NBA Grind Down: Monday, February 26th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2018-02-27 02:33:45

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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

Golden State Warriors at New York Knicks – 7:30 PM ET

Golden State Warriors							New York Knicks
			Vegas Total		229.5					Vegas Total		229.5
			Vegas Spread		-11.0					Vegas Spread		11.0
			Implied Team Total		120.3					Implied Team Total		109.3
			Pace Projection +/-		-0.4					Pace Projection +/-		3.2
Projected Starters	Stephen Curry	Klay Thompson	Kevin Durant	Draymond Green	Zaza Pachulia		Projected Starters	Emmanuel Mudiay	Courtney Lee	Tim Hardaway	Michael Beasley	Enes Kanter
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	29	16	19	10	5		DvP	15	23	5	23	22
DRPM Rat.	30	17	16	27	28		DRPM Rat.	21	8	24	2	4

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors have only won six of their last ten games, but are only a half-game behind the Rockets for the top record in basketball. Tonight they head to New York to take on a Knicks’ team that is clearly doing it’s best to tank. If you don’t believe tanking exists in basketball, all I need to show you is the recent performance of the NBA’s worst teams. The nine worst teams in basketball have lost a combined 45 games, which is mind-blowing. The Warriors have an implied total of 120.3 points, which is the highest of the slate and four points above their season average.

The Warriors are an interesting team when it comes to DFS. They have the best offense in basketball, yet their superstars are always under-owned when all four of them are healthy. Stephen Curry is the sole Warriors’ player that really stands out from a matchup standpoint. On the season, the Knicks are ranked 29th in DvP and Emmanuel Mudiay is one of the worst on-ball defenders in the league. Curry’s price is more than palatable on FanDuel ($9,600), making him an elite tournament play at what should be reasonable ownership.

The other three studs from Golden State are better lineup fillers than lineup starters. In other words, I don’t mind using Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, or Kevin Durant as the last player in my lineup, but I’m not actively targeting them in this slate. Of the three, I have the most interest in Green, who has averaged 36 minutes and 44 fantasy points over his last five games. The rest of the Warriors can be avoided, as they don’t have big enough or consistent enough roles to warrant consideration in a slate this size.

Notable Injuries

Patrick McCaw (Out)
Jordan Bell (Questionable)

Golden State Warriors Offense

Points Per Game: 116.1 (1 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 120.3 (1 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 4.2 (9 of 20)

Matchup vs. New York Knicks

Points Allowed Per Game: 106.5 (17 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 106.9 (19 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 2.1 (7 of 30)
Pace of Play: 99.0 (16 of 30)

Elite Plays – Stephen Curry (FD)

Secondary Plays – Stephen Curry (DK), Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green

New York Knicks

The Knicks have lost nine of their last ten games and have decided to take it easy on their veteran players. Jarrett Jack and Courtney Lee have had limited roles since the All-Star break and that’s expected to continue moving forward. The Knicks draw a boom or bust matchup against the Warriors. If New York can keep the game competitive, there should be plenty of fantasy production to go around in a pace-up matchup at home. However, with a spread of 11 points, this game has some blowout potential. It’s worth noting that New York’s implied total of 109.3 points is five points above their season average.

Emmanuel Mudiay has played well in limited minutes over the last two games, scoring 21 and 26 fantasy points. If we knew that he would play 30 minutes tonight, I would lock and load him as an elite play in all formats. Given the fact that Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina are seeing big minutes off the bench, Mudiay is best suited in tournaments or for the risk-tolerant cash game players. Burke has caught fire in the last two games, scoring 45 and 40 fantasy points. While he won’t be able to sustain this production in the long run, he’s certainly playing with a lot of confidence. At his price point, he’s an elite tournament play in a game where he could see garbage time minutes.

