NBA Grind Down: Friday, November 17th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2017-11-18 05:08:48

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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 Implied 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

Miami Heat at Washington Wizards – 7:00 PM ET

Miami Heat							Washington Wizards
			Vegas Total		208.5					Vegas Total		208.5
			Vegas Spread		4.5					Vegas Spread		-4.5
			Implied Team Total		102.0					Implied Team Total		106.5
			Pace Projection +/-		0.5					Pace Projection +/-		-1.3
Projected Starters	Goran Dragic	Dion Waiters	Josh Richardson	Justise Winslow	Hassan Whiteside		Projected Starters	John Wall	Bradley Beal	Otto Porter	Markieff Morris	Marcin Gortat
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	15	4	29	5	2		DvP	13	7	11	18	5
DRPM	-0.80	-0.56	1.67	1.34	0.83		DRPM	-1.56	-0.59	1.80	0.19	2.40

Miami Heat

Happy Friday everyone! I will be attempting to write the Grind Down en route to Nashville for the RotoGrinders DRAFT party. If I’m not making sense at times, it’s likely because the person in front of me on the plane is leaning back their chair too far or the person next to me is taking up all of the room. This should be an adventure. Tonight the Heat take on a Wizards’ team that is a mediocre matchup for fantasy production. On the season, Washington is ranked between 12th and 14th in points allowed per game, pace of play, and rebounding differential.

As I always like to say, we don’t need to target from players from every team in large slates. We can take stances on certain games and fade them completely. There isn’t a ton of fantasy appeal on the Heat’s side of the ball. Goran Dragic was very quiet in the first half against the Wizards the other night, but finished with 29 fantasy points. The issue that I always have with Dragic is that Tyler Johnson and/or Dion Waiters can take over the ball-handling duties at any point. Johnson is the most intriguing guard in this offense, but he’s a deep GPP dart at best.

Hassan Whiteside loves facing Marcin Gortat and the Wizards. In his last five outings against Washington, he has scored 47, 42, 54, 49, and 38 fantasy points. His game the other night was a bit out of the ordinary, as he contributed one combined block, steal, and assist. He should be locked into another double-double tonight, as he and Gortat never stray too far from the rim. I’m a fan of Whiteside in tournaments once again, but his price has come up on both FanDuel and DraftKings.

Notable Injuries

Okaro White (Out)

Miami Heat Offense

Points Per Game: 101.3 (26 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 102.0 (18 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: 0.7 (12 of 22)

Matchup vs. Washington Wizards

Points Allowed Per Game: 105.0 (14 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 103.0 (10 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 0.7 (14 of 30)
Pace of Play: 101.4 (12 of 30)

Elite Plays – Hassan Whiteside (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Hassan Whiteside (Cash), Tyler Johnson, Goran Dragic

Washington Wizards

The Wizards are looking for their fifth win in a row tonight, as they host the Heat in a game that features a total of 208.5 points. Miami is far from a great matchup, as they are ranked 18th in pace of play and ninth in points allowed per game. It helps that the game is being played in Washington, but the Wizards’ implied total of 106.5 is still four points below their season average. They have the second worst projected point differential of the slate.

John Wall scored 49 fantasy points in this same matchup on Wednesday night. While Goran Dragic is a below-average defender, the Heat do have an elite rim protector in Hassan Whiteside. Wall is one of the best point guards in basketball when it comes to attacking the rim, so I’ll downgrade him slightly in this matchup. Wall is still viable at a price point under $10,000 on FanDuel and DraftKings, but he’s not a core play for me tonight.

Bradley Beal has played well all season, but when it comes time to build lineups, he never seems to make the final cut. Shooting guard is a position that I generally pay up for or try to save salary at. I have no issues with him tonight against the Heat, but like Wall, I’m not going to force him into any of my lineups. Otto Porter production has basically disappeared since Markieff Morris returned to the lineup. For now, both can be avoided. This is a matchup where Marcin Gortat should see a few extra minutes, but he has only topped 15 fantasy points one time in his last five games. In case you were wondering, that’s not good.

