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NBA Grind Down: Monday, February 1st

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-02-02 18:08:51

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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Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers – 7:00 PM

Cleveland Cavaliers Indiana Pacers
clevelandnba Vegas Total 209.5 indiananba Vegas Total 209.5
Vegas Sprd -4.5 Vegas Sprd 4.5
Team Proj. 107.0 Team Proj. 102.5
Team Pace 94.80 Team Pace 99.60
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 Kyrie Irving J.R. Smith LeBron James Kevin Love Tristan Thompson Proj. Starter George Hill Monta Ellis Paul George Myles Turner Jordan Hill
Opp. Season 6 19 3 15 21 Opp. Season 17 6 4 4 1
Last 3 Weeks 22 13 3 12 22 Last 3 Weeks 14 4 13 16 5

Cleveland Cavaliers

Record: 34-12 — Road: 15-9 — Last 10: 7-3

The Cavaliers have won seven of their last ten games and are now 34-12 on the season. Tonight they head to Indiana to take on the Pacers in what is expected to be a competitive game throughout. The Cavaliers are listed as 4.5-point favorites with their team total set at 107 points, which is the fourth highest on the schedule tonight.

The Pacers have been stout defensively this season, ranking tenth or better in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. Vegas isn’t expecting the Cavaliers to struggle here though, as their team total is 4.8 points higher than their season average. With this game having only a 4.5-point spread, the starters should see a full complement of minutes.

Elite Plays

LeBron James

James isn’t required to do as much offensively now that Kyrie Irving is back in the lineup, but he is still playing some great basketball. He still has an elite usage rate and he is averaging 46.8 fantasy points over his last five games. In what is expected to be a close game tonight against the Pacers, James could end up playing around 38 minutes.

FD — $10,000 — SF
DK — $9,700 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 27.4 | Last Five Games: 26.0
Min/Game — Season: 35.7 | Last Five Games: 35.7
FP/Game — Season: 44.0 | Last Five Games: 46.8

Tristan Thompson

Thompson has been a little inconsistent as a starter, but he offers great value at power forward. He should see minutes in the low to mid-30s against a Pacers’ defense that is ranked 21st against center this season. Thompson can be faded on DraftKings, but is an elite play tonight on FanDuel at a price of only $4,700.

FD — $4,700 — PF
DK — $5,300 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 10.2 | Last Five Games: 9.8
Min/Game — Season: 27.6 | Last Five Games: 30.1
FP/Game — Season: 20.8 | Last Five Games: 20.8

Secondary Plays

Kevin Love

Speaking of inconsistency, Love has scored 24, 24, 47, 39, and 40 fantasy points in his last five games. He has shown nice upside, even with Kyrie Irving back in the lineup. He is a borderline elite play tonight at power forward, but given his low floor, I’ll label him as a secondary play tonight against the Pacers.

FD — $7,600 — PF
DK — $7,300 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 19.6 | Last Five Games: 20.8
Min/Game — Season: 32.4 | Last Five Games: 33.1
FP/Game — Season: 33.5 | Last Five Games: 35.2

Indiana Pacers

Record: 25-22 — Home: 15-7 — Last 10: 4-6

The Pacers have lost six of their last ten games and are now 25-22 on the season. A win over the Cavaliers tonight could be the boost that they need to get going again. Even though the Cavaliers own a top five defense, the Pacers are still projected to score 102.5 points, which is nearly identical to their season average.

The Cavaliers have been one of the worst teams to target players against in daily fantasy basketball. On the season, they are ranked ninth or better in all four of the defensive categories listed above. However, as mentioned above, Vegas is expecting the offenses to win out tonight, so we should consider this to be a mediocre matchup for the Pacers. Ian Mahinmi has been ruled out of tonight’s game, which gives a sizable fantasy boost to both Myles Turner and Jordan Hill.

Elite Plays

Myles Turner

With Ian Mahinmi out, that should solidify the minutes for Turner, who has been terrific in his rookie season. He comes into tonight’s game in great form, averaging 31.8 fantasy points over his last five games. While the matchup against the Cavaliers’ frontcourt is less than appealing, his price is still too cheap for his new role in the offense.

