Trail Blazers vs. Clippers NBA DFS Picks For DraftKings & FanDuel - Wed, 10/30
Published: Oct 30, 2024
We have 11 games across the NBA but we’re focusing on just one on Wednesday, October 30th, as the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers are the focused Showdown matchup of the day.
This matchup is interesting because both teams have outperformed expectations at the start of this campaign, especially the Los Angeles Clippers. Let’s dive into today’s NBA DFS Playbook for the showdown and single game matchup between the Trail Blazers and Clippers.
NBA DFS Showdown Picks & Playbook: Trail Blazers vs. Clipper Game Preview
- Total: 219.5
- Spread: LAC -8.5
Trail Blazers vs. Clippers Notable Injuries & Lineups
Portland Trail Blazers Key Injuries
- Shaedon Sharpe - OUT
- Robert Williams - OUT
- Matisse Thybulle - OUT
Portland Trail Blazers Starting Lineup
Los Angeles Clippers Key Injuries
- Kawhi Leonard - OUT
- Mo Bamba - OUT
Los Angeles Clippers Starting Lineup
Trail Blazers vs. Clippers NBA DFS Showdown Picks: MVP & Captain
James Harden - $16,200 DK, $16,000 FD
There are only three players in the league with a usage rate higher than James Harden’s 34.1%. He’s put up 48+ DKP in all three games he’s played in and topped 50 twice. He’s averaging a touch under a triple-double and we’re getting the Houston version of Harden while Kawhi Leonard is out. Hard not to go to him as captain unless you’re being contrarian.
Ivica Zubac - $12,900 DK, $14,000 FD
Can ANYONE stop Ivica Zubac right now? My word. He’s been as good as just about every center in the league through three games. He’s averaging 22.7 points, 14.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 48.7 DKP/game. He has a 25.6% USG and is averaging 1.3 FP/min. He’s your pivot off Harden as captain.
Jerami Grant - $12,300 DK, $13,500 FD
Just looking at some Portland stuff to start the year, it’s clear that Jerami Grant is in the best form of them all. He’s been fairly inconsistent but has had two absolute boom games pouring in 48 and 52 DKP on the backs of 28 and 34 actual points. Grant is right there – in second – with Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons for the team’s usage lead.
UTIL NBA DFS Showdown Plays for Wednesday
Anfernee Simons - $8,400 DK, $12,500 FD
Simons is getting shots up, has a high usage, but just hasn’t made anything with consistency. He’s third in usage at 27.7% but he’s averaging just .89 FP/min, which is really subpar for the price he’s at. That said, we know he’s a good FP/min player and with the starting lineup Portland is running, bringing Scoot Henderson off the bench, he should thrive.
Deandre Ayton - $8,000 DK, $13,000 FD
We’ve yet to see a breakout game from Deandre Ayton but he’s been very consistent and very safe. I feel very good with him in my UTIL spot on this showdown slate. He’s posted four straight double-doubles and four straight games with 30+ DK and FDP. Hasn’t been under 30 or over 40. Just safe.
Norman Powell - $7,600 DK, $12,000 FD
There’s obviously a pretty big ceiling with Powell with the way the Clippers are currently constructed and are without Kawhi Leonard. We’ve already seen the ceiling as he poured in 37 points and 46.25 DKP in the second game of the year against Denver. His 25.7% USG is second on the team and he’s taken 15+ shots in all three games he’s played.
Deni Avdija - $7,800 DK, $11,500 FD
We’ve yet to see Avdija blow up, but he’s a player that can do everything for Portland and we’ve seen that in the past. When given extended playing time he’s a FP/min producer. Fits in UTIL spots better than anything else.
Scoot Henderson - $7,200 DK, $11,000 FD
My interest in Scoot Henderson is pretty high. Despite coming off the bench, he leads the team in usage rate and has yet to play less than 28 minutes. He’s been very inconsistent with his production as he misses a bunch of shots and continues to turn the ball over a lot but can stuff the stat sheet. Henderson, despite some of the struggles, still averages 1.01 DKP/min.
Trail Blazers vs. Clippers NBA DFS Picks: Dart Throws
Derrick Jones - $5,200 DK, $9,500 FD
Derrick Jones is an elite perimeter defender, and the Clippers are going to use him for just that. In the two games he’s made multiple threes, he’s exceeded 20+ DKP and played 29 and 35 minutes compared to 27 when he didn’t. He’s someone that is known for defense first but can shoot himself into more playing time when he’s knocking down threes.
Kris Dunn - $4,200 DK, $9,000 FD
Kris Dunn is a very good FP/min player and is very, very cheap. He has a minutes ceiling of nearly 30 with this team that has a bunch of interchangeable pieces that are clearly in a hot-hand committee. Dunn was great last time out and he’s one of three players on the Clippers averaging at least 1 FP/min.
Kris Murray - $2,000 DK, $7,000 FD
Punting Kris Murray to get all the other top options could be a play if you’re trying to jam in the five highest priced options. Murray played a season-high 24 minutes last time out. He’s someone who can really shoot and saw extended first-half run due to foul trouble, which is live again with Toumani Camara guarding James Harden.
Amir Coffey - $2,800 DK, $7,000 FD
Firmly entrenched in the Clippers rotation, Amir Coffey is an awfully low FP/min player but sometimes, on smaller slates such as showdown, we simply need cheap guys that’ll be on the floor. That's what we have here. Coffey topped 20 minutes in all three games this year and has had a 19 DKP game, which would be great at a 2.8K price point.
Player Pool
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.