Notable Injuries

None

Washington Wizards Offense

Points Per Game: 110.7 (4 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 106.5 (8 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: -4.2 (21 of 22)

Matchup vs. Miami Heat

Points Allowed Per Game: 103.0 (9 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 103.1 (11 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -1.6 (21 of 30)
Pace of Play: 99.6 (18 of 30)

Elite Plays – None

Secondary Plays – John Wall, Bradley Beal

Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers – 7:00 PM ET

Detroit Pistons							Indiana Pacers
			Vegas Total		209.5					Vegas Total		209.5
			Vegas Spread		1.5					Vegas Spread		-1.5
			Implied Team Total		104.0					Implied Team Total		105.5
			Pace Projection +/-		1.0					Pace Projection +/-		-2.3
Projected Starters	Reggie Jackson	Avery Bradley	Stanley Johnson	Tobias Harris	Andre Drummond		Projected Starters	Darren Collison	Victor Oladipo	Bojan Bogdanovic	Thaddeus Young	Myles Turner
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	17	21	7	26	29		DvP	8	14	25	9	9
DRPM	-1.12	-0.49	-1.06	0.36	0.83		DRPM	-0.70	-0.96	0.92	-1.37	2.43

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have really surprised some people to start the year with a 10-4 record. Indiana should be able to control the tempo of tonight’s game since they are playing at home, which is good news for the fantasy production of the Pistons. On the season, Indiana is ranked eighth in pace of play and 26th in points allowed per game. The spread is set at only 1.5 points and the Pistons have an implied total of 104 points.

Reggie Jackson has been solid this season, but he has a limited ceiling thanks to the fact that he only averages 28 minutes per game. Darren Collison isn’t a great defender at this stage of his career, but there are better ways to attack Indiana. Avery Bradley has been the ultimate DFS troll this season. Every time I recommend a fade, he has a big game. Every time he’s in a favorable matchup, he forgets to show up. I like his matchup and recent form, so this likely sets up as a good fade.

The best way to beat the Pacers is to attack their frontcourt. Indiana is ranked 26th against power forwards, 29th against centers, and 22nd in rebounding differential. If Jon Leuer is ruled out, Tobias Harris would make an intriguing tournament option at low ownership. The real play here is Andre Drummond. I’ve been on Drummond all season and there is no reason to stop now. He has scored at least 34 fantasy points in every game but one this season and he put up 44 against Indiana in their first meeting. His price is getting up there, but his floor/ceiling combination puts him on my radar in cash games and tournaments.

Notable Injuries

Jon Leuer (Questionable)

Detroit Pistons Offense

Points Per Game: 105.7 (16 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 104.0 (13 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: -1.7 (16 of 22)

Matchup vs. Indiana Pacers

Points Allowed Per Game: 109.3 (26 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 107.0 (25 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -2.2 (22 of 30)
Pace of Play: 101.9 (8 of 30)

Elite Plays – Andre Drummond

Secondary Plays – Tobias Harris (if Leuer is out), Avery Bradley (if you like trolls)

Indiana Pacers

Even though the Pacers are playing at home, I never love targeting players against the Pistons. On the season, Detroit is ranked 24th in pace of play. They are also ranked inside the top ten in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential. Indiana has an implied total of only 105.5 points, which gives them the fourth worst projected point differential (-3.0) of the slate.

We have conflicting trends when it comes to the Pistons and their ability to defend point guards. Reggie Jackson and Ish Smith are both below-average defenders, yet the Pistons are ranked eighth against point guards. Part of that has to do with team defense and part of it has to do with Avery Bradley defending the opposing point guard at times. Darren Collison grades out as a decent value play on FanDuel ($5,600), but point guard is littered with options in this slate.

