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NBA Grind Down: Monday, April 11th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-04-12 13:53:14

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.

Every game is also broken down by our NBA experts, providing an overview of the game and a selection of players to consider from each contest.

Note: As always, if you want to try a new DFS site, be sure to click through a RotoGrinders link and use our DraftKings promo code and FanDuel promo code to receive the best perks in the industry.

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Milwaukee Bucks at Orlando Magic – 7:00 PM

Milwaukee Bucks Orlando Magic
milwaukeenba Vegas Total 210.5 orlandonba Vegas Total 210.5
Vegas Sprd 4.0 Vegas Sprd -4.0
Team Proj. 103.3 Team Proj. 107.3
Team Pace 96.50 Team Pace 98.10
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 Tyler Ennis Khris Middleton Giannis Antetokounmpo Jabari Parker Miles Plumlee Proj. Starter Elfrid Payton Evan Fournier Mario Hezonja Ersan Ilyasova Nikola Vucevic
Opp. Season 15 7 18 21 20 Opp. Season 4 24 26 19 25
Last 3 Weeks 2 22 13 16 29 Last 3 Weeks 5 20 23 26 28

Milwaukee Bucks

Record: 33-47 — Road: 10-30 — Last 10: 3-7

The Bucks and Magic don’t have anything to play for at this point of the season, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Neither team has a reason to limit their starters the rest of the way, unless of course an injury is involved. The Bucks are listed as 4-point underdogs tonight with an implied team total of 103.3 points. The Magic have been a mediocre matchup for most of the season, but are ranked below the league average in all four of the defensive categories listed above.

Elite Plays

Giannis Antetokounmpo
giannis-antetokounmpo-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$9,700 Salary:$10,200
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.99 FP/Min:1.06
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.4 36.2 0.8 37.7 2.3
FPPG (FD) 35.0 40.8 5.9 50.0 15.1
TO-Adj. Usage 18.8 20.8 2.0 23.3 4.4

Even with Khris Middleton back in the lineup, Antetokounmpo is going to play big minutes in the final two games of the season. He has been tremendous over his last five games, averaging 50 fantasy points in just under 38 minutes per contest. While neither of these teams is ranked above the league average in pace, I expect this game to turn into a shootout, which should be great for Giannis.

Secondary Plays

Khris Middleton
khris-middleton-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,200 Salary:$6,400
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.85 FP/Min:0.90
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 36.5 34.9 -1.6 40.2 3.7
FPPG (FD) 30.9 33.8 2.9 50.4 19.5
TO-Adj. Usage 19.8 20.5 0.8 24.5 4.7

Many expected Middleton to be ruled out for the rest of the season. He fought his way back from injury though, and he returned to the lineup with a bang. In 43 minutes yesterday against the Sixers, he finished with 58 fantasy points. This feels a bit like chasing points, but it’s hard to argue with a player that could potentially see 40+ minutes in a favorable matchup against the Magic.

Jabari Parker
jabari-parker-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,500 Salary:$6,200
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.75 FP/Min:0.79
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 31.7 35.9 4.2 37.3 5.6
FPPG (FD) 23.9 28.6 4.7 30.1 6.2
TO-Adj. Usage 17.4 18.8 1.4 21.0 3.6

Parker had a down game last night, but he was in foul trouble for basically the entire game. We shouldn’t hold that against him, because he has otherwise been in great for recently, averaging 30.1 fantasy points over his last five games. He draws a favorable matchup against Ersan Ilyasova and the Magic, who are ranked 21st against power forwards this season.

Orlando Magic

Record: 34-46 — Home: 22-18 — Last 10: 5-5

The Magic have been playing better over the last two weeks, winning five of their last ten games. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Bucks at home. Orlando is listed as a 4-point favorite with an implied team total of 107.3 points. The Magic have the second highest projected point differential at +5.3. Victor Oladipo and Aaron Gordon both missed yesterday’s game and are doubtful for tonight’s contest. Mario Hezonja and Ersan Ilyasova are expected to be in the starting lineup.

Elite Plays

Nikola Vucevic
nikola-vucevic-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,100 Salary:$7,800
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.11 FP/Min:1.18
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 31.5 28.6 -2.9 29.2 -2.3
FPPG (FD) 35.0 38.5 3.6 39.3 4.3
TO-Adj. Usage 22.9 26.0 3.1 26.2 3.3

Vucevic has been on an absolute tear since coming back from injury. Over his last five games, he is averaging 39.3 fantasy points in only 29.2 minutes per contest. That works out to a FP/min of 1.35 (which is elite by the way). Now that he is back in the starting lineup, he could see 35 minutes of action tonight against the Bucks, who have not fared well against centers this season. Vucevic is one of my favorite plays at any position tonight.

