NBA Grind Down: Monday, December 15th
Welcome to the RotoGrinders NBA Grind Down Article. Each day, we’ll break down all of the matchups with a focus on defense vs. position stats. The Grind Down shows you Vegas lines, defense stats and projected starting lineups for each and every game.
The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. Use this article to help you gain a better understanding of the matchups for the coming week and build from there. We have everything you could possibly need on our Daily Research console for you to be a successful daily fantasy player!
Note: Fantasy Point Average Listed Uses FanDuel Scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s NFL Scoring System, check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel Review.
Click ‘Stat Chart’ Buttons Below for Pop-Ups of Essential Game-Specific Statistics including Defense vs. Position and Pace
Charlotte at Cleveland
- Vegas Line – Cleveland -10.5, 199 Over/Under
- Charlotte Proj. Starters – Walker-Stephenson-Henderson-Zeller-Jefferson
- Cleveland Proj. Starters – Irving-Marion-James-Love-Varejao
| Charlotte | Cleveland | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 199.0 |  | Vegas Total | 199.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 10.5 | Vegas Sprd | -10.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 94.3 | Team Proj. | 104.8 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.19 | Team Pace | 94.81 | |||||||||
| 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 | Lance Stephenson | Gerald Henderson | Cody Zeller | Al Jefferson | Proj Starter | Kyrie Irving | Shawn Marion | LeBron James | Kevin Love | Anderson Varejao | |
| Opp. Season | 14 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 11 | Opp. Season | 29 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 18 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 20 | 4 | 19 | 14 | 16 | Opp. Last 7 | 28 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 21 | |
Charlotte
The Hornets have lost two in a row to fall to 6-17 on the season. There are already rumors that they are looking to shop Lance Stephenson, who became trade-eligible today. He has not been a great fit for this team, but their problems reach beyond Stephenson. Tonight they head to Cleveland to take on a red-hot Cavaliers team. They are 10.5-point underdogs here with a team total of only 94 points. The Cavaliers have not been great defensively this season, but they have been much better over their last ten games. Fantasy options are few and far between on the Hornets tonight.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Kemba Walker (FD: $7300, DK: $8000 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 23.1)
Walker is the only Hornets’ player that I will have any exposure to tonight, and even then it might only be in tournaments. He has been playing much better recently though, as he has scored at least 33 fantasy points in seven of his last ten games. His price on FD is down at $7,300, but he may be a little to expensive to target on DK at $8,000. He draws a decent matchup against Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers, who have been average at defending the point guard position this season.
Cleveland
The Cavaliers have lost two in a row, but are fully expected to get back to their winning ways tonight. The Cavaliers are hosting the Hornets, who are ranked 24th in defensive efficiency and 22nd in rebounding differential. The Cavaliers are expected to be at full-strength tonight and Vegas has them projected to score 105 points in what very well could turn into a rout. This is a favorable matchup, but the big three of the Cavaliers have been taking turns having big fantasy outings, which makes is tough to predict on a nightly basis.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Kyrie Irving (FD: $8300, DK: $8900 / MPG: 38 / Usage Rate: 23.2)
You can certainly make a case for LeBron James tonight, but his price is a little too high for my liking. He has too many outings where he fails to reach 40 fantasy points. Irving, on the other hand, is much cheaper. Over his last ten games, he has failed to reach 30 fantasy points only one time. During that stretch, he has topped 35 fantasy points four times. He draws a terrific matchup against the Hornets, who are ranked 25th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing point guards.
L.A. Lakers at Indiana
- Vegas Line – Indiana -6, 200 Over/Under
- L.A. Lakers Proj. Starters – Price-Bryant-Johnson-Davis-Hill
- Indiana Proj. Starters – Watson-Stuckey-Hill-West-Hibbert
| L.A. Lakers | Indiana | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 200.0 |  | Vegas Total | 200.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 6.0 | Vegas Sprd | -6.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 97.0 | Team Proj. | 103.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 97.64 | Team Pace | 94.60 | |||||||||
| 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 | Ronnie Price | Kobe Bryant | Wesley Johnson | Ed Davis | Jordan Hill | Proj Starter | C.J. Watson | Rodney Stuckey | Solomon Hill | David West | Roy Hibbert | |
| Opp. Season | 28 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 30 | Opp. Season | 30 | 11 | 20 | 27 | 19 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 28 | Opp. Last 7 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 30 | 2 | |
L.A. Lakers
The Lakers may be in the worst position of any team on the schedule tonight in terms of potential fantasy production. Not only are they playing the second half of a back-to-back, but they are facing the Pacers, who are one of the slowest-paced teams in the NBA. The Pacers have also been good defensively, ranking 12th in defensive efficiency and holding their opponents 97.4 points per game. Vegas has the Lakers’ team total set at only 97 points, which is a full 5 points lower than their season average. Tread lightly with the Lakers tonight.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
None
Indiana
The Pacers, on the other hand, may be in the best position of any team tonight. The Lakers are one of the fastest-paced teams in the league this season, averaging 97.6 possessions per 48 minutes. They are also terrible on the defensive end of the floor, ranking dead last in both defensive efficiency and points allowed per game. Vegas has the Pacers’ team total set at 103 points, which is a full 10 points higher than their season average. That should give you an idea of how great this matchup truly is.