Victor Oladipo struggled from the floor in his first meeting against Bradley and the Pistons this season. While the shot volume will be there tonight, I’m worried about his efficiency. He has a relatively low floor for a player at this price point, which makes him more of a tournament play than a cash game option. Now that Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner are both healthy, there are too many bodies splitting minutes in this frontcourt. It doesn’t help that Detroit is ranked ninth against both power forwards and centers this season.

Notable Injuries

None

Indiana Pacers Offense

Points Per Game: 108.5 (8 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 105.5 (11 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: -3.0 (19 of 22)

Matchup vs. Detroit Pistons

Points Allowed Per Game: 101.1 (6 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.8 (8 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 2.0 (9 of 30)
Pace of Play: 98.6 (24 of 30)

Elite Plays – None

Secondary Plays – Darren Collison (FD), Victor Oladipo (GPP)

New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM ET

New York Knicks							Toronto Raptors
			Vegas Total		217.0					Vegas Total		217.0
			Vegas Spread		8.0					Vegas Spread		-8.0
			Implied Team Total		104.5					Implied Team Total		112.5
			Pace Projection +/-		0.1					Pace Projection +/-		-2.0
Projected Starters	Jarrett Jack	Courtney Lee	Tim Hardaway	Kristaps Porzingis	Enes Kanter		Projected Starters	Kyle Lowry	DeMar DeRozan	OG Anunoby	Serge Ibaka	Jonas Valanciunas
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	16	20	1	17	18		DvP	28	12	17	2	14
DRPM	-0.02	-2.57	0.73	0.01	0.50		DRPM	-0.57	-0.62	-0.93	-0.34	1.28

New York Knicks

The Knicks are slowly proving that their recent play is not a fluke. They have won seven of their last ten games and are ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. The Raptors are ranked right around the league average in pace of play and points allowed per game, but I consider a matchup in Toronto to be a difficult one. Vegas seems to agree with me here, as the Knicks’ implied total of 104.5 points is slightly below their season average.

Even though Jarrett Jack has been ineffective over the last couple of weeks, he is still playing more minutes than Frank Ntilikina. Until that changes, it’s hard to feel confident in either of them as DFS targets. After a slow start to the year, Tim Hardaway has really picked it up. I’m old enough to remember a time when he was priced under $5,000. While the form is good, the Raptors are tough on small forwards and I hate to pay a premium for players in poor matchups.

Kristaps Porzingis has an elite 31% true usage and an elite 1.38 FP/min, but he’s a tough sell in a slate that features Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, LeBron James, and Andre Drummond. There is a chance that I’m wrong (I forget things all the time), but I’m pretty sure that I have yet to roster Enes Kanter this season. I have no issues with him if he’s on your radar, but more often than not, I want to rely on minutes rather than efficiency.

Notable Injuries

Courtney Lee (Probable)

New York Knicks Offense

Points Per Game: 106.0 (14 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 104.5 (12 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: -1.5 (14 of 22)

Matchup vs. Toronto Raptors

Points Allowed Per Game: 105.8 (16 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 104.8 (18 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -0.9 (19 of 30)
Pace of Play: 101.0 (14 of 30)

Elite Plays – None

Secondary Plays – Kristaps Porzingis

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have won seven of their last ten games and are 4-1 at home this season. They draw a mediocre matchup against the Knicks, who are ranked 22nd in pace of play, 11th in points allowed per game, and third in rebounding differential. While Toronto’s implied total is fairly similar to their season average, it’s the second highest of the slate at 112.5 points.

Kyle Lowry may have finally turned the corner. He has scored at least 30 fantasy points in five straight games and has at least 40 in each of his last two. The one position that has given Knicks problems all year is point guard, as they are ranked 28th in fantasy points allowed. Lowry’s inflated price should help keep ownership down, which puts him on my radar in tournaments. For cash games, we can find better point-per-dollar options.

