NBA DFS Showdown Playbook November 15: Sacramento Kings vs Los Angeles Lakers Top Picks
Tonight’s showdown matchup between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers is a potential banger as some of the league’s best players take the floor. They’ve already matched up once this season and the teams combined for 259 points in a Kings five-point victory. LeBron James being questionable on the second leg of a back-to-back is the slate-breaking news we’re waiting for to really be able to construct our showdown lineups. 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
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers
- Total: 235
- Spread: LAL 1.5
Sacramento Kings Injuries
- Alex Len - OUT
- Trey Lyles - OUT
Los Angeles Lakers Injuries
- LeBron James - QUEST
- Anthony Davis - PROB
- Gabe Vincent - OUT
- Jarred Vanderbilt - OUT
- Jalen Hood-Schifino - OUT
*Lakers are on the second leg of a back-to-back
NBA DFS Showdown CPT/MVP Top Plays
De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
Here’s the savings using De’Aaon Fox at your captain spot;
Fox off Davis: $3,000
Fox off James: $2,400
Fox off Sabonis:$2,100
He returned from his ankle sprain and played 36 minutes off the rip, even in a game they blew Cleveland out in. Fox is averaging 47.9 DKP through four games and allows you to get two of these guys to pair with him compared to just two of them using any of the other three at captain. He may, especially when he’s scoring well, has as high of a ceiling as any of them.
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
There have been few players across the league with a more consistent floor/ceiling combination when he’s been able to stay healthy. Through 10 games, Anthony Davis has averaged 52.6 DKP this season. He’s averaged 59.6 DKP/game at home while averaging just 45.7 DKP/game on the road.
Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
So some players are just better when their other star player is there. Sabonis has averaged 1.36 FP/min without De’Aaron Fox this year and 1.39 FP/min with him. Well, Fox is active and Sabonis is a nightly triple-double threat with the success he and Fox have in pick-and-roll. You can definitely get to him in the captain chair.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
After playing just 23 minutes last night, there’s a definite chance we see LeBron James suit up on the second leg of the Lakers back-to-back here. He was absolutely dominating in the 23 minutes last night posting 37.75 DKP. James has been incredible this year and hasn’t lost a single step. He’s averaging 46.9 DKP/game across 33.4 MPG this season.
NBA DFS Showdown UTIL Top Plays
D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers point guard has really hit his stride over the last four games putting up 36+ DKP in each outing. He could be playing without LeBron James to boot, which would put him in line to potentially be used as a captain. I’d have him near the top of the list for captain if LBJ is ruled out. He has a high ceiling as a scorer and passer when he has the ball in his hands more.
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
Murray is another player on the Kings that performs better with De’Aaron Fox in the lineup. He’s been at .91 FP/min this year but when he’s played with Fox, a 111 minute sample, he’s sitting at 1.08 FP/min. Murray’s coming off back-to-back 40+ DKP outings.
Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
It’s hard to really love Reaves if LeBron James plays, but he actually has looked really comfortable coming off the Lakers bench. As a starter, Reaves averaged 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, but since moving to the bench, he’s bolstered those numbers to 16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. Whether LBJ is in or out, Reaves is coming off the bench.
NBA DFS Showdown Value Plays
Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Lakers
Hachimura has been really good lately. He scored 25 actual last night and has now poured in 19+ points in three of four games and has 22+ DKP in all four. He’s definitely benefitting from the injuries the Lakers are dealing with right now and with LeBron James listed questionable, his role could increase even more if LBJ were to sit.
JaVale McGee, Sacramento Kings
I really think it’s EASY to get to most, if not all, of the top stars tonight because you can just plug a min salary JaVale McGee. Alex Len’s out and we’ll see McGee re-enter the lineup as the team’s backup center. He’s averaged 1.05 FP/min this season.
*If LeBron James sits, Cam Reddish and Christian Wood would enter our player pool. Reddish would be the priority of the two.
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.