NBA Grind Down: Monday, March 2nd
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.
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Toronto at Philadelphia – 7:00 PM EST
- Vegas Line – Toronto -8.5, 193 Over/Under
- Toronto Proj. Starters – Vasquez-DeRozan-J.Johnson-A.Johnson-Valanciunas
- Philadelphia Proj. Starters – Canaan-Richardson-Mbah a Moute-Noel-Sims
| Toronto | Philadelphia | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 193 |  | Vegas Total | 193 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -8.5 | Vegas Sprd | 8.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 100.8 | Team Proj. | 92.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.00 | Team Pace | 98.15 | |||||||||
| 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 | Greivis Vasquez | DeMar DeRozan | James Johnson | Amir Johnson | Jonas Valanciunas | Proj Starter | Isaiah Canaan | Jason Richardson | Luc Mbah a Moute | Nerlens Noel | Henry Sims | |
| Opp. Season | 23 | 29 | 22 | 29 | 30 | Opp. Season | 21 | 12 | 24 | 7 | 11 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 23 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 14 | Opp. Last 7 | 22 | 29 | 27 | 4 | 10 | |
Toronto
The Raptors have lost five games in a row and are currently only one game ahead of the fourth-seeded Cavaliers. If they can’t right the ship quickly, they could easily miss out on home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The good news is that they get to face one of the worst teams in the NBA tonight. The Raptors are 8.5-point favorites tonight against the Sixers, who have allowed opponents to score the 10th-most points per game this season. The Raptors are expected to rest Kyle Lowry, which gives a sizable boost to both Greivis Vasquez and Louis Williams.
Opponent Breakdown (Philadelphia)
Record: 13-46
Points Allowed Per Game: 100.6 (Rank: 21)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 13
Rebounding Differential Rank: 29
Elite Plays
Greivis Vasquez (FD: $4100, DK: $4200 / MPG: 23 / Usage Rate: 21.4)
With Kyle Lowry out tonight, Vasquez should draw another start at point guard. In his start against the Knicks on Saturday night, he finished the game with a respectable stat line of 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists in 34 minutes. Assuming he draws another start tonight, is he one of the top value plays on the board. He only needs roughly 20 fantasy points to reach value expectations and his matchup against the Sixers is more than favorable. The Sixers are ranked 23rd against point guards this season.
James Johnson (FD: $4000, DK: $4700 / MPG: 21 / Usage Rate: 16.3)
Johnson is a bit of a wild-card, but we can afford to take a chance on him at his price point. While he may not see the most consistent minutes or put up the most consistent production, he offers incredible upside at his price point. He saw a small boost in minutes on Saturday night (33) with Kyle Lowry out, and he should see around 30 minutes again tonight. He has scored at least 24 fantasy points in five of his last nine games and is the top value play at small forward tonight.
Secondary Plays
DeMar DeRozan (FD: $6400, DK: $7000 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 28)
DeRozan should be a popular play at shooting guard tonight, especially on FanDuel where we have to roster two players at the position. His production has been down recently, but he’s in a great spot to bounce back tonight against the Sixers. He should have a slightly higher usage with Kyle Lowry out and he’s facing a Sixers’ defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.
Lou Williams (FD: $5100, DK: $4300 / MPG: 25 / Usage Rate: 26.7)
Williams is spark plug off the bench. He’s a threat to score as soon as he checks in. With Kyle Lowry out, he is going to see an uptick in minutes and he will play quite a few minutes at point guard. Williams played well in Lowry’s absence on Saturday, scoring 30 fantasy points in 33 minutes against the Knicks. Williams is cheap and is a borderline elite play tonight against the paltry defense of the Sixers.
Patrick Patterson (FD: $4700, DK: $3900 / MPG: 26 / Usage Rate: 13.2)
Power forward is an absolute mess tonight, especially on sites that have Draymond Green listed as a small forward. Of the two Raptors’ power forwards, I’ll give a slight edge to Patterson. He has averaged more minutes than Johnson over the last couple of weeks and he has now scored at least 20 fantasy points in six of his last nine games.
Philadelphia
The Sixers have lost seven of their last 10 games and currently have the second-worst record in the NBA. At this point, every win is going to cost them a few ping pong balls. The Sixers are sizable underdogs at home tonight against the Raptors. This game has the potential to turn into a blowout, as the Sixers have struggled to stay competitive since the trade deadline. Even though the matchup against the Raptors’ struggling defense is favorable, the Sixers are very risky fantasy options tonight.