DeMar DeRozan grades out as a decent play against Tim Hardaway and the Knicks, but shooting guard is loaded in the mid-range tonight. Lou Williams, Donovan Mitchell, and Jordan Clarkson are all preferred when you factor in salaries. Norman Powell is not expected to play tonight, which should mean another start for OG Anunboy. For whatever reason, they decided to limit his minutes on the second half of a back-to-back the other night. With Delon Wright out, there is potential for Anunboy and C.J. Miles to both play minutes in the 20s. Fred VanVleet also stands to gain a few extra minutes and is worth a look as a punt in tournaments.

Serge Ibaka is awfully cheap on FanDuel ($4,900), but he’s shown a limited ceiling this season and there are three better plays at a similar price point — Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, and Bobby Portis. After being on the wrong side of him for many years in DFS, I seem to have discovered an ability to pinpoint big games from Jonas Valanciunas. I have a long ways to go before being considered a Jonas whisperer, but I’m getting there. As for tonight, I like that he’s playing at home and that the Knicks have two true centers in Enes Kanter and Kyle O’Quinn. I may have a sprinkle of Valanciunas in tournaments, but this isn’t the night to hit the lock button.

Notable Injuries

Delon Wright (Out)
Norman Powell (Doubtful)

Toronto Raptors Offense

Points Per Game: 111.4 (2 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 112.5 (3 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: 1.1 (10 of 22)

Matchup vs. New York Knicks

Points Allowed Per Game: 104.6 (11 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 106.4 (21 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 4.7 (3 of 30)
Pace of Play: 98.9 (22 of 30)

Elite Plays – None

Secondary Plays – Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, C.J. Miles, OG Anunboy, Jonas Valanciunas, Fred VanVleet

Utah Jazz at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 PM ET

Utah Jazz							Brooklyn Nets
			Vegas Total		209.5					Vegas Total		209.5
			Vegas Spread		-2.0					Vegas Spread		2.0
			Implied Team Total		105.8					Implied Team Total		103.8
			Pace Projection +/-		6.4					Pace Projection +/-		-2.8
Projected Starters	Ricky Rubio	Donovan Mitchell	Joe Ingles	Jonas Jerebko	Derrick Favors		Projected Starters	Spencer Dinwiddie	Allen Crabbe	DeMarre Carroll	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson	Trevor Booker
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	23	15	28	30	28		DvP	3	10	9	7	4
DRPM	-0.33	-1.39	1.31	-0.74	-0.38		DRPM	-0.36	-0.32	1.84	0.13	1.95

Utah Jazz

Hit the Tom Petty music. My Jazz are “Free Falling” over their last ten games, racking up six losses and losing their best player in the process. This is an interesting game, as these two teams couldn’t be any different in terms of style of play. The Jazz like to slow the ball down and play defense and the Nets like to push the tempo and make plays in transition. The edge from a fantasy perspective goes to the Jazz, as they will see more possessions than normal and they get to face a bad defense. Even without Rudy Gobert, Utah has an implied total of 105.8 points, which is seven points above their season average.

Ricky Rubio has really been struggling recently and is listed as questionable for tonight’s game with an Achilles injury. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Jazz hold him out for a game, but I won’t be targeting him even if he’s active. Regardless of Rubio’s status, I will be loading up on Donovan Mitchell. He has a true usage rate of 26% and has played at least 33 minutes in three of his last four games. He also has a dream matchup in an uptempo game against the Nets.

The appeal of Joe Ingles and Rodney Hood hinge on the availability of Rubio. If he is unable to suit up, Mitchell would likely slide over and start at point guard, while Ingles and Hood would both see a nice boost in playing time. If Rubio is out, I don’t mind using all three or any combination of Mitchell, Hood, and Ingles. If Rubio plays, I will play Mitchell in all formats and take a shot on Hood and Ingles in tournaments.

Jonas Jerebko and Thabo Sefolosha have both disappointed in the three games without Rudy Gobert. In an 11-game slate, we should be able to find better values. Derrick Favors is interesting, as he gets to face the team that drafted him third overall and then shipped him off to Utah. In his three starts without Gobert hogging up all of the statistics down low, Favors has averaged 32 minutes and 35 fantasy points.

