Tonight, we close out the evening as the Heat travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers for our NBA DFS Showdown Slate. While it should not be a surprise, LeBron James is on the Injury Report with an ankle injury so that does mean we need to at least be aware of his status even if it looks like he should be fine to take the court. Miami is favored by 4.5 points, so overall it is expected to be a competitive game, so let us take a look at some NBA DFS Showdown Slate picks. 

 

NBA Injury Report

Miami Heat

Caleb Martin – Probable (quadricep)

Gabe Vincent – Probable (knee)

Duncan Robinson – Questionable (hamstring)

Nikola Jovic – Out

Dewayne Dedmon – Questionable (foot)

Los Angeles Lakers

Anthony Davis - Out

LeBron James – Questionable (ankle)

Russell Westbrook – Probable (foot)

Lonnie Walker IV – Questionable (lower body)

 

NBA DFS Showdown Slate Picks

MVP/Captain

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

It is concerning to see James listed on the Injury Report with an ankle injury, but based on what we saw from him on Monday, you would never known there was an issue. James was evidently dealing the ankle against Charlotte, and all he did was go out and score 43 points, grab 11 rebounds, and pick up six assists. If that is what being injured looks like, sign me up, and it is another good matchup for James tonight against the Heat as he continues to lead the way for Los Angeles. 

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

It is hard not to like this matchup for Adebayo against the Lakers, and with Anthony Davis out, things should be even easier for the big man. Adebayo has been locked in offensively and is averaging 25.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in his last five while scoring 32 and 31 points in his last two games. 

Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

I am not sure how much defense we will see tonight, and Herro should be one of the main beneficiaries of that. Herro puts up a ton of shots on a nightly basis, and his 45.2% field goal percentage is ultimately going to be the biggest factor in play here as his efficiency will dictate his upside. The good news, is that Herro shoots enough to provide a solid floor while his 6.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game also help. 

 

Utility

Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat

Nine points is just not going to cut it for Butler as he shot just two of eight from the field on Tuesday. While Butler is averaging 21.3 points per game this season, he has struggled with his shot at times but I am willing to chalk his last game up to just being an off night. We have to follow the upside and track record, but Butler has made it hard to go all in this year. 

Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Lakers

Westbrook only played 11 minutes on Monday against the Hornets with foot soreness, but all systems appear to be a go tonight. He has settled into a strong complementary role offensively for the Lakers and had previously hit double figures offensively in five straight games with one triple-double and one double-double in that stretch. Someone has to score for the Lakers other than James, and Westbrook is as a good an option as ever. 

Thomas Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

We do not want to get crazy in the sense of chasing points here with Bryant, and the matchup against Adebayo could be a better one, but it is hard to not to pay attention to what he has done in his last two games. Bryant followed up a 19 point, 17 rebound performance by scoring 18 points and grabbing 15 rebounds on Monday. The big man also has a 19 and 10 effort in his recent past, so it is clear that Bryant is making his presence felt in the post for the Lakers. 

 

Dart Throw

Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

Reaves generally has a role with the Lakers that gives him 20 to 25 minutes of playing time most nights, and he has proven to be a capable scorer the majority of the time. If Lonnie Walker IV, or even James, is unable to take the court, that would just lead to more time for Reaves as he enters tonight following a 15 point, seven assist, six rebound performance. It should be noted that it is the upper end of Reaves potential, but he is averaging 10.8 points per game along with a few rebounds and assists. 

Dewayne Dedmon, Miami Heat

After missing six games with a foot injury, it appears that Dedmon is ready to make his return tonight and slide into a backup role behind Adebayo. That should mean a solid role of 10 to 15 minutes of playing time and Dedmon should be capable of at least matching his season averages of 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. 

Troy Brown, Jr, Los Angeles Lakers

I am not sure we get 35 minutes of playing time out of Brown as we did on Monday, but 20 to 25 would be a safe landing spot. Brown hit double figures offensively in three of his last four games and he has proven to show some offensive upside. 

 

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