Elfrid Payton
elfrid-payton-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,000 Salary:$5,700
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:0.85 FP/Min:0.92
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 29.4 31.1 1.7 31.3 1.9
FPPG (FD) 25.1 30.8 5.7 26.9 1.8
TO-Adj. Usage 18.1 19.1 1.1 17.6 -0.5

Payton sees a major boost with Victor Oladipo out of the lineup. Oladipo often plays the role of the primary ball-handler in the Magic offense, which hurts Payton’s usage and fantasy production. That shouldn’t be a problem tonight with Oladipo listed as doubtful. The Bucks have been tough on point guards this season, but Payton comes into the game in great form, averaging 30.8 fantasy points in his last ten outings.

Evan Fournier
evan-fournier-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,700 Salary:$4,900
Position:SF Position:SG
FP/Min:0.72 FP/Min:0.78
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.4 33.2 0.8 36.3 3.9
FPPG (FD) 23.4 25.6 2.2 29.2 5.8
TO-Adj. Usage 17.2 19.4 2.2 20.1 2.9

As long as Victor Oladipo is ruled out, Fournier should see 35+ minutes tonight with the potential to play 40. He has been a little inconsistent recently, but we know the type of upside that he provides. His price is fair on FanDuel, but he is underpriced on DraftKings at only $4,900. He should see plenty of shots against the Bucks, who are ranked 24th against shooting guards and 26th against small forwards.

Secondary Plays

Mario Hezonja
mario-hezonja-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$3,500 Salary:$3,300
Position:SF Position:SG
FP/Min:0.60 FP/Min:0.66
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 17.3 23.5 6.2 22.7 5.4
FPPG (FD) 10.4 14.3 3.9 14.9 4.5
TO-Adj. Usage 13.4 11.6 -1.8 12.1 -1.3

In his start last night against the Heat, Hezonja played 32 minutes and scored 15 fantasy points. If he sees the floor that much tonight, he should be able to improve on yesterday’s outing, as the Bucks have really struggled to defend wing players this season. Hezonja is a viable punt play in all league formats.

Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:00 PM

Atlanta Hawks Cleveland Cavaliers
atlantanba Vegas Total 203.0 clevelandnba Vegas Total 203.0
Vegas Sprd 4.0 Vegas Sprd -4.0
Team Proj. 99.5 Team Proj. 103.5
Team Pace 99.30 Team Pace 95.50
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 Jeff Teague Kyle Korver Kent Bazemore Paul Millsap Al Horford Proj. Starter Kyrie Irving J.R. Smith LeBron James Kevin Love Tristan Thompson
Opp. Season 17 8 6 2 1 Opp. Season 8 21 12 12 24
Last 3 Weeks 16 11 20 9 9 Last 3 Weeks 23 16 14 10 21

Atlanta Hawks

Record: 48-32 — Road: 21-18 — Last 10: 7-3

The Hawks have really played well over the last month of play. They now have a good chance of hosting a first round playoff series. There is still plenty of work to do though, as they only hold a slim one game lead over the Celtics and Hawks. Tonight’s game against the Cavaliers means a lot more to Atlanta than it does to Cleveland, but the Hawks are still listed as 4-point underdogs. The Hawks are only projected to score 99.5 points, which gives them the fourth lowest team total and the third lowest projected point differential on the board.

Elite Plays

Jeff Teague
jeff-teague-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,000 Salary:$6,200
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:0.98 FP/Min:1.07
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.5 30.3 1.8 29.9 1.4
FPPG (FD) 28.0 33.5 5.5 34.1 6.1
TO-Adj. Usage 22.5 26.0 3.5 26.5 4.0

Teague has been one of my favorite GPP targets over the last few weeks, as the Hawks have tightened their rotation. He certainly hasn’t disappointed, averaging 33.5 fantasy points over his last ten games. I want to get some exposure to the Hawks tonight and the best way to attack the Cavaliers is at the point guard position. On the season, Cleveland is ranked 17th against the position.