Notable Injuries

Rudy Gobert (Out)
Ricky Rubio (Questionable)

Utah Jazz Offense

Points Per Game: 98.5 (28 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 105.8 (9 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: 7.3 (2 of 22)

Matchup vs. Brooklyn Nets

Points Allowed Per Game: 114.1 (29 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 106.7 (24 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -4.1 (26 of 30)
Pace of Play: 107.3 (1 of 30)

Elite Plays – Donovan Mitchell

Secondary Plays – Joe Ingles and Rodney Hood (bump to elite if Rubio is out), Derrick Favors

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets draw one of the most difficult matchups on the schedule. While the Jazz are more likely to push the pace without Rudy Gobert and while their defense does take a hit, this is still not a team that I want to target players against. Utah is ranked 26th in pace of play and fifth in points allowed per game. The Nets’ implied total of 103.8 points is the ninth lowest on the slate and six points below their season average.

With D’Angelo Russell ruled out, Spencer Dinwiddie will draw another start at point guard. He’s not the lock play that he was the other night. Not only is the matchup more difficult, but the slate is a lot bigger. Dinwiddie still deserves a look in tournaments, as he has 30+ minute upside and is averaging just under a fantasy point per minute this season. I don’t have any interest in any of the Nets’ wings, even though this could be classified as a revenge game for DeMarre Carroll. After spending some time in Atlanta, it’s more of a revenge once removed spot for Carroll.

The Jazz frontcourt is a bit more attackable with Gobert, but still not one that we should get excited about targeting players against, especially in a big slate. I’m a fan of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, but he’s overpriced for this matchup. Trevor Booker is interesting if he draws another start at center. He scored 25 fantasy points in 27 minutes the other night against the Celtics and he also has the revenge narrative brewing after spending two seasons with the Jazz.

Notable Injuries

D’Angelo Russell (Out)

Brooklyn Nets Offense

Points Per Game: 110.0 (6 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 103.8 (14 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: -6.3 (22 of 22)

Matchup vs. Utah Jazz

Points Allowed Per Game: 100.7 (5 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.1 (7 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -4.2 (27 of 30)
Pace of Play: 98.1 (26 of 30)

Elite Plays – None

Secondary Plays – Spencer Dinwiddie, Trevor Booker

Los Angeles Clippers at Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Clippers							Cleveland Cavaliers
			Vegas Total		222.5					Vegas Total		222.5
			Vegas Spread		6.5					Vegas Spread		-6.5
			Implied Team Total		108.0					Implied Team Total		114.5
			Pace Projection +/-		0.6					Pace Projection +/-		-1.2
Projected Starters	Sindarius Thornwell	Austin Rivers	Wesley Johnson	Blake Griffin	DeAndre Jordan		Projected Starters	Iman Shumpert	J.R. Smith	LeBron James	Jae Crowder	Kevin Love
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	27	29	19	14	15		DvP	10	16	27	15	26
DRPM	-0.31	-2.14	-0.95	-0.45	0.65		DRPM	-0.18	-0.86	-0.16	0.15	1.38

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers have been playing without two of their starters and it looks like they will be without Danilo Gallinari and Patrick Beverley again tonight. This is always great for fantasy production, as it condenses the rotation and increases the usage for the rest of the players. Tonight they head to Cleveland to take on a Cavaliers’ team that is ranked dead last in defensive efficiency. I have been loading up on players against the Cavaliers all season and I’m certainly not going to stop now. Despite being short-handed, the Clippers still have an implied total of 108 points.

