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NBA Grind Down: Monday, January 2nd

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2017-01-03 03:53:20

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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 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.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Milwaukee Bucks – 7:00 PM ET

Oklahoma City Thunder Milwaukee Bucks
oklahomacitynba Vegas Total 212.0 milwaukeenba Vegas Total 212.0
Vegas Spread 1.0 Vegas Spread -1.0
Team Total 105.5 Team Total 106.5
Pace +/- -0.8 Pace +/- 1.6
Proj. Starter Russell Westbrook Victor Oladipo Andre Roberson Domantas Sabonis Steven Adams Proj. Starter Giannis Antetokounmpo Malcolm Brogdon Tony Snell Jabari Parker John Henson
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 5 14 28 18 11 DvP 23 2 9 19 6
DRPM 3.87 -0.14 -0.65 -1.62 1.33 DRPM -0.79 0.24 1.99 1.39 1.77

Oklahoma City Thunder

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you all had a terrific New Year’s weekend. We start the week with an eight game slate that features a nice mix of superstars and value plays. The first game of the evening is between the Thunder and the Bucks. Oklahoma City is finally back to full strength, as Victor Oladipo returned from his injury on Saturday. This is a team that should be able to make the playoffs and when you have Russell Westbrook on your team, anything can happen. The Thunder draw a mediocre matchup tonight against the Bucks, who play at a fairly slow pace and are ranked eighth in points allowed per game.

Russell Westbrook had himself quite the game on New Year’s Eve, posting a triple double in only 29 minutes of action. While his 17/12/14 line was nice, nobody seemed to notice thanks to the massive 53/16/17 line that James Harden put up. We would typically worry about a player’s usage when another high usage player returns from injury, but using the CourtIQ tool, we can see that Westbrook’s usage and FP/min is nearly identical with Victor Oladipo on and off the floor. Westbrook remains an elite play in all formats. Speaking of Oladipo, he played well in his first game back, scoring 21 fantasy points in 29 minutes of action. I typically like to wait a couple of games before targeting players coming back from injury and that’s my plan with Oladipo. Enes Kanter is finally seeing the minutes that he deserves. In his last eight games, he is averaging 27.3 minutes and 27.4 fantasy points per game. He is such a good offensive player and rebounder that he needs to be on our radar anytime we can project him for 24+ minutes.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Russell Westbrook $11,800 $12,300 1.66 34.5 -4.9 57.4 -11.1 45.8% -2.8% 5 3.87
Victor Oladipo $6,000 $5,400 0.77 34.0 -5.0 26.1 -5.3 21.0% -0.8% 14 -0.14
Andre Roberson $3,600 $3,400 0.57 31.1 -5.4 17.7 -5.5 10.9% 1.0% 28 -0.65
Domantas Sabonis $3,500 $3,000 0.65 21.2 2.7 13.8 1.5 14.8% -0.3% 18 -1.62
Steven Adams $5,400 $5,100 0.84 29.4 -3.1 24.8 0.5 16.6% 3.1% 11 1.33
Enes Kanter $5,400 $5,300 1.14 20.5 6.8 23.3 5.8 25.6% 3.2% 18 N/A

Elite Plays – Russell Westbrook, Enes Kanter

Secondary Plays – Victor Oladipo (DK)

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have been a fun team to watch this season thanks to the progression of both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker. It’s a shame that they have been without Khris Middleton all season, but he is tentatively targeting a March return, so we could see the three of them in action together in the next couple of months. The Bucks draw a pace-up matchup against the Thunder, but it’s a pretty average spot for fantasy production. On the season, the Thunder are ranked 18th in points allowed per game and eighth in defensive efficiency. The Bucks come into the game with an implied total of 106.5 points, which is right around the average of the 16 teams in action tonight.