Secondary Plays

Paul Millsap
paul-millsap-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,900 Salary:$8,600
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:1.15 FP/Min:1.24
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.7 33.5 0.8 35.3 2.6
FPPG (FD) 37.8 43.4 5.7 47.8 10.1
TO-Adj. Usage 19.8 18.9 -0.9 18.8 -1.0

This is not a great matchup for Millsap. The Cavaliers have been one of the toughest defensive front courts in the NBA this season. While I don’t consider him an elite play, Millsap still deserves consideration as a secondary option. He has been on a tear over his last five games, averaging 47.8 fantasy points in over 35 minutes per contest.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Record: 56-24 — Home: 32-7 — Last 10: 6-4

The Cavaliers have won seven of their last ten games and have the number one seed in the East secured. With only two games to play, health is more important than winning. We shouldn’t be surprised if the Cavaliers rest a player or two tonight, but even if they have everyone available, I’m not going to project their starters for their usual complement of minutes. At this point in the season, we want to target teams that either have something to play for, or ones that are well out of playoff contention.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

NONE

Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 PM

Washington Wizards Brooklyn Nets
washingtonnba Vegas Total 211.5 brooklynnba Vegas Total 211.5
Vegas Sprd -6.0 Vegas Sprd 6.0
Team Proj. 108.8 Team Proj. 102.8
Team Pace 100.50 Team Pace 97.20
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 Ramon Sessions Garrett Temple Otto Porter Markieff Morris Marcin Gortat Proj. Starter Shane Larkin Wayne Ellington Bojan Bogdanovic Chris McCullough Thomas Robinson
Opp. Season 26 25 25 18 26 Opp. Season 20 17 20 9 9
Last 3 Weeks 26 28 29 12 24 Last 3 Weeks 30 2 1 27 16

Washington Wizards

Record: 39-41 — Road: 18-22 — Last 10: 4-6

The Wizards have been officially eliminated from postseason contention, which means they don’t have anything else to play for. With that in mind, Washington doesn’t have a reason to put their players on the court unless they are 100% healthy. John Wall and Bradley Beal are both expected to sit tonight. Ramon Sessions and Garrett Temple are the likely candidates to start in their place. With Wall and Beal out, the Wizards are now chock full of value. They draw a great matchup against the Nets, who are ranked 24th in points allowed per game and 29th in defensive efficiency.

Elite Plays

Markieff Morris
markieff-morris-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,800 Salary:$5,700
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.87 FP/Min:0.94
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 25.5 27.3 1.8 30.7 5.2
FPPG (FD) 22.2 26.1 3.9 29.9 7.8
TO-Adj. Usage 19.7 20.2 0.6 21.1 1.5

Even though the Wizards are out of the playoffs, Morris has been playing his best basketball of the season. Over his last five games, he is averaging 29.9 fantasy points in over 30 minutes per contest. With Bradley Beal and John Wall expected to miss tonight’s game, Morris should see a nice usage boost in the offense. He is an elite play in all league formats against a weak Nets’ frontcourt.

Ramon Sessions
ramon-sessions-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,200 Salary:$4,600
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:0.83 FP/Min:0.86
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 20.1 20.5 0.4 27.2 7.1
FPPG (FD) 16.7 17.5 0.8 27.2 10.5
TO-Adj. Usage 18.5 18.5 0.1 19.9 1.4

Sessions is a tough fade tonight. There are quite a few value options at point guard, but he is by far my favorite. Over his last five games, he is averaging 27.2 fantasy points in 27 minutes per contest. If John Wall and Bradley Beal are both out tonight, he should see 35+ minutes in a favorable matchup against the Nets. He is arguably the top value on the board tonight.

Secondary Plays

Otto Porter
otto-porter-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,300 Salary:$5,200
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.76 FP/Min:0.81
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 30.6 32.2 1.6 29.7 -0.9
FPPG (FD) 23.3 22.8 -0.5 20.6 -2.6
TO-Adj. Usage 14.0 12.0 -2.0 11.4 -2.6

Porter’s minutes have been down recently, but he may be asked to play 35+ tonight against the Nets in Brooklyn. The Wizards don’t have anything to play for, but they are playing short-handed and would rather end the season with a couple of wins than a couple of losses. I expect Porter to get overlooked tonight, making him a great GPP play and a borderline cash game target.

Garrett Temple
garrett-temple-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$3,700 Salary:$3,100
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.59 FP/Min:0.63
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 24.5 17.5 -7.0 19.9 -4.6
FPPG (FD) 14.5 11.0 -3.5 13.9 -0.7
TO-Adj. Usage 12.0 10.8 -1.3 12.4 0.3

If you need some savings at shooting guard, Temple should be able to reach value easily against the Nets. He is expected to enter the starting lineup tonight and if that’s the case, we can project him to play at least 30 minutes. He isn’t the most productive player in a FP/min sense, but he may see a small usage boost if John Wall and Bradley Beal are both out.