I’m not sure that I’ve ever said this, but there are four Clippers that are borderline elite plays tonight. Sindarius Thornwell is the starter in name, but Lou Williams is averaging 38 minutes in his last three games. He is also averaging 43 fantasy points during that stretch. It seems insane paying $7,700 for him on FanDuel, but he may actually be worth it. We know the Cavaliers can’t defend anyone and and Williams averages over a fantasy point per minute. I do prefer him on DraftKings where he is a little cheaper, but don’t mind a sprinkle of Sweet Lou on FanDuel in tournaments.

Austin Rivers and Wesley Johnson will be the two forgotten plays in this lineup. Rivers rarely garners attention in DFS, even though he should be locked into a 35-minute role against a bad defense. After letting everyone down as a chalk play, Johnson could also fly under the radar. This is the perfect game for Johnson, as the Clippers will need his defense against LeBron James. Don’t be surprised if he plays over 30 minutes tonight and if that’s the case, he should easily reach value.

The Clippers haven’t been as bad defensively in the frontcourt, but are still ranked 14th against power forwards and 15th against centers. Blake Griffin has an elite usage rate for a big man and could play somewhere in the range of 36-38 minutes. If this game shoots out like I am expecting, Griffin will be heavily involved. He is my favorite power forward to spend up on and that includes Anthony Davis. DeAndre Jordan has been quiet over his last few games and isn’t getting nearly as many easy looks under the rim as he did with Chris Paul playing alongside him. I don’t hate the matchup, but Jordan is my fifth favorite Clipper.

Notable Injuries

Danilo Gallinari (Out)
Patrick Beverley (Doubtful)

Los Angeles Clippers Offense

Points Per Game: 107.2 (12 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 108.0 (7 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: 0.8 (11 of 22)

Matchup vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Points Allowed Per Game: 112.1 (28 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 110.7 (30 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 0.1 (16 of 30)
Pace of Play: 101.5 (11 of 30)

Elite Plays – Lou Williams (DK), Wesley Johnson (GPP), Austin Rivers (GPP), Blake Griffin

Secondary Plays – Lou Williams (FD), Wesley Johnson (DK), Austin Rivers (Cash)

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are not a great basketball team, at least not as they are currently constructed. The good news is that their struggle on the defensive end of the floor has led to more close games, which has led to more fantasy production. As a DFS player, this is music to our ears. Tonight’s matchup against the Clippers doesn’t look great on paper, but Cleveland is playing at home and Los Angeles is missing two of their better defenders in Patrick Beverley and Danilo Gallinari. The Cavaliers’ implied total of 114.5 points is the second highest of the slate and four points above their season average.

Anytime the spread for the game is fairly close (6.5 points tonight) and Cleveland has a high total, we have to seriously consider LeBron James. Even when he has shot the ball poorly this season, he’s had some decent fantasy outings. He is being asked to do so much offensively that he warrants consideration in all formats tonight. With Russell Westbrook facing the Spurs in San Antonio and with DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis facing a stout Nuggets’ frontcourt, LeBron is my favorite superstar to pay up for in this slate.

If Derrick Rose is out again, Iman Shumpert would draw another start and likely see 28-30 minutes. He’s a decent value if you are in a pinch at shooting guard. Jae Crowder is also a decent value, as he may be asked to play more minutes. Unless the Cavaliers want to put LeBron on Blake Griffin, Crowder is their best chance of slowing him down. Kevin Love is always an intriguing tournament play, especially when he faces a center like DeAndre Jordan. Jordan won’t be able to defend him on the perimeter and on the other end of the floor, he never strays far from the basket.

Notable Injuries

Tristan Thompson (Out)
Derrick Rose (Questionable)

Cleveland Cavaliers Offense

Points Per Game: 110.1 (5 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 114.5 (2 of 22)
Projected Point Differential: 4.4 (4 of 22)

Matchup vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Points Allowed Per Game: 106.0 (17 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 106.4 (21 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 1.6 (11 of 30)
Pace of Play: 99.7 (17 of 30)

Elite Plays – LeBron James, Kevin Love (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Kevin Love (Cash), Iman Shumpert, Jae Crowder

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