Matthew Dellavedova has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable for tonight’s game. At the time of writing this, there hasn’t been an update on his status, but it sounds like he is closer to probable than doubtful. If he is unable to suit up, we can fire up Malcolm Brogdon as an elite value play. He is coming off of his first career triple-double against the Bulls. Giannis Antetokounmpo has as much upside as any player in the slate. While he may not have the scoring upside of Russell Westbrook or James Harden, he has more block and steal upside. He remains an elite play tonight against a Thunder defense that is ranked 23rd against point guards this season. Jabari Parker has played well in his last three games, averaging 42 fantasy points in just over 37 minutes per contest. The Thunder are one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA, but are ranked 19th in fantasy points allowed to power forwards.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Giannis Antetokounmpo $10,200 $10,400 1.38 35.0 0.8 48.3 3.9 29.8% 0.0% 23 -0.79
Malcolm Brogdon $4,300 $5,100 0.76 22.9 10.4 17.4 11.4 19.6% -2.8% 2 0.24
Tony Snell $3,600 $3,500 0.54 29.1 -2.1 15.8 -3.6 12.8% -3.4% 9 1.99
Jabari Parker $7,100 $7,300 0.97 33.5 4.0 32.4 9.6 25.5% -3.2% 19 1.39
John Henson $3,800 $3,800 0.89 20.3 -2.6 18.1 -8.4 16.7% -2.6% 6 1.77
Malcolm Brogdon $4,300 $5,100 0.76 22.9 10.4 17.4 11.4 19.6% -2.8% 23 N/A

Elite Plays – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, Malcolm Brogdon (if Dellavedova is out)

Secondary Plays – Matthew Dellavedova (if active)

New Orleans Pelicans at Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:00 PM ET

New Orleans Pelicans Cleveland Cavaliers
neworleansnba Vegas Total 214.5 clevelandnba Vegas Total 214.5
Vegas Spread 10.0 Vegas Spread -10.0
Team Total 102.3 Team Total 112.3
Pace +/- 0.2 Pace +/- 1.3
Proj. Starter Jrue Holiday Buddy Hield Solomon Hill Dante Cunningham Anthony Davis Proj. Starter Kyrie Irving DeAndre Liggins LeBron James Kevin Love Tristan Thompson
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 20 26 15 3 9 DvP 27 12 19 27 22
DRPM -1.85 1.11 1.59 2.08 1.93 DRPM -0.03 -2.75 0.51 0.30 2.24

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans have won four games in a row and all of the sudden are in the mix for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. At 14-21, they are only a game behind the Kings and Nuggets, who are currently tied for eighth in the West. New Orleans will have its hands full tonight against the defending-champion Cavaliers. They come into the game as ten point underdogs with an implied total of only 102.3 points. The good news for the Pelicans is that Cleveland hasn’t been nearly as efficient on the defensive end of the floor this season. They are ranked 13th in points allowed per game and 16th in defensive efficiency.

The best way to attack the Cavaliers this season has been to target players in the opposing backcourt. With too many players splitting minutes at shooting guard for the Pelicans, that leaves us with Jrue Holiday. He is an elite tournament play tonight, especially if Kyrie Irving is active. Irving has one of the worst Defensive Real Plus-Minus (DRPM) grades of any starting point guard in the NBA. Holiday has also scored at least 31 fantasy points in four of his last five games. Tyreke Evans is averaging 1.12 fantasy points per minute this season, but is still on an 18-20 minute restriction. For now, his capped upside makes him a tough sell in cash games and tournaments. If you take out the game that he was injured, Anthony Davis has scored 39, 56, and 64 fantasy points in his last three meetings against the Cavaliers. While I don’t see him as vital to my lineup construction as Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Davis is still an elite play tonight.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Jrue Holiday $7,100 $6,500 1.00 30.8 4.2 30.7 1.9 26.8% -6.8% 20 -1.85
Buddy Hield $3,800 $3,400 0.69 19.2 4.2 13.3 7.2 21.5% -2.2% 26 1.11
Solomon Hill $3,500 $3,100 0.53 27.7 0.0 14.6 1.2 10.7% -0.3% 15 1.59
Dante Cunningham $3,800 $4,600 0.57 24.5 10.0 14.0 6.7 11.0% -2.0% 3 2.08
Anthony Davis $10,800 $10,300 1.39 37.2 -1.2 51.8 -6.8 31.1% -3.5% 9 1.93
Tyreke Evans $5,500 $4,100 1.12 14.5 0.8 16.2 2.0 29.6% -0.1% 26 N/A

Elite Plays – Jrue Holiday (GPP), Anthony Davis

Secondary Plays – Jrue Holiday (Cash), Dante Cunningham (FD), Tyreke Evans (DK)

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers continue to truck along in the rather soft Eastern Conference. They have won eight of their last ten games and are 25-7 overall. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Pelicans, who are ranked 21st in points allowed per game and 27th in rebounding differential. The Cavaliers have an implied total of 112.3 points, which is the third highest in the slate. The situation to monitor here is the status of Kyrie Irving. He missed Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury and is currently listed as questionable for tonight’s contest.

