San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Clippers
O/U: 217
Spread: LAC -5.0
Injuries:
Los Angeles
Serge Ibaka PROB
Paul George QUEST
Kawhi Leonard OUT
Marcus Morris OUT
San Antonio
Doug McDermott QUEST
MVP/CPT
Dejounte Murray, PG – There are legitimately two options for the MVP spot in Showdown tonight, which might just be limited to one if Paul George doesn’t suit up. Frankly, even if he does, I prefer Murray for $1,500 cheaper. The Clippers are not an easy matchup for point guards, but Murray does so many things well, even if he is not shooting at a high clip (as was the case for about a week), he can still fill the box score elsewhere. Murray has two games in his last 10 under 37 fantasy points, and he is working on a four-game stretch of at least six rebounds and nine assists. He has two triple-doubles in that stretch which is exactly what we are looking for in a DK MVP.
Paul George, SG/SF – George has missed the last five games with an elbow injury and is considered questionable ahead of tonight. It was a shame to see as George had been an ultra-consistent fantasy producer before the injury he scored between 36-43 fantasy points in nine of his last 10 games before sitting out. That kind of production is valuable in the Showdown where there are a lack of stars, but Murray’s ceiling potential give him the nod over George for me tonight.
UTIL
Reggie Jackson, PG – Jackson at $9,200 on a showdown is not something I thought I would ever see, but he has scored over 36 fantasy points in three of his last four games and the Spurs are the sixth-worst team against point guards this season. Overall, the Spurs are just 21st in defensive rating but are seventh in pace, an ideal scenario for a floor general who is seeing 30+ minutes every single night.
Derrick White, PG/SG – The matchup also works in White’s favor tonight, as the Clippers are bottom-10 against the position. White is coming off a huge letdown game, scoring only 12.75 fantasy points against the hapless Kings on Sunday, but he averaged 42.3 fantasy points per game in his three previous contests and that is with White only shooting above 46% one time in his last five games. If he can get the shot falling, this could be a steal even at $8,000.
Ivica Zubac, C – You could made a case for Zubac in the value tier, but Zubac plus another cheap player allows you access to all the high-end names you want, without sacrificing much in production. The Spurs allow the seventh-most fantasy points to centers this year; they are only 19th in rebound rate this season and allow the eighth-most points in the paint. Zubac has been on the floor for more than 20 minutes in eight of his last nine games and should be deployed in most of this one to handle Poeltl.
Jakob Poeltl, C – Poeltl has been the very definition of a boom or bust player over the last 10 days or so, and now faces the team that allows the eighth-fewest fantasy points to the position. On the positive side of the ledger, Poeltl is above 30 minutes per game in eight of his last 10, but his range of fantasy points in that time is 15 to 49. At the very least, Poeltl should see plenty of court time and the Clippers allow the fourth-most points in the paint this season.
Value Tier
Nicolas Batum, PF/C – I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Batum play center in this league, but sure, we will go with it. The truth is, with my favorite cheap Showdown player of weeks past – Isaiah Hartenstein – out for this game, the Clippers are missing bodies in the frontcourt. That should allow Batum to eclipse the 25 minutes he has seen on the court in seven of his last 10 games. In those seven games, he averages 26.25 fantasy points. Without any true basement-level plays available tonight, anyone who can 5x their salary is in play, which puts Batum firmly on our radar.
Bryn Forbes, SG – Apart from a weird, four-minute performance against Utah on Friday, Forbes has been killing it in his last four games. He averaged 21.7 minutes and 23.25 fantasy points in those other three games. As long as Coach Pop doesn’t pull a fast one and give him only four minutes again, his $3,000 salary looks like the best option for cheap value on this slate.