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NBA Grind Down: Friday, November 11th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-11-12 04:56:14

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Welcome to the RotoGrinders NBA Grind Down, presented by Rosters. 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.

Editor’s Note: Don’t yet have a Rosters account? Click here to create one. You’ll receive free access to our premium Rosters strategy content, which will build upon the guide below. Create your Rosters account now!

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Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers – 7:00 PM ET

Indiana Pacers Philadelphia 76ers
indiananba Vegas Total 213.5 philadelphianba Vegas Total 213.5
Vegas Spread -4.5 Vegas Spread 4.5
Team Total 109.0 Team Total 104.5
Pace +/- 0.6 Pace +/- 2.3
Proj. Starter Jeff Teague Monta Ellis Paul George Thaddeus Young Myles Turner Proj. Starter Sergio Rodriguez Gerald Henderson Robert Covington Dario Saric Joel Embiid
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 28 6 27 16 26 2016-17 20 14 28 19 13

Indiana Pacers

Happy Friday everyone and welcome to another edition of the NBA Grind Down. We have an eight game slate on tap tonight with plenty of injury news to go around. We’ll start with the Pacers and 76ers, who square off tonight in Philadelphia. The Pacers are 4-4 to start the season and have morphed from a defensive juggernaut to an uptempo team that gets into shootouts. Indiana is ranked eighth in pace of play, third in points scored per game, and dead last in points allowed per game. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Sixers, who are ranked 22nd or worse in defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. With an implied total of 109 points, the Pacers are one of the top teams to target in the slate.

We typically have to factor in a potential blowout when the Sixers are on the schedule, but this game is being played in Philadelphia and they will have Joel Embiid back in their lineup. The spread is set at only 4.5 points, which only enhances the fantasy appeal for the Pacers. Jeff Teague is averaging 33 fantasy points per game in his last three and always gets lost in the mix at the very deep point guard position. He is a viable tournament play that could be less than 15% owned. I’ve been off of Monta Ellis all season and that’s going to continue tonight. He has a low usage rate in this offense and the one position that the Sixers have held in check this season is shooting guard. Paul George has a true usage rate of 26.5% and the ability to fill up all areas of the stat sheet. He is one of my favorite plays in the slate. Thaddeus Young and Myles Turner are both averaging less than 29 minutes per game. While the matchup is elite, they are secondary options at best. C.J. Miles has been incredibly efficient off the bench. While the I love the matchup and upside, I have a hard time playing him in cash games when he is a scorer that averages only 22 minutes per game.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Jeff Teague $6,300 $6,700 $10,400 0.95 30.6 -1 29.1 4.1 27.3% 0.8% 28
Monta Ellis $5,300 $5,100 $9,900 0.64 33.2 -3.4 21.4 -6.0 16.9% -3.0% 6
Paul George $8,500 $8,100 $13,200 1.03 33.8 -2.7 34.9 -2.6 26.5% -0.4% 27
Thaddeus Young $5,400 $5,400 $9,900 0.78 28.7 -3 22.4 -5.5 14.8% -1.7% 16
Myles Turner $6,800 $6,800 $10,900 1.14 27.8 -0.7 31.8 -3.3 20.9% -1.2% 26
C.J. Miles $4,400 $5,000 $7,500 1.02 22.3 4.1 22.8 2.0 22.1% -0.4% 27

Elite Plays – Paul George

Secondary Plays – Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young, Myles Turner, C.J. Miles

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers lost to the Pacers the other night, but now get to face them at home with their best player back in the lineup. Joel Embiid is expected to play tonight and sit tomorrow, while Jahlil Okafor will probably do the opposite. The Sixers are ranked right around the league average in pace, but near the bottom of the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They come into tonight’s game as 4.5-point underdogs against the Pacers at home. They have an implied total of 104.5 points, which is the sixth highest in the slate and 9.8 points above their season average.