Injury Note: C.J. Miles is expected to play tonight. It’s unclear if he will be back in the starting lineup or if he will come off the bench.
Elite Plays
Rodney Stuckey (FD: $5600, DK: $5500 / MPG: 25 / Usage Rate: 26.2)
Since entering the starting lineup, Stuckey has averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. His price on FanDuel has come up quite a bit, but he’s still at a very playable level considering his usage rate and playing time in this offense. Stuckey is currently starting at shooting guard now that C.J. Watson is in the starting lineup, but he is still a primary play-maker in this offense. Don’t be afraid to take the back-court duo of Watson/Stuckey tonight against the Lakers, who may have the worst defense in the entire NBA.
C.J. Watson (FD: $4300, DK: $5000 / MPG: 25 / Usage Rate: 20)
We’ve been waiting for Watson to become fantasy relevant ever since he was healthy enough to return to the lineup. That time has now come. Over the last three games, he is averaging 31 minutes and 26 fantasy points per game. Based on a 5x salary value approach, Watson only needs 21.5 fantasy points to reach value tonight. He’s capable of reaching that mark and much more. He has arguably the best matchup on the schedule, as the Lakers are ranked dead last in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing point guards this season.
Secondary Plays
David West (FD: $6200, DK: $6300 / MPG: 28 / Usage Rate: 22.2)
West is priced based on his production in an average of 28 minutes per game. That said, he’s been playing 30-32 minutes per game recently. Tonight is a great time to take advantage of West’s cheap price tag. He has scored at least 30 fantasy points in three of his last six games and has a great chance to reach that mark again tonight. On the season, the Lakers are ranked 27th in rebounding differential and 19th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing power forwards.
Boston at Philadelphia
- Vegas Line – Boston -4.5, 206 Over/Under
- Boston Proj. Starters – Rondo-Bradley-Green-Sullinger-Zeller
- Philadelphia Proj. Starters – Carter-Williams-Thompson-Mbah a Moute-Covington-Noel
| Boston | Philadelphia | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 206.0 |  | Vegas Total | 206.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -4.5 | Vegas Sprd | 4.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 105.3 | Team Proj. | 100.8 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 100.41 | Team Pace | 99.22 | |||||||||
| 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 | Rajon Rondo | Avery Bradley | Jeff Green | Jared Sullinger | Tyler Zeller | Proj Starter | Michael Carter-Williams | Hollis Thompson | Mbah a Moute | Robert Covington | Nerlens Noel | |
| Opp. Season | 10 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 14 | Opp. Season | 26 | 9 | 1 | 29 | 21 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 24 | 27 | 8 | 29 | 18 | Opp. Last 7 | 26 | 12 | 17 | 1 | 30 | |
Boston
The Celtics have lost three in a row and seven of their last ten. They are 7-14 on the season with a road record of 2-6. They will look to improve their road record tonight, as they take on the worst team in the NBA. The Celtics are 4.5-point favorites tonight against the Sixers in a game that features a total of 206 points. This is a fantasy-friendly matchup for the Celtics. The Sixers are a fast-paced team that is giving up 103.7 points per game to their opponents this season. Jared Sullinger is worth a look as a tournament play, but his recent playing time is a bit concerning.
Injury Note: Avery Bradley is expected to play tonight. If he does, Evan Turner will head back to the bench.
Elite Plays
Rajon Rondo (FD: $8400, DK: $8600 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 17.8)
Rondo is one of my favorite players to watch because when he’s on his game, there are few better point guards in the entire NBA. The one knock that I have on him is his playing time, but 32 minutes is enough time for him to reach and exceed value tonight against the Sixers. Not only do the Sixers play at a very quick pace, but they also struggle to defend opposing point guards. They are currently ranked 20th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes, a number that continue to get worse as the season progresses.
