For tonight's NBA DFS Showdown slate we have the Portland Trail Blazers taking on the New Orleans Pelicans. We have a number of big names in this game including Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Anfernee Simons, Damian Lillard is out tonight due to injury management.

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Injuries

Portland Trail Blazers

Jusuf Nurkic - Questionable (adductor)

Jerami Grant - Questionable (ankle)

Gary Payton II - Out (core)

Damian Lillard - Out (Injury Management)

New Orleans Pelicans

Larry Nance Jr. - Questionable (knee)

Kira Lewis - Out (ACL)

NBA DFS Showdown Slate Picks

MVP/Captain

Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

I believe Zion Williamson is the play at the captain spot tonight. Williamson has a great matchup. Jerami Grant is questionable in this one but even if he is the matchup, Williamson should be able to use his strength and dominate Grant tonight. I look for Zion to bounce back after a disappointing night last night when he only scored 26.5 FP.

CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans

If you want to save money at the captain spot, McCollum is a great option tonight. CJ has also shot it just awfully over the past two games going a combined 6-24 from the field. I expect him to get right tonight against his former team. This game does have blowout potential with Lillard being ruled out, but I think CJ is still worth that gamble tonight.

Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers

With no Damian Lillard in this one, I would recommend going with Anfernee Simons, who is quietly becoming a star in this league. Simons is averaging 22 PPG and just over four rebounds a game. He has scored at least 19 points in each of his last four games, the man is just a walking bucket. He has also scored at least 33 FP in each of his last four games. He is a very safe play tonight.

Utility

Jonas Valanciunas, New Orleans Pelicans

I really like Valanciunas's matchup in this one. With Jusef Nurkic banged up with an adductor injury Drew Eubanks will draw the assignment of trying to guard the Pelicans' big man. Eubanks almost stands no chance against Valanciunas because of his size and strength. The man is just a walking double-double averaging 15/10 on the season. I expect Jonas to feast tonight once again and put up similar numbers to what he did last night with 21/13.

Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans

What else can I say about Brandon Ingram besides him just being so steady for this Pelicans team since coming back from a concussion? Ingram has averaged 23 points over those four games and has had at least five rebounds in each of those games. Ingram has also scored over 37 FP over those four games as well. It's not the easiest matchup going against the Blazers wings, but he should still be solid tonight.

Josh Hart, Portland Trail Blazers

Josh Hart is just the ultimate swiss army knife for this Trail Blazers team. Hart just does anything this team asks him to do. Hart is the most important defender on this Blazers team so he is getting a ton of run, he has played at least 35 minutes in four out of his last five games. If Nurkic is out tonight, expect Hart's rebounds to tick up like we saw last game, when he corraled 11 rebounds.

Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers

With the News of Damian Lillard being out tonight, Sharpe becomes a great play once again. We saw Sharpe produce at a decent level when Lillard was out due to injury earlier in the season. Sharpe is also coming off of a sharp shooting night last night in which he went 7-10 from the field for 17 points and 22 FP in 29 minutes. I expect Sharpe to get close to 29 minutes once again and should put up decent numbers for your lineup tonight at $4,600.

Dart Throws

Drew Eubanks, Portland Trail Blazers

This is a pretty obvious one to me and will most likely be very chalky. But if Jusef Nurkic is out tonight, Drew Eubanks is the play. He got the start in their last game with Nurkic out, and he was serviceable. Eubanks played 22 minutes scoring 14 points and grabbing eight rebounds for 31.5 FP. For $4,200, Eubanks is a player who has a ceiling of 30 FP and you have to take it tonight.

Devonte' Graham, New Orleans Pelicans

With it being the second night of a back-to-back we could see Devonte Graham get 20 minutes. We saw him get 16 minutes last night and was only able to produce 13.7 FP. Graham is the Ultimate dart throw just because he is such a microwave coming off of that Pelicans bench. If he gets hot from the field early, he could have a 25 FP type of ceiling tonight, and for $2,800 I do not hate the idea of playing him.

 

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