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NBA Grind Down: Friday, February 24th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2017-02-25 02:56:16

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Welcome to the RotoGrinders NBA Grind Down. In this all-encompassing preview of today’s NBA action, every game will be broken down statistically, with several key elements highlighted in our charts.

Vegas lines are broken down to show projected team totals, to give you an idea of who is favored to win, and often more importantly, how many points they’re expected to score. We also provide pace numbers, so you can spot a game that might have a few extra possessions and more opportunities for fantasy points.

We also provide position-by-position matchup rankings for every team, to give you an idea of the players who will be in better situations to succeed. Using Defense versus Position data, every projected starter is listed along with his opponent’s rank in points allowed to players of his position. These color-coded charts will help you spot the best matchups of the night at a glance.

If you want to try a new DFS site, be sure to click through a RotoGrinders link and use promo code “GRINDERS” to receive the best perks in the industry.

Legend & FAQ

Washington Wizards at Philadelphia 76ers – 7:00 PM ET

Washington Wizards Philadelphia 76ers
Article Image Vegas Total 216.0 Article Image Vegas Total 216.0
Vegas Spread -8.0 Vegas Spread 8.0
Team Total 112.0 Team Total 104.0
Pace +/- 1.7 Pace +/- 0.3
Proj. Starter John Wall Bradley Beal Otto Porter Markieff Morris Marcin Gortat Proj. Starter T.J. McConnell Gerald Henderson Robert Covington Dario Saric Jahlil Okafor
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 13 22 13 4 30 Adj. DvP 7 3 10 27 9
DRPM 0.04 -1.79 3.68 -1.27 -1.34 DRPM -0.37 -0.73 1.03 2.06 1.93

Washington Wizards

The Wizards were fairly quiet during the trade deadline, but they did acquire Bojan Bogdanovic. He should be able to provide some much needed scoring off the bench. Washington is currently in third place in the East and they have their sight set on the two seed. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Sixers, who will be without their two rim protectors in Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid. Philadelphia was already a poor rebounding team and it is only going to get worse. The Wizards come into the game as 8-point favorites with an implied total of 112 points.

John Wall has cooled off a bit in the last couple of weeks, but he is still averaging 45 fantasy points a game with one of the highest true usage rates in the NBA. The Sixers have been mediocre against point guards this season, but Wall’s price is a bit prohibitive tonight, especially if you are trying to squeeze Russell Westbrook in against the Lakers. Even though I like the upside for Wall, I see him as more of a secondary play tonight. Bradley Beal is $7,100 on both sites and is averaging 36 fantasy points in his last five games. Odds are that Robert Covington will be on him though, who is one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA. If Covington does cover Beal, that leaves Gerald Henderson and Nik Stauskas on Otto Porter. I love his chances in those matchups and will be loading up on Porter shares in tournaments. Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat should be able to dominate the paint and the glass. Both are in play tonight, but I slightly prefer Gortat, who is cheaper on both FanDuel and DraftKings.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
John Wall $10,300 $10,100 1.23 36.6 2.3 45.2 -0.4 34.7% -0.7% 13 0.04
Bradley Beal $7,100 $7,100 0.92 34.4 1.6 31.6 4.8 26.4% 0.4% 22 -1.79
Otto Porter $6,800 $6,400 0.84 33.9 1.7 28.5 4.9 15.2% 1.3% 13 3.68
Markieff Morris $7,100 $7,000 0.86 32.1 -0.7 27.5 6.8 20.8% 2.5% 4 -1.27
Marcin Gortat $6,800 $6,400 0.86 34.5 -0.1 29.7 1.2 14.3% 1.0% 30 -1.34
Bojan Bogdanovic $3,900 $4,200 0.75 27.0 2.8 20.2 3.2 22.5% 0.8% 13 N/A

Elite Plays – Otto Porter (GPP), Marcin Gortat

Secondary Plays – Otto Porter (Cash), John Wall, Bradley Beal, Markieff Morris

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers were busy near the trade deadline. They shipped Ersan Ilyasova to the Hawks and Nerlens Noel to the Mavericks. In return, they received Tiago Splitter, Andrew Bogut, and some draft picks. Both of the players they traded for are not expected to play anytime soon and it sounds like Bogut will eventually be bought out of his contract. The trades really open up some value in the frontcourt, especially since Joel Embiid is also out for the next four games. The Sixers draw a mediocre matchup tonight against the Wizards, who are ranked 12th in points allowed per game this season. Philadelphia has an implied total of 104 points, which is slightly above their season average.