Tim Hardaway has played well in the two games since the All-Star break and appears to have avoided the “veteran” status, so his minutes should be secure moving forward. He’s a volatile player, but has 40+ fantasy point upside in a matchup against the Warriors. Michael Beasley has only played 22 and 28 minutes in the last two games. He’s the Knicks’ best chance of keeping this game close, but that doesn’t mean much when you are a team that is trying to tank. Beasley still has upside, but I wouldn’t go anywhere near him in a cash game setting. The same can be said of Enes Kanter, who has only played 21 and 22 minutes in his last two games.

Notable Injuries

None

New York Knicks Offense

Points Per Game: 104.1 (19 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 109.3 (10 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 5.2 (7 of 20)

Matchup vs. Golden State Warriors

Points Allowed Per Game: 107.6 (21 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 103.5 (5 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 2.3 (5 of 30)
Pace of Play: 102.6 (2 of 30)

Elite Plays – Emmanuel Mudiay (GPP), Trey Burke (GPP), Tim Hardaway (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Emmanuel Mudiay (Cash), Trey Burke (Cash), Tim Hardaway (Cash), Michael Beasley (GPP)

Chicago Bulls at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 PM ET

Chicago Bulls							Brooklyn Nets
			Vegas Total		217.5					Vegas Total		217.5
			Vegas Spread		4.0					Vegas Spread		-4.0
			Implied Team Total		106.8					Implied Team Total		110.8
			Pace Projection +/-		1.6					Pace Projection +/-		0.8
Projected Starters	Kris Dunn	Zach LaVine	David Nwaba	Lauri Markkanen	Cristiano Felicio		Projected Starters	Spencer Dinwiddie	Allen Crabbe	DeMarre Carroll	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson	Jarrett Allen
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	23	14	9	29	30		DvP	25	27	14	25	18
DRPM Rat.	7	21	7	12	26		DRPM Rat.	10	24	8	26	30

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are playing short-handed right now, but that’s largely by choice. Over the last two games, Justin Holiday, Robin Lopez, and Jerian Grant have combined to play two minutes. We’re still waiting for confirmation if Holiday and Lopez will be ruled out of tonight’s game and it would be surprising to see Grant crack the rotation. This is great news from a DFS perspective, as it shortens the rotation. Chicago has an elite matchup against the Nets, who are ranked 21st or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential.

Kris Dunn has yet to play more than 28 minutes since returning from injury, but should play something in that range tonight against a Nets’ defense that is ranked 24th in efficiency against point guards. Dunn isn’t quite as appealing as Rajon Rondo in this slate, but he’s certainly viable in tournaments. When right, Dunn can fill up all areas of the stat sheet. In his first two games of the season, Cameron Payne has averaged 20 minutes and 22 fantasy points. At a price of $3,500 on DraftKings, he’s firmly on my radar in tournaments.

Zach LaVine is currently listed as questionable. If he is active, he makes a nice tournament play in a pace-up game against the Nets. If LaVine is ruled out, David Nwaba and Denzel Valentine would become elite value plays in all formats. Nwaba has played 33 minutes in each of his last two starts, scoring 40 and 23 fantasy points. Nwaba and Valentine are borderline elite plays regardless, but would obviously see a significant boost if LaVine is unable to suit up. In that scenario, I wouldn’t hesitate to play Nwaba and Valentine in the same lineup.

We can’t ask for a better matchup for the Bulls’ frontcourt. In addition to being a bad rebounding team, the Nets are ranked 29th and 30th in fantasy points allowed to power forwards and centers. Lauri Markkanen is the safest play of the three bigs, as his minutes are the most secure. He’s viable on both sites, but is slightly a better buy on DraftKings ($5,500). While Bobby Portis has a massive ceiling, his price is awfully high for a player that we can’t realistically project to play more than 24-26 minutes. I will say note that this is a better matchup for Portis than it is for Cristiano Felicio, as the Nets don’t really have a true center that we need to worry about. Felicio’s 30 minutes against the Wolves was a byproduct of facing Karl-Anthony Towns.

