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NBA Grind Down: Saturday, December 17th

by Chirag Hira (INSPYR) Last Updated 2016-12-18 04:54:00

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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.

Editor’s Note: Don’t yet have a Rosters account? Click here to create one. You’ll receive free access to our premium Rosters strategy content, which will build upon the guide below. Create your Rosters account now!

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Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder – 5:00 PM ET

Phoenix Suns Oklahoma City Thunder
phoenixnba Vegas Total 213.5 oklahomacitynba Vegas Total 213.5
Vegas Spread 8.5 Vegas Spread -8.5
Team Total 102.5 Team Total 111.0
Pace +/- 2.2 Pace +/- 4.7
Proj. Starter Eric Bledsoe Devin Booker P.J. Tucker Marquese Chriss Tyson Chandler Proj. Starter Russell Westbrook Victor Oladipo Andre Roberson Domantas Sabonis Steven Adams
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 26 3 14 15 6 DvP 22 18 26 23 21
DRPM -0.51 -0.19 2.18 1.30 1.64 DRPM -0.44 -2.30 0.58 -0.19 1.99

Phoenix Suns

Hello and welcome to the Saturday edition of the Grind Down. We have a really awesome slate and get an exciting game for those that are playing the all-day slate. The Suns travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder after losing to the Spurs at home on Thursday. Alex Len missed his second consecutive game on Thursday and is listed as questionable for this game. T.J. Warren has missed the past 13 games with a head issue and is also listed as questionable. Since the Suns got blown out by the Spurs Tyson Chandler did not have to play the extended minutes he was playing in the previous games. If Len is out today, expect Tyson Chandler to play nearly 30 minutes here tonight. He’s a viable tournament play but more of a secondary option due to the depth at the position tonight. Eric Bledsoe also cooled off against the Spurs but the -0.51 DRPM and 26th ranked DvP shows that Bledsoe gets an exploitable matchup against Russell Westbrook. Bledsoe was averaging 51.36 FanDuel points in the three contests prior to the Spurs game

Brandon Knight seems to be dealing with an injury that is not keeping him out but is keeping his minutes limited. Devin Booker has stepped up and played over 35 minutes in three straight games. Due to salary-based expectations. he was not a bust against the Spurs and will look to keep the momentum going in this high-scoring game. If Victor Oladipo is ruled out again, Booker should be considered a strong tournament play but will likely have to deal with Andre Roberson. Marquese Chriss has also stepped up with Len out of the lineup, playing 30 minutes in consecutive games for the first time all season. He responded with 14 points and 12 rebounds against the Knicks but obviously did not do as well against the Spurs. He’s still really cheap across the industry and a player that could thrive in a game like this. If Len is out and you’re looking for a punt play, Chriss could be your man for tournaments. P.J. Tucker and Jared Dudley have also been consistent and Tucker was seeing 40+ minutes before the Spurs game. Dudley is slightly more expensive than Chriss and Dudley but also gets the toughest DRPM matchup against Andre Roberson.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Eric Bledsoe $8,300 $7,700 1.09 32.4 3.7 35.3 6.4 29.4% 4.5% 26 -0.51
Devin Booker $5,800 $5,500 0.77 33.1 3.6 25.6 -2.1 26.5% -1.8% 3 -0.19
P.J. Tucker $4,400 $4,000 0.62 25.8 11.4 16.1 5.8 12.0% 0.6% 14 2.18
Marquese Chriss $3,800 $3,600 0.74 16.8 9.7 12.4 7.7 18.8% -3.2% 15 1.30
Tyson Chandler $5,400 $5,200 0.85 27.9 6.4 23.6 7.8 10.5% 0.8% 6 1.64
Brandon Knight $4,600 $3,900 0.81 24.2 -4.9 19.7 -2.2 27.2% -0.7% 3 N/A

Elite Plays – Eric Bledsoe

Secondary Plays – Tyson Chandler, Marquese Chriss (if Alex Len is out)

Oklahoma City Thunder

Victor Oladipo has missed the previous two games for the Thunder due to a sprained wrist and did not practice on Friday. We should have another update after shootaround today, but I’d consider him closer to doubtful. Russell Westbrook had his two worst performances of the season on the short road trip to Portland and Utah. He’ll look to get back to his triple-double ways against a team that ranks 28th in fantasy points allowed per game, 29th in points allowed per game, and a first ranked projected pace differential. Pretty much, this is the ideal get right game for Beastbrook. I see no reason to fade for cash games and he has elite tournament upside in this game too. The whole team struggled against on the road trip, but we should look at whoever the Thunder start at SG. Andre Roberson has been starting at SG since Oladipo has been out and has played over 30 minutes in 11 consecutive games. If Oladipo is out again, consider Roberson an elite option that has seen his salary dip slightly.

Semaj Christon, Anthony Morrow, and Jerami Grant have all also tried to fill in for Oladipo. They should all be considered tournament options, and someone is going to break out here at home against the Suns. Grant will likely start if Oladipo is out and has flashed 25+ fantasy points upside but will have to face P.J. Tucker and his 0.58 DRPM. Anthony Morrow is the most scoring-dependent but played slightly over 27 minutes against the Jazz, more than Grant or Christon. Semaj Christon looks like he’ll get close to 24 minutes and is the cheapest of the bunch. He’s a minimum-salaried player on both DraftKings and FanDuel and should be used if you’re looking for a punt in that range. Enes Kanter is cheaper than Steven Adams if you’re looking for a punt C for this game. Kanter has scored over 25 fantasy points two of last three games, but he’s also scored around 15 fantasy points in three of his last five games.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Russell Westbrook $12,500 $12,700 1.61 35.2 -3.8 56.6 -13.6 45.4% 0.1% 22 -0.44
Victor Oladipo $6,000 $5,900 0.76 34.3 -24.5 26.2 -24.6 20.9% -3.6% 18 -2.30
Andre Roberson $3,800 $4,100 0.57 31.2 0.6 17.9 -4.5 10.4% -1.0% 26 0.58
Domantas Sabonis $3,500 $3,100 0.63 21.3 -3.6 13.4 1.3 14.7% 1.9% 23 -0.19
Steven Adams $5,400 $5,000 0.80 29.9 -1.3 24.1 2.1 15.6% 1.7% 21 1.99
Enes Kanter $5,200 $4,300 1.13 19.3 1.2 21.9 1.1 25.0% 1.5% 23 N/A

Elite Plays – Russell Westbrook, Andre Roberson (elite if Oladipo is out)

Secondary Plays – Semaj Christon (GPP), Enes Kanter (GPP)

Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons – 7:00 PM ET

Indiana Pacers Detroit Pistons
indiananba Vegas Total 198.5 detroitnba Vegas Total 198.5
Vegas Spread 4.0 Vegas Spread -4.0
Team Total 97.3 Team Total 101.3
Pace +/- -3.0 Pace +/- 1.3
Proj. Starter Jeff Teague Glenn Robinson Paul George Thaddeus Young Myles Turner Proj. Starter Reggie Jackson Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Marcus Morris Tobias Harris Andre Drummond
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 18 4 1 3 6 DvP 18 21 12 24 19
DRPM -0.20 0.64 0.09 -0.32 2.67 DRPM 0.23 -1.39 -0.63 0.74 1.66

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers continue their road trip tonight in Detroit after losing to the Pelicans on Thursday night. Monta Ellis has already been ruled out for this game, and it looks like Rodney Stuckey will also be out with a hamