The Trail Blazers take on the Lakers in Friday night’s featured NBA DFS Showdown. Luka Doncic will look to lead the Lakers with his elite scoring and playmaking, while Deni Avdija runs the show for the Blazers. This is an NBA Cup matchup, so we should be able to expect tighter rotations and big minutes from the stars. 

Be sure to monitor injury updates, confirmed starting lineups, and projected minutes before lock to identify the best captain/MVP options and salary-saving plays. Let’s dive into the NBA DFS Showdown playbook breakdown for today’s game, starting at 10:00 pm ET. 

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers Total & Spread

  • Total: 231.5
  • Spread: LAL -3.5

 

 


 

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers Injury Updates

Trail Blazers

Lakers

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers Projected Starting Lineups

Trail Blazers 

Lakers

 

 

DFS Captain / MVP Picks

Luka Doncic, LAL

(DK $12,800 / FD $18,000)

Doncic is in the midst of an absolutely ridiculous offensive stretch. He is averaging 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.0 assists through eight games while playing 35.7 minutes per night. He's scored at least 40 points in each of his last three victories and dropped 41 points, five rebounds, and nine assists against Portland in their first meeting. Luka is the top Captain/MVP due to his enormous usage, scoring volume, three-point production, and contributions in rebounds and assists. He easily has the highest ceiling on the slate, and the price tag reflects that. 

Deni Avdija, POR

(DK $9,600 / FD $12,800)

Avdija enters this matchup averaging 23.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in 32.4 minutes per game and has scored at least 20 points in six consecutive contests. Lillard may be back in town, but make no mistake, this is Deni's team. He is coming off a strong performance against Phoenix, scoring 21 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and adding 12 assists in 35 minutes. He also performed well in the first meeting with Los Angeles, posting 23 points, four rebounds, and nine assists.

Austin Reaves, LAL

(DK $9,200 / FD $10,800)

Reaves is averaging 23.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 35.9 minutes per game, establishing himself as a reliable secondary option alongside Doncic. He has been consistently productive, scoring 19 or more points in each of his last five games while seeing heavy minutes and maintaining a significant offensive role. His ability to score efficiently, draw fouls, and knock down multiple three-pointers gives him several paths to fantasy production. The biggest concern is opportunity cost when paying a premium alongside Luka, as Reaves can occasionally become more of a complementary scorer. 

Damian Lillard, POR

(DK $8,200 / FD $9,600)

Lillard is averaging 20.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists through seven games while knocking down 2.7 three-pointers per contest. Dame is coming off a 25-point performance against Phoenix and has shown he can still take over stretches offensively, particularly when he gets into a rhythm from beyond the arc. With Morant sidelined, Lillard should have additional opportunities to facilitate the offense and shoulder more responsibility in the backcourt. Lillard offers legitimate Captain/MVP upside if his shot is falling, although his scoring-dependent production makes him somewhat more volatile than players who contribute across multiple categories.

 

 


 

DFS Utility Picks

Walker Kessler, LAL

(DK $8,600 / FD $11,000)

Kessler can generate fantasy production without needing a high volume of offensive touches. He is averaging 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.7 blocks through nine games while logging 30.6 minutes per contest. He has also collected at least eight rebounds in each of his last five appearances, including three double-digit rebounding performances. Kessler offers an attractive combination of rebounding and defensive-stat upside, making him particularly appealing if you can afford him. 

Donovan Clingan, POR

(DK $7,400 / FD $8,800)

Clingan is coming off back-to-back dominant performances and has now played at least 29 minutes in three of his last four games. He was in foul trouble in the game he played only 15 minutes, which does add risk to his floor. The young big man has been a force on the glass, averaging 12.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.4 blocks through seven games. He has recorded consecutive double-doubles, including an impressive 24-point, 11-rebound outing against Phoenix and an 18-rebound performance against Denver. His rim protection is a major fantasy asset, giving him multiple ways to deliver value even when he isn't heavily involved offensively.  

Jrue Holiday, POR

(DK $7,000 / FD $6,400)

Holiday is averaging 13.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 26 minutes per game this season. He's been particularly effective recently, nearly recording a triple-double against Denver with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists before knocking down five three-pointers against Phoenix in his most recent outing. 

Robert Williams, POR

(DK $3,600 / FD $4,600)

Williams provides excellent per-minute production through rebounding, shot-blocking, and the ability to rack up defensive stats without needing many offensive touches. He's averaging 7.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks in just 16.6 minutes per game this season. He also flashed his upside against the Lakers earlier this season, posting 14 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and a block in 21 minutes. He's a solid value option for builds trying to fit multiple studs. 

 

 

 

DFS Dart Throws