Notable Injuries

Justin Holiday (Likely Out – Awaiting Confirmation)
Robin Lopez (Likely Out – Awaiting Confirmation)
Paul Zipser (Doubtful)
Zach LaVine

Chicago Bulls Offense

Points Per Game: 103.5 (21 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 106.8 (13 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 3.3 (11 of 20)

Matchup vs. Brooklyn Nets

Points Allowed Per Game: 109.7 (26 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 108.0 (22 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -1.2 (21 of 30)
Pace of Play: 101.0 (6 of 30)

Elite Plays – David Nwaba, Kris Dunn (GPP), Denzel Valentine (GPP), Lauri Markkanen (DK), Cameron Payne (DK GPP)

Secondary Plays – Kris Dunn (Cash), Denzel Valentine (Cash), Lauri Markkanen (FD), Cameron Payne (DK Cash), Bobby Portis (GPP), Zach LaVine (GPP – if active)

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets have lost eight games in a row and have nothing to play for the rest of the season. While that’s not great, they do have some young talent that they’d like to develop, so their rotations should be a little easier to figure out than they were at the start of the season. The Nets draw a favorable matchup against the Bulls, who are ranked 20th or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential. The Nets have an implied total of 110.8 points, which is the seventh highest of the slate and nearly six points above their season average.

Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson are both expected to play tonight, which will make predicting the rotation difficult tonight. I expect both players to be on minute restrictions, but it could still cut into the minutes of players like Joe Harris, DeMarre Carroll, and Quincy Acy. For that reason, I will be avoiding those three tonight against the Bulls. Spencer Dinwiddie comes into the game in good form, averaging 36 minutes and 35 fantasy points over his last five outings. He’s expensive, but that should help keep his ownership down in tournaments.

Allen Crabbe may not play 35+ minutes a game moving forward, but 30-32 minutes is a realistic projection against the Bulls, who are ranked 28th in efficiency against shooting guards. D’Angelo Russell is the most appealing play from Brooklyn tonight. Even if LeVert back in the rotation, Russell should still play around 30 minutes off the bench. On the season, he has averaged 1.10 fantasy points per minute and he has scored at least 31 fantasy points in three of his last four games. The Nets’ frontcourt is an easy fade until Hollis-Jefferson starts seeing a full complement of minutes.

Notable Injuries

Jahlil Okafor (Questionable)
Caris LeVert (Probable)
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Probable)

Brooklyn Nets Offense

Points Per Game: 105.2 (16 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 110.8 (7 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 5.6 (6 of 20)

Matchup vs. Chicago Bulls

Points Allowed Per Game: 109.6 (24 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 108.4 (26 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -1.1 (20 of 30)
Pace of Play: 100.2 (12 of 30)

Elite Plays – D’Angelo Russell (GPP)

Secondary Plays – D’Angelo Russell (Cash), Spencer Dinwiddie, Allen Crabbe

Detroit Pistons at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM ET

Detroit Pistons							Toronto Raptors
			Vegas Total		218.5					Vegas Total		218.5
			Vegas Spread		10.0					Vegas Spread		-10.0
			Implied Team Total		104.3					Implied Team Total		114.3
			Pace Projection +/-		1.1					Pace Projection +/-		-1.0
Projected Starters	Ish Smith	Reggie Bullock	Stanley Johnson	Blake Griffin	Andre Drummond		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	6	4	7	9	15		DvP	10	7	28	17	6
DRPM Rat.	3	22	4	11	11		DRPM Rat.	15	23	8	26	5

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons are hoping that their trade for Blake Griffin will be enough to carry them to the promised land, or at least to the playoffs. While they have only won five of their last ten games, they have gained ground on the eighth-seeded Heat, who have lost eight of their last ten. Detroit has a difficult matchup tonight against the Raptors, who are ranked 11th or better in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential. Surprisingly, the Pistons’ implied total of 104.3 points is slightly higher than their season average.

