Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Lineup Strategy for Mavericks vs. Celtics Showdown on June 9 (2024)

Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Lineup Strategy for Mavericks vs. Celtics Showdown on June 9 (1)

The Daily Fantasy Basketball season is winding down, but the action is heating up at DraftKings. The Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks for Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. Let’s highlight some players to consider for your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups.

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Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Lineup Strategy for Mavericks vs. Celtics Showdown on June 9 (2)

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Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics

Captain’s Picks

Jaylen Brown ($14,400 CP) — Jayson Tatum ($11,800) did a little bit of everything in Game 1 and will cost everything in Game 2, but he did nothing in DFS (39.25 DKFP). Brown costs less and did more (44.5 DKFP). Tatum is a team player. Brown is, too. If the team needs Brown to do more, he does. Tatum does not have a track record of stuffing the stat sheet in the playoffs. Brown stuffed in Game 1. He led the team in scoring (22 points) and aggressively got to the charity stripe for 11 free throws. The peripherals were also great — six rebounds, two assists, three steals, three blocks and only two turnovers. Tatum is titular. Kristaps is the flashy unicorn. Brown is the backbone of Boston.

Luka Doncic ($20,700 CP) — Dallas can lose Game 2 and everything will be fine. Dallas can win Game 2 and Boston could be on the ropes. That seems like hyperbole, but that’s a real scenario if Doncic goes off in Game 2. Doncic going off is always a real scenario. The Celtics chose to play Doncic one-on-one in Game 1 and forced him to shoot. That’s a bold strategy. It worked. Try that again. Doncic knows what he needs to do. If they’re going to make him shoot, then he’ll shoot. He took 26 shots and 12 threes. Enough didn’t fall. Some did and the Mavs cut a massive deficit to single digits in the second half. This is take two. The Celtics’ game plan worked in Game 1. They won’t likely change their approach. The dare is there, Doncic. Make the shots or don’t, Doncic.

FLEX Plays

PJ Washington ($6,200) — This play hinges on the play of Luka Doncic. The Celtics are known for their defense. They have several players that can match up one-on-one with Doncic. They didn’t double-team Doncic in Game 1. That meant fewer players were open. Doncic tallied one assist and Washington was limited to three 3-point attempts. That’s not going to work. Washington was averaging double-digit attempts beyond the arc and was nailing almost half of them. If the Mavs are to stand a chance in the NBA Finals, then Jason Kidd needs to draw up a new attack. The Celtics are going to keep chucking threes. Dallas must fight fire with fire.

Payton Pritchard ($3,200) — Is this a galaxy-brain pick or is it crazy like a fox? This is a big DraftKings NBA DFS Showdown Slate. It pays to get weird and differentiate. After Pritchard’s Game 1 performance, this is weird. Pritchard was 0-7 from the field in 15.3 minutes. That’s bad, but he did take five threes. This is simply chasing upside. Sam Hauser ($2,600) is cheaper and played better in Game 1. He’ll carry more ownership. Pritchard will be dismissed. The Celtics’ game plan is simple: chuck threes and play D. Pritchard will have a green light for the green team in Game 2.

Jrue Holiday ($6,600) — How big was the addition of Jrue Holiday? Kristaps Porzingis ($8,600) received all of the accolades after his return in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. It was a great Game 1. It was one game. Holiday has been having a holiday every day during the playoffs. He’s scored over 20 DKFP in all but one game. Most of the time, he’s exceeded 30 DKFP and has eclipsed the 40 DKFP mark in three of the last seven games. The Mavs are going to make adjustments after Game 1. Opportunities are going to arise outside of Tatum, Brown and Porzingis. This has the feel of a 40-DKFP game for Holiday.

Fade

Kyrie Irving ($9,000) — Boston is not going to let Kyrie beat them. They can lose, but it will not be because of Kyrie. Game 2 is in the hands of Doncic. Everyone on planet Earth knows this. Doncic knows what he needs to do. The Boston defenders know what they need to do. Irving knows what he needs to do. He’ll facilitate. He’ll move the ball and try to space the court. The Mavs are only down one game. It’s not time for hero ball. It’s time to get Doncic going. As Doncic goes, so goes the Mavs. This isn’t Boston bias. This is just a fact. Game 2 will not be Irving’s night.

The Outcome

Boston should win, but Boston won’t win. The threes won’t fall and Doncic will dial them up. Is that bold? Is that a hot take? Doncic being Doncic is not outrageous. Boston missing threes is not rare. The Mavs win if two things happen.

Final score: Mavericks 109. Celtics 105

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $1.25M Finals Shootaround Special [$250K to 1st] (DAL vs BOS)

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.