FD — $5,200 — PF
DK — $5,800 — C
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 17.9 | Last Five Games: 21.9
Min/Game — Season: 18.1 | Last Five Games: 28.8
FP/Game — Season: 17.5 | Last Five Games: 31.8

Jordan Hill

Hill made the most of his start the other night against the Nuggets, posting a ridiculous stat line of 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and six blocks. With Ian Mahinmi out tonight, he should draw another start at center. We shouldn’t expect a repeat performance, but he is one of my favorite value plays on the board tonight.

FD — $4,500 — C
DK — $4,800 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 16.4 | Last Five Games: 15.3
Min/Game — Season: 21.8 | Last Five Games: 24.2
FP/Game — Season: 20.4 | Last Five Games: 22.3

Secondary Plays

Paul George

George is a borderline elite play tonight, but if I’m targeting a small forward in this game, I’d rather pay a little extra for LeBron James. George has been dealing with a nagging leg injury and that general wear and tear have been the reason for his recent slump. He should be pumped up for tonight’s game at home against the Cavaliers, though.

FD — $8,400 — SF
DK — $8,700 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 24.7 | Last Five Games: 23.2
Min/Game — Season: 35.5 | Last Five Games: 34.8
FP/Game — Season: 38.5 | Last Five Games: 32.4

Detroit Pistons at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 PM

Detroit Pistons Brooklyn Nets
detroitnba Vegas Total 202.5 brooklynnba Vegas Total 202.5
Vegas Sprd -6.0 Vegas Sprd 6.0
Team Proj. 104.3 Team Proj. 98.3
Team Pace 97.80 Team Pace 96.60
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 Reggie Jackson Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Marcus Morris Ersan Ilyasova Andre Drummond Proj. Starter Donald Sloan Wayne Ellington Joe Johnson Thaddeus Young Brook Lopez
Opp. Season 27 21 23 20 24 Opp. Season 13 12 2 19 11
Last 3 Weeks 26 12 22 30 6 Last 3 Weeks 21 16 9 13 28

Detroit Pistons

Record: 25-23 — Road: 10-15 — Last 10: 4-6

The Pistons have lost six of their last ten games and have a spotty road record of 10-15 on the season. The good news is that tonight they face a Nets’ team that has lost eight of their last ten games. The Pistons are 6-point favorites with their team total set at 104.3 points, which is the seventh highest team total on the board tonight.

The Nets have been an exploitable matchup all season, especially when they are playing at home (better chance of them keeping the game close). Brooklyn is ranked 20th or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. Ersan Ilyasova and Reggie Jackson are both probable for tonight’s game.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Andre Drummond

Drummond’s production has been down over the last couple of weeks, but luckily that has been accompanied by a significant price drop. He is now priced in the mid-$8,000’s on both FanDuel and DraftKings. While I like the matchup against the Nets, Myles Turner (DK) and Jordan Hill (FD) are better plays at center dollar for dollar. For that reason, I will be using Drummond more as a tournament play tonight.

FD — $8,500 — C
DK — $8,600 — C
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 21.0 | Last Five Games: 19.9
Min/Game — Season: 33.6 | Last Five Games: 29.2
FP/Game — Season: 40.6 | Last Five Games: 30.1

Reggie Jackson

Jackson is always on my radar in tournaments, but since Brandon Jennings has come back, he hasn’t shown that same upside that we saw from him earlier in the season. The price is right though and the matchup is certainly in his favor, as the Nets are ranked 27th against point guards this season.

FD — $7,000 — PG
DK — $7,000 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 26.0 | Last Five Games: 24.9
Min/Game — Season: 30.9 | Last Five Games: 30.4
FP/Game — Season: 32.1 | Last Five Games: 27.4

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

KCP is always a decent cash game option, especially on nights where there aren’t a lot of shooting guards in play. That’s the case again tonight. He should see minutes in the mid to high-30s against a Nets’ defense that is ranked 21st against shooting guards this season.

FD — $5,900 — SG
DK — $5,800 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 15.7 | Last Five Games: 16.1
Min/Game — Season: 37.4 | Last Five Games: 36.1
FP/Game — Season: 24.4 | Last Five Games: 24.7

Brooklyn Nets

Record: 12-36 — Home: 8-18 — Last 10: 2-8

The Nets have lost eight of their last ten games and have fallen to 12-36 on the season. While they are underdogs tonight against the Pistons, they are only 6-point dogs in a game that is expected to remain close. The Nets’ team total of 98.3 points may not seem high, but it is actually 2.8 points higher than their season average.

The Pistons have been excellent defensively this season, ranking 12th or better in all four of the defensive categories listed above. The Nets have been an easy team to avoid over the last few weeks and given their recent play, they are secondary fantasy options tonight against a stout Pistons’ defense.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Thaddeus Young

Young is the only Nets’ player on my radar tonight. Brook Lopez and Donald Sloan have been productive at times recently, but they both draw difficult matchups. Meanwhile, Young will be defended by Ersan Ilyasova. Even though Young’s production has been down recently, his minutes are trending upward, which is always a good sign.

FD — $6,600 — PF
DK — $6,300 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 18.6 | Last Five Games: 16.3
Min/Game — Season: 32.5 | Last Five Games: 34.5
FP/Game — Season: 30.3 | Last Five Games: 27.1

Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks – 8:00 PM

Dallas Mavericks Atlanta Hawks
dallasnba Vegas Total 200.0 atlantanba Vegas Total 200.0
Vegas Sprd 7.0 Vegas Sprd -7.0
Team Proj. 96.5 Team Proj. 103.5
Team Pace 96.60 Team Pace 99.10
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 Deron Williams Wesley Matthews Chandler Parsons Dirk Nowitzki Zaza Pachulia Proj. Starter Jeff Teague Kyle Korver Kent Bazemore Paul Millsap Al Horford
Opp. Season 9 24 13 12 27 Opp. Season 12 8 10 25 7
Last 3 Weeks 10 24 12 22 21 Last 3 Weeks 2 21 14 20 26

Dallas Mavericks

Record: 28-22 — Road: 13-14 — Last 10: 6-4

The Mavericks haven’t played their best basketball on the road this season, sporting a sub-.500 record. They head to Atlanta tonight to take on the Hawks. Even though these are two talented teams, the Mavericks are listed as 7-point underdogs. Dallas is only projected to score 96.5 points, which is 4.2 points lower than their season average.

The Hawks have been much better defensively over the last month of play. They are now ranked eighth in points allowed per game and sixth in defensive efficiency. They have struggled on the glass though, ranking dead last in rebounding differential. Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris both missed yesterday’s game. Nowitzki is expected to be back in the lineup tonight, while Harris is listed as questionable.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Chandler Parsons

Parsons looks like a completely different player than the one that we saw earlier this season. Over his last five games, he is averaging 33.4 fantasy points per contest. While he has been on fire recently, his price more than reflects it. He is a little too expensive tonight, which is why he is listed as a secondary play.

FD — $6,700 — SF
DK — $7,000 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 16.5 | Last Five Games: 19.1
Min/Game — Season: 27.6 | Last Five Games: 34.9
FP/Game — Season: 20.9 | Last Five Games: 33.4

Zaza Pachulia

Pachulia has a lot of things in his favor tonight. He is facing his former team, the Hawks are the worst rebounding team in the NBA, and his price is down. Pachulia is a borderline elite play tonight, especially on DraftKings where you can roster two centers.