Brooklyn Nets

Record: 21-59 — Home: 14-25 — Last 10: 2-8

The Nets have lost eight of their last ten games and continue to lose members of their frontcourt. Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, and Willie Reed have already been ruled out for the season and Thomas Robinson was injured in yesterday’s game against the Pacers. If he is unable to suit up tonight, we could see big minutes for Chris McCollough. It could also lead to a lot of small ball for Brooklyn. The Nets may have a deep rotation, but they are projected to score 102.8 points and that production has to come from somewhere.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Shane Larkin
shane-larkin-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,600 Salary:$4,400
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:0.79 FP/Min:0.83
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 22.2 30.6 8.4 30.8 8.6
FPPG (FD) 17.6 25.7 8.2 25.1 7.6
TO-Adj. Usage 15.2 15.1 -0.2 15.2 0.0

Larkin is right behind Ramon Sessions as my favorite value play at point guard tonight. He has been playing well recently, averaging 25.7 fantasy points in over 30 minutes in his last ten games. He has also been seeing a lot of garbage time, so it seems like his minutes are secure tonight. He also draws a favorable matchup against the Wizards, who have all but given up defensively this season.

Charlotte Hornets at Boston Celtics – 7:30 PM

Charlotte Hornets Boston Celtics
charlottenba Vegas Total 209.0 bostonnba Vegas Total 209.0
Vegas Sprd 7.0 Vegas Sprd -7.0
Team Proj. 101.0 Team Proj. 108.0
Team Pace 97.70 Team Pace 101.30
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 Courtney Lee Nicolas Batum Marvin Williams Cody Zeller Proj. Starter Isaiah Thomas Avery Bradley Jae Crowder Amir Johnson Jared Sullinger
Opp. Season 1 10 23 27 23 Opp. Season 10 13 21 23 12
Last 3 Weeks 14 21 21 28 6 Last 3 Weeks 1 17 17 18 20

Charlotte Hornets

Record: 46-34 — Road: 17-23 — Last 10: 6-4

The Hornets have won six of their last ten games and still have a lot to play for with two games left in the regular season. While they will have a tough time catching the Hawks, they are only a game behind the Heat and Celtics for the fourth and fifth seeds in the Eastern Conference. A win over the Celtics tonight would be huge for Charlotte potentially hosting a first round series. The Hornets are 7-point underdogs tonight with an implied team total of 101 points. That gives them the sixth lowest team total and the fourth lowest projected point differential. While the matchup isn’t great, their starters will see a full complement of minutes. Kemba Walker could be worth a look in tournaments, but he is a bit too expensive to target in cash games.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Nicolas Batum
nicolas-batum-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,500 Salary:$6,900
Position:SF Position:SG
FP/Min:0.88 FP/Min:0.98
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.2 31.4 -3.8 26.8 -8.4
FPPG (FD) 31.1 31.6 0.4 20.9 -10.2
TO-Adj. Usage 18.0 20.6 2.7 17.3 -0.7

Batum is really the only Hornets’ player that is on my radar tonight. He draws a favorable matchup against the Celtics, who are ranked 23rd against small forwards this season. He comes into this game in bad form, but prior to this five-game stretch, he had been incredible. His recent slide has led to a price drop on both FanDuel and DraftKings, making him a strong GPP play tonight.

Boston Celtics

Record: 47-33 — Home: 27-12 — Last 10: 7-3

The Celtics are currently tied with the Heat for the fourth seed in the East and they are only a single game behind the Hawks, who could very well lose tonight against the Cavaliers in Cleveland. The Celtics have plenty to play for tonight, which can’t be said about most teams on the schedule. Their matchup against the the Hornets is mediocre at best, but Boston is projected to score 108 points, which gives them the fifth highest team total on the board.

Elite Plays

Isaiah Thomas
isaiah-thomas-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,600 Salary:$7,600
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.08 FP/Min:1.16
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.4 31.7 -0.7 30.8 -1.6
FPPG (FD) 35.0 33.8 -1.2 34.1 -0.9
TO-Adj. Usage 26.1 27.8 1.7 27.5 1.4

If you are paying up at point guard tonight, Thomas is my favorite target. Russell Westbrook doesn’t have anything to play for and it’s hard to know what to expect from Rajon Rondo at this point of the season. This game means a lot to the Celtics and I expect Thomas to see 32-34 minutes tonight. His matchup against the Hornets is less than appealing, but I’m willing to overlook that given the high team total for the Celtics.