Jeff Green (FD: $6700, DK: $6900 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 24.7)
Green is underpriced tonight. I could leave the analysis at that, but I wouldn’t be doing Green justice. He is having a terrific season for the Celtics, averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He has a very high usage rate (24.7) in this offense and he averages more minutes per game than any other starter on the Celtics. Green also draws a very favorable matchup against the uptempo Sixers, who are ranked dead last in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing small forwards.
Secondary Plays
Tyler Zeller (FD: $4200, DK: $5000 / MPG: 19 / Usage Rate: 16.1)
FD refuses to make Zeller more expensive, which is more than fine with me. He is still listed at only $4,200, despite being extremely productive since entering the starting lineup. Here are his fantasy point totals from the last six games: 22, 44, 21, 21, 23, and 32. He’s basically reached value in each of his last six games. He should be able to score in the 20’s again tonight, as he is facing the Sixers, who are ranked 28th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing centers.
Philadelphia
The Sixers, Lakers, and T-Wolves are typically thought of as the worst defensive teams in the NBA, but the Celtics are right there with them. The Celtics are the fastest-paced team in the league and are currently giving up an average of 106.5 points per game to their opponents. This is actually a terrific matchup for the Sixers, who are only 4.5-point underdogs in a game that features a very high total.
Injury Note: K.J. McDaniels is questionable for tonight’s game. If he can’t go, give a boost to Tony Wroten and Hollis Thompson.
Elite Plays
Robert Covington (FD: $4700, DK: $5700 / MPG: 21 / Usage Rate: 21.3)
When it was announced that Covington would be in the starting lineup on Friday, the DFS Twitter world blew up. This is a move that we had all been waiting for, as he had been terrific off the bench. He responded beautifully with 35 fantasy points on Friday and he backed it up with 37 fantasy points on Saturday. His price on DK has gone up drastically, but he’s still a terrific value on FD. He’s an elite play tonight against the up-tempo Celtics.
Secondary Plays
Michael Carter-Williams (FD: $9200, DK: $9500 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 28.3)
I was concerned that MCW’s production would take a hit with Tony Wroten back in the lineup, but he’s played well in each of the last two games. He can still fill up all areas of the stat sheet and he will continue to have an insanely high usage rate in this offense. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against the Celtics, who are ranked 27th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing point guards.
Chicago at Atlanta
- Vegas Line – Atlanta -1, 201 Over/Under
- Chicago Proj. Starters – Rose-Butler-Dunleavy-Gibson-Gasol
- Atlanta Proj. Starters – Teague-Korver-Carroll-Millsap-Horford
| Chicago | Atlanta | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 201.0 |  | Vegas Total | 201.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 1.0 | Vegas Sprd | -1.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 100.0 | Team Proj. | 101.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 95.92 | Team Pace | 95.95 | |||||||||
| 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 | Derrick Rose | Jimmy Butler | Mike Dunleavy | Taj Gibson | Pau Gasol | Proj Starter | Jeff Teague | Kyle Korver | DeMarre Carroll | Paul Millsap | Al Horford | |
| Opp. Season | 7 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 9 | Opp. Season | 27 | 4 | 25 | 7 | 22 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 1 | 24 | 26 | 6 | 7 | Opp. Last 7 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 8 | |
Chicago
The Bulls are playing in the second half of a back-to-back tonight as they head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks. The Bulls are 1-point underdogs tonight in a game that features a total of 201 points. This is a pretty favorable matchup in terms of potential fantasy production. The Hawks play at a quick pace, they are ranked 23rd in rebounding differential, and they have given up an average of 97.4 points per game to their opponents.
Injury Note: Joakim Noah is doubtful for tonight’s game. Taj Gibson is the biggest beneficiary, while Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic will also see a slight uptick in production.
Elite Plays
Taj Gibson (FD: $6000, DK: $6300 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 19.2)
As long as his price is reasonable, Gibson will find himself in my lineups when he is given the chance to start. In eight starts this season, he is averaging 15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks per game. While those numbers are respectable, they still leave me wanting more as Gibson has been a terrific player over the last couple of years when given extended playing time. He’s one of my favorite plays on the board tonight.
Secondary Plays
Pau Gasol (FD: $9300, DK: $9300 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 25.5)
Gasol has been one of the most consistent fantasy options this season. He is averaging 19 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks per game. He’ll see another small fantasy boost tonight with Joakim Noah out. Even though Gasol’s price continues to climb, he’s a threat to post 40+ fantasy points every time he takes the floor. Continue targeting Gasol as a reliable cash game option tonight against the Hawks.
Jimmy Butler (FD: $8000, DK: $6600 / MPG: 40 / Usage Rate: 21.5)
Butler played through an illness last night on his way to another productive fantasy outing. Butler is a DK-specific play tonight. For whatever reason, his price keeps going up on FD and it keeps coming down on DK. Dollar for dollar, he is my favorite shooting guard option on DK. The combination of price and matchup are just too good to pass up.
