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NBA Grind Down: Saturday, April 23rd

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-04-24 03:00:36

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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Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers – 3:00 PM

Toronto Raptors Indiana Pacers
torontonba Vegas Total 193.0 indiananba Vegas Total 193.0
Vegas Sprd -1.5 Vegas Sprd 1.5
Team Proj. 97.3 Team Proj. 95.8
Team Pace 95.30 Team Pace 99.00
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 Kyle Lowry DeMar DeRozan DeMarre Carroll Luis Scola Jonas Valanciunas Proj. Starter George Hill Monta Ellis Paul George Lavoy Allen Ian Mahinmi
Opp. Season 9 12 5 8 15 Opp. Season 2 13 7 6 7
Last 3 Weeks 9 21 4 8 18 Last 3 Weeks 8 16 21 18 4

Toronto Raptors

Record: 56-26 — Road: 24-17 — Last 10: 7-3

After losing the first game of the series, the Raptors have bounced back with wins in games two and three. They can take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Pacers with a win in Game 4. The Raptors are listed as 1.5-point favorites with their team total set at 97.3 points. It’s nice to have four games on the schedule on Saturday, as we don’t have to force as many plays into our lineups. While there are a few viable options here, I don’t consider any of the Raptors must plays.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Kyle Lowry
kyle-lowry-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,300 Salary:$8,000
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.04 FP/Min:1.13
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 37.0 35.0 -2.0 30.8 -6.2
FPPG (FD) 38.5 29.0 -9.5 28.5 -10.1
TO-Adj. Usage 22.8 22.8 -0.1 23.0 0.1

Lowry has been the Raptors’ best player in the last two games, averaging 39 fantasy points in 40 minutes per contest. Even though George Hill is an excellent on-ball defender, Lowry has been able to contribute in other areas rather than just scoring. He should see around 40 minutes tonight and is a borderline elite play in all league formats.

Jonas Valanciunas
jonas-valanciunas-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,400 Salary:$6,400
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.04 FP/Min:1.12
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 25.9 26.5 0.6 22.0 -3.9
FPPG (FD) 26.9 28.1 1.2 24.8 -2.1
TO-Adj. Usage 17.0 17.8 0.8 21.9 4.9

Before Game 3, I mentioned that Valanciunas was eventually going to regress. He is not a player that averages 1.50 FP/min, despite how great his performances were in the first two games of the series. Valanciunas still played well in Game 3, but his 26 fantasy points were more in line with what we can expect from him moving forward.

Patrick Patterson
patrick-patterson-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$3,900 Salary:$3,700
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.60 FP/Min:0.65
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 25.6 27.7 2.1 24.7 -0.9
FPPG (FD) 15.3 17.3 2.0 12.7 -2.6
TO-Adj. Usage 10.9 10.9 0.0 8.2 -2.7

I couldn’t believe how highly owned Patterson was the other night. He was over 60% in most double ups. It seemed to have more to do with the lack of power forward options than anything else, but Patterson is seeing around 30 minutes per game and for the price, he’s certainly not a bad play.

Indiana Pacers

Record: 45-37 — Home: 26-15 — Last 10: 7-3

The Pacers lost control of homecourt advantage with a loss in Game 3 the other night. They are hoping to bounce back on Saturday to even the series at two games a piece. This should be a close, competitive game throughout, but these are two of the best defenses in the NBA. The Pacers are only projected to score 95.8 points, which is the lowest team total on the board. They also have the lowest projected point differential at -6.5.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Paul George
paul-george-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$9,000 Salary:$9,100
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:1.12 FP/Min:1.22
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 34.8 31.2 -3.6 27.6 -7.2
FPPG (FD) 39.1 37.0 -2.1 31.2 -7.9
TO-Adj. Usage 25.2 23.6 -1.6 23.0 -2.2

George has played well in this series, averaging 43 fantasy points in 38 minutes per game. The Pacers are heavily relying on him offensively and it has actually led to a few of their starters being less aggressive. While I like targeting players on teams that are in must-win situations, I’d rather pay a little more and take Kevin Durant.