Secondary Plays

Jae Crowder
jae-crowder-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,000 Salary:$6,000
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.85 FP/Min:0.90
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 31.7 29.7 -2.0 28.4 -3.3
FPPG (FD) 26.9 27.6 0.7 27.1 0.2
TO-Adj. Usage 16.3 19.6 3.4 21.4 5.1

Crowder is usually one of the most consistent small forwards available. He has been up and down since returning from injury, but he has topped the 30 fantasy point mark two times in his last four games. He should see all of the minutes that he can handle tonight, as he will be tasked with defending Nicolas Batum. Crowder is a safe cash game play tonight, especially on sites where you have to roster two small forwards.

Amir Johnson
amir-johnson-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,600 Salary:$4,700
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.87 FP/Min:0.92
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 22.8 25.8 3.0 23.7 0.9
FPPG (FD) 19.8 23.7 3.9 22.8 3.0
TO-Adj. Usage 11.2 9.9 -1.3 12.1 0.9

Johnson has made the most of his playing time over his last ten games, averaging 23.7 fantasy points in 25.8 minutes per contest. The one thing that I always struggle with is paying a premium for players that see limited minutes, whether they are starting or coming off the bench. I like his upside for tournaments, but feel like there are safer targets at power forward for cash games.

Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder – 8:00 PM

Los Angeles Lakers Oklahoma City Thunder
lalakersnba Vegas Total 213.0 oklahomacitynba Vegas Total 213.0
Vegas Sprd 15.0 Vegas Sprd -15.0
Team Proj. 99.0 Team Proj. 114.0
Team Pace 97.90 Team Pace 99.40
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 D’Angelo Russell Jordan Clarkson Kobe Bryant Julius Randle Roy Hibbert Proj. Starter Russell Westbrook Andre Roberson Kevin Durant Serge Ibaka Steven Adams
Opp. Season 18 23 11 7 4 Opp. Season 30 28 27 17 29
Last 3 Weeks 6 29 19 5 8 Last 3 Weeks 28 30 8 13 27

Los Angeles Lakers

Record: 16-64 — Road: 5-35 — Last 10: 1-9

The Lakers have lost nine of their last ten games and aren’t exactly giving Kobe Bryant a memorable farewell. Tonight they travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder. While the matchup is tough on paper, the Thunder don’t have anything to play for at this point. The Lakers are listed as 15-point underdogs with an implied team total of only 99 points.

Elite Plays

Kobe Bryant
kobe-bryant-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,100 Salary:$4,800
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.92 FP/Min:0.99
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.2 24.8 -3.4 26.5 -1.7
FPPG (FD) 25.9 23.3 -2.5 28.5 2.6
TO-Adj. Usage 27.2 30.3 3.1 33.7 6.5

Bryant has two games left in his NBA career. If we have learned anything about Kobe over the years it’s that he is going to want to leave a mark. We can’t expect him to play more than 27-28 minutes tonight, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not going to get his shots up. Over his last five games, he has put up 28, 12, 19, 15, and 22 shot attempts. As crazy as it sounds, I see him as an elite play tonight.

Secondary Plays

D’Angelo Russell
d-angelo-russell-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,300 Salary:$5,000
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:0.81 FP/Min:0.88
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.1 31.1 3.0 34.3 6.2
FPPG (FD) 22.6 20.5 -2.1 22.8 0.2
TO-Adj. Usage 20.1 20.2 0.1 18.5 -1.6

With Lou Williams out of the rotation, we have seen a nice bump in minutes and fantasy production for Russell. Over his last five games, he is averaging 22.8 fantasy points in 34.3 minutes per contest. The main issue with Russell is that he is being asked to take a backseat to Kobe Bryant in the final games of his NBA career. I always like to target point guards against the Thunder, but Russell should only be used in tournaments.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Record: 54-26 — Home: 31-9 — Last 10: 6-4

The Thunder are locked into the three seed in the West, regardless of what happens in their last two games of the season. They will look to prioritize health over winning and I at least expect their starters to be somewhat limited the rest of the way. It’s always hard to predict rotations in this situations, but with such a big spread, I would be shocked if Russell Westbrook and/or Kevin Durant played more than 30 minutes. Unless the Thunder decide to rest some players tonight, I will be avoiding them in cash games.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Enes Kanter
enes-kanter-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,600 Salary:$5,600
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.11 FP/Min:1.19
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 20.8 22.1 1.3 22.5 1.7
FPPG (FD) 23.0 27.8 4.8 30.0 7.0
TO-Adj. Usage 19.5 20.2 0.8 21.9 2.5

Kanter is incredibly efficient when on the floor, but he sees so few minutes that his game logs can be wildly inconsistent. The upside is obviously there, as he averages 1.11 FP/min this season. He also draws a terrific matchup against the Lakers, who are ranked 29th against centers and 27th in rebounding differential this season.

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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