T.J. McConnell has played above expectations this season, but he is an easy fade for cash games tonight. His price is up across the industry and there are better values at point guard, namely Malcolm Delaney from the Hawks. Gerald Henderson continues to start at shooting guard, but Nik Stauskas has been the more productive of the two. He could have a monster usage rate with Ilyasova and Embiid both out. Stauskas is a low owned target that is best suited for tournaments. Robert Covington is averaging 32 fantasy points in his last five games and should play all of the minutes that he can handle. Dario Saric is my favorite point-per-dollar play in the entire slate. He should see 32-35 minutes against a Wizards’ defense that is ranked 27th against power forwards. Without Noel, Embiid, and Ilyasova, he is going to have a massive usage rate tonight. Jahlil Okafor should see close to 30 minutes as well. Even though his matchup isn’t as favorable, he is still an elite play on FanDuel at only $4,500. We can also look to Richaun Holmes as a deep tournament punt. The Sixers are only expected to have three active bigs tonight.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
T.J. McConnell $6,000 $5,500 0.82 24.9 6.5 20.5 9.6 19.4% 0.0% 7 -0.37
Gerald Henderson $3,600 $3,400 0.66 24.0 1.2 16.0 -0.9 17.7% 2.6% 3 -0.73
Robert Covington $6,600 $6,300 0.81 31.1 1.6 25.2 7.2 18.1% 2.3% 10 1.03
Dario Saric $6,200 $6,400 0.84 24.4 3.4 20.5 14.1 22.5% 4.8% 27 2.06
Jahlil Okafor $4,500 $5,200 0.89 23.0 -1.6 20.4 -0.7 22.2% 0.0% 9 1.93
Nik Stauskas $4,100 $3,900 0.59 27.0 1.5 15.8 7.8 16.4% 1.9% 3 N/A
Richaun Holmes $3,500 $4,400 0.92 15.9 2.0 14.7 -3.1 17.6% -6.7% 27 N/A

Elite Plays – Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jahlil Okafor (FD)

Secondary Plays – Jahlil Okafor (DK), Nik Stauskas (GPP), Richaun Holmes (FD)

Memphis Grizzlies at Indiana Pacers – 7:00 PM ET

Memphis Grizzlies Indiana Pacers
Article Image Vegas Total 203.5 Article Image Vegas Total 203.5
Vegas Spread -1.0 Vegas Spread 1.0
Team Total 102.3 Team Total 101.3
Pace +/- 0.3 Pace +/- -3.4
Proj. Starter Mike Conley Tony Allen Chandler Parsons JaMychal Green Marc Gasol Proj. Starter Jeff Teague Glenn Robinson Paul George Thaddeus Young Myles Turner
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 19 12 16 22 6 Adj. DvP 9 9 4 2 1
DRPM -0.25 -0.61 -0.32 2.44 1.88 DRPM -0.99 2.01 0.46 1.07 1.30

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies stood pat at the trade deadline. When healthy, they have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season and they should only get better once the minute restriction for Chandler Parsons is lifted. Memphis draws a favorable matchup tonight against the Pacers, who are ranked below the league average in all four defensive categories listed above. Even though the Grizzlies’ implied total of 102.3 points is higher than their season average, it is still the sixth lowest in the slate. This is one of those games that has very little fantasy appeal as a whole. Mike Conley is my favorite play here. He should see 33-35 minutes in a slightly pace-up game. Jeff Teague isn’t a terrible defender, but the Pacers are ranked 19th against point guards in adjusted DvP. Outside of Conley, you could potentially look to Tony Allen or Chandler Parsons if you really need the savings at shooting guard and power forward. Marc Gasol is slightly underpriced on DraftKings, but there are at least five better center options in a points per dollar sense.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Mike Conley $7,500 $7,500 1.03 32.7 1.3 33.7 0.8 29.3% -1.0% 19 -0.25
Tony Allen $4,400 $4,200 0.75 27.9 -3.4 20.9 0.4 17.5% 2.8% 12 -0.61
Chandler Parsons $3,500 $3,500 0.65 19.4 3.4 12.6 3.1 19.3% -2.2% 16 -0.32
JaMychal Green $4,200 $4,000 0.72 28.5 -5.0 20.7 -3.5 14.3% 2.1% 22 2.44
Marc Gasol $8,500 $7,700 1.08 34.4 1.1 37.1 -1.8 28.4% -1.0% 6 1.88
Zach Randolph $6,000 $5,300 1.09 24.3 -1.2 26.5 -3.4 28.4% -0.3% 22 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Chandler Parsons

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers came close to moving Paul George, but eventually couldn’t find a deal that they liked enough to trade their best player. They will likely be a playoff team this season, but unless they go on a run in the last 25 games, will be a road team in the first round. Indiana draws an awful matchup tonight against the Grizzlies, who are ranked third in points allowed per game. The Pacers are currently projected to have 3.4 fewer possessions than their season average and they have the third lowest implied total in the slate. I will likely be fading the the Pacers as a whole, even though DraftKings is trying to tempt us to play Myles Turner at only $5,500. While I don’t hate the play, Marc Gasol is arguably the best low post defender in the NBA, as evidenced by the Grizzlies #1 ranked adjusted DvP against centers.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Jeff Teague $6,900 $7,000 1.03 32.6 -1.6 33.6 -7.7 26.3% -5.2% 9 -0.99
Glenn Robinson $3,600 $3,000 0.58 21.9 -2.0 12.7 0.5 12.2% -1.0% 9 2.01
Paul George $8,100 $7,900 0.99 35.7 1.1 35.4 -4.5 27.7% -1.5% 4 0.46
Thaddeus Young $5,700 $5,200 0.79 31.1 24.5 16.2% 2 1.07
Myles Turner $6,400 $5,500 0.98 30.9 2.3 30.3 -1.4 19.6% 1.7% 1 1.30
Monta Ellis $4,000 $4,000 0.64 27.2 3.2 17.5 5.3 17.2% 0.6% 9 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – NONE

Boston Celtics at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM ET

Boston Celtics Toronto Raptors
Article Image Vegas Total 217.0 Article Image Vegas Total 217.0
Vegas Spread 3.5 Vegas Spread -3.5
Team Total 106.8 Team Total 110.3
Pace +/- -1.2 Pace +/- -0.1
Proj. Starter Isaiah Thomas Marcus Smart Jae Crowder Amir Johnson Al Horford Proj. Starter Kyle Lowry DeMar DeRozan DeMarre Carroll Serge Ibaka Jonas Valanciunas
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 6 2 14 13 17 Adj. DvP 22 14 7 8 27
DRPM 0.78 -2.65 1.03 0.52 0.42 DRPM -4.40 1.01 1.18 2.49 0.86

Boston Celtics

The Celtics were expected to make a big move at the trade deadline, but it came and went without anything taking place. Boston has some very valuable draft picks, but they ultimately couldn’t find a deal that would help them in the long run. I can’t say that I blame them, as they do have the second best record in the East with their current roster. Tonight they head to Toronto to take on a Raptors’ team that was much more active at the deadline. Boston is listed as a 3.5-point underdog with an implied total of 106.8 points. Given the low spread and high over/under, this is one of the best games to stack, especially in tournaments.

Isaiah Thomas is having a breakout season, but I refuse to pay his salary in a ten game slate, especially in a matchup against Kyle Lowry. Thomas may provide a high floor and a high ceiling, but pricing is everything in DFS. I prefer Lowry over Thomas given the discount. Marcus Smart is averaging 32 fantasy points over his last five games and should continue to log a ton of minutes with Avery Bradley and Gerald Green out. The issue, once again, is the price. Jae Crowder’s production has fallen off a cliff recently, potentially because of the trade rumors surrounding his name. He should be able to play with a clear mind now, but I am going to wait until he heats up. Al Horford’s price has fallen all the way down to $6,300 on FanDuel and $6,400 on DraftKings. His recent form makes him an easy fade in cash games, but he grades out as an excellent tournament play.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Isaiah Thomas $9,800 $9,000 1.21 34.5 0.6 41.8 -2.5 35.2% -0.2% 6 0.78
Marcus Smart $6,100 $5,800 0.77 31.1 4.2 24.1 8.1 20.1% -0.2% 2 -2.65
Jae Crowder $5,800 $5,400 0.77 32.5 0.0 25.0 -5.5 16.5% 1.2% 14 1.03
Amir Johnson $3,600 $3,600 0.82 19.7 -3.5 16.1 -1.0 14.3% 2.4% 13 0.52
Al Horford $6,300 $6,400 0.99 32.9 -1.8 32.6 -9.7 22.2% -1.5% 17 0.42
Kelly Olynyk $4,900 $5,000 0.89 21.5 6.0 19.2 9.7 19.1% 0.2% 17 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, Al Horford

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are looking to make a push this season, as they acquired Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker. I fully expect the Raptors to be one of the best defensive teams in the NBA the rest of the way, as their lineup is now loaded with good defenders. Tucker will not be making his Raptors’ debut tonight, but Ibaka is expected to start at power forward. Toronto draws a favorable matchup against the Celtics, who are ranked at or below the league average in all four defensive categories listed above. The Raptors have an implied total of 110.3 points, which is the sixth highest in the slate.

Kyle Lowry is an excellent play in all formats tonight. Before the Dennis Schroder news came out, I considered Lowry to be a cash game lock. With Malcolm Delaney is such a great spot, Lowry is still an elite play, but he is no longer a must start. I do love targeting point guards against the Celtics though, as Isaiah Thomas is the worst defender in all of basketball. DeMar DeRozan doesn’t quite have as good of a matchup as Lowry, but I like his price point on both FanDuel and DraftKings. With P.J. Tucker not expected to play, DeMarre Carroll could see minutes in the low 30s in an uptempo game against Boston. I am going to take a wait and see approach with the Raptors’ bigs for now. Until we get a better idea of their rotation, there is no reason to take the risk in a ten game slate.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Kyle Lowry $8,300 $8,400 1.04 37.7 0.2 39.4 -6.2 27.0% -1.1% 22 -4.40
DeMar DeRozan $8,100 $7,800 1.11 35.5 0.9 39.5 -7.9 34.1% -2.1% 14 1.01
DeMarre Carroll $4,400 $4,700 0.67 27.3 7.2 18.4 6.3 15.5% -3.1% 7 1.18
Serge Ibaka $5,900 $6,000 0.92 30.5 -1.0 28.1 -1.9 20.2% -2.0% 8 2.49
Jonas Valanciunas $5,800 $5,200 0.98 26.9 -0.1 26.3 0.7 18.9% 0.6% 27 0.86
Norman Powell $4,100 $4,200 0.72 17.3 -2.8 12.5 -0.1 19.4% 3.5% 14 N/A

Elite Plays – Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan

Secondary Plays – DeMarre Carroll

Miami Heat at Atlanta Hawks – 8:00 PM ET

Miami Heat Atlanta Hawks
Article Image Vegas Total 208.0 Article Image Vegas Total 208.0
Vegas Spread 4.0 Vegas Spread -4.0
Team Total 102.0 Team Total 106.0
Pace +/- 0.8 Pace +/- -1.1
Proj. Starter Goran Dragic Rodney McGruder Dion Waiters Luke Babbitt Hassan Whiteside Proj. Starter Malcolm Delaney Kent Bazemore Thabo Sefolosha Paul Millsap Dwight Howard
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 15 26 28 9 8 Adj. DvP 4 5 5 10 19
DRPM -0.59 -0.56 3.01 3.82 2.31 DRPM -2.47 -1.02 -0.16 1.60 2.22

Miami Heat

The Heat may have been the only team in basketball that wasn’t excited for the All-Star break. They have been on an incredible run over the last month of play and will not try to pick up where they left off. Their matchup tonight against the Hawks is not ideal, as Atlanta is ranked ninth in points allowed per game and fifth in defensive efficiency this season. The Heat come into the game as 4-point underdogs with the fifth lowest implied total in the slate. Now that Josh Richardson and Dion Waiters are back in the mix, it’s hard to trust anyone in Miami’s backcourt. Tyler Johnson is my favorite play of the bunch, but he may see a slight reduction in minutes and usage moving forward. Hassan Whiteside is expensive across the industry and will have to deal with Dwight Howard, who is statistically one of the best defenders in the NBA. The only player that is on my radar here is James Johnson. He should continue to play around 30 minutes off the bench and he comes into the game in great form, averaging 32 fantasy points in his last five games.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Goran Dragic $7,800 $6,800 0.98 34.3 0.5 33.6 -2.3 28.9% 1.5% 15 -0.59
Rodney McGruder $3,800 $3,300 0.52 26.2 3.0 13.7 5.5 12.4% 3.9% 26 -0.56
Dion Waiters $7,300 $6,900 0.88 30.9 4.5 27.2 11.3 26.9% 2.3% 28 3.01
Luke Babbitt $3,500 $3,000 0.53 15.7 -2.5 8.3 -2.4 13.1% -3.1% 9 3.82
Hassan Whiteside $9,000 $8,000 1.17 32.9 -1.0 38.5 0.8 21.2% -2.5% 8 2.31
Tyler Johnson $5,700 $5,000 0.86 30.7 1.1 26.5 1.4 21.9% 0.5% 15 N/A
James Johnson $6,200 $5,900 0.93 26.6 5.4 24.9 7.5 23.0% 2.5% 9 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – James Johnson, Tyler Johnson

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks didn’t make any major moves at the deadline, but they picked up a draft pick in exchange for Mike Scott and they acquired Ersan Ilyasova from the Sixers. The Hawks’ biggest weakness all season has been their play off the bench and Ilyasova should help in that department. The Hawks draw a tough matchup against the Heat on paper, but they come into the game with an implied total of 106 points. To make it even better, Dennis Schroder was suspended one game for failing to report to the team in time after the All-Star break.

With Schroder out, Malcolm Delaney becomes a must start in cash games. He is minimum salary on both FanDuel and DraftKings and should immediately step in an play at least 30 minutes. At his inflated ownership, you can certainly make the case to fade him in tournaments, but it’s always hard to pass on these elite value plays. If we run the CourtIQ tool with Schroder off the floor, we can also see that Paul Millsap, Kent Bazemore, and Tim Hardaway all see usage boosts of at least 3%. I also don’t mind Dwight Howard as a tournament play. He may be asked to play 32-34 minutes tonight against Hassan Whiteside.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Malcolm Delaney $3,500 $3,000 0.67 17.7 -0.3 11.9 -1.8 21.6% -1.4% 4 -2.47
Kent Bazemore $4,600 $4,500 0.76 27.4 -0.1 20.8 -1.0 20.7% -1.0% 5 -1.02
Thabo Sefolosha $3,600 $3,500 0.72 25.8 18.7 14.0% 5 -0.16
Paul Millsap $7,700 $7,400 1.05 34.2 2.3 35.9 -1.3 24.7% -2.8% 10 1.60
Dwight Howard $7,200 $6,800 1.13 29.5 -0.5 33.2 -3.4 18.1% -2.8% 19 2.22
Tim Hardaway $5,800 $5,700 0.79 25.1 9.7 19.9 8.1 22.5% -1.1% 5 N/A
Ersan Ilyasova $4,500 $4,900 0.90 26.9 -4.6 24.2 -4.8 22.9% 3.1% 10 N/A

Elite Plays – Malcolm Delaney, Paul Millsap

Secondary Plays – Tim Hardaway, Kent Bazemore, Dwight Howard (GPP)

Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8:00 PM ET

Dallas Mavericks Minnesota Timberwolves
Article Image Vegas Total 203.5 Article Image Vegas Total 203.5
Vegas Spread 3.5 Vegas Spread -3.5
Team Total 100.0 Team Total 103.5
Pace +/- -1.8 Pace +/- -5.2
Proj. Starter Yogi Ferrell Seth Curry Wesley Matthews Harrison Barnes Dirk Nowitzki Proj. Starter Ricky Rubio Brandon Rush Andrew Wiggins Gorgui Dieng Karl-Anthony Towns
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 23 6 8 11 14 Adj. DvP 1 7 6 3 3
DRPM 0.58 -0.25 -2.96 3.32 -1.42 DRPM -2.41 -0.05 0.29 -0.08 0.50

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks made one of the best deals at the trade deadline. They acquired Nerlens Noel, who is an extremely talented player that was being held back in Philadelphia. He is a great fit for Dallas, as he finally gives them a center that they can start and play 30 minutes a night. This should shift Dirk Nowitzki and Harrison Barnes back to their natural positions. Noel will not be in the lineup tonight, as Rick Carlisle announced that his debut will be tomorrow. The Mavericks also waived Deron Williams, who is now expected to join the Cavaliers. Dallas comes into tonight’s game as 3.5-point underdogs against the Wolves with the second lowest implied total in the slate.

With Deron Williams out of the picture and J.J. Barea expected to miss the next three times, it is Yogi Ferrell time once again. He played extremely well in his starts a few weeks ago and should step right in and play minutes in the low to mid 30s tonight. Ricky Rubio isn’t an awful defender, but the Wolves are ranked 23rd in adjusted DvP against point guards. Ferrell isn’t quite the value that Malcolm Delaney is, but he is one of the best point-per-dollar plays at point guard. Seth Curry is a sneaky play at shooting guard, as he should also see minutes in the 30s tonight. He is only $4,500 on DraftKings. Harrison Barnes and Dirk Nowitzki are also in play here. Of the two, I prefer Nowitzki, who is averaging 29 minutes and 35 fantasy points in his last five games.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Yogi Ferrell $5,500 $5,300 0.74 24.1 5.0 17.7 4.0 22.1% -2.3% 23 0.58
Seth Curry $5,400 $4,500 0.72 28.2 3.9 20.3 0.4 19.7% -3.7% 6 -0.25
Wesley Matthews $5,800 $5,600 0.70 35.4 0.3 24.7 5.0 20.4% -1.2% 8 -2.96
Harrison Barnes $6,100 $6,000 0.82 35.8 0.9 29.3 -1.8 24.9% -0.6% 11 3.32
Dirk Nowitzki $6,100 $5,500 0.98 26.0 2.8 25.4 9.8 24.8% 3.7% 14 -1.42
Dwight Powell $3,500 $3,000 0.87 18.3 -7.7 16.0 -10.1 15.4% -6.7% 11 N/A

Elite Plays – Yogi Ferrell, Seth Curry (DK), Dirk Nowitzki (DK)

Secondary Plays – Seth Curry (FD), Dirk Nowitzki (FD), Harrison Barnes

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Wolves didn’t make any moves at the deadline. They are a young team that is trying to develop their talent, so it didn’t make any sense for them to go out and acquire new players. They draw a difficult matchup tonight against the Mavericks, who are ranked fourth in points allowed per game and 29th in pace of play. The Wolves currently have the fifth worst projected point differential in the slate. We generally like targeting the Wolves because of their tight rotation, but there isn’t a lot to like tonight against Dallas. Andrew Wiggins is priced as high as he has been all season and draws a tough matchup against the likes of Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes. Gorgui Dieng is one of those players that I never seem to be on the right side of. His minutes have been trending upward recently, but the Mavericks play a lot of small ball, which isn’t great news for his minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns is far and away my favorite play here. The Mavericks don’t have anyone that can defend him down low and he should have a great game on the glass, as they are ranked dead last in rebounding differential.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Ricky Rubio $6,700 $6,500 0.86 32.1 1.1 27.5 3.4 19.8% 2.0% 1 -2.41
Brandon Rush $3,500 $3,200 0.47 18.0 9.1 8.4 3.2 10.8% -0.5% 7 -0.05
Andrew Wiggins $8,700 $7,900 0.86 37.2 0.3 32.2 14.7 27.7% 3.5% 6 0.29
Gorgui Dieng $5,500 $5,200 0.79 32.0 1.2 25.4 0.1 14.9% -1.6% 3 -0.08
Karl-Anthony Towns $10,400 $10,500 1.20 36.5 0.6 43.8 1.4 27.1% -1.0% 3 0.50
Shabazz Muhammad $3,900 $3,900 0.70 19.6 -0.1 13.7 3.0 19.1% 2.5% 6 N/A

Elite Plays – Karl-Anthony Towns

Secondary Plays – Andrew Wiggins

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About the Author

Notorious
Derek Farnsworth (Notorious)

Derek Farnsworth (aka Notorious) is a lead RotoGrinders Expert and one of the most recognizable names and faces in all of DFS. Before joining the RotoGrinders team, Derek received a Master’s Degree from the University of Utah. When he’s not busy providing content, he’s dominating the DFS industry as evidenced by his consistent top rankings in several sports and multiple Live Final appearances. Noto provides expert NBA, NFL, MLB, and PGA analysis for RotoGrinders Premium members on a daily basis and has also been nominated for five different Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association (FSWA) awards. Follow Noto on Twitter – @RG_Notorious