NBA DFS Showdown Playbook January 10: Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Clippers Top Picks
Tonight’s showdown match-up between the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers feature one team well rested in the Clippers and one team on the second leg of a back-to-back in the Raptors. The stars will be out to play as James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and his new contract, Scottie Barnes, and the new-look Raptors all take the floor. Finding some of the NBA DFS top picks could be made easier if you take a look at Fantasy Alarm’s NBA DFS Projections, powered by FanJections. Let’s dive into the complete breakdown for tonight’s showdown slate.
Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Total: 235.5
Spread: LAC -10.5
Toronto Raptors Injuries
- Pascal Siakam - QUEST
- Jakob Poeltl - OUT
- Christian Koloko - OUT
- Otto Porter Jr. - OUT
Los Angeles Clippers Injuries
- Moussa Diabate - OUT
NBA DFS Showdown CPT/MVP Top Plays
Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
On the day Kawhi Leonard got a massive contract extension, look for him to assert himself as the best player on the floor. He’s averaging a team-high 1.22 FP/min this year. His 26.4% USG is second behind Paul George’s 26.7%, so he’s first or second in all the categories we want. He contributes on both ends of the floor and his ceiling/floor is amazing because of it.
James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers
Harden’s had an elite command of the offense since settling in and Russell Westbrook moving to the bench and is a nightly threat for a double-double. On top of that, when he puts up 20+ points, he’s consistently a 50 FP scorer. 1.19 FP/min this year and is at 1.14 FP/min when sharing the floor with Leonard and Paul George, which is second on the team.
Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
With Jakob Poeltl off the floor this year, Barnes has been a FP/min MONSTER averaging 1.37 FP/min which is first on the team. Barnes’ ability to stuff the statsheet is his best attribute by a mile and he plays big minutes in competitive settings. With Pascal Siakam now listed questionable, Barnes could shine even more here. If this is a competitive game it’s because of Barnes.
NBA DFS Showdown UTIL Top Plays
R.J. Barrett, Toronto Raptors
Over the last two games, Barrett has asserted himself as a weapon for this Raptors team on the offensive end. He’s poured in 37 and 23 points, but has been consistently contributing across the board posting 47 and 58 DKP to boot. If he continues to look THIS good offensively, it’s hard to ignore Barrett at this price. Barrett’s at a 1.24 FP/min clip with Jakob Poeltl off the floor in his limited sample in Toronto.
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
We’ve begun to see Paul George pick up the pace again for the Clippers as he’s scoring at a high clip and putting up consistent solid fantasy games. He’s scored 37+ DKP in four straight games and in two of them, he’s only played 30-31 minutes because of a blowout. Meanwhile, he’s playing 37-38 in competitive games.
Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers
We saw this last night, but the Raptors started Thaddeus Young at center without Jakob Poeltl and he just gives up a lot of size to traditional centers. Here lies Zubac who, by all counts, is just that. We saw Zubac put up a monster game against the Lakers the other falling just one rebound shy of a 20-20 game, but he’s been at 31+ DKP in three straight games. This feels like the fourth in a row. I’d even consider using him at CPT to get multiple stars in our build.
Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors
With Jakob Poeltl off the floor, Quickley’s been second on the team in FP/min right behind Scottie Barnes. It’s a limited sample, but he’s been awesome. He just needs to stay out of foul trouble and that could be an issue with the opposition he’s facing tonight.
NBA DFS Showdown Value Plays
- Thaddeus Young, Toronto Raptors (could use at CPT)
- Chris Boucher, Toronto Raptors
- Terance Mann, Los Angeles Clippers
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Player News
Buddy Hield had 15 points (5-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and four three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Hield moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup in the first round and the team became somewhat reliant on his scoring. With Stephen Curry (hamstring) out in Game 2, Hield started and played 29 minutes. The 32-year-old shooting guard led the Warriors in field goal attempts, though no one in a Golden State uniform was able to reach 20 points. The Warriors weren’t able to overcome a double-digit first half deficit. Despite the four made three-pointers, they’re going to need more from Hield as the series shifts to Golden State, especially if Curry remains out.
Jimmy Butler had 17 points (6-of-13 FGs), seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Butler couldn’t get it done without Stephen Curry (hamstring) on the road in Game 2. The Warriors fell behind by double-digits early and never recovered. Butler had 17 points on 13 shots, which wasn’t far off from the 20 points he had in Game 1. Still, the Warriors have to regroup as they head home for Games 3 and 4 as they try to figure out a way to keep this series close until Curry can return to the court.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four three-pointers in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Alexander-Walker was a key scorer off the bench in Game 2. He, Naz Reid and Donte DiVencenzo combined for 10 made three-pointers off the bench. In a game where the Warriors were desperate for scoring without Stephen Curry (hamstring), those bench points were too much to overcome as the Timberwolves won by 24 points.
Julius Randle had 24 points (10-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, 11 assists and one three-pointer in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Randle led the Timberwolves in scoring in the Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old power forward was just three rebounds away from a triple-double. He was a steadying presence in his 33 minutes as Anthony Edwards dealt with an ankle injury towards the end of the first half. Edwards recovered from his injury to play 34 minutes, but Randle is still the next most important player in this series for the Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards had 20 points (6-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block and two three-pointers in the Timberwolves’ 117-93 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Thursday.
Edwards appeared to suffer a sprained left ankle towards the end of the second quarter as the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his foot. Edwards turned the same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and appeared to re-aggravate the injury. The 23-year-old shooting guard would go on to start the second half and play a team-high 34 minutes in the Game 2 victory. Edwards will only have one full day off before the series resumes in Golden State for Game 3 on Saturday.
Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post in Game 2 against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
No surprise here as Curry was always a long shot to make it back for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with hamstring injury. While there has been a report that the 37-year-old point guard is expected to miss a week, there is no firm timetable for his return. The Warriors will go big with their starting lineup for Game 2 with center Quinten Post entering the lineup in Curry’s absence.