Given the usage and fantasy production that Kyrie Irving provides on a nightly basis, we need to know his status before making a determination on the top fantasy options from the Cavaliers. If Irving is active and we feel confident about his hamstring, he steps in as an elite play against a Pelicans’ defense that is ranked 27th against point guards this season. If Irving is ruled out, LeBron James and Kevin Love become close to must starts. With Irving off the floor this season, James sees a 3.9% usage boost and a 0.05 FP/min boost, while Kevin Love sees a 5.1% usage boost and a 0.17 FP/min boost. In Irving’s absence on Saturday, James and Love scored 54 and 38 fantasy points, respectively. Jordan McRae could also be worth a look if Irving is out, although there are a few cheap point guards that I would play in front of McRae in this slate.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Kyrie Irving $8,500 $7,800 1.07 34.7 0.5 37.1 8.4 30.8% 0.4% 27 -0.03
DeAndre Liggins $3,500 $3,000 0.50 15.8 5.7 8.0 -0.3 11.2% -0.2% 12 -2.75
LeBron James $9,900 $10,500 1.30 37.1 2.7 48.3 3.1 33.2% 1.2% 19 0.51
Kevin Love $8,400 $8,800 1.21 32.0 1.1 38.7 2.9 26.5% 4.3% 27 0.30
Tristan Thompson $4,700 $4,700 0.81 28.8 0.5 23.2 -2.0 10.2% 1.4% 22 2.24

Elite Plays – TBD

Secondary Plays – TBD

Orlando Magic at New York Knicks – 7:30 PM ET

Orlando Magic New York Knicks
orlandonba Vegas Total 209.0 newyorknba Vegas Total 209.0
Vegas Spread 4.5 Vegas Spread -4.5
Team Total 102.3 Team Total 106.8
Pace +/- 1.4 Pace +/- -1.1
Proj. Starter D.J. Augustin Jodie Meeks Aaron Gordon Serge Ibaka Bismack Biyombo Proj. Starter Derrick Rose Brandon Jennings Carmelo Anthony Lance Thomas Joakim Noah
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 12 29 11 14 29 DvP 18 9 13 7 26
DRPM -2.15 -1.49 -1.91 -0.46 1.84 DRPM -1.98 -0.73 -1.34 1.02 1.42

Orlando Magic

The Magic are looking to stop a two game losing streak. After a slow start to the season, they are back in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. They draw an excellent matchup tonight against the Knicks, who are ranked 25th in both points allowed per game and defensive efficiency this season. The Magic come into the game as 4.5-point underdogs with an implied total of 102.3 points, which is 3.3 points above their season average. If this game stays close, it will have sneaky shootout potential, which also means that it will be a sneaky game to stack in tournaments.

D.J. Augustin is the starter in name, but Elfrid Payton is Orlando’s point guard. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against Derrick Rose and the Knicks, but there are so many viable point guards in this slate that I don’t see myself clicking his name very often. He is a deep GPP play at best given his elevated price point. Evan Fournier has missed the last four games with a heel injury. If he is unable to suit up tonight, Jodie Meeks would become a decent value at shooting guard. He is averaging 26.8 minutes and 18.6 fantasy points in his last three starts. Aaron Gordon has also seen a nice boost with Fournier out, but he is one of the most frustrating players in all of DFS. I don’t recommend using Gordon unless you love to tilt. Serge Ibaka sees a nice usage boost with Fournier out and should fly under the radar tonight in tournaments. He also sees a small boost with Kristaps Porzingis out for the Knicks. The final play to note is my favorite on Orlando: Nikola Vucevic. He is averaging 34.3 fantasy points in his last three games and he gets to face a Knicks’ frontcourt that is ranked 29th against centers this season.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
D.J. Augustin $3,600 $3,400 0.73 20.2 -3.5 14.8 -1.3 22.6% 2.3% 12 -2.15
Jodie Meeks $4,000 $4,600 0.73 19.9 6.9 14.6 4.0 18.4% -2.1% 29 -1.49
Aaron Gordon $4,100 $4,800 0.76 26.1 2.9 19.9 4.1 19.8% -1.8% 11 -1.91
Serge Ibaka $6,800 $6,700 0.95 30.4 -1.8 28.8 3.2 20.4% 2.8% 14 1.23
Bismack Biyombo $4,500 $4,300 0.77 26.2 -3.3 20.1 -4.3 12.8% 1.3% 29 1.84
Nikola Vucevic $6,700 $6,200 1.14 27.8 0.0 31.6 2.7 24.8% 1.3% 29 N/A
Elfrid Payton $5,900 $5,900 0.90 28.7 -1.7 25.8 -5.2 24.5% -0.8% 12 N/A