Atlanta
The Hawks have been a pleasant surprise this season. They have won nine of their last ten games and have improved to 16-7 on the season. They are currently only a game and a half behind the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Tonight the Hawks host the Bulls, who have been good, but not great defensively this season. The Bulls are ranked 9th in defensive efficiency, giving up 98.7 points per game to their opponents. The issue that I have with the Hawks is how well-balanced they are offensively. There aren’t any options that stand out as must-plays tonight against the Bulls.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Al Horford (FD: $6900, DK: $6800 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 21.2)
Horford is finally back to playing like himself and the most promising statistic is that he has played at least 34 minutes in each of his last two games. His playing time has been holding him back from being a good fantasy option all season. If he continues to see 34-35 minutes per game, his price will certainly go up soon. This could be the last time to take him at a price of less than $7,000. He draws a decent matchup against the Bulls, as he will not have to deal with the pesky Joakim Noah.
Orlando at Toronto
- Vegas Line – Toronto -8, 198 Over/Under
- Orlando Proj. Starters – Oladipo-Fournier-Harris-Frye-Vucevic
- Toronto Proj. Starters – Lowry-Ross-Fields-Johnson-Valanciunas
| Orlando | Toronto | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 198.0 |  | Vegas Total | 198.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 8.0 | Vegas Sprd | -8.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 95.0 | Team Proj. | 103.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.87 | Team Pace | 95.76 | |||||||||
| 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 | Victor Oladipo | Evan Fournier | Tobias Harris | Channing Frye | Nikola Vucevic | Proj Starter | Kyle Lowry | Terrence Ross | Landry Fields | Amir Johnson | Jonas Valanciunas | |
| Opp. Season | 22 | 1 | 26 | 12 | 16 | Opp. Season | 25 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 29 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 14 | 8 | 24 | 17 | 4 | Opp. Last 7 | 29 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 27 | |
Orlando
The Magic finally have their big man back in the lineup, after Nikola Vucevic missed six games dealing with back spasms. They have done a decent job of keeping the ship afloat in his absence and they can now make their push for a playoff bid in the awful Eastern Conference. The Magic are 8-point underdogs tonight against the Raptors, but this game should be played at a fairly quick pace.
Elite Plays
Tobias Harris (FD: $7100, DK: $6800 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 24.1)
One of my favorite strategies in daily fantasy basketball is targeting players that do everything on the floor well. Harris fits the bill as he is a good scorer, rebounder, passer, and defender. On the season, he is averaging 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Even though Nikola Vucevic is back in the lineup, he may actually help Harris as he commands a double team and Harris is great off the ball. His price is reasonable and he draws a fantasy-friendly matchup against the Raptors, who are ranked 23rd in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing small forwards.
Secondary Plays
Nikola Vucevic (FD: $8400, DK: $8400 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 25.3)
The Magic wasted little time easing Vucevic back into the lineup after missing close to ten games. In his first game back from injury, he played 35 minutes, scored 18 points, and grabbed 11 rebounds. He is a machine when healthy, churning out double-double after double-double. The Raptors are a below-average rebounding team and are currently ranked 15th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing centers.
Toronto
The Raptors haven’t skipped a beat without DeMar DeRozan. They are still atop the Eastern Conference standings and are currently riding a two-game winning streak. Tonight they host the Magic, who are a fantasy-friendly matchup. On the season, the Magic are ranked 17th in defensive efficiency, 18th in rebounding differential, and have given up an average of 99.7 points per game to their opponents. Look for the Lowrys Raptors to keep up their winning ways tonight.
Elite Plays
Kyle Lowry (FD: $9800, DK: $10100 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 25.7)
I don’t remember seeing this in any textbook in college, but I’m pretty sure this is a real formula: Raptors – DeRozan = Lowry squared. In the eight games with DeRozan out of the lineup, Lowry is averaging 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 assists per game. During that stretch, he is averaging 42.3 fantasy points per game. Even though this is the second half of a back to back for the Raptors, Lowry will have the keys to this offense once again. He draws a favorable matchup against the Magic tonight, who are ranked 28th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing point guards.
Secondary Plays
Jonas Valanciunas (FD: $6200, DK: $6000 / MPG: 27 / Usage Rate: 18.5)
Big Val has had quite the four-game stretch. He is averaging 13.5 points and 13.5 rebounds over those four games. He may be in for another productive outing tonight against the Magic, who are ranked 27th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing centers. The only concern here is potential foul trouble defending Nikola Vucevic.