We have an intriguing Western Conference matchup for our NBA DFS Showdown for this Monday night! The Houston Rockets, who will be playing in their second leg of a back-to-back set tonight, will travel into the Bay Area to take on the Golden State Warriors in the late-night hammer. Let's see what this game has in store for tonight's showdown game of the night!

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Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors

Total: 219.5

Spread: Warriors -7

Injury Report:

QUESTIONABLE

OUT:

 

TOP CPT/MVP PLAYS:

Stephen Curry (PG/SG), Golden State Warriors:

Stephen Curry is easily the top play here on tonight's showdown slate and we all know it. The last time these two teams met in Houston in late October for their lone meeting so far this season, Curry played 31 minutes on the night in route to 24 points, seven rounds, six assists, and one blocked shot, which was equated to 46.5 DraftKings fantasy points. There is no surprise who leads this Warriors team in usage rate when Draymond is off the court, but Steph sits at a near 30% usage rate so far on the season without Dray playing. The Warriors are decent-sized favorites here at home tonight, so I would expect Steph to be the main driving factor of a Warrior's win.

Fred VanVleet (PG), Houston Rockets:

VanVleet was stymied in the lone meeting between these two earlier this season with just a poultry shooting night of 2-for-13 over 32 minutes, with zero rebounds, just four dimes, and a couple steals which was only good for a meager 19 DraftKings fantasy points. However, not only should this add a bit of fuel to Fred's fire here tonight in Golden State, but he has been playing exceptionally well recently and playing 40 minutes a night! That may change a slight bit tonight as we know this is a second-leg of the back-to-back for the Rockets, but I don't exactly think he sees much less in action unless it turns ugly quick, which the Rockets have not played well on the road this season to note. Still yet, VanVleet is coming off a 44-fantasy point effort last night against the Lakers and has eclipsed 35 fantasy points in four-straight with games of 44, 51, 35, and 41.25 in that span. With Sengun now questionable to play, Fred would be an even more enticing look for this game.

Chris Paul (PG/SG), Golden State Warriors:

If you want to go a little cheaper for a CPT/MVP play, then I would look at CP3's way tonight against one of his old squads here in the Rockets. Paul has also benefited quite a bit with extra run here lately with Draymond sitting, and I expect that to continue here tonight against a team that likes to play small-ball, as well. CP3 is fresh off a 43-fantasy point outing against his other former team in the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he amassed a double-double on the night with 12 points, 11 assists, four rebounds, and a trio of steals spread across 38 big minutes, which was a season-high for Paul. They need him on the floor, and I think he will be a nice look here tonight in this match up.

Jalen Green (SG), Houston Rockets:

Obviously, CP3 and Jalen Green are tops on the slate in UTIL plays, but I am placing them here because I think they both also make viable CPT/MVP plays that could help you fit in more higher-priced players in your lineup for one, and both have really good roads to putting up good amounts of fantasy points. Green hasn't been the same performer that he was last season when he was essentially given all the green lights and had all the usage as a rookie, but the Rockets also didnt have Fred VanVleet. Now, with both FVV and Sengun's emergence, Green happens to find himself as the 2nd or 3rd option even most nights. In the even that Sengun does sit here tonight, Green would automatically fit the bill to be the second option here behind FVV tonight for the Rockets. Green will see 30+ minutes as usual, and he has been over 30 fantasy points in eight of the eleven games played so far this season. He would most definitely get a usage bump if Sengun sits. 

 

NBA DFS Showdown UTIL Top Plays

Alperen Sengun (C), Houston Rockets:

Placing Sengun here as at top UTIL play tonight now because for one he is questionable to play, and even if he does happen to suit up and play, do we know how healthy he is? Either way, if he does play, he will be in the mix and as mentioned above with Jalen Green, Sengun can do it all and is a 1-2 option for this Rockets team. Sengun has topped 39 fantasy points in four-straight games and with Draymond out of the picture tonight, would be a nice spot to play. PLAYING!