Elite Plays – Nikola Vucevic (DK)

Secondary Plays – Nikola Vucevic (FD), Jodie Meeks, Aaron Gordon, Serge Ibaka

New York Knicks

The Knicks have lost four games in a row and seven of their last ten. While they will likely be short-handed tonight, they are still listed as 4.5-point favorites against the Magic. Orlando has picked up their pace of play recently and it has hurt their ranking in points allowed per game, which is now 12th. They are also ranked 19th in defensive efficiency and 24th in rebounding differential. The Knicks come into the game with an implied total of 106.8 points, which is the seventh highest in the slate.

There are a few injuries to monitor heading into this game. Kristaps Porzingis is not expected to play, while Carmelo Anthony, Courtney Lee, and Kyle O’Quinn are all questionable. With Porzingis off the floor this season, Anthony sees a 6.5% usage boost and a 0.18 FP/min boost. Assuming he is cleared to play tonight, this is a great spot for Anthony. If Courtney Lee is unable to suit up, we could see Brandon Jennings draw another start at shooting guard. The two point guard approach is interesting, but both Jennings and Derrick Rose have played well in Lee’s absence. They also both draw elite matchups against the likes of D.J. Augustin, Elfrid Payton, and Jodie Meeks. Lance Thomas is expected to start for the injured Porzingis. In his spot start on Saturday, Thomas finished with 13 fantasy points in 33 minutes of action. If O’Quinn is unable to suit up, Joakim Noah and Willy Hernangomez would become intriguing tournament options.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Derrick Rose $6,500 $6,500 0.90 32.2 8.3 29.0 7.4 28.0% 2.4% 18 -1.98
Brandon Jennings $4,000 $4,300 0.82 24.3 7.9 19.8 5.1 22.5% -0.8% 9 -0.73
Carmelo Anthony $7,700 $7,200 1.02 33.4 -8.8 33.9 -10.0 28.6% 3.1% 13 -1.34
Lance Thomas $3,500 $3,000 0.46 16.5 4.2 7.6 -0.9 13.4% -1.6% 7 1.02
Joakim Noah $4,500 $4,800 0.95 22.4 5.2 21.3 9.4 14.2% 1.6% 26 1.42
Justin Holiday $4,000 $4,200 0.74 20.0 10.9 14.7 12.1 16.3% 0.4% 9 N/A
Willy Hernangomez $3,600 $3,200 0.94 13.6 -1.7 12.7 -5.4 18.1% -4.6% 26 N/A

Elite Plays – Carmelo Anthony (if active), Derrick Rose

Secondary Plays – Brandon Jennings (if Lee is out), Joakim Noah, Willy Hernangomez

Utah Jazz at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 PM ET

Utah Jazz Brooklyn Nets
utahnba Vegas Total 204.0 brooklynnba Vegas Total 204.0
Vegas Spread -6.5 Vegas Spread 6.5
Team Total 105.3 Team Total 98.8
Pace +/- 5.5 Pace +/- -5.5
Proj. Starter Shelvin Mack Rodney Hood Gordon Hayward Derrick Favors Rudy Gobert Proj. Starter Isaiah Whitehead Sean Kilpatrick Bojan Bogdanovic Trevor Booker Brook Lopez
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 30 30 30 28 30 DvP 2 3 3 1 3
DRPM -0.91 -2.38 -2.73 2.28 -0.10 DRPM -0.77 0.96 0.44 2.13 4.79

Utah Jazz

The Jazz just can’t seem to stay healthy this season, in particular George Hill. After finally returning to the floor after dealing with a toe injury, Hill was elbowed in the face and suffered a concussion on Saturday night against the Suns. He has already been ruled out of tonight’s contest and could be out for the next few games. Alec Burks will be making his season debut tonight, although he has an extensive track record with injuries as well. In terms of Utah’s matchup, there is not a better one than the Nets. On the season, Brooklyn is ranked first in pace of play and dead last in points allowed per game. The Jazz have an implied total of 105.3 points, which is 6.3 points above their season average.