Opponent Breakdown (Toronto)
Record: 37-22
Points Allowed Per Game: 100.5 (Rank: 20)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 17
Rebounding Differential Rank: 18
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Jason Richardson (FD: $4100, DK: $3600 / DvP: 13 / Usage Rate: 21.6) – Richardson is a viable punt play at shooting guard tonight, but make sure that he is in the lineup before locking him into your roster. Richardson sat out the second game of the Sixers’ last back-to-back situation and is in the same position tonight. However, if he does get the green light to play, he deserves roster consideration. He has played at least 25 minutes and has scored at least 17 fantasy points in each of his last three games.
Phoenix at Miami – 7:30 PM EST
- Vegas Line – Miami -2, 206 Over/Under
- Phoenix Proj. Starters – Bledsoe-Knight-Tucker-Morris-Len
- Miami Proj. Starters – Dragic-Wade-Deng-Walker-Whiteside
| Phoenix | Miami | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 206 |  | Vegas Total | 206 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 2.0 | Vegas Sprd | -2.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 102.0 | Team Proj. | 104.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 99.48 | Team Pace | 92.40 | |||||||||
| 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 | Proj Starter | |||||||||||
| Opp. Season | 9 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 8 | Opp. Season | 18 | 23 | 28 | 9 | 20 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 3 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 24 | Opp. Last 7 | 25 | 11 | 25 | 15 | 3 | |
Phoenix
The Suns are quickly falling out of the playoff race in the Western Conference. They have lost seven of their last 10 games and are now two full games behind the eighth-seeded Thunder. Tonight they travel to Miami to take on the Heat in a game that features a total of 206 points. This may not be the most favorable matchup on paper, but the Heat have played at a much quicker pace since trading for Goran Dragic. That should help offset the fact that the Heat have held their opponents to the fourth-fewest points per game this season.
Opponent Breakdown (Miami)
Record: 25-33
Points Allowed Per Game: 96.7 (Rank: 4)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 19
Rebounding Differential Rank: 22
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Eric Bledsoe (FD: $8900, DK: $8600 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 23.7)
Bledsoe would have seen a sizable fantasy boost if Brandon Knight was ruled out, but it sounds like Knight is going to suit up for tonight’s game against the Heat. With Knight in the lineup and Bledsoe’s price at an all-time high, he is a secondary option at shooting guard tonight. Bledsoe does offer great upside though, as evidenced by scoring at least 44 fantasy points in three of his last seven games.
P.J. Tucker (FD: $5100, DK: $5500 / MPG: 29 / Usage Rate: 12.9)
Tucker has been a safe, high-floor fantasy option recently. He has scored at least 21 fantasy points in nine of his last 10 games, which is great production for a player at his price point. Tucker draws a tough matchup against Luol Deng and the Heat, but his ability to contribute to all areas of the stat sheet helps offset his difficult matchup.
Alex Len (FD: $5100, DK: $5600 / MPG: 22 / Usage Rate: 13.4)
Len’s minutes are trending in the right direction. He has played at least 32 minutes in four of his last five games. Foul trouble is the only thing that will hold him back from playing 30+ minutes tonight against the Heat. While Len is sitting at an attractive price point, it’s hard to justify targeting him with both DeAndre Jordan and Hassan Whiteside in such great matchups.
Miami
The Heat are hoping Goran Dragic will be able to suit up for tonight’s game. Not only has he been a nice fit for the Heat, but he will have a little added motivation to play well, as he is facing his former team. The Heat are 2-point favorites tonight against the Suns in a game that is expected to be close and high scoring. The Heat are projected to score 104 points tonight, which is markedly higher than their season average of 93.6.
Opponent Breakdown (Phoenix)
Record: 31-29
Points Allowed Per Game: 105.1 (Rank: 28)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 19
Rebounding Differential Rank: 25
Elite Plays
Hassan Whiteside (FD: $7600, DK: $8200 / MPG: 22 / Usage Rate: 20.2)
The way I see it, there are two centers that should be on your radar tonight: DeAndre Jordan and Hassan Whiteside. Given their respective price points on FanDuel and DraftKings, it’s easy to target Whiteside on FanDuel and Jordan on DraftKings. That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it. Whiteside scored at least 34 fantasy points in four of his last five games. He should be able to dominate the glass against the Suns, who are ranked 25th in rebounding differential this season.
Dwyane Wade (FD: $7100, DK: $6900 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 34)
Wade is a very sneaky play tonight at shooting guard. The masses will likely be drawn to DeMar DeRozan, but I have Wade ranked slightly ahead of him tonight (assuming they are at the same price point). Wade has one of the highest usage rates in the NBA at 34.0 and he may see an uptick in usage tonight if Goran Dragic is unable to suit up. He will have to deal with the pesky defense of Brandon Knight, but as a team, the Suns are not great defensively.
