NBA Grind Down: Friday, December 26th
Welcome to the RotoGrinders NBA Grind Down Article. Each day, we’ll break down all of the matchups with a focus on defense vs. position stats. The Grind Down shows you Vegas lines, defense stats and projected starting lineups for each and every game.
The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. Use this article to help you gain a better understanding of the matchups for the coming week and build from there. We have everything you could possibly need on our Daily Research console for you to be a successful daily fantasy player!
Note: Fantasy Point Average Listed Uses FanDuel Scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s NFL Scoring System, check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel Review.
Click ‘Stat Chart’ Buttons Below for Pop-Ups of Essential Game-Specific Statistics including Defense vs. Position and Pace
Cleveland at Orlando
- Vegas Line – Cleveland -5, 197 Over/Under
- Cleveland Proj. Starters – Irving-Miller-James-Marion-Love
- Orlando Proj. Starters – Payton-Oladipo-Harris-O’Quinn-Vucevic
| Cleveland | Orlando | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 197 |  | Vegas Total | 197 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -5.0 | Vegas Sprd | 5.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 101.0 | Team Proj. | 96.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.57 | Team Pace | 94.82 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Kyrie Irving | Mike Miller | LeBron James | Shawn Marion | Kevin Love | Proj Starter | Elfrid Payton | Victor Oladipo | Tobias Harris | Kyle O’Quinn | Nikola Vucevic | |
| Opp. Season | 27 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 30 | Opp. Season | 8 | 26 | 12 | 22 | 17 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 28 | Opp. Last 7 | 2 | 28 | 10 | 19 | 21 | |
Cleveland
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! There is one early game today on the schedule today, but it is excluded from the Grind Down as most of the leagues around the industry do not have this game included in the player pool. There is still a full 10-game slate on tap for tonight though. We will keep the team analysis to a minimum and focus on the players that you should be targeting tonight.
The Cavaliers are coming off of a disappointing loss to the Chris Bosh-less Heat on Christmas day. They now have to get right back at it tonight against the Magic on the road. Vegas has the Cavaliers listed as 5-point underdogs with a fairly low total of 197 points. The Magic are ranked 17th in defensive efficiency this season, giving up an average of 99.2 points per game.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
LeBron James (FD: $10400, DK: $11700 / MPG: 38 / Usage Rate: 30.3)
Is it just me, or did LeBron seem awfully angry in his post-game interview yesterday? An angry LeBron is a great one to target in daily fantasy because he has the ability to take over any game. Don’t be surprised to see a very aggressive LeBron tonight against the Magic. His price may be a bit too high on DraftKings ($11,700), but it’s sitting at a very playable level on FanDuel ($10,400).
Tristan Thompson (FD: $5500, DK: $5500 / MPG: 26 / Usage Rate: 14.8)
Anderson Varejao may be out for the rest of the season. While Thompson didn’t get the start on Christmas, don’t be surprised to see him in the starting lineup moving forward. That could start as early as tonight against the Magic, as the Cavaliers may go big to match up against the likes of Nikola Vucevic and Kyle O’Quinn. Thompson would see a huge uptick in both minutes and production if he draws the start tonight.
Orlando
The Magic are only 11-20 on the season, but are still clinging to playoff hope, as they are currently only three games behind the eighth seed. They will have their hands full tonight with a Cavaliers team that can’t be happy with their performance on Christmas day. Fantasy-wise, this is a pretty favorable matchup. The Cavaliers are ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency this seaosn, giving up an average of 99.6 points per game.
Elite Plays
Kyle O’Quinn (FD: $5100, DK: $5300 / MPG: 21 / Usage Rate: 21)
O’Quinn is finally starting to see starter’s minutes. After putting up 26 fantasy points in 26 minutes against the Sixers, he backed it up with 39 fantasy points in 34 minutes against the Celtics. Now that he is in the starting lineup, he is a viable option at this price point every time he takes the floor. He offers great upside for a player at his price point. He will likely be one of the most popular options at center tonight and for good reason.