There are some great game environments to target tonight and this isn’t exactly one of them, especially on the Pistons’ side of the ball. Ish Smith will be locked up in a difficult matchup against Kyle Lowry. Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson are logging big minutes, but there are better value plays at their respective positions. Blake Griffin has gone cold over his last five games, averaging only 31 fantasy points per contest. The one and only viable play here is Andre Drummond. He can fill up all areas of the stat sheet, his price is below $10,000 on both FanDuel and DraftKings, and he scored 58 fantasy points in his last meeting with the Raptors.

Notable Injuries

Reggie Jackson (Out)

Detroit Pistons Offense

Points Per Game: 103.2 (24 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 104.3 (18 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 1.1 (15 of 20)

Matchup vs. Toronto Raptors

Points Allowed Per Game: 103.7 (8 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.8 (4 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 0.7 (11 of 30)
Pace of Play: 100.5 (9 of 30)

Elite Plays – Andre Drummond (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Andre Drummond (Cash)

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have won eight of their last ten games and currently own the best record in the East. Securing the one seed would not only give them home-court advantage, but it would likely delay a matchup against the Cavaliers or Celtics until the Eastern Conference Championship. Toronto’s matchup against the Pistons is better than it looks on paper. Detroit hasn’t been nearly as effective on the defensive end since trading half of their team for Blake Griffin. The Raptors have an implied total of 114.3 points, which is the fourth highest of the slate.

The big concern in this game is the ten point spread. The Raptors have been on the winning end of quite a few blowouts recently, which is why the minutes for Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have taken a hit. With that said, Lowry should be able to reach and exceed value if he plays a full complement of minutes. DeRozan’s matchup looks tough on paper, but Reggie Bullock is a subpar defender when you look at his DRPM. Lowry and DeRozan are excellent tournament plays, with Lowry being the better buy on DraftKings ($7,300) and DeRozan being the better buy on FanDuel ($8,200).

In theory, this should be a game where Serge Ibaka plays a few extra minutes. Blake Griffin will play minutes in the mid-30s and the Raptors will want Ibaka’s defense on the floor for most of those. After averaging 30 fantasy points in his last five games, Ibaka is a sneaky target at power forward. Jonas Valanciunas is typically a little too expensive for my liking, but I have some interest in tournaments. He has scored at least 25 fantasy points in each of his last five meetings with Andre Drummond, his minutes have been trending in the right direction, and his price has come down to $6,000 on DraftKings.

Notable Injuries

None

Toronto Raptors Offense

Points Per Game: 112.0 (3 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 114.3 (4 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 2.3 (12 of 20)

Matchup vs. Detroit Pistons

Points Allowed Per Game: 103.8 (9 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 105.2 (11 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -0.3 (16 of 30)
Pace of Play: 98.4 (21 of 30)

Elite Plays – Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry (DK GPP), DeMar DeRozan (FD GPP), Jonas Valanciunas (DK GPP)

Secondary Plays – Kyle Lowry (FD GPP), DeMar DeRozan (DK GPP), Jonas Valanciunas (DK Cash)

Memphis Grizzlies at Boston Celtics – 7:30 PM ET

Memphis Grizzlies							Boston Celtics
			Vegas Total		202.5					Vegas Total		202.5
			Vegas Spread		12.0					Vegas Spread		-12.0
			Implied Team Total		95.3					Implied Team Total		107.3
			Pace Projection +/-		-1.1					Pace Projection +/-		-2.9
Projected Starters	Andrew Harrison	Dillon Brooks	Jarell Martin	JaMychal Green	Marc Gasol		Projected Starters	Kyrie Irving	Jaylen Brown	Jayson Tatum	Al Horford	Aron Baynes
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	1	3	10	4	9		DvP	16	20	11	12	1
DRPM Rat.	22	2	3	3	1		DRPM Rat.	21	17	23	28	10

Memphis Grizzlies

Compared to this game, the Pistons-Raptors game looks like a fantasy goldmine. The Grizzlies and Celtics are two of the slowest-paced teams in basketball and are both ranked in the top five in points allowed per game. The fact that this game has a total of 202.5 points is a little surprising. In addition to being 12-point underdogs on the road, the Grizzlies have an implied total of 95.3 points, which is the lowest of the slate and nearly four points below their season average.