FD — $6,300 — C
DK — $5,800 — C
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 13.5 | Last Five Games: 13.6
Min/Game — Season: 29.4 | Last Five Games: 34.3
FP/Game — Season: 27.1 | Last Five Games: 30.5

Atlanta Hawks

Record: 27-22 — Home: 15-8 — Last 10: 4-6

The Hawks have lost six of their last ten games, but are still five games above .500 on the season. They have played very well at home though, which helps explain why they are listed as 7-point favorites. It is worth mentioning that both teams are playing in the second half of a back-to-back tonight. The Hawks are projected to score 103.5 points, which is nearly two points higher than their season average.

The Mavericks have been a mediocre defensive team at best this season, ranking between 13th and 15th in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder continue to split the Hawks’ point guard minutes. In what is similar to a running back by committee, I will be avoiding this situation for now.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Paul Millsap

If Millsap was completely healthy, he would be an elite play tonight against a Mavericks’ defense that is ranked 25th against power forwards this season. However, he has been nursing an ankle injury and we all know how quickly you can roll an ankle. For that reason, I see him as a secondary play tonight.

FD — $8,400 — PF
DK — $8,200 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 20.3 | Last Five Games: 19.4
Min/Game — Season: 32.4 | Last Five Games: 27.8
FP/Game — Season: 37.7 | Last Five Games: 28.8

Kent Bazemore

Bazemore continues to underwhelm as a starter. The biggest issue has been his minutes. He is only averaging 28.4 on the season and 29.7 over his last five games. He seems a bit overpriced for his playing time, but is a serviceable play if you need a guy to fill out your roster with.

FD — $5,100 — SG
DK — $5,400 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 16.3 | Last Five Games: 17.2
Min/Game — Season: 28.4 | Last Five Games: 29.7
FP/Game — Season: 23.2 | Last Five Games: 21.6

Washington Wizards at Oklahoma City Thunder – 8:00 PM

Washington Wizards Oklahoma City Thunder
washingtonnba Vegas Total 222.0 oklahomacitynba Vegas Total 222.0
Vegas Sprd 9.5 Vegas Sprd -9.5
Team Proj. 106.3 Team Proj. 115.8
Team Pace 99.90 Team Pace 99.10
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 John Wall Garrett Temple Otto Porter Jared Dudley Marcin Gortat Proj. Starter Russell Westbrook Dion Waiters Kevin Durant Serge Ibaka Steven Adams
Opp. Season 20 20 8 5 5 Opp. Season 11 26 30 6 13
Last 3 Weeks 8 27 8 4 16 Last 3 Weeks 19 18 24 6 8

Washington Wizards

Record: 21-24 — Road: 11-9 — Last 10: 5-5

The Wizards have won five of their last ten games, as they continue to fight their way back to .500 on the season. Tonight they head to Oklahoma City to take on a streaking Thunder team. This game should be fast paced and high scoring, as evidenced by the total of 222 points. The Wizards are projected to score 106.3 points, which is four points higher than their season average.

The Thunder have been effective defensively this season, but as I often mention in the Grind Down, pace can trump defensive efficiency. The Thunder are ranked 17th in points allowed per game and since the Wizards have such a high team total, we can give their offense a small boost as a whole. The one concern here is a potential blowout that could limit the starters’ minutes.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

John Wall

If the Wizards are going to keep this game close, they are going to need a big game from Wall. He has been in decent form recently, averaging 39.3 fantasy points over his last five games. The biggest issue here is that you can spend a little more and take Russell Westbrook in the same game. For that reason, I see Wall more as a tournament play tonight.

FD — $9,800 — PG
DK — $9,400 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 24.5 | Last Five Games: 24.4
Min/Game — Season: 35.8 | Last Five Games: 35.4
FP/Game — Season: 40.9 | Last Five Games: 39.3

Nene Hilario

The Thunder have one of the best defensive frontcourts in the NBA. Given the value in the Pacers’ frontcourt, there is no need to spend up on Marcin Gortat tonight. Hilario is worth a look though, as he is a power forward and his minutes have been trending in the right direction. Even though he may come off the bench, he should still see minutes in the mid-20s tonight.