Secondary Plays
Nikola Vucevic (FD: $8700, DK: $8900 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 24.9)
The Cavaliers have done a decent job against opposing centers this season, but are now without their best low post defender in Anderson Varejao. This could be a game where Vucevic takes over and dominates the under-sized front-court of the Cavaliers. Vucevic has scored at least 35 fantasy points in three of his last four games and makes a great contrarian play at center tonight.
Elfrid Payton (FD: $4700, DK: $5000 / MPG: 25 / Usage Rate: 18.8)
Payton will likely fly under the radar tonight, even though he is a starting point guard. Over his last three games, Payton is averaging 31 minutes, 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists per game. At a price of $4,700, he only needs 23.5 fantasy points to reach value. He’s more than capable of reaching that mark tonight against Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers, who have struggled on the defensive end of the floor this season.
Milwaukee at Atlanta
- Vegas Line – Atlanta -8.5, 206 Over/Under
- Milwaukee Proj. Starters – Knight-Mayo-Antetokounmpo-O’Bryant-Pachulia
- Atlanta Proj. Starters – Teague-Korver-Carroll-Millsap-Horford
| Milwaukee | Atlanta | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 206 |  | Vegas Total | 206 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 8.5 | Vegas Sprd | -8.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 98.8 | Team Proj. | 107.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.56 | Team Pace | 95.99 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Brandon Knight | O.J. Mayo | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Johnny O’Bryant | Zaza Pachulia | Proj Starter | Jeff Teague | Kyle Korver | DeMarre Carroll | Paul Millsap | Al Horford | |
| Opp. Season | 4 | 25 | 16 | 12 | 9 | Opp. Season | 19 | 18 | 26 | 7 | 25 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 16 | 25 | 15 | 14 | 23 | Opp. Last 7 | 21 | 17 | 9 | 6 | 24 | |
Milwaukee
The Bucks and Hawks are two of the pleasant surprises in the Eastern Conference this season. They square off tonight in Atlanta. The Bucks are listed as 8.5-point favorites though, so Vegas clearly likes the Hawks in this one. It may come as a surprise, but the Hawks are actually ranked seventh in defensive efficiency this season.
Injury Note: Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova have both been ruled out for tonight’s game. John Henson is probable, but the majority of the minutes at center will go to Zaza Pachulia. He’s a decent value play against his former team.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Brandon Knight (FD: $7000, DK: $7000 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 25.9)
Knight continues to produce and he continues to be under-priced on both FanDuel and DraftKings. I’m not complaining, I’m just stating the facts. He has been by far the most consistent fantasy option for the Bucks this season and he provides terrific upside for the price. He does draw a fairly tough matchup against the Hawks though, which makes him a better tournament play than a cash game play.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (FD: $6300, DK: $5400 / MPG: 28 / Usage Rate: 20.4)
Jabari Parker’s injury has been good news for the Alphabet’s playing time. Over his last three games, he is averaging 37 minutes. During that stretch, he is averaging 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. His price has come way up on FanDuel, but he’s still sitting at a very affordable $5,400 on DraftKings. He draws a decent matchup against the Hawks, who are ranked 16th in fantasy points allowed to small forwards this season.
Atlanta
The Hawks have won nine of their last ten games and currently sit in the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They are one of the better stories in the NBA so far this season. Tonight they host the Bucks in what is expected to be a fast-paced game. The Hawks’ team total is set at 107.3 points, which is one of the highest on the schedule tonight. The issue with the Hawks is that they are a well-balanced offense that is tough to predict on a nightly basis.
Lineup Note: Jeff Teague will return to the starting lineup tonight.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Paul Millsap (FD: $8100, DK: $8300 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 23.2)
Millsap is coming off of a monster fantasy outing against the Clippers. He finished the game with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. He has been a big reason why the Hawks have gotten off to such a great start this season. Tonight he faces a short-handed Bucks’ frontcourt that will be without both Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova.
Indiana at Detroit
- Vegas Line – Indiana -2.5, 190 Over/Under
- Indiana Proj. Starters – Watson-Stuckey-Hill-West-Hibbert
- Detroit Proj. Starters – Jennings-Caldwell-Pope-Singler-Monroe-Drummond
| Indiana | Detroit | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 190 |  | Vegas Total | 190 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -2.5 | Vegas Sprd | 2.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 96.3 | Team Proj. | 93.8 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.96 | Team Pace | 95.12 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | C.J. Watson | Rodney Stuckey | Solomon Hill | David West | Roy Hibbert | Proj Starter | Brandon Jennings | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Kyle Singler | Greg Monroe | Andre Drummond | |
| Opp. Season | 16 | 22 | 7 | 28 | 20 | Opp. Season | 23 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 27 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 19 | 27 | 6 | 30 | 1 | Opp. Last 7 | 7 | 1 | 28 | 4 | 15 | |
Indiana
The Pacers have won two games in a row and should start to creep up the Eastern Conference standings here shortly. David West is back to being 100% healthy and George Hill is slowly easing his way back into the action. The Pacers are 2.5-point favorites tonight against the Pistons on the road. The Pistons have really struggled defensively this season, giving up an average of 101.1 points per game. This game does have one of the lowest totals on the schedule tonight though.
Elite Plays
David West (FD: $6800, DK: $6200 / MPG: 28 / Usage Rate: 22.3)
I’ve been one of the few people in DFS that has been on the West bandwagon over the last couple of weeks. He is basically priced on his production on a 28-minute basis, but he has played at least 31 minutes in four of his last six games. During that stretch, he has scored at least 26 fantasy points in every single game. While Greg Monroe is a better low-post defender than Josh Smith, the Pistons have allowed the third most fantasy points to power forward this season. Monroe has certainly had his part in that statistic.
Secondary Plays
C.J. Watson (FD: $4100, DK: $4700 / MPG: 26 / Usage Rate: 20.2)
Even though George Hill is back for the Pacers, they are easing him back into the rotation. In his first game back, Watson still played 28 minutes and scored 19 fantasy points. He should see similar playing time tonight against the Pistons, who have been awful defensively this season. Watson only needs 20.5 fantasy points to reach value tonight, a mark that he can certainly reach against the Pistons.
Detroit
This will be the first Pistons’ game post-Josh Smith. In a move that surprised everyone, the Pistons cut Smith. Greg Monroe is the biggest beneficiary of this move, but it also opens up big minutes for Jonas Jerebko off the bench. Vegas isn’t expecting much from the Pistons tonight, as they are underdogs at home. This is not a great matchup for fantasy production either. The Pacers are holding their opponents to an average of 96.1 points per game this season.
Elite Plays
Greg Monroe (FD: $6200, DK: $7400 / MPG: 29 / Usage Rate: 24.1)
In the first game without Josh Smith, Monroe is the only player that I will be targeting on the Pistons and even then, it will only be on FanDuel. His price on DraftKings is a little too high for my liking on a night with a full slate of games. That said, he’s my favorite power forward tonight on FanDuel. In 29 minutes per game this season, Monroe is averaging 15 points and 9 rebounds per game. He should improve his season averages tonight, as he could see upwards of 35 minutes against the Pacers.
Secondary Plays
None
San Antonio at New Orleans
- Vegas Line – New Orleans -3.5, 201 Over/Under
- San Antonio Proj. Starters – Joseph-Green-Belinelli-Duncan-Splitter
- New Orleans Proj. Starters – Holiday-Evans-Babbitt-Davis-Asik
| San Antonio | New Orleans | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 201 |  | Vegas Total | 201 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 3.5 | Vegas Sprd | -3.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 98.8 | Team Proj. | 102.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 95.13 | Team Pace | 95.09 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Cory Joseph | Danny Green | Marco Belinelli | Tim Duncan | Tiago Splitter | Proj Starter | Jrue Holiday | Tyreke Evans | Luke Babbitt | Anthony Davis | Omer Asik | |
| Opp. Season | 22 | 7 | 29 | 4 | 15 | Opp. Season | 15 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 13 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 22 | 6 | 17 | 17 | 22 | Opp. Last 7 | 30 | 18 | 7 | 20 | 8 | |
San Antonio
The Spurs lost yesterday at home to the Thunder, who did have not Kevin Durant in the lineup. They now have to travel to New Orleans for the second half of a back-to-back. Be on the ‘Pop’ alert in this one. He has already ruled out Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple of other names added to the list. In terms of tonight’s matchup, this is a decent one. The Pelicans are ranked 26th in defensive efficiency this season, giving up an average of 102.2 points per game. The backup players for the Spurs could make interesting plays tonight, but as of now, I’ll be avoiding the Spurs altogether.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
None
New Orleans
The Pelicans are a young team that really plays well at home. They are 8-4 at home, compared to a 6-10 record on the road. They may get the benefit of playing a Spurs team at less than full-strength if Coach Pop decides to ‘Pop.’ That said, this is not a great matchup for fantasy production. The Spurs are ranked sixth in defensive efficiency this season.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Anthony Davis (FD: $11300, DK: $11600 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 26.6)
In his first meeting against the Spurs this season, Davis had 20 fantasy points. On blocks and steals alone! He finished the game with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 4 steals. Obviously, we can’t expect a repeat performance, but Davis does have terrific splits at home throughout his career. He is right behind Russell Westbrook as the top overall fantasy option tonight.
