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The NBA Finals continue Wednesday night, with a pivotal Game 3 in Dallas. The Celtics took care of business at home and won Games 1 and 2 in Boston, and the Mavericks are looking to avoid a 0-3 deficit in this best of seven. DraftKings is offering some huge Showdown contests for this NBA Finals matchup and below, I dive into some of my favorite options for this Showdown slate.
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Network on Twitter @DKNetwork. NBA Showdown $1M Finals Shootaround Special [200K to 1st] [BOS vs DAL]
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Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks
Captain’s Picks
Jaylen Brown ($14,700)
While Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum are both great options, rostering either of those superstars in the captain slot severely limits what you can do with the rest of your lineup. Instead, rostering one of Doncic or Tatum in a flex spot and taking Brown as your captain gives you much more flexibility, and is the most optimal strategy for this Showdown slate.
After being named the MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals, Brown has been stellar through the first two games of the NBA Finals, generating 42.3 DKFP per game. The wing has been a menace on the defensive end in this series, averaging 4.5 defensive stats per game and he owns a 64% true shooting percentage during the NBA Finals, which is a notable jump from his average prior to this best-of-seven. Brown has eclipsed 40 DKFP in all four of his matchups with Dallas this season and has a strong chance to surpass this threshold in Game 3 on Wednesday, especially if Kristaps Porzingis (questionable, foot) is out. With the big man off the floor this season, Brown’s usage has risen 1.7 percentage points to 30.9%.
FLEX Plays
Luka Doncic ($13,800)
Back at home and down 0-2 in this series, Doncic should put on a show in Game 3. In Game 2 on Sunday, the Slovenian erupted for a triple-double worth 72.25 DKFP across 42.2 minutes, which is the most playing time he has seen since the first round of these playoffs.
Doncic has now topped 60 DKFP in 12 of his 19 starts this postseason, and he should barely leave the floor in Wednesday’s crucial Game 3. The superstar is handling a 31.8% usage this postseason and he has recorded at least 72 DKFP in three of his four matchups with Boston this season.
PJ Washington ($6,200)
Role players always perform better at home and Washington should produce a solid stat line back in Dallas for Game 3. This season, the forward is amassing 29.2 DKFP per game at home, which is a big upgrade from the 25.2 DKFP per game he has supplied on the road. Washington has tallied at least 25 DKFP in all three of his matchups against the Celtics since joining the Mavericks at the trade deadline, and his minutes have been massive thus far in the NBA Finals, with 38 minutes per game, which ranks third for Dallas.
The Mavericks are 2.5-point favorites on the DraftKings Sportsbook for Game 3 and when Washington has competed at home and in a spread under five points since joining Dallas, he has been great, with 32.9 DKFP per game (eight games).
Sam Hauser ($2,600)
Hauser is a solid full punt to attack for this Showdown slate. After posting 15.5 DKFP across 16 minutes in Game 1, the sharpshooter finished with only 2.0 DKFP in Game 2. That being said, Hauser did log 10 minutes in the victory and was very active in those minutes, hoisting up five threes. The Mavericks' tendency to double Tatum this series has made him a terrific playmaker and has left many of the Celtics’ players with wide-open shots. Hauser should be one of the primary beneficiaries with Tatum garnering a ton of attention and he should see a few great looks from beyond the arc in this contest. Just a few makes is all Hauser needs to out produce this cheap salary and he should bounce back after his quiet showing in Game 2. For the last four times Hauser has failed to reach double-digit DKFP, he is generating 14 DKFP in the following contest.
Now, if Porzingis is inactive, Luke Kornet ($2,000) will be a stronger punt than Hauser, as he will likely operate as Boston’s primary backup center. Excluding when Kornet was limited to only five minutes due to a wrist injury in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the veteran is supplying 12.6 DKFP per game with Porzingis inactive this postseason (seven games).
Fade
Kyrie Irving ($8,800)
While Irving may improve from his first two showings in this series, it is unlikely he performs well enough to out produce this hefty price tag. Irving has lost 12 straight games to Boston after notoriously stomping on the Celtics’ logo at center court of the TD Garden in the 2021 playoffs, and he has struggled mightily against Boston’s plethora of elite defenders this series, averaging only 23.9 DKFP per game.
In these first two contests of the NBA Finals, Irving has shot a miserable 35% from the field and he has yet to make one three pointer in eight attempts. Irving has scored under 30 DKFP in six of his last 10 starts, and paying down for either Derrick White ($7,400) or Jrue Holiday ($7,000) is a much wiser move, especially if Porzingis is sidelined.
Outcome
With or without Porzingis, the Celtics are a far better and more complete team than the Mavericks, and attacking them as a +114 ML underdog on the DraftKings Sportsbook is a sharp call for Game 3. Boston is an impressive 14-2 this postseason and they have yet to lose a game on the road. Furthermore, they are 4-0 vs. Dallas this season – winning those games by an average of 15.5 points – and hold a 2-0 lead in these NBA Finals, despite Tatum shooting an abysmal 32% in this series.
Tatum is due for some positive regression as a shooter and while the Mavericks should make this a nail-biter, the Celtics should prevail in the end and add another impressive road win to their playoff resume.
Final score: Celtics 105, Mavericks 99
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $1M Finals Shootaround Special [200K to 1st] [BOS vs DAL]
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) 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.