Sergio Rodriguez continues to be a consistent source of fantasy production, but it’s always tough to click his name when there are so many great point guard options available. He is averaging 30 minutes and 24 fantasy points per game and draws a favorable matchup at home against the Pacers. He is my favorite point guard value on Rosters at only $8,600. Gerald Henderson is a decent punt on DraftKings, but I’d much rather spend a little more and take Robert Covington. I mentioned in his last game that he was one of my favorite GPP plays on the board and he came through with 36 fantasy points. He draws the exact same matchup and there is no reason not to go back to the well tonight. I like Covington as an elite value play on FanDuel, DraftKings, and Rosters. Dario Saric and Ersan Ilyasova are both fine punt plays for tournaments, but neither will be cracking my cash game lineup. Joel Embiid certainly will though, as he is averaging a ridiculous 1.38 fantasy points per minute with a true usage of 36.5% (third highest in the NBA). Even though he is still on a 24-minute restriction, he is an elite play on FanDuel, DraftKings, and Rosters.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Sergio Rodriguez $5,200 $5,100 $8,600 0.81 29.9 0.3 24.3 -2.2 24.5% -1.1% 20
Gerald Henderson $4,000 $3,500 $8,100 0.62 25.3 0.8 15.6 1.4 18.3% 1.5% 14
Robert Covington $4,700 $5,200 $9,700 0.70 28.6 1.9 20.0 6.6 14.9% 1.8% 28
Dario Saric $4,100 $4,800 $9,200 0.69 27 -2.2 18.8 -0.4 20.0% -3.0% 19
Joel Embiid $5,200 $5,900 $8,800 1.38 21.4 0.8 29.6 0.4 36.5% -1.8% 13
Ersan Ilyasova $3,600 $4,100 $7,600 0.71 22.9 2.2 16.2 1.6 18.7% 2.1% 19

Elite Plays – Joel Embiid, Robert Covington

Secondary Plays – Sergio Rodriguez, Gerald Henderson (DK), Ersan Ilyasova (FD)

Utah Jazz at Orlando Magic – 7:00 PM ET

Utah Jazz Orlando Magic
utahnba Vegas Total 192.5 orlandonba Vegas Total 192.5
Vegas Spread -4.0 Vegas Spread 4.0
Team Total 98.3 Team Total 94.3
Pace +/- -3.4 Pace +/- -5.7
Proj. Starter George Hill Rodney Hood Gordon Hayward Derrick Favors Rudy Gobert Proj. Starter Elfrid Payton Evan Fournier Aaron Gordon Serge Ibaka Nikola Vucevic
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 18 19 16 16 29 2016-17 5 4 13 6 17

Utah Jazz

The Jazz are an exciting young team to watch, but at that the same time are one of the least exciting teams to target in daily fantasy basketball. They are ranked dead last in pace of play, they don’t score many points, and they hold their opponents to the second fewest fantasy points per game. Tonight’s matchup against the Magic could turn ugly, as Orlando is ranked 25th in pace. The over/under for this game is set at only 192.5 points, which is the lowest in the slate. The Jazz are only projected to score 98.3 points, which just so happens to be their average points scored on the season.

Even though this isn’t the best game environment, that doesn’t mean that we have to completely fade it. George Hill is listed as questionable for tonight’s game. If he is unable to suit up, I’ll bump Return of the Mack and fire up Shelvin Mack as a top value play. He has played 24 and 28 minutes in his two starts and has 30 minute upside if the game were to stay close. Rodney Hood and Gordon Hayward continue to be bright spots for the Jazz offensively. Hood is a slightly better play on FanDuel, while Hayward can be used on both FanDuel and DraftKings. Derrick Favors grades out as a top value tonight on FanDuel. He has averaged 30.6 fantasy points in his last three games and is no longer on a minute-restriction.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
George Hill $6,300 $6,700 $9,400 0.98 33.8 0.8 33.0 9.9 24.2% 0.8% 18
Rodney Hood $5,400 $5,800 $9,300 0.85 32.3 1.3 27.5 2.6 23.1% -1.8% 19
Gordon Hayward $7,400 $7,200 $12,700 1.07 34.1 0 36.4 0.0 32.9% 0.0% 16
Derrick Favors $5,900 $6,200 $10,800 0.94 25 5.4 23.6 7.0 21.6% -1.5% 16
Rudy Gobert $6,500 $6,300 $11,200 0.91 29.8 -1.9 27.2 -0.2 14.5% -1.5% 29
Shelvin Mack $3,900 $4,200 $6,900 0.68 19.1 2.7 12.9 1.6 24.1% -3.1% 18

Elite Plays – Derrick Favors

Secondary Plays – Rodney Hood, Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack (if George Hill is out)

Orlando Magic

The Magic have been one of the most frustrating teams in the NBA so far this season, both from a talent and a fantasy basketball perspective. They have been involved in too many blowouts and their starters have put up too many duds (looking at you Elfrid Payton). I’ve always thought of Frank Vogel as an excellent coach and I’m hoping he can eventually turn it around. Orlando draws one of the worst possible matchups on the schedule tonight, as they square off against the Jazz. On the season, Utah is ranked second in both points allowed and fantasy points allowed per game. They are ranked 17th or better in fantasy points allowed to every position on the floor and they play at the league’s slowest pace. In an eight game slate, I will not be looking to the Magic in cash games or tournaments.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Elfrid Payton $5,700 $5,400 $9,800 0.83 30.6 -6.1 25.5 -6.6 25.3% -1.2% 5
Evan Fournier $5,500 $5,000 $9,600 0.72 33.3 -3.8 23.9 -7.3 24.2% -1.9% 4
Aaron Gordon $5,600 $4,900 $9,200 0.82 29.7 -1.2 24.3 -3.1 19.6% -0.3% 13
Serge Ibaka $5,300 $4,900 $10,300 0.78 28.1 -3.7 22.1 -2.0 19.3% -0.7% 6
Nikola Vucevic $7,400 $6,100 $10,500 1.18 28.3 -1.8 33.3 0.0 24.4% -2.0% 17
Bismack Biyombo $4,300 $3,900 $7,600 0.76 21.9 1.1 16.7 3.8 12.7% 1.4% 17

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – NONE

Cleveland Cavaliers at Washington Wizards – 7:00 PM ET

Cleveland Cavaliers Washington Wizards
clevelandnba Vegas Total 209.5 washingtonnba Vegas Total 209.5
Vegas Spread -7.5 Vegas Spread 7.5
Team Total 108.5 Team Total 101.0
Pace +/- -1.6 Pace +/- 1.3
Proj. Starter Kyrie Irving J.R. Smith LeBron James Kevin Love Tristan Thompson Proj. Starter John Wall Tomas Satoransky Otto Porter Markieff Morris Marcin Gortat
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 2 30 12 14 13 2016-17 13 24 8 1 27

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are coming off of their first loss of the season, which means there are no more unbeaten teams left in the NBA. They look primed for another run in a fairly weak Eastern Conference. Despite playing at a mediocre pace, the Cavaliers are ranked second in points scored per game this season. They come into tonight’s game as 7.5-point favorites against the Wizards, who are ranked 15th in points allowed per game and 22nd in defensive efficiency. The Cavaliers have an implied total of 108.5 points, which is the third highest in the slate.

The Cavaliers have been one of the most predictable offenses this season. When they aren’t blowing teams out, their big three are seeing big minutes and huge usage rates. Kyrie Irving has looked great this season, averaging 34 fantasy points per game with a true usage rate of 31.3%. John Wall has picked up his play on the defensive end of the floor, but Irving is still a borderline elite play in a game that should stay competitive. J.R. Smith relies a bit too much on scoring for my lilking, but he’s $4,200 on FanDuel and DraftKings and the Wizards are ranked dead last in fantasy points allowed to shooting guards this season. LeBron James had fantasy owners worried in his last game with an awful first half, but he righted the ship and finished with 46 fantasy points. He has now scored at least 42 fantasy points in every game but one this season, giving him one of the highest floors of any player in the NBA. There was talk about limiting his minutes early in the season, but until that happens, keep playing James in all formats. Kevin Love has been the most inconsistent of the big three, but power forward isn’t quite as deep as some of the other positions. Tristan Thompson has been a viable cash game punt at center. Marcin Gortat is a solid low post defender, but Thompson is fairly matchup-proof. How often do the Cavaliers ask him to create his own shot? Once a season?