Charlotte at Oklahoma City
- Vegas Line – Oklahoma City -6.5, 195.5 Over/Under
- Charlotte Proj. Starters – Walker-Henderson-Kidd-Gilchrist-Zeller-Jefferson
- Oklahoma City Proj. Starters – Westbrook-Roberson-Jones-Ibaka-Adams
| Charlotte | Oklahoma City | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 195.5 |  | Vegas Total | 195.5 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 6.5 | Vegas Sprd | -6.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 94.5 | Team Proj. | 101 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.44 | Team Pace | 95.39 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Kemba Walker | Gerald Henderson | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | Cody Zeller | Al Jefferson | Proj Starter | Russell Westbrook | Andre Roberson | Perry Jones | Serge Ibaka | Steven Adams | |
| Opp. Season | 21 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 7 | Opp. Season | 26 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 14 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 27 | 13 | 23 | 27 | 3 | Opp. Last 7 | 1 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 18 | |
Charlotte
The Hornets have won four straight, all of which came with Lance Stephenson on the bench. Stephenson has already been ruled out for tonight’s game. If they can make it five in a row against the Thunder in OKC, that would be truly impressive. The Hornets are only 6.5-point underdogs, but this is not a fantasy-friendly matchup. The Thunder own a top five defense, as they have held opponents to 96.2 points per game this season.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Kemba Walker (FD: $8000, DK: $8500 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 24.1)
Walker has seen a major boost in his usage with Lance Stephenson out. That should continue tonight, as the Hornets face the Thunder. On paper, this is actually a pretty favorable matchup for Walker. The Thunder are ranked 21st in fantasy points allowed to point guards this season. If the Hornets are going to win their fifth game in a row tonight, they are going to need a big game from Walker.
Gerald Henderson (FD: $4000, DK: $4200 / MPG: 24 / Usage Rate: 16.7)
With Lance Stephenson out for tonight’s game, Henderson will draw another start at shooting guard. He doesn’t have a ton of upside, but he is a low-risk, medium reward play tonight at his price point. He has scored at least 23 fantasy points in three of his last four games and should see 30+ minutes of action tonight against the Thunder. The matchup isn’t ideal, but his price is low enough to offset that.
Oklahoma City
Kevin Durant has already been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Hornets. That means that we will see another episode of the Russell Westbrook show tonight. The Thunder are coming off of an impressive victory against the Spurs yesterday in San Antonio. They are 6.5-point favorites in tonight’s game that features a total of 195.5 points.
Elite Plays
Russell Westbrook (FD: $11600, DK: $12000 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 38.7)
With Kevin Durant out, Westbrook is the top overall fantasy option tonight. He is playing at an MVP-type level this season, averaging 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. He has the highest usage rate of any player in the NBA and will continue to be the one-man show in the Thunder’s offense while Durant is out. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against Kemba Walker and the Hornets, who are ranked 26th in fantasy points allowed to point guards this season.
Secondary Plays
Steven Adams (FD: $4500, DK: $4400 / MPG: 25 / Usage Rate: 15.8)
Adams has had a terrific four-game stretch, averaging 11 points and 11 rebounds per game. The best part is that he has averaged over 30 minutes per game during that stretch. He may see some extended action again tonight against the big front-court of the Hornets. Kyle O’Quinn is still the preferred value play at center, but Adams is worth consideration if you want to take a more contrarian route.