Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Spread: Portland -4.5

Total: 222.0

 

Injuries

Los Angeles Lakers

Anthony Davis – Questionable

Trevor Ariza – Out

LeBron James – Out

Talen Horton-Tucker – Out

Kendrick Nunn - Out

 

Portland Trail Blazers

NONE

 

**Please note that players not listed below are not necessarily a complete fade and any player listed can certainly be used as the MVP/Captain. These are merely suggestions for players to use when setting Showdown lineups.

 

MVP/Captain

Anthony Davis LAL, PF/C – Davis has been the better fantasy producer in the two games that LeBron James has missed with his abdominal injury. In those two contests, Davis has 65 and 52.8 DraftKings points with averages of 28 points, 13.5 rebounds, three blocks and four assists. I’m not sure the Lakers wanted to play Davis 35 minutes per game against the Rockets and Thunder, but that’s what they needed. Against a big man like Jusuf Jurkic on the other side, you can be sure Davis will be out there for heavy minutes again. 

CJ McCollum POR, PG/SG – I’m not sure what the Trail Blazers’ record would be without CJ McCollum, but he is absolutely carrying this team on offense right now. He has at least 40 DK points in three of his last four games, all while playing 38.5 minutes in that span. Not only is McCollum contributing in points (23.3 his last four), but in assists as well, checking in with six per game over that span. 

Damian Lillard POR, PG – I’m not quite sure Lillard has a rock-bottom, but if he does, then Friday night would have been it. Just four points on 2-for-13 shooting and 0-for-6 on three-pointers. He did manage to save some fantasy value with 11 assists and one steal and one block, but this slow start for Lillard is now officially in the danger zone. However, Lillard is on the very short list of players who shoot his way out of a slump in just one game. What better spot than against the team that just gave up 28 points to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 24 to Jalen Green their past two games.

UTIL

Robert Covington, C – Over the past two games, Covington has been a much better point per dollar play than frontcourt partner Jusuf Nurkic ($9,000) as RoCo is back to his 3-and-D style of play. He has 27.75 DK points per game in his last two including five stocks (steals + blocks) and 7-for-13 on three-pointers. At 32 minutes per night, he has tremendous upside in this tough matchup.

Norman Powell POR, SF – Powell has been the most consistent fantasy producer after McCollum for this Portland squad, producing 39 DK points per game in the last two, and over 27 on the season. On the defensive end is where Powell has really stepped up his game with five steals, three blocks and five rebounds in last has two games. In his two previous games he could only muster four rebounds and one combined steal or block.

Russell Westbrook LAL, PG – We know that Westbrook is capable of a triple-double on any given night, but the fact is he is on a four-game stretch without one. His scoring is up to 27 points per game with LeBron out, but he only reached nine rebounds or assists once in the past four games. As the most expensive player on this Showdown slate, there is a legitimate reason to fade him in tournaments, but the upside be brings is hard to ignore. 

Carmelo Anthony LAL, PF – It’s been turn-back-the-clock week for Anthony recently as he has put up at least 34 DK points in three of his last four. The minutes are way up with LeBron out (32 on Thursday) and he’s shooting 13.25 times per game in that stretch. In a game with a 222-point total, there should be plenty of possessions and shots for Anthony to continue the hot stretch. 

Dart Throws

Anfernee Simons POR, PG/SG – The Portland starters typically play so many minutes, there isn’t much leftover for the bench brigade. But of that crew, Simons has consistently been playing the most minutes and he has now chipped in at least 15 points in four straight games. Priced below players like Marquise Chriss and Sekou Doumbouya who don’t ever see the floor, Simons is worth a shot at just $4,200. 

Avery Bradley LAL, SF – Recently inserted into the starting lineup. Bradley has been a quiet contributor over his last five games. He has scored double-digit fantasy points in each of them while playing 26.2 minutes per night. Bradley’s season averages don’t look great, but they are weighed down by two zero fantasy point nights early in the year. His 13.35 DK points in the last five will certainly pay the bills at just $1,600.