Secondary Plays
Luol Deng (FD: $6400, DK: $6000 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 20.2)
Deng has scored at least 30 fantasy points in five of his last seven games. Surprisingly, in the two games where he didn’t eclipse 30 fantasy points, he failed to score 10 fantasy points. He’s been a little hit or miss, but he has taken on a bigger role in the offense since Chris Bosh was ruled out for the rest of the season. Deng is a strong play at small forward tonight against a Suns’ defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to the position this season.
Henry Walker (FD: $4200, DK: $3600 / MPG: 28 / Usage Rate: 21.6)
Walker has played at least 26 minutes in each of his last three games, averaging 20 fantasy points per game during that stretch. He is expected to remain in the starting lineup tonight and he offers some nice salary cap relief at the shooting guard position.
Golden State at Brooklyn – 7:30 PM EST
- Vegas Line – Golden State -5.5, 208.5 Over/Under
- Golden State Proj. Starters – Curry-Thompson-Barnes-Green-Ezeli
- Brooklyn Proj. Starters – Williams-Anderson-Johnson-Brown-Plumlee
| Golden State | Brooklyn | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 208.5 |  | Vegas Total | 208.5 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -5.5 | Vegas Sprd | 5.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 107.0 | Team Proj. | 101.5 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 101.05 | Team Pace | 94.46 | |||||||||
| 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 | Stephen Curry | Klay Thompson | Harrison Barnes | Draymond Green | Festus Ezeli | Proj Starter | Deron Williams | Alan Anderson | Joe Johnson | Markel Brown | Mason Plumlee | |
| Opp. Season | 13 | 26 | 9 | 24 | 13 | Opp. Season | 6 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 19 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 6 | 12 | 19 | 19 | 17 | Opp. Last 7 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 7 | 7 | |
Golden State
The Warriors picked up a huge comeback win over the Celtics last night. They were down by as many as 26 points in the first half, but once again, Stephen Curry put the team on his back and carried them to victory. You can be assured that the cafeteria at ESPN is serving up some Chicken Curry today. The Warriors now head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets in the second-half of a back-to-back. Andrew Bogut may get the night off to rest. If that’s the case, Festus Ezeli, David Lee, and Marreese Speights would all see a small uptick in minutes.
Opponent Breakdown (Brooklyn)
Record: 24-33
Points Allowed Per Game: 99.3 (Rank: 14)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 21
Rebounding Differential Rank: 23
Elite Plays
Stephen Curry (FD: $10000, DK: $9800 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 28.3)
Curry is my favorite tournament play tonight. I have a feeling that his ownership level will be low, even though there are only five games on the schedule. Chris Paul will likely be the popular pick at point guard, leaving Curry as a contrarian play with a ton of upside. He is coming off of yet another huge game last night against the Celtics. Deron Williams and the Nets will have their hands full with the MVP candidate.
Secondary Plays
Draymond Green (FD: $7300, DK: $6800 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 16.3)
There has been some chatter that the Warriors may decide to rest Green tonight, but until we hear anything official, he should be considered the elite play at small forward on FanDuel (he’s listed as a power forward on DraftKings). His minutes have been trending upward recently, as he has played at least 33 minutes in five of his last seven games. He may be asked to log heavy minutes again, especially if Andrew Bogut gets the night off to rest.
Klay Thompson (FD: $7200, DK: $7700 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 27.4)
Thompson has finally started to show a level of consistency, as he has scored at least 30 fantasy points in each of his last five games. The Warriors are playing in the second half of a back-to-back, but Thompson is not a player that you need to worry about being limited. He should see his usual complement of minutes tonight against the Nets, who are ranked 26th against shooting guards this season.
Brooklyn
The Nets have won five of their last 10 games, but they are losing ground to the red-hot Pacers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Nets will have their hands full with the Warriors tonight, as Golden State owns the best record in the NBA. The Nets are listed as 5.5-point underdogs in a game that features a total of 208 points. The good news for the Nets is that they are facing the Warriors on the tail end of a back-to-back.
Opponent Breakdown (Golden State)
Record: 46-11
Points Allowed Per Game: 99.8 (Rank: 17)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 1
Rebounding Differential Rank: 15
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Joe Johnson (FD: $6400, DK: $6100 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 21.7)
The Nets get to face the fastest-paced team in the NBA and they get to face them on the tail end of a back-to-back. That’s good news for the Nets as a whole, but there aren’t any plays that really stand out here. Johnson is the preferred option if you must have some exposure to the Nets. He has scored at least 27 fantasy points in six of his last seven games and has a good chance to hit that mark again tonight against the Warriors.