The only reason to even remotely consider the Grizzlies is that Tyreke Evans is out tonight. In his absence, we can expect big minutes from Andrew Harrison. While he hasn’t been the most consistent player, he has flashed some upside when given the opportunity to start at point guard. Harrison is an intriguing option in tournaments. I don’t want to be interested in Marc Gasol given his recent slump, but his price is all the way down to $6,900 on FanDuel. With Evans off the floor this season, Gasol has a usage rate of 31% while averaging 1.14 fantasy points per minute. If you like to target players with sub-5% ownership that have upside, Gasol is worth a look tonight in tournaments.

Notable Injuries

Tyreke Evans (Out)
Wayne Selden (Out)
Chandler Parsons (Out)
Marc Gasol (Probable)

Memphis Grizzlies Offense

Points Per Game: 98.8 (30 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 95.3 (20 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: -3.6 (19 of 20)

Matchup vs. Boston Celtics

Points Allowed Per Game: 99.8 (2 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 101.0 (1 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: 0.0 (14 of 30)
Pace of Play: 98.3 (22 of 30)

Elite Plays – None

Secondary Plays – Andrew Harrison (GPP), Marc Gasol (GPP)

Boston Celtics

The Celtics have been one of my least favorite teams to target this season. They play at a slow pace, they have an amazing defense, and they are loaded with talent. Their deep rotation makes it difficult to predict fantasy production on a nightly basis. Tonight’s matchup against the Grizzlies doesn’t look great on paper, but the Celtics’ implied total of 107.3 points is significantly higher than their season average. While their team total is appealing, keep in mind that this game has the largest spread (12 points) on the board.

Kyrie Irving has the best matchup of the five starters, as the Grizzlies are ranked below the league average in both efficiency and DvP against point guards. The issue is that he’s expensive and that he could easily spend the entire fourth quarter on the bench if this game gets out of hand. With Marcus Smart back from injury, I have little to no interest in Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, or Terry Rozier. Al Horford has been in a slump for weeks and his price point has yet to accurately reflect it. Marcus Morris is arguably the best play from Boston tonight, as he has averaged 28 minutes and 22 fantasy points over his last five games. If Aron Baynes is unable to suit up, Morris could push for 28-30 minutes against a Grizzlies’ team that hasn’t been great at defending power forwards.

Notable Injuries

Aron Baynes (Questionable)

Boston Celtics Offense

Points Per Game: 103.5 (21 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 107.3 (11 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 3.8 (10 of 20)

Matchup vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Points Allowed Per Game: 103.3 (5 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 107.0 (20 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -1.6 (24 of 30)
Pace of Play: 96.5 (30 of 30)

Elite Plays – None

Secondary Plays – Kyrie Irving (GPP), Marcus Morris

Los Angeles Lakers at Atlanta Hawks – 7:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Lakers							Atlanta Hawks
			Vegas Total		223.5					Vegas Total		223.5
			Vegas Spread		-2.0					Vegas Spread		2.0
			Implied Team Total		112.8					Implied Team Total		110.8
			Pace Projection +/-		0.3					Pace Projection +/-		3.6
Projected Starters	Lonzo Ball	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	Brandon Ingram	Julius Randle	Brook Lopez		Projected Starters	Dennis Schroder	Kent Bazemore	Taurean Prince	John Collins	Dewayne Dedmon
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	21	17	30	27	29		DvP	24	25	27	28	10
DRPM Rat.	30	2	27	11	13		DRPM Rat.	1	9	21	22	20

Los Angeles Lakers

We go from the slowest-paced game of the slate (Grizzlies-Celtics) to one of the fastest in the Lakers-Hawks. Both teams are ranked above the league average when it comes to pace of play. The Hawks have been a great matchup for fantasy production this season, ranking 22nd or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential. The Lakers have an implied total of 112.8 points, which is the fifth highest of the slate and five points above their season average.

