This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
We're set for a single-game slate Saturday night, as the Suns and Clippers face off for Game 4 of what has already proven to be an intriguing series. Los Angeles remains without Kawhi Leonard (knee) for Saturday night's showdown, but as it's already demonstrated numerous times this postseason and most recently in Game 3 against this same Suns squad, they're capable of handing quality teams double-digit losses without him.
With just one game on the ledger, we're dealing with DraftKings' Showdown contest rosters, which are comprised as follows:
· Captain's Spot- (Garners points at 1.5x the normal rate)
· Five Utility spots- (Garner points at normal rate)
With players carrying markedly higher salaries when being rostered in the Captain Spot, there are definitely strategic elements particular to single-game lineups. Picking the right player for that multiplier spot becomes particularly key to success, as the higher salary that player carries naturally affects the composition of the rest of your roster.
Slate Overview
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Clippers (Projected total: 218.0 points)
The Clippers have impressively clamped down defensively despite Leonard's absence over the last two games, holding the Suns to a combined 196 points in those contests. The totals for the first three games have been a descending 234, 207 and 198, so oddsmakers clearly expect a bit of an offensive resurgence here for Phoenix, which has been hampered by the atypically poor shooting of two players that are too talented to continue struggling – Chris Paul and Devin Booker. A possibly rusty Paul went just 5-for-19 from the floor in his series debut Game 3, while is Booker 10-for-37 from the field over the last two contests. Paul George may also be due for a course correction on the other side, as he's drained just four of 19 three-point attempts in the last pair of games.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following serves as a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written (usually late morning Eastern time), check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate.
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee)/ Status: OUT
Leonard's ongoing absence Saturday will result in Paul George once again enjoying a boost in his already massive usage, and increased responsibility for the likes of Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard and Ivica Zubac as well.
Marcus Morris, LAC (knee)/ Status: GTD
If Morris sits out, Nicolas Batum and Patrick Patterson could see extended opportunity.
Other injuries to monitor:
Cameron Payne, PHO (ankle)/ Status: PROBABLE
Elite Players
There are two players with five-figure (non-Captain's spot) salaries on the slate – Paul George ($11,200) and Devin Booker ($10,800). Both are leading candidates for the Captain's spot given their upside and irrespective of their recent struggles.
George has actually managed to continue churning out excellent fantasy production despite his aforementioned shooting issues, as he scored 59.8 DK points in Game 3 despite going just 9-for-26 from the floor overall. He hasn't been under 40 DK points since Game 1 of the semifinal-round series against the Jazz and has one 71.0 DK-point tally on his playoff resume already this postseason.
As enumerated earlier, Booker has been having significant trouble finding the net over the last two games, but there's every reason to expect a resurgence. The talented wing scored 77.8 DK points back in Game 1, and he'd produced another tally of over 70 back in the series-clinching win against the Lakers in the first round. Booker will likely be aggressive early and often in an attempt to snap out of his doldrums Saturday.
Additionally, one player with a four-figure salary capable of delivering an elite score is Chris Paul ($9,800). As mentioned previously, the veteran point guard appeared to be shaking off some cobwebs in Game 3 after not having played since June 13, but he's naturally very capable of rounding right back into form Saturday. Paul's ability to fill out the rest of the stat sheet also makes him a potentially rewarding fantasy-point-per-dollar play, especially in the 1.5x multiplier spot.
Expected Chalk
With only one game on the ledger, all of the players just mentioned in the previous section will certainly be very popular. Additionally, the Suns' Deandre Ayton ($8,200) and the Clippers' Reggie Jackson ($7,400) should both also be in plenty of lineups based on their performances thus far in the series.
Key Values
Note: On a multi-game slate, I typically try to highlight players that would be considered under-the-radar plays in this section. Naturally, with such a limited player pool, there will be very few low-rostered players that are likely to also be viable from a DFS perspective, so I'll instead focus on two of the best candidates to provide a strong return relative to salary.
Mikal Bridges, PHO ($5,400)
Bridges has had a bit of up and down to his fantasy production this postseason, but he's been solid lately, scoring 21.0 to 27.5 DK points in four of his last five postseason games. He's coming off a highly efficient 5-for-8 shooting effort in Game 3 and is shooting 50.0 percent in the first three games of the series overall. The degree of Bridges' offensive involvement can be a wild-card factor at times, but at his salary, the volatility is accounted for. Additionally, he benefits from yet another game without Leonard standing in his path to production.
Ivica Zubac, LAC ($4,200)
Zubac has been a pleasant surprise over the last two games, posting 30.8 and 44.0 DK points on the strength of 14.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across a robust 33.5 minutes per contest. The strong returns with the extra opportunity make it highly likely Zubac will continue to see a similar allotment playing time in Game 4, where the Clippers will remain without Leonard, and potentially, Marcus Morris. The Suns are allowing 83.3 DK points per game to players with center designations over the last five as well, strengthening the big man's case ahead of what could be another busy night on the boards if the Clippers' strong defense continues to force a good deal of misses from the Suns.