FD — $4,500 — PF
DK — $4,700 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 17.2 | Last Five Games: 17.6
Min/Game — Season: 18.8 | Last Five Games: 24.9
FP/Game — Season: 18.3 | Last Five Games: 22.8

Oklahoma City Thunder

Record: 36-13 — Home: 22-5 — Last 10: 9-1

The Thunder have won nine of their last ten games and have an impressive 22-5 record at home. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Wizards in what should be a game filled with fantasy goodness. The Thunder are projected to score 115.8 points, which is easily the highest team total on the board. It is also 6.3 points higher than their season average.

The Wizards have struggled defensively this season, ranking 19th or worse in all four of the defensive categories listed above. While there is some concern of a blowout here, it’s hard to factor that in for the Thunder with a team total of 115.8 points. The matchup is good enough that the starters could come close to reaching value even if they only play three quarters.

Elite Plays

Russell Westbrook

The choice tonight will be Westbrook or Kevin Durant. I love both in this favorable matchup and actually don’t mind using them together in cash games. It’s always a little risky to use two superstars on the same team in a potential blowout, but we’ve seen them both reach value in games that stay close.

FD — $10,900 — PG
DK — $11,000 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 29.1 | Last Five Games: 27.4
Min/Game — Season: 34.2 | Last Five Games: 38.5
FP/Game — Season: 48.8 | Last Five Games: 50.1

Kevin Durant

Durant has been on fire over his last five games, averaging 52.2 fantasy points per contest. His price has come up across the industry, but he is still an elite play at power forward. He has a similar floor as LeBron James, but a much higher ceiling at this point. He also draws a premier matchup against the Wizards, who have struggled to contain wing players this season.

FD — $10,700 — SF
DK — $10,400 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 25.1 | Last Five Games: 26.9
Min/Game — Season: 36.0 | Last Five Games: 39.9
FP/Game — Season: 45.0 | Last Five Games: 52.2

Secondary Plays

Serge Ibaka

If you have targeted Ibaka this season, odds are that you have been let down. Despite a nice mid-range shot and an ability to block a lot of shots, he constantly underwhelms in daily fantasy. However, he should see minutes in the low to mid-30s tonight and we know how high the Thunder’s team total is against the Wizards.

FD — $5,500 — PF
DK — $5,600 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 14.6 | Last Five Games: 11.9
Min/Game — Season: 32.5 | Last Five Games: 33.4
FP/Game — Season: 25.7 | Last Five Games: 19.9

Dion Waiters

Waiters hasn’t been very productive since entering the starting lineup, but deserves consideration solely based on the minutes that he has been given. Over his last five games, he is averaging over 35 per contest. Plus, as I mentioned above, the Wizards have really struggled against wing players.

FD — $3,900 — SG
DK — $4,400 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 15.4 | Last Five Games: 12.7
Min/Game — Season: 27.6 | Last Five Games: 35.5
FP/Game — Season: 16.7 | Last Five Games: 17.8

Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Pelicans – 8:00 PM

Memphis Grizzlies New Orleans Pelicans
memphisnba Vegas Total 201.0 neworleansnba Vegas Total 201.0
Vegas Sprd 1.0 Vegas Sprd -1.0
Team Proj. 100.0 Team Proj. 101.0
Team Pace 95.60 Team Pace 98.40
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 Mike Conley Courtney Lee Tony Allen Zach Randolph Marc Gasol Proj. Starter Norris Cole Bryce Jones Alonzo Gee Anthony Davis Omer Asik
Opp. Season 14 25 11 13 30 Opp. Season 10 4 19 11 3
Last 3 Weeks 5 17 10 3 30 Last 3 Weeks 6 9 4 14 3

Memphis Grizzlies

Record: 28-20 — Road: 9-13 — Last 10: 8-2

The Grizzlies have been playing some of their best basketball recently, winning eight of their last ten games. They haven’t had a ton of success on the road though, posting a 9-13 record. The Grizzlies are 1-point underdogs tonight against the Pelicans. Memphis is projected to score 100 points, which is 2.6 points higher than their season average.