Myles Turner
myles-turner-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,500 Salary:$4,900
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.90 FP/Min:0.95
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 22.8 21.1 -1.7 18.9 -3.9
FPPG (FD) 20.6 18.9 -1.7 19.9 -0.6
TO-Adj. Usage 17.2 16.5 -0.7 18.2 1.0

Turner is more of a GPP play tonight, but his play in Game 3 should have earned him some extra minutes in this one. He played 31 minutes and scored 33 fantasy points. While I wouldn’t expect a repeat performance from him, 25+ minutes isn’t out of the equation. When comparing him to Patrick Patterson, Turner has a lower floor but a higher ceiling.

Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets – 5:30 PM

Miami Heat Charlotte Hornets
miaminba Vegas Total 201.0 charlottenba Vegas Total 201.0
Vegas Sprd 2.5 Vegas Sprd -2.5
Team Proj. 99.3 Team Proj. 101.8
Team Pace 95.70 Team Pace 97.80
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 Goran Dragic Dwyane Wade Joe Johnson Luol Deng Hassan Whiteside Proj. Starter Kemba Walker Jeremy Lin Courtney Lee Marvin Williams Cody Zeller
Opp. Season 10 14 18 23 16 Opp. Season 1 4 12 3 8
Last 3 Weeks 5 18 11 23 19 Last 3 Weeks 3 15 1 2 26

Miami Heat

Record: 48-34 — Road: 20-21 — Last 10: 6-4

The Heat have been on fire in the first two games of the series, scoring 123 and 115 points. Their offense is playing at an incredibly efficient level, but it’s not sustainable over the course of an entire series. Look for a much closer game now that the series is shifting to Charlotte for Game 3. The Heat are listed as 2.5-point underdogs with their team total set at 99.3 points. Luol Deng and Justise Winslow are both nice lineup fillers at their respective positions, but neither stands out as a must play.

Elite Plays

Hassan Whiteside
hassan-whiteside-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,600 Salary:$8,500
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.23 FP/Min:1.32
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 29.1 30.3 1.2 29.2 0.1
FPPG (FD) 35.8 38.7 3.0 37.0 1.3
TO-Adj. Usage 16.1 18.5 2.4 18.9 2.8

Whiteside has been an unstoppable force in the first two games of the series, dominating the paint on both ends of the floor. He is averaging 41 fantasy points per game and so far he has only played 29 minutes per game. If tonight’s game stays close (like we expect it to), Whiteside could play 32-34 minutes. He often gets overlooked because we can only pay up for so many superstars, but he is my favorite target at center.

Dwyane Wade
dwyane-wade-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,600 Salary:$7,200
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:1.04 FP/Min:1.09
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 30.5 31.0 0.5 30.6 0.1
FPPG (FD) 31.6 31.5 -0.1 27.0 -4.6
TO-Adj. Usage 26.8 25.1 -1.7 24.6 -2.2

Before Game 2, I said that Wade was my favorite superstar in the slate. He certainly didn’t disappoint, finishing with 48 fantasy points. He is one of the few players that sees a major minutes boost in the postseason. He hasn’t had to play a ton of minutes so far, but could see around 35 tonight if the game stays close.

Secondary Plays

Goran Dragic
goran-dragic-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,800 Salary:$6,500
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:0.83 FP/Min:0.90
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.8 32.5 -0.3 31.2 -1.6
FPPG (FD) 27.3 30.4 3.1 32.3 5.0
TO-Adj. Usage 18.9 21.5 2.6 22.5 3.6

Dragic played well down the stretch of the regular season and he has been a consistent source of fantasy production so far in the postseason. While he technically hasn’t reached value yet (26 and 28 fantasy points), with such small slates the scores have been a lot lower, so we don’t necessarily need 5x or 6x production from our players.

Joe Johnson
joe-johnson-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,800 Salary:$4,500
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.66 FP/Min:0.72
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 33.4 32.4 -1.0 32.0 -1.4
FPPG (FD) 22.2 21.7 -0.4 23.3 1.1
TO-Adj. Usage 15.6 16.6 1.1 18.4 2.9

Johnson too a backseat to Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside in Game 2, but he still offers great value at small forward. He is a borderline elite play and he was in my cash game lineup in my first rough draft. He should see around 35 minutes of action in a favorable matchup against the Hornets.

Charlotte Hornets

Record: 48-34 — Home: 30-11 — Last 10: 7-3

The Hornets haven’t played as bad in this series as the final scores would indicate. The Heat have just been on fire and sometimes there isn’t a lot you can do defensively. Unfortunately for the Hornets, they lost Nicolas Batum in Game 2. He has already been ruled out of Game 3, with Jeremy Lin expected to draw the start in his absence. Even without Batum, the Hornets are still 2.5-point favorites with the fourth highest team total on the board.

Elite Plays

Al Jefferson
al-jefferson-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,800 Salary:$5,000
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.04 FP/Min:1.08
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 23.3 22.5 -0.8 23.6 0.3
FPPG (FD) 24.1 28.2 4.0 30.8 6.6
TO-Adj. Usage 21.1 22.9 1.8 24.4 3.3

Jefferson had the game that many of us have been waiting for. He hasn’t had that huge outing since returning from injury, until Game 2 that is. He played 27 minutes and scored 36 fantasy points. If the Hornets are going to have any chance of getting back in this series, they will need another big outing from Jefferson.

Jeremy Lin
jeremy-lin-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,200 Salary:$4,800
Position:SG Position:PG
FP/Min:0.78 FP/Min:0.84
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 26.3 28.6 2.3 28.3 2.0
FPPG (FD) 20.5 23.4 2.9 22.3 1.7
TO-Adj. Usage 18.2 16.4 -1.7 16.9 -1.3

Lin has struggled so far in this series, but we can throw that out the window not that Nicolas Batum has been ruled out. In 13 starts this season, he is averaging 17 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game. We would gladly take anywhere close to that at his price point.

Secondary Plays

Kemba Walker
kemba-walker-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,000 Salary:$7,800
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.01 FP/Min:1.07
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.6 33.0 -2.6 30.4 -5.2
FPPG (FD) 36.0 33.8 -2.1 33.0 -3.0
TO-Adj. Usage 23.1 23.1 0.0 22.7 -0.4

Walker may be my favorite tournament play on the board today. I always like to target him at home and he should see a sizable usage boost with Nicolas Batum out. Walker had a big outing in Game 2 and we shouldn’t be surprised if he has another one today.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks – 8:00 PM

Oklahoma City Thunder Dallas Mavericks
oklahomacitynba Vegas Total 201.5 dallasnba Vegas Total 201.5
Vegas Sprd -9.5 Vegas Sprd 9.5
Team Proj. 105.5 Team Proj. 96.0
Team Pace 99.40 Team Pace 96.40
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 Russell Westbrook Andre Roberson Kevin Durant Serge Ibaka Steven Adams Proj. Starter Deron Williams Raymond Felton Wesley Matthews Dirk Nowitzki Zaza Pachulia
Opp. Season 11 11 9 25 17 Opp. Season 16 21 13 7 4
Last 3 Weeks 2 14 16 3 10 Last 3 Weeks 6 20 26 5 5

Oklahoma City Thunder

Record: 55-27 — Road: 23-18 — Last 10: 5-5

The Thunder picked up an expected win in Game 3 to grab a 2-1 series lead over the Mavericks. Game 4 is an important one for both teams, as a Thunder win would all but lock up the series with two of the three remaining games being played in Oklahoma City. The Thunder are listed as 9.5-point favorites, which is easily the largest spread on the board. This is really the only game that could turn into a blowout, as the other three are all expected to stay close. The good news is that the Thunder have the highest team total on the schedule at 105.5 points. Enes Kanter makes a nice GPP play, but his minutes aren’t secure enough to trust in cash games.