Lonzo Ball only played 17 minutes in his first game back from injury. While that number should increase tonight, I will be avoiding him until he cracks the 30-minute mark. With Ball active, Josh Hart and Isaiah Thomas become risky fantasy options even in a favorable matchup against the Hawks. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is finally playing up to expectations, averaging 35 minutes and 38 fantasy points over his last five games. The problem is that he’s priced at a premium. While I don’t hate the KCP play in tournaments, I’d rather play Tim Hardaway or D’Angelo Russell at similar price points.

Brandon Ingram should log around 35 minutes against a Hawks’ defense that is ranked 30th in both efficiency and DvP against small forwards. Whenever we get these two numbers to line up with the DRPM of the opponent (Taurean Prince), we should take note. Ingram is viable in both cash games and tournaments. Julius Randle should continue to dominate down low, as he faces a team with the fourth worst rebounding differential in basketball. Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma are intriguing large-field tournament darts, but there are better plays at their respective positions.

Notable Injuries

Channing Frye (Out)
Lonzo Ball (Probable)

Los Angeles Lakers Offense

Points Per Game: 107.6 (9 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 112.8 (5 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 5.2 (7 of 20)

Matchup vs. Atlanta Hawks

Points Allowed Per Game: 107.9 (23 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 108.0 (22 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -2.7 (27 of 30)
Pace of Play: 99.7 (14 of 30)

Elite Plays – Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Julius Randle (Cash), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (GPP), Brook Lopez (GPP), Kyle Kuzma (GPP)

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks have lost seven of their last ten games and are currently tied with five other teams with the fewest number of wins (18) in the league. They draw a terrific matchup against the Lakers, who are ranked first in pace of play and 27th in points allowed per game. The Hawks have an implied total of 110.8 points, which is the seventh highest of the slate and seven points higher than their season average. The only downside in this game is that both teams are playing to lose.

Dennis Schroder doesn’t have the same minute upside as a lot of point guards in his price range. Over his last five games, he has averaged under 30 minutes of playing time. While that’s a concern, we have to like his matchup against the Lakers, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to his position. It doesn’t hurt that Malcolm Delaney has been ruled out, as he typically plays minutes in the low-20s off the bench. With Delaney out, Tyler Dorsey and Isaiah Taylor should both see minutes in the low to mid-20s. They are intriguing punt plays in large-field tournaments.

Taurean Prince is on the short list of most aggravating players this season. He’ll play well until the DFS community starts to notice and right when that happens, he’ll put up a dud. I wouldn’t use him in cash games (I prefer both of the Bulls’ small forwards), but he has some appeal in tournaments. This is certainly a matchup where Prince should play well. The same can be said for Kent Bazemore, who is just as likely to score ten fantasy points as he is to score 40. The Haws completed a buyout with Ersan Ilyasova, so John Collins should be the starting power forward for the rest of the season. Collins has averaged an elite 1.08 fantasy points per minute this season and will likely play 30+ minutes regularly. He’s one of the top plays at power forward tonight. Mike Muscala should play minutes in the mid-20s and is only $3,600 on DraftKings if you are looking for a cheap play in cash games or tournaments.

Notable Injuries

Malcolm Delaney (Out)
DeAndre’ Bembry (Doubtful)

Atlanta Hawks Offense

Points Per Game: 103.5 (21 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 110.8 (7 of 20)
Projected Point Differential: 7.3 (4 of 20)

Matchup vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Points Allowed Per Game: 110.0 (27 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 105.6 (12 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 1.3 (10 of 30)
Pace of Play: 103.0 (1 of 30)

Elite Plays – John Collins, Dennis Schroder (GPP), Mike Muscala (DK)

Secondary Plays – Dennis Schroder (Cash), Mike Muscala (FD), Kent Bazemore (GPP), Taurean Prince (GPP), Isaiah Taylor (DK GPP), Tyler Dorsey (FD GPP)

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