Draftkings Best NBA Showdown Picks Pelicans vs. Thunder 4/21/24

The New Orleans Pelicans travel to the Paycom Center for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Let’s take a look at this game from a Draftkings perspective.

Before we dive into the New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game, let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

Here are my Draftkings picks for this evening’s New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder matchup.

Draftkings Player Picks

Captain-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander $11,200

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter tonight’s game with the New Orleans Pelicans as the number one seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Having stated that, a big reason why the Thunder have played consistent quality basketball this season is Oklahoma City point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

How well has Gilgeous-Alexander been playing from a statistical standpoint? In 82 games played this season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block a game.

It should also be mentioned that Gilgeous-Alexander will be facing a New Orleans Pelicans defense that has certainly had issues containing opposing point guards recently. In the last seven games played in the NBA, the New Orleans Pelicans ranked a rather low 23rd in total Draftkings points allowed a game (51.6) to the point guard position.

Flex Plays

Larry Nance $5,400

New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance has a real opportunity to be a key contributor for this Pelicans team in this evening’s matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Why? Earlier this week, the Pelicans lost talented center Zion Williamson to injury. The unfortunate injury to Ingram has allowed other New Orleans Pelicans players (including Larry Nance) an opportunity to play more minutes.

How has Larry Nance played from a DFS perspective lately? In the New Orleans Pelicans last five games played, Nance has averaged 27.8 total Draftkings points a game.

I absolutely love Larry Nance’s Draftkings price of only $5,400. I think Larry Nance’s low price point presents the best fantasy value of any other player on this one game slate.

C.J. McCollum $9,200

I mentioned earlier in this article that New Orleans Pelicans center Zion Williamson will be absent from the Pelicans lineup tonight due to injury. I think McCollum will prosper in the Pelicans offense without Williamson in the paint.

How has New Orleans point guard C.J. McCollum performed from an offensive efficiency standpoint recently? In the New Orleans Pelicans last five games played, McCollum averaged 20 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists a game.

Additional flex plays I like: Chet Holmgren $8,400: Brandon Ingram $8,800: Jonas Valanciunas $7,000: Luguentz Dort $4,800: Jose Alvarado $4,600.