With Dante Exum and George Hill out, Shelvin Mack should see 30+ minutes of action tonight against a Nets’ defense that is ranked dead last in fantasy points allowed to point guards. Mack hasn’t been great in his recent spot starts, but it’s hard to pass on his $3,800 salary on FanDuel. Even with Alec Burks back in the mix, Mack should see all of the minutes that he can handle. Rodney Hood is one of my favorite values at any position tonight. His price is way down across the industry thanks to a slump that was caused by an illness. He should easily reach value tonight in an uptempo game against the Nets. With Hill out, the offense will continue to run through Gordon Hayward, who is one of the top plays at small forward tonight. He is averaging 39.3 fantasy points in his last three games. Derrick Favors has played 24 and 25 minutes in his last two games. While his price has come up on both FanDuel and DraftKings, he is still a borderline elite play in this slate. Rudy Gobert should be able to dominate both ends of the floor. The Nets allow more blocked shots per game (5.8) than any other team in the NBA.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Shelvin Mack $3,800 $5,000 0.64 23.6 2.3 15.2 -5.4 22.0% -1.9% 30 -0.91
Rodney Hood $4,700 $4,900 0.76 28.9 -1.6 22.1 -7.4 23.6% -2.3% 30 -2.38
Gordon Hayward $7,700 $8,100 1.02 35.2 -1.6 36.0 3.3 27.9% -3.0% 30 -2.73
Derrick Favors $4,900 $4,900 0.90 21.3 2.2 19.1 0.9 20.9% -1.2% 28 2.28
Rudy Gobert $7,700 $7,400 1.00 33.0 3.0 33.0 -0.1 14.4% 1.6% 30 -0.10

Elite Plays – Shelvin Mack (FD), Rudy Gobert, Gordon Hayward, Rodney Hood

Secondary Plays – Derrick Favors

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets have lost eight of their last ten games and are tied with the Sixers for the worst record in the NBA. They draw one of the worst possible matchups tonight, as they host the visiting Jazz. On the season, Utah is ranked dead last in pace of play and first in points allowed per game. The Jazz are basically the anti-Nets. Brooklyn has an implied total of only 98.8 points, which is the lowest in the slate and 7.3 points below their season average. While I’m not a fan of the spot as a whole, I don’t mind Sean Kilpatrick and Brook Lopez as tournament plays. Kilpatrick is only $4,800 on FanDuel and sees a nice usage boost with Jeremy Lin out, while Lopez is still too cheap on DraftKings at $6,100.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Isaiah Whitehead $3,500 $3,300 0.62 22.6 -2.5 14.0 -1.0 18.3% 2.6% 2 -0.77
Sean Kilpatrick $4,600 $5,500 0.86 27.7 2.0 23.9 -0.3 24.9% -2.8% 3 0.96
Bojan Bogdanovic $4,000 $4,000 0.74 26.9 -1.8 19.9 2.5 21.0% -0.1% 3 0.44
Trevor Booker $5,000 $5,000 0.96 27.5 -4.9 26.3 -1.4 17.1% 1.9% 1 2.13
Brook Lopez $7,000 $6,100 1.15 29.0 3.7 33.3 0.7 28.0% -4.2% 3 4.79
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson $4,200 $3,700 0.81 22.7 1.5 18.4 0.7 18.2% 4.6% 3 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – Sean Kilpatrick (FD), Brook Lopez (DK)

Washington Wizards at Houston Rockets – 8:00 PM ET

Washington Wizards Houston Rockets
washingtonnba Vegas Total 229.0 houstonnba Vegas Total 229.0
Vegas Spread 9.5 Vegas Spread -9.5
Team Total 109.8 Team Total 119.3
Pace +/- 2.4 Pace +/- 0.4
Proj. Starter John Wall Sheldon McClellan Otto Porter Markieff Morris Marcin Gortat Proj. Starter Patrick Beverley James Harden Trevor Ariza Ryan Anderson Montrezl Harrell
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 8 24 24 22 20 DvP 6 12 8 26 12
DRPM 1.30 -1.07 2.03 -0.76 0.69 DRPM -0.35 -0.25 1.24 1.45 1.25

Washington Wizards

The Wizards have won seven of their last ten games and have climbed their way back to .500 overall. Tonight’s game against the Rockets could be filled with fantasy goodness, as both teams are ranked above the league average in pace of play. They are also both ranked in the bottom ten in points allowed per game. The over/under is currently set at 229 points, which is right there with the Warriors’ game as the highest in the slate. The Wizards come into the game as 9.5-point underdogs with an implied total of 109.8 points, which is the fourth highest in the slate and 4.1 points above their season average.