Kevon Looney (C), Golden State Warriors:

Looney played 35 minutes last game and although we know his minutes have been sporadic this season, with Draymond out he likely gets the start and hopefully gets another nice set of minutes here tonight at home. Looney is a nice salary-saver play tonight, and when he has gotten good run can easily put up 20-25 fantasy points, and we saw the flash of upside last game against OKC with a 35-fantasy point outing on six points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and a swatted shot. We likely can't bank on 35 minutes, but we are just hoping for 25+ tonight and he should pay off this tag and may flash a little upside, also. 

Andrew Wiggins (SF/PF), Golden State Warriors:

Wiggins put up easily his best game of the year last time out playing 35 minutes, shooting 12-of-19 from the field (including 5-of-8 from Three), with three assists, a block and a steal in route to 42 DraftKings fantasy points. Wiggins has played extremely bad most of the season, but maybe last game was a bit of a “slump-buster” and essentially will propel him into a hot-streak. He is playable here tonight as we know he will play big minutes and get the volume, just has to hit his shots. 

Jabari Smith Jr. (PF), Houston Rockets:

Jabari hasn't done exactly the greatest as of late, but he did account for 36 fantasy points in their lone meeting earlier this season to the tune of 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals. He has had 4-5 mediocre games lately, but we have seen him put up 33+ fantasy points in three games already this season and with Golden State missing Dray in the frontcourt, this can only benefit him tonight. 

Klay Thompson (SG), Golden State Warriors:

Klay absolutely has been brutal to start the season and EVERYONE knows it. What if this is the game that he comes out firing and shoots the lights out? I would say he is tournaments only, but the fact is he is still the starting shooting guard here for the Warriors and he is GOING to shoot the ball. Just have to be brave enough to click on his name. His price is NOT attractive and I get that, but I think most will not want to play him for all these reasons and he likely comes in much lower-owned because of it. 

 

NBA DFS Showdown Value Top Plays

Jonathan Kuminga (PF), Golden State Warriors:

Obviously, we would like this play a bit more if Kuminga happens to get the starting nod, and he very well may as we have seen Kerr tend to play match ups more than anything. Nonetheless, Kuminga has put up back-to-back 24.75 and 32.0 fantasy point games with Draymond sitting and should easily be in the rotation regardless. He only needed 20 minutes to put up nearly 25 fantasy points, so the upside is definitely there. 

Dario Saric (PF/C), Golden State Warriors:

Saric continues to be one of the first off the bench for the Warriors and should continue to do so with Draymond out with suspension. Saric's minutes typically fluctuate from anywhere between 20-28 minutes, but we have seen the kind of performances he can bring when he gets into that upper range of minutes. Three of his last four games he has seen 24, 32, and 27 minutes and recorded 24.25, 36.5, and 28.5 fantasy points as a result. He is one of the better value plays here tonight. 

Dillon Brooks (SF), Houston Rockets:

Brooks may be feeling himself a bit after going toe-to-toe with LeBron last night in a game where he put up one of his best offensive performances on the season scoring 24 actual to go along with one rebound, two assists, and FOUR steals on the night in route to a 38.25 fantasy effort. Obviously, we know he isn't going to do this every night, but he has actually been pretty good historically on back-to-backs and he is one of the cheaper “starter minutes” plays on the slate. 

Brandin Podziemski (PG/SG), Golden State Warriors:

Podz was inserted into a huge role when Steph was out for a couple games 4-5 games ago and ever since has been a major part of Steve Kerr's rotation. Podziemski has now seen 39, 25, and 25 minutes in the Warriors last three games and as a result of the increased run, has put up 15.25, 28.5 and 41.5 fantasy points. He has shown he can put up fantasy points, and is enriched into this Warrior's rotation, so that makes him worth a look again tonight.

Jae'Sean Tate (SG/SF), Houston Rockets:

With Tari Eason sitting out due to injury management, that should open up some run at the SF spot tonight and that has where Tate should get his usual run. Seeing as how this is a back-to-back also, Tate could be in line for a few more minutes here. Tate only saw 16 and 9 minutes in his last two games, mainly because Eason was placed back into the rotation, but before those two games, Tate had seen 19+ minutes in seven-straight games. In those seven contests, Tate recorded at LEAST 19 fantasy points in all but one game. Like this spot and price on Tate and do think he could see a few more minutes with Eason out here tonight.

 

 

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