Markel Brown (FD: $4000, DK: $4000 / MPG: 11 / Usage Rate: 18)
Brown has scored at least 19 fantasy points in four straight games. At his price point, that means that he has reached value in four straight. He’s a serviceable value play tonight against the Warriors. I’m not planning to have any exposure to Brown tonight, but I don’t dislike the pick.
L.A. Clippers at Minnesota – 8:00 PM EST
- Vegas Line – L.A. Clippers -4.5, 206 Over/Under
- L.A. Clippers Proj. Starters – Paul-Redick-Barnes-Hawes-Jordan
- Minnesota Proj. Starters – Rubio-Martin-Wiggins-Garnett-Dieng
| L.A. Clippers | Minnesota | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 206 |  | Vegas Total | 206 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -4.5 | Vegas Sprd | 4.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 105.3 | Team Proj. | 100.8 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.71 | Team Pace | 97.48 | |||||||||
| 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 | Chris Paul | J.J. Redick | Matt Barnes | Spencer Hawes | DeAndre Jordan | Proj Starter | Ricky Rubio | Kevin Martin | Andrew Wiggins | Kevin Garnett | Gorgui Dieng | |
| Opp. Season | 27 | 25 | 30 | 27 | 28 | Opp. Season | 3 | 16 | 27 | 15 | 16 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 2 | 28 | 18 | 20 | 13 | Opp. Last 7 | 5 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 9 | |
L.A. Clippers
The Clippers have won six of their last 10 games. They are treading water while they wait for Blake Griffin to return from his injury. The Clippers draw one of the best matchups on the schedule tonight. The Wolves play at a fast pace and have allowed the second-most points per game this season. The Wolves are also ranked 21st in rebounding differential and may be without their best low post defender in Nikola Pekovic. This will be a fast-paced, high-scoring game that is full of viable fantasy options.
Opponent Breakdown (Minnesota)
Record: 13-45
Points Allowed Per Game: 105.5 (Rank: 29)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 30
Rebounding Differential Rank: 21
Elite Plays
Chris Paul (FD: $10000, DK: $9900 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 22.8)
Paul is the premier play at point guard tonight and is a tough fade in cash games. As mentioned above, Stephen Curry is a strong play, but he’s best suited for tournaments. Since Blake Griffin went down with his injury, Paul has been responsible for so much of the Clippers’ offense. His usage may go up even more tonight if J.J. Redick and/or Matt Barnes were forced to sit out. Even if they both play, Paul should excel in an up-tempo game against the Wolves, who are ranked 27th against point guards this season.
DeAndre Jordan (FD: $9700, DK: $8900 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 12.9)
Jordan has been unstoppable recently, scoring at least 47 fantasy points in six of his last eight games. He’s basically a lock for a double-double with 20/20 type of upside every time he takes the floor. In my eyes, the center position basically comes down to Jordan vs. Whiteside. Again, Jordan has a more attractive price tag on DraftKings, while Whiteside has a more attractive price tag on FanDuel. If you play on both sites, it’s a great way to get exposure to both players.
Secondary Plays
Jamal Crawford (FD: $5700, DK: $5500 / MPG: 27 / Usage Rate: 28.1)
As mentioned above, J.J. Redick and Matt Barnes are both questionable for tonight’s game against the Wolves. If one, or both, were forced to sit out, Crawford would see a sizable fantasy boost. He has an extremely high usage rate of 28.1 and he may be asked to log heavy minutes tonight. He also draws one of the best matchups on the board, as the Wolves are ranked 25th against shooting guards this season.
Minnesota
The Wolves are in an interesting predicament right now. They are a much-improved team now that they are healthy, but they have nothing to play for at this point, as their first-round pick is top 12 protected. The Wolves are listed as 4.5-point underdogs tonight against the Clippers in a game that features a total of 206 points. The Wolves may be without Nikola Pekovic tonight, as he is dealing with an ankle injury that forced him out of Saturday night’s game against the Grizzlies.
Injury Update: Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin are both questionable.
Opponent Breakdown (L.A. Clippers)
Record: 39-21
Points Allowed Per Game: 100.3 (Rank: 19)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 16
Rebounding Differential Rank: 15
Elite Plays
Andrew Wiggins (FD: $6600, DK: $6400 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 21.8)
Over his last 10 games, Wiggins is averaging 18.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 38.4 minutes per game. I expect him to post very similar numbers in tonight’s matchup against the Clippers. Wiggins is a safe play at small forward, which is a very thin position tonight. It also helps that he is facing a Clippers’ defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season.