Elite Plays

Russell Westbrook
russell-westbrook-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$10,500 Salary:$11,000
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.42 FP/Min:1.56
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 34.4 33.1 -1.3 29.3 -5.1
FPPG (FD) 48.8 46.9 -1.9 43.5 -5.2
TO-Adj. Usage 28.3 27.7 -0.7 25.9 -2.5

Westbrook has scored between 44 and 48 fantasy points in each of the first three games in this series. While we want 50+ fantasy points at his price point, it’s hard to find that kind of consistency from any other superstar. Once again, he is the top overall play on the board.

Kevin Durant
kevin-durant-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$10,200 Salary:$10,300
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:1.30 FP/Min:1.40
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.8 34.7 -1.1 32.2 -3.6
FPPG (FD) 46.4 47.8 1.3 47.4 1.0
TO-Adj. Usage 26.3 30.2 3.9 30.8 4.5

As expected, Durant came out firing in Game 3 and proved that his shooting struggles in Game 2 were an aberration. He finished the last game with 34 actual points and 45 fantasy points. The one plus with targeting Durant over Westbrook is that the small forward position is always tougher to fill. There are always a lot of options at point guard.

Secondary Plays

Serge Ibaka
serge-ibaka-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,000 Salary:$6,000
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.79 FP/Min:0.85
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.1 30.0 -2.1 28.3 -3.8
FPPG (FD) 25.4 25.6 0.3 21.6 -3.8
TO-Adj. Usage 14.8 15.9 1.1 16.5 1.6

Ibaka has been, dare I say it, consistent in this series. He has scored at least 28 fantasy points in each of the first three games. This is a good matchup for him, as the Mavericks don’t really have anyone that can keep him off the glass. I feel comfortable using him the rest of the series, but then we can go back to fading him in round two against the Spurs.

Dallas Mavericks

Record: 42-40 — Home: 23-18 — Last 10: 7-3

The Mavericks may have picked up a win in Game 2, but no one is expecting them to put up much of a fight in this series. I’d like to see them push the Thunder to six or seven games, but they would need to pick up a win in Game 4. The Mavericks are large underdogs at home and are only projected to score 96 points. They have the second lowest team total and the second lowest projected point differential. Deron Williams is listed as questionable for this game. If he is unable to play, Raymond Felton would become an elite play in all league formats.

Elite Plays

Wesley Matthews
wesley-matthews-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,000 Salary:$4,600
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.60 FP/Min:0.66
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 33.9 37.9 4.0 38.8 4.9
FPPG (FD) 20.4 22.4 2.0 20.2 -0.2
TO-Adj. Usage 14.8 14.8 0.0 14.1 -0.7

Matthews did everything that he could to keep Game 3 close. He finished with 34 fantasy points in 33 minutes of action. His price is still affordable on both FanDuel and DraftKings and he should be one of the most popular targets at shooting guard. If Deron Williams is ruled out, you can also look at Raymond Felton and J.J. Barea.

Secondary Plays

NONE

Los Angeles Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers – 10:30 PM

Los Angeles Clippers Portland Trail Blazers
laclippersnba Vegas Total 207.5 portlandnba Vegas Total 207.5
Vegas Sprd -1.5 Vegas Sprd 1.5
Team Proj. 104.5 Team Proj. 103.0
Team Pace 98.00 Team Pace 98.30
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 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Blake Griffin DeAndre Jordan Proj. Starter Damian Lillard C.J. McCollum Maurice Harkless Al-Farouq Aminu Mason Plumlee
Opp. Season 24 18 4 22 27 Opp. Season 5 3 8 13 12
Last 3 Weeks 22 6 10 24 30 Last 3 Weeks 7 1 7 26 2

Los Angeles Clippers

Record: 53-29 — Road: 24-17 — Last 10: 8-2

The Clippers have won the first two games of the series rather easily, but should have a tougher time now that the series shifts to Portland. They are only listed as 1.5-point favorites in Game 3. The Clippers are projected to score 104.5 points, which gives them the second highest team total and the highest projected point differential. After the Clippers let the Rockets come back in that series last season, they will be very motivated to end this series as quickly as possible.

Elite Plays

Chris Paul
chris-paul-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$9,800 Salary:$9,600
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.27 FP/Min:1.36
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.7 28.4 -4.3 28.7 -4.0
FPPG (FD) 41.6 40.6 -1.1 31.8 -9.9
TO-Adj. Usage 24.9 26.0 1.1 19.5 -5.4

Paul has dominated the matchup between him and Damian Lillard throughout the years. Once again, I’m giving him the edge tonight. He has played well so far in this series, but he is priced almost as much as Russell Westbrook. I still prefer Westbrook in this slate, but I consider both of them elite plays. We are really splitting hairs deciding between the two.

Blake Griffin
blake-griffin-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$9,100 Salary:$8,400
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:1.17 FP/Min:1.23
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 33.4 24.5 -8.9 27.1 -6.3
FPPG (FD) 39.0 25.3 -13.8 33.3 -5.7
TO-Adj. Usage 25.5 20.9 -4.5 23.7 -1.8

Griffin was quiet in the second half of Game 2. After putting up 44 fantasy points in Game 1, he only managed to put up 28 fantasy points in Game 2. Moving forward, I expect his production to be closer to that from Game 1. Griffin is expensive, but he is the top power forward target on the board.

Secondary Plays

DeAndre Jordan
deandre-jordan-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,100 Salary:$7,900
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.06 FP/Min:1.13
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 33.7 29.9 -3.8 29.0 -4.7
FPPG (FD) 35.7 31.5 -4.2 29.7 -6.0
TO-Adj. Usage 12.5 13.6 1.1 13.9 1.4

Jordan makes a nice GPP play tonight. For cash games, I am basically going to take one of the two players from the Heat/Hornets game. Jordan showed the type of upside that he can provided in Game 2, finished with 39 fantasy points despite scoring only three actual points.

J.J. Redick
j.j.-redick-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,400 Salary:$4,700
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.75 FP/Min:0.81
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.0 23.3 -4.7 22.0 -6.0
FPPG (FD) 21.1 19.3 -1.8 18.7 -2.3
TO-Adj. Usage 19.1 19.3 0.2 20.1 1.0

Redick is a lot like Kyle Korver in that he can pay off his salary pretty easily when his shot is falling. The problem with these players is that they don’t contribute a whole lot in the other areas of the stat sheet. A bad shooting night will end with a disappointing fantasy outing. For that reason, I see Redick as a secondary option tonight.

Portland Trail Blazers

Record: 44-38 — Home: 28-13 — Last 10: 7-3

The Blazers haven’t looked great offensively in the first two games of the series. The Clippers are forcing Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to attack the basket, rather than giving them open looks on the outside. While their offense has looked out of sorts, some home cooking should do the trick. The Blazers are projected to score 103 points, which gives them the third highest team total on the board. While I like their offense as a whole, I’m having a tough time trusting any of their players in cash games. Mason Plumlee makes a nice GPP play, but Al Jefferson is the safer target at center if you are looking to save some cap space.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Damian Lillard
damian-lillard-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,200 Salary:$8,200
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.10 FP/Min:1.20
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.7 33.5 -2.2 33.9 -1.8
FPPG (FD) 39.4 32.4 -7.0 37.9 -1.5
TO-Adj. Usage 27.6 26.3 -1.3 28.6 1.1

Lillard hasn’t looked like himself in this series. I want no part of him in cash games, but it’s a nice time to target him in tournaments. The Blazers will be at home in front of their crowd and Lillard’s ownership will be extremely low. We all know that he is capable of putting up 50+ fantasy points.

Al-Farouq Aminu
al-farouq-aminu-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,500 Salary:$5,100
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.75 FP/Min:0.83
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.5 28.7 0.2 29.2 0.7
FPPG (FD) 21.5 26.6 5.1 23.9 2.4
TO-Adj. Usage 14.3 15.5 1.2 14.2 -0.1

Aminu has been one of the only Blazers’ player that has fared well in this series. In the first two games, he is averaging 28 fantasy points in 31 minutes per contest. At his price point, we would gladly take another 28 fantasy point outing tonight.

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