did to them in Game 5? We’ll see, but will that even matter? We’ll see part two. Jokic has 60-plus DKP in three straight games and 58 or more in all but one of his 10 playoff games thus far.
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Game 5 did not go how Edwards thought it would as he was doubled every time he caught the ball and not having Mike Conley to handle the ball hurt him. Edwards has two 40-point games this series and leads the team in usage and FP/min this postseason. I’m comfortable with Edwards with Mike Conley giving it a go.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Towns looked really, really good in Game 5 and has had some big games this series for a guy that should realistically be more expensive. Playing Towns at your captain spot lets you comfortably get him plus one of Jokic and Edwards. Towns has a 24.5% USG and has averaged 1.13 FP/min this postseason.
Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
It’s been a good series for Aaron Gordon, but he was the X-Factor in the last two games. He’s been amazing. He’s scored the ball at a high level and is being asked to do a lot of ball handling, leading to elevated assist numbers. Gordon fits the captain's billing quite well because of his price and play.
NBA DFS Showdown UTIL Top Plays
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
I’m fine getting to Murray at the captain spot considering how good he was in Minnesota for their two games this series. He played third fiddle to Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon in Game 4, but he hasn’t looked healthier all postseason than he had the previous three games.
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Despite all the crap Rudy Gobert has gotten after what happened to him and the Timberwolves in Game 5, he was really good in that game. He had an 18-point double-double and had four stocks to go with it. Naz Reid has not look very good in the last three games and Gobert is going to continue to be extended because of it. Look for another 40 minutes out of Gobert here.
Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves
If Mike Conley gives it a go, I expect he’s good to go and will play close to full. Given his age and wear and tear on his body, I’m not sure they’d put him at risk if he wasn’t good enough to go. He’s been very solid when he’s been on the floor.
NBA DFS Showdown Value Top Plays
Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves
McDaniels is good, but not great. The appeal to McDaniels is possibly playing somewhere near 40 minutes. He has shot better at home this year posting a 38% clip from three in Minnesota and just 27% on the road.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Minnesota Timberwolves
If Mike Conley plays and is compromised at all, Alexander-Walker is going to be thrust into a prominent role. He’s VERY inconsistent and has a very high ceiling when his shot falls and a very low floor when he doesn’t. He’s going to play mid-20s minutes and could see upwards of 30 if Conley can’t be extended or if there’s foul trouble.
Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets
In back-to-back games, the Nuggets have rolled with Christian Braun in their closing lineup, and he’s been great. He’s played 25+ minutes in each of those games and put up 16 and 25 DKP in them. He does a little bit of everything, and his ceiling is higher these days because he’s making threes.
NBA DFS Showdown Punts
- Justin Holiday, Denver Nuggets - 15+ minutes in all 5 games
- Monte Morris, Minnesota Timberwolves - could take Kyle Anderson’s minutes, 0 doesn’t hurt if you get ceilings from Anthony Edwards & Nikola Jokic
Player News
Ivica Zubac had a productive outing, finishing with 27 points (11-of-15 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), five rebounds, one assist and two blocks in the Game 5 loss to the Nuggets on Tuesday.
Zubac continued to score the ball well, finishing with a series-high in points on efficient shooting. However, Zubac’s usual impact on the glass was absent, securing just five rebounds in Game 5 after tallying at least nine in the previous four, with his one assist also tying his lowest output of the series. Down in the series 3-2, the Clippers head back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Thursday, where they face a must-win situation to keep their season alive.
James Harden concluded Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Nuggets with 11 points (3-of-9 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in 35 minutes.
Harden had a quiet night on Tuesday, barely cracking double figures in scoring and failing to register double-digit shot attempts. The 2018 NBA MVP has faced a stifling Nuggets defense that, over the last few games, has forced the ball out of his hands, leading to inferior performances compared to earlier games in the series. Harden will look for a bounce-back performance on Thursday as he tries to lead the Clippers to a season-saving victory in Game 6.
Kawhi Leonard stuffed the stat sheet in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Nuggets, posting 20 points (8-of-15 FGs, 3-of-7 FTs), nine rebounds, 11 assists, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer.
Leonard did a little bit of everything for the Clippers in Game 5. The two-time NBA Finals MVP posted a series-high in assists and also hit the glass hard, resulting in a near-triple-double. Leonard has scored at least 20 points in all five games of this series. However, the Clippers may need even more from him going forward as they look to extend their season beyond Thursday’s Game 6 at the Intuit Dome.
Nikola Jokic earned a triple-double in the Nuggets’ Game 5 win on Tuesday over the Clippers, finishing with 13 points (4-of-13 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), 10 rebounds, 12 assists, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer.
The three-time NBA MVP had a relatively quiet game by his standards, but still came away with his third triple-double of the series. Jokic struggled with shooting efficiency, and his scoring output was the lowest of the series. Yet, his points were not as necessary in this game, given how well the rest of the Nuggets shot the ball. Nevertheless, Jokic will be in line for another big performance on Thursday when the Nuggets face the Clippers in Game 6.
Russell Westbrook came off the bench and produced 21 points (8-of-15 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, one assist and three three-pointers in the Nuggets’ Game 5 win over the Clippers on Tuesday.
Westbrook was electric in his first game back in the lineup following a foot injury that kept him out of Game 4. His second-quarter scoring ignited the crowd and helped set the table for what would be his highest-scoring game of the postseason. The 2017 NBA MVP has had himself a nice series thus far from a scoring standpoint and will have a chance to end his former team’s season on Thursday in Game 6.
Jamal Murray had a dominant Game 5 performance in the Nuggets’ win over the Clippers on Tuesday, tallying 43 points (17-of-26 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), five rebounds, seven assists, three steals, one block and eight three-pointers.
Fresh off a series-low 13 points in Game 4, Murray exploded for a series-high on Tuesday. He totaled nearly as many three-pointers in this game as he had in the previous four combined, while still managing to dish out seven assists. Murray got hot early in this one and never cooled off, and now has provided his Nuggets the opportunity on Thursday in Game 6 to eliminate the Clippers for the second time in the last five seasons.