Gorgui Dieng (FD: $5900, DK: $5100 / MPG: 29 / Usage Rate: 15.2)
Nikola Pekovic is dealing with an ankle injury and it’s looking like he may be forced to sit out tonight’s game against the Clippers. If that’s the case, Dieng will likely draw the start at center. While the matchup against DeAndre “rebounding black hole” Jordan isn’t ideal, his uptick in minutes more than offsets the tough matchup. Dieng is in play on sites that allow you to roster more than one center.
Secondary Plays
Ricky Rubio (FD: $7500, DK: $7600 / MPG: 31 / Usage Rate: 20.9)
Rubio, like Curry, is a better tournament than cash game play tonight. The chalk plays at point guard are Chris Paul and Greivis Vasquez, both of which are tough fades in cash games. Rubio does draw a tough matchup against Paul, but he offers great upside at his price point. His minutes are trending in the right direction and he has now scored at least 38 fantasy points in five of his last six games.
Kevin Martin (FD: $6800, DK: $6400 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 25.9)
Martin’s production has slowed down a bit recently, but he has still scored at least 20 fantasy points in each of his last last ten games. During that stretch, he has scored at least 28 fantasy point six times. Martin is a solid mid-range option at shooting guard that will likely go overlooked tonight.
New Orleans at Dallas – 8:30 PM EST
- Vegas Line – Dallas -8.5, 198 Over/Under
- New Orleans Proj. Starters – Evans-Gordon-Pondexter-Cunningham-Asik
- Dallas Proj. Starters – Rondo-Ellis-Parsons-Nowitzki-Chandler
| New Orleans | Dallas | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 198 |  | Vegas Total | 198 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 8.5 | Vegas Sprd | -8.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 94.8 | Team Proj. | 103.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.01 | Team Pace | 96.75 | |||||||||
| 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 | Tyreke Evans | Eric Gordon | Quincy Pondexter | Dante Cunningham | Omer Asik | Proj Starter | Rajon Rondo | Monta Ellis | Chandler Parsons | Dirk Nowitzki | Tyson Chandler | |
| Opp. Season | 24 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 15 | Opp. Season | 17 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 9 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 8 | Opp. Last 7 | 9 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 26 | |
New Orleans
Who needs Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson anyway? The Pelicans have won five straight games and have actually gained ground on the Thunder for the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. The Pelicans will look for their sixth win in a row tonight against the Mavericks in Dallas. The Pelicans are listed as 8.5-point underdogs though and will be playing in the second half of a back-to-back. The matchup is favorable, but the Pelicans may be playing on tired legs tonight.
Opponent Breakdown (Dallas)
Record: 39-22
Points Allowed Per Game: 100.6 (Rank: 21)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 14
Rebounding Differential Rank: 29
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Tyreke Evans (FD: $8400, DK: $7700 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 25.8)
Even though the Pelicans have won five in a row, this game has the potential to turn into a blowout. The Pelicans are playing in the tail end of a back-to-back and the Mavericks are expected to be at full strength tonight. The potential blowout bumps Evans down to a secondary play tonight. He has been playing well without Anthony Davis in the lineup though, as he has scored at least 36 fantasy points in five of his last six games.
Omer Asik (FD: $4900, DK: $4900 / MPG: 26 / Usage Rate: 13.8)
If you want to build a contrarian lineup that doesn’t include DeAndre Jordan, Hassan Whiteside, or Gorgui Dieng, Asik is a fine option at center. He has played well recently, scoring at least 28 fantasy points in four of his last five games. His price has yet to reflect this recent level of production, as he is still under $5,000 on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Dallas
When the Mavericks traded for Rajon Rondo, many thought that they were contenders in the Western Conference. That seems like ages ago, after Rajon Rondo got into another fight with a head coach. The Mavericks have still managed to win games, but they are sitting in the sixth seed in the Western Conference and may face a one-and-done situation in the playoffs. The Mavericks draw a mediocre matchup against the Pelicans, who have played at the slowest pace of any team over the last three weeks of play.
Opponent Breakdown (New Orleans)
Record: 32-27
Points Allowed Per Game: 99.3 (Rank: 14)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 26
Rebounding Differential Rank: 5
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Dirk Nowitzki (FD: $6300, DK: $6200 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 25.6)
It’s hard to find one reliable option at power forward tonight, let alone two. Nowitzki is probably the safest cash game play of the options at his position, as he is fairly predictable at this point in his career. He is going to play around 30 minutes, he will put up around 15 shot attempts, and he will score somewhere in the range of 20-35 fantasy points. Nowitzki is a safe cash game play against the Pelicans and is the only Mavericks player on my radar tonight.