Denver Nuggets & Los Angeles Clippers

Spread: Nuggets -3.5

Total: 213.5

Injuries

Denver Nuggets:

Will Barton – upgraded to QUEST

Kawhi Leonard - Out

Los Angeles Clippers:

Paul George – Out

Kawhi Leonard – Out

Luke Kennard – Out

Isaiah Hartenstein – Out

Justise Winslow - Out

*Please note that players not listed below are not necessarily a complete fade and any player listed can certainly be used as the MVP/Captain. These are merely suggestions for players to use when setting Showdown lineups.

MVP/CPT

Nikola Jokic, C (DEN) – Every time I look up, Jokic gets more and more expensive. In a low scoring game that lacks star power, it’s going to be hard to spend to the salary cap (on a showdown slate it’s not something you need to force though), so that makes Jokic that much more appealing as no one can match his upside; or his floor for that matter. In case you were wondering though, Jokic is averaging 60 DK points over his last five games and is coming off a 22-point, 18 rebound performance in only 33 minutes against Oklahoma City. It is expected to be a close game, so playing time shouldn’t be an issue, but in case it is, Jokic is more than efficient. 

Marcus Morris, SF/PF (LAC) – While Jokic is the obvious play, I at least want to give you an alternative option. Morris has had no choice but to step up offensively for the Clippers with George and Kennard sidelined, and the forward is averaging 20.4 points in his last five games. In his last game, Morris was inefficient making just six of 14 field goal attempts, but the good news is that the volume is there (even if it’s by default). You get a $9,000 cost savings by dropping down to Morris from Jokic, but my concern is that there aren’t enough sure options to utilize that salary cap space effectively as his ceiling is capped out at about 40-45 DK points. 

Util

Monte Morris, PG (DEN) – After double-digit field goal attempts in each of his last three games, Morris dropped down to just five shots from the field in 26 minutes on Sunday. In a pretty good indication of what we can expect from Morris as of late, he is averaging 13.7 points and 3.7 assists in his last three games, and has proven to be dependable. If everything breaks right, Morris can score 20 points as he did a few games ago, and based on the price as well, he’s going to find his way into my lineup. 

Ivica Zubac, C (LAC) – Zubac has 20 rebounds over his last two games while scoring eight points in each which gives us a solid baseline performance. On occasion we will get a little more than that from Zubac, but I’m comfortable with the 25 DK points he is averaging per game as we get some security. 

Amir Coffey, SG (LAC) – Recently elevated into the starting lineup, Coffey is priced at a value tonight, and in his last six games, he is shooting 58.3% from the field and averaging 12.3 points per game. After scoring 21 points against Atlanta on Sunday, while shooting eight of 12 from the field, to go along with five rebounds and three assists, while we are certainly chasing a repeat performance tonight, Coffey is also one of our better options. 

Nicolas Batum, SF/PF (LAC) – It’s not entirely by default, but it’s almost a guarantee that Batum is going to play about 30 minutes tonight. While he is not a prolific scorer, the playing time gives Batum ample time to fill the box score and we’ll certainly take a repeat of his 10 point, eight rebound, three assist performance from Sunday. 

Aaron Gordon, SF/PF (DEN) – Offensively, things had been going well for Gordon scoring in double figures for six straight games and averaging 13.8 points per game on the season. But then we got a four-point performance from Gordon on Sunday when he shot just two of nine from the field, so there is some risk here. 

Terance Mann, PG/SF (LAC) – Give me that offensive upside off the bench. The problem, is that, on most nights, Mann’s shooting is inefficient and he has a hard time consistently breaking over the 10.5 points per game he is averaging. Mann does have 15 rebounds in his last two games, so the hope here is that is a trend that continues. 

Reggie Jackson, PG (LAC) – Jackson’s shooting efficiency has gone in the wrong direction over the last four games as he has shot just 17 of 54 from the field making five shots in each of his last three games. Despite having the ball in his hand, Jackson doesn’t contribute much other than just a handful of assists, so we really need the shot to fall. 

Eric Bledsoe, PG (LAC) – With just 9.7 points per game in his last six, Bledsoe has failed to take advantage of the opportunity in the Clippers’ offense, and with just 4.3 assists per game in that stretch, he hasn’t been offering much in the way of upside. The fact that Bledsoe comes off the bench now doesn’t help. 

Dart Throws

Jeff Green, SF/PF (DEN) – Green has been efficient and effective offensively in his last two games scoring 18 and 16 points, respectively. That has been the extent of his production for the most part, but he should still do enough to get you to 20 or 25 DK points tonight. 

Austin Rivers, SG/SF (DEN) – We are chasing here, but seemingly out of nowhere Rivers scored 22 points on Sunday. The minutes have been there for Rivers, and he is starting, so it’s possible he’s busy once again, but this is just a GPP dart, and he is too expensive for me to force him into my lineup.