The Pelicans have been one of the top team to target players against this season. They are ranked 20th or worse in all four of the defensive categories listed above. Marc Gasol is listed as questionable for tonight’s game with a knee injury. If he is unable to suit up, give a sizable boost to Zach Randolph.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Marc Gasol

This pick obviously hinges on his availability. If Gasol is ruled out, Zach Randolph would become an elite play. If Gasol is able to suit up, he would make a decent secondary option at center. Over his last five games, he is averaging 38.7 fantasy points. He also draws a terrific matchup against the Pelicans, who are ranked dead last against centers this season.

FD — $8,300 — C
DK — $7,700 — C
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 20.1 | Last Five Games: 21.6
Min/Game — Season: 35.0 | Last Five Games: 34.2
FP/Game — Season: 33.4 | Last Five Games: 38.7

Mike Conley

FD — $6,500 — PG
DK — $6,200 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 20.9 | Last Five Games: 19.2
Min/Game — Season: 31.5 | Last Five Games: 28.7
FP/Game — Season: 29.0 | Last Five Games: 27.5

Tony Allen

Do you ever feel confident rostering Allen? The answer is probably no. He doesn’t bring a whole lot to the floor in terms of offensive production, but he is a great defender that has seen an uptick in minutes recently. He should be able to cause some turnovers against the likes of Norris Cole and Bryce Desean-Jones.

FD — $4,700 — SG
DK — $5,000 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 12.8 | Last Five Games: 13.7
Min/Game — Season: 24.7 | Last Five Games: 31.6
FP/Game — Season: 17.0 | Last Five Games: 25.7

New Orleans Pelicans

Record: 18-28 — Home: 13-10 — Last 10: 7-3

The Pelicans have won seven of their last ten games and as crazy as it sounds, are only 3.5 games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Tonight they host the Grizzlies in what will be a pace-down game for New Orleans. The Pelicans are projected to score 101 points, which is slightly lower than their season average.

The Grizzlies have been stout defensively over the last few weeks and are now ranked sixth in both points allowed per game and fantasy points allowed per game this season. Eric Gordon will be out for at least a few more weeks. The big question mark here is the status of Tyreke Evans. If he is unable to suit up, Norris Cole, Jrue Holiday, and Bryce Dejean-Jones would all see an uptick in minutes and/or usage.

Elite Plays

Anthony Davis

I typically hesitate to list Davis as an elite play in favorable matchups, so why on Earth is he listed as an elite play against the Grizzlies? For one, he seems to play a bit better in slower-paced games where he is the focal point of their half-court offense. He also has a nice track record against the Grizzlies this season, averaging 19 points 11 rebounds, two assists, and 8.5 blocks/steals per game in their two meetings.

FD — $10,100 — PF
DK — $9,800 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 23.8 | Last Five Games: 24.7
Min/Game — Season: 35.4 | Last Five Games: 32.8
FP/Game — Season: 43.3 | Last Five Games: 39.8

Secondary Plays

Jrue Holiday

This pick hinges on the status of Tyreke Evans. If Evans is able to play, I have a hard time justifying the $7,000+ price tag for Holiday. He obviously still sees a boost in usage rate with Eric Gordon out, but his price has caught up to his recent level of production. Even if Evans is out, I don’t consider Holiday a must start tonight.

FD — $7,100 — PG
DK — $7,400 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 23.7 | Last Five Games: 29.7
Min/Game — Season: 25.5 | Last Five Games: 28.2
FP/Game — Season: 26.5 | Last Five Games: 36.4

Norris Cole

Cole has been terrific over his last five games, averaging 25.5 fantasy point in 32.1 minutes per contest. His appeal also hinges on the availability of Tyreke Evans, but he is still in play even if Evans is able to suit up. Cole will remain in the starting lineup regardless and should be a lock for 30+ minutes of action.

FD — $4,700 — PG
DK — $5,700 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 17.9 | Last Five Games: 18.9
Min/Game — Season: 25.3 | Last Five Games: 32.1
FP/Game — Season: 17.2 | Last Five Games: 25.5

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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