John Wall draws a difficult individual matchup against Patrick Beverley, but he has been on such a tear that it’s hard to see anyone slowing him down at this point. Add in the fact that Beverley could miss tonight’s game with a wrist injury and I’m not concerned at all. Wall will likely fly under the radar a bit, given the fact that Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are all in such great spots. I consider Wall an elite tournament play and a secondary cash game option. Bradley Beal made it through shootaround this morning, but is expected to be a game-time decision. He is too risky for cash games, although he makes a ton of sense if you are willing to take on some additional risk in tournaments. Otto Porter is a fine play against a Rockets’ defense that is ranked 24th against both shooting guards and small forwards this season. Markieff Morris is everyone’s least favorite DFS target, but he should see 30+ minutes in what could be the highest scoring game of the night. Marcin Gortat is a safe cash game option that should see minutes in the mid-30s.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
John Wall $9,700 $10,100 1.25 36.2 1.4 45.3 6.3 35.0% -0.9% 8 1.30
Sheldon McClellan $3,700 $3,300 0.59 13.7 2.1 8.1 -0.7 14.6% -3.1% 24 -1.07
Otto Porter $5,800 $6,100 0.83 33.7 1.4 27.8 3.9 15.2% 3.0% 24 2.03
Markieff Morris $5,200 $5,100 0.76 31.2 -3.0 23.9 -2.7 19.9% -0.2% 22 -0.76
Marcin Gortat $6,600 $6,400 0.83 35.6 2.3 29.7 3.9 13.9% -0.1% 20 0.69
Kelly Oubre $3,500 $3,900 0.64 18.5 -1.5 11.8 -5.3 14.4% 0.9% 24 N/A

Elite Plays – John Wall (GPP), Markieff Morris (GPP), Marcin Gortat (Cash)

Secondary Plays – Bradley Beal (GPP), John Wall (Cash), Markieff Morris (Cash), Marcin Gortat (GPP), Otto Porter

Houston Rockets

The Rockets have really played well this season. You couldn’t design an offense that is a better fit for James Harden than the one he is in right now. Houston averages the second most points per game of any team in the league and they are 26-9 overall. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Wizards, who are ranked 19th or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential this season. The Rockets come into the game with an implied total of 119.3 points, which is the second highest in the slate and 4.3 points above their season average.

Patrick Beverley is listed as questionable tonight, after missing Saturday’s game with a wrist injury. His availability doesn’t change much on the Rockets’ front, although it would boost the matchup for John Wall if he is ruled out. James Harden is coming off of a ridiculous game on Saturday, scoring 53 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and dishing out 17 assists. That will likely go down as one of the best fantasy outings that we will ever see. For some reason, FanDuel decided to keep his price in the low $11,000 range and his ownership is going to be off the charts tonight. The Wizards don’t have anyone that can stay in front of him. Montrezl Harrell stands out as an elite play on FanDuel at a price of only $4,600. The rest of the Rockets’ shooters are all worth a look in tournaments.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Patrick Beverley $5,900 $5,400 0.84 30.7 2.1 25.9 4.0 16.0% -0.3% 6 -0.35
James Harden $11,300 $12,400 1.48 36.4 -1.2 53.9 15.5 38.6% 4.7% 12 -0.25
Trevor Ariza $5,600 $5,500 0.77 33.5 1.8 25.8 4.2 15.0% -1.3% 8 1.24
Ryan Anderson $5,400 $5,800 0.74 30.6 -1.7 22.6 2.6 17.4% 1.4% 26 1.45
Montrezl Harrell $4,600 $5,100 0.91 17.1 12.5 15.6 10.4 17.8% -2.2% 12 1.25
Eric Gordon $5,600 $5,700 0.84 30.4 -2.7 25.5 -1.0 23.5% -0.4% 12 N/A

Elite Plays – James Harden, Montrezl Harrell (FD)

Secondary Plays – Montrezl Harrell (DK), Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson

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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