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Kyrie Irving $7,400 $7,700 $12,000 0.97 35.3 0.5 34.3 -2.4 31.3% -0.4% 2
J.R. Smith $4,200 $4,200 $8,500 0.61 31.5 1.5 19.3 -0.8 14.7% -1.9% 30
LeBron James $9,900 $10,200 $14,800 1.31 36.4 0.0 47.7 4.6 31.9% 2.9% 12
Kevin Love $7,500 $7,600 $11,700 1.08 33.3 3.0 36.0 2.1 26.7% -1.2% 14
Tristan Thompson $4,500 $4,900 $8,300 0.76 28.3 0.2 21.5 2.7 7.5% 1.0% 13

Elite Plays – Kyrie Irving, LeBron James

Secondary Plays – Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith

Washington Wizards

The Wizards are only 2-5 on the season, but they have played a lot better in their last four games. They have been one of the slowest paced teams in the NBA so far, which is why they are ranked 22nd in points scored per game. Their offensive woes will likely continue tonight against the Cavaliers, who are ranked at or above the league average in defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. The Wizards have an implied total of 101 points, which is the seventh lowest in the slate. The good news is that the spread is set at 7.5 points, so Vegas is expecting Washington to at least be competitive in this one.

John Wall has had a couple of big games against the Cavaliers in the last two seasons. In fact, in their last seven meetings, he has scored at least 35 fantasy points six times. Kyrie Irving is not an elite defender and we know that the way to attack Cleveland is with a talented point guard. Bradley Beal is listed as questionable for tonight’s game. If he is unable to go, Tomas Satoransky would likely draw the start at shooting guard. Beal’s absence would also result in a usage boost for both Wall and Otto Porter. Speaking of Porter, he had himself a game the other night against the Celtics, scoring 68.8 FD fantasy points. His price has come up across the industry though, and a matchup against LeBron James is less than appealing. The Cavaliers are ranked first in fantasy points allowed to power forwards, but this is a perfect spot to buy low on Markieff Morris. He stands out as a top power forward value on Rosters. After two bad outings, the industry is going to hop off of him tonight. Marcin Gortat remains a safe cash game option at center.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
John Wall $9,000 $9,000 $12,800 1.22 33.9 -0.8 41.5 -6.9 36.2% -1.1% 13
Tomas Satoransky $3,500 $3,800 $6,600 0.52 16.3 9.4 8.4 4.5 14.4% -1.0% 24
Otto Porter $6,000 $6,500 $9,000 0.93 34.9 0.4 32.3 12.6 16.5% 2.0% 8
Markieff Morris $5,400 $5,700 $9,100 0.78 31.5 -2.1 24.4 -2.8 20.9% 2.1% 1
Marcin Gortat $6,000 $6,400 $9,600 0.84 35.6 -0.4 30.0 1.1 14.0% 2.0% 27
Marcus Thornton $3,800 $4,200 $6,500 0.71 19.4 3.4 13.8 5.7 20.2% 3.3% 24

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – John Wall, Otto Porter, Markieff Morris, Marcin Gortat

Toronto Raptors at Charlotte Hornets – 7:00 PM ET

Toronto Raptors Charlotte Hornets
torontonba Vegas Total 199.5 charlottenba Vegas Total 199.5
Vegas Spread 3.0 Vegas Spread -3.0
Team Total 98.3 Team Total 101.3
Pace +/- 1.2 Pace +/- -3.6
Proj. Starter Kyle Lowry DeMar DeRozan DeMarre Carroll Pascal Siakam Jonas Valanciunas Proj. Starter Kemba Walker Marco Belinelli Nicolas Batum Marvin Williams Cody Zeller
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 8 13 22 1 21 2016-17 15 3 3 3 12

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors picked up an impressive win over the Thunder in Oklahoma City the other night. They are now 5-2 on the season with a point differential of +6.0. Tonight’s game against the Hornets is one that lacks fantasy appeal. Both teams are ranked outside of the top ten in pace of play and both are ranked inside of the top five in points allowed per game. Vegas seems to agree with me here, as the over/under is set at a measly 199.5 points. The Hornets have an implied total of only 98.3 points, which is the fourth lowest in the slate and 4.2 points below their season average.

Kyle Lowry was a favorite play of mine on Wednesday night and hopefully you were able to get some exposure to him. Targeting point guards against the Thunder will continue to be a trend moving forward. Lowry draws a tougher matchup tonight, but his price is still below $8,000 on both FanDuel and DraftKings. If you have ever read my Grind Downs, then you know that I treat minutes like gold in DFS. I will never be upset if you want to target Lowry because he plays more minutes than anyone in the entire NBA. DeMar DeRozan has too cool off eventually, right? I have a hard time paying that price in a matchup against Nicolas Batum and the Hornets. Jonas Valanciunas is listed as questionable for tonight’s game. In his absence on Wednesday, Lucas Nogueira played 29 minutes off the bench and scored 28 fantasy points. Even if Valanciunas is out, I will not be chasing the Nogueira points in an eight game slate.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Kyle Lowry $7,800 $7,500 $12,300 0.91 38.8 2.3 35.5 6.0 27.6% 0.0% 8
DeMar DeRozan $9,000 $8,200 $12,200 1.18 37.5 0.3 44.2 -2.7 37.5% -0.9% 13
DeMarre Carroll $3,900 $3,600 $8,500 0.57 25.7 -4.5 14.7 -4.6 13.0% -1.0% 22
Pascal Siakam $3,500 $3,200 $7,200 0.67 17.5 0.2 11.8 2.8 12.5% 2.9% 1
Jonas Valanciunas $6,100 $6,400 $10,300 0.92 31.1 -3.2 28.7 -6.5 19.2% -9.7% 21
Patrick Patterson $4,000 $4,400 $7,300 0.64 31.1 0.2 19.9 1.7 12.0% 2.4% 1

Elite Plays – Kyle Lowry (DK)

Secondary Plays – Kyle Lowry (FD), DeMar DeRozan

Charlotte Hornets

The crying Jordan face has taken over social media. Anytime something goes wrong in the world of sports (or the world of anything for that matter), you know someone is going to post a crying Jordan meme. The Hornets themselves have been as good of target as any the last few years, but not this season. They are 6-1 to start the season and they look like a team that could compete for home-court advantage in the East. They come into tonight’s game as 3-point favorites against a tough Raptors’ team that will also be competing for a top seed in the East. While I expect this game to stay close, these are two of the top five defenses in the NBA. The Hornets’ implied total of 101.3 points is 3.8 points below their season average.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has already been ruled out of tonight’s game. Marco Belinelli is tentatively expected to start at shooting guard, shifting Nicolas Batum over to small forward. In the game that MKG was hurt, Belinelli played 27 minutes. He has some appeal at his price, especially on Rosters at $6,500. Kemba Walker has been tremendous this season and always sees a small boost playing at home. He is worth a look on DraftKings where he is priced at only $7,500. Nicolas Batum should see a boost in usage and potentially minutes with MKG out. Even in a tough matchup, he stands out as an elite shooting guard option tonight. Roy Hibbert is expected to return to the lineup tonight, which basically takes the entire Hornets’ frontcourt out of consideration.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Kemba Walker $8,100 $7,500 $11,300 1.16 32.3 -2.0 37.5 3.4 31.7% 3.6% 15
Marco Belinelli $3,800 $3,800 $6,500 0.64 25.0 0.2 15.9 1.6 16.4% 1.2% 3
Nicolas Batum $6,200 $6,100 $10,700 0.84 33.1 0.3 27.6 -2.4 20.6% -2.4% 3
Marvin Williams $5,000 $4,800 $8,400 0.79 28.7 -2.6 22.8 -2.3 17.2% 3.0% 3
Cody Zeller $4,800 $4,000 $7,100 0.98 22.2 1.3 21.8 2.1 19.2% -0.2% 12
Frank Kaminsky $4,000 $3,900 $7,300 0.83 23.5 -0.6 19.4 -0.5 22.1% 0.6% 3
Spencer Hawes $4,100 $4,100 $7,400 1.06 19.3 3.1 20.5 3.8 21.6% -0.3% 12

Elite Plays – Nicolas Batum

Secondary Plays – Kemba Walker (DK), Marco Belinelli

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics – 7:30 PM ET

New York Knicks Boston Celtics
newyorknba Vegas Total 216.0 bostonnba Vegas Total 216.0
Vegas Spread 6.0 Vegas Spread -6.0
Team Total 105.0 Team Total 111.0
Pace +/- 0.1 Pace +/- -0.2
Proj. Starter Derrick Rose Courtney Lee Carmelo Anthony Kristaps Porzingis Joakim Noah Proj. Starter Isaiah Thomas Avery Bradley Jaylen Brown Amir Johnson Tyler Zeller
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 16 28 30 18 15 2016-17 1 26 25 15 10

New York Knicks

The Knicks have picked up their pace of play this season, which has in turn, led to more defensive struggles. Their offense is ranked right around the league average in points scored per game, but they find themselves in a good spot tonight against the Celtics. On the season, Boston is ranked 28th in points allowed per game and dead last in rebounding differential. The Knicks come into the game as 6-point underdogs in what is expecting to be a shootout. The Knicks have an implied total of 105 points, which is the fifth highest in the slate and 1.7 points above their season average.

A year ago, we could only target point guards and big men against the Celtics, but this season the Celtics have struggled against all five positions on the floor. After a nice stretch of games, Derrick Rose was outplayed by Brandon Jennings and only saw 22 minutes against the Nets. I’m not going to overreact, as Rose is having his best season in years. He is averaging 28.9 fantasy points per game with a true usage rate of 27.4%. I will be going back to him tonight in tournaments. Courtney Lee has seen a boost in minutes and production recently, but I have a hard time targeting him in an eight game slate. Carmelo Anthony is averaging 40 fantasy points per game in his last three and gets to square off against rookie Jaylen Brown. I’ll gladly take my chances with Melo in that matchup. Kristaps Porzingis has also played well over the last three games, averaging 32.4 minutes and 38 fantasy points per game. Against a short-handed Celtics frontcourt, he should have a field day.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Derrick Rose $6,200 $5,900 $9,600 0.92 31.4 0.8 28.9 2.9 27.4% -0.6% 16
Courtney Lee $3,900 $3,800 $7,100 0.58 31.1 4.9 17.9 3.7 14.8% -1.4% 28
Carmelo Anthony $7,700 $7,400 $13,900 1.01 33.9 1.4 34.4 5.7 29.1% -0.4% 30
Kristaps Porzingis $6,900 $7,300 $11,100 0.99 32.0 0.4 31.6 6.4 21.3% 3.6% 18
Joakim Noah $4,300 $4,600 $8,400 0.91 23.8 1.6 21.7 1.7 13.1% -0.1% 15

Elite Plays – Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis (FD), Derrick Rose (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Kristaps Porzingis (DK), Derrick Rose (Cash), Courtney Lee

Boston Celtics

The Celtics are playing a similar style of basketball to the one we saw last season, but their play on the defensive end of the floor has disappeared. It will be interesting to see if Brad Stevens can right the ship defensively or if they are going to have to rely on their scoring moving forward. Boston is listed as a 6-point favorite tonight against the Knicks at home in a game that features an over/under of 216 points. The Celtics have an implied total of 111 points, which is the highest in the entire slate. The Knicks are ranked 23rd or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential this season.

Do we really expect the Knicks to be ranked first against point guards all season? Of course not. Isaiah Thomas remains a viable option in all formats, especially on DraftKings. He is still priced under $8,000 and he sees a small boost on DK thanks to the three-point bonus. His true usage of 34.2% is the sixth highest in the NBA. I bet you didn’t expect that to be the case, did you? Avery Bradley is now a good offensive player and we need to adjust our projections accordingly. His price is a bit high, but he’s certainly worth a look against the Knicks. I will not be using any Jaylen Brown tonight. Marcus Smart may come off the bench, but is the better play of the two. Now that Kelly Olynyk is back in the mix, I will be avoiding the Celtics’ frontcourt in all formats.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Isaiah Thomas $8,200 $7,900 $11,200 1.15 34.4 -0.4 39.5 0.1 34.2% 2.4% 1
Avery Bradley $6,900 $7,000 $10,600 0.96 37.2 -0.1 35.8 1.3 22.7% 0.9% 26
Jaylen Brown $3,500 $3,900 $6,700 0.74 19.0 4.2 14.1 4.2 18.3% 2.0% 25
Amir Johnson $4,200 $4,300 $7,700 0.85 21.6 0.2 18.4 -2.3 15.4% -1.9% 15
Tyler Zeller $4,000 $4,100 $6,900 0.97 20.2 2.4 19.7 3.1 17.1% -2.1% 10
Marcus Smart $4,900 $4,900 $7,200 0.69 31.4 -0.8 21.6 0.8 22.1% 0.4% 1

Elite Plays – Isaiah Thomas

Secondary Plays – Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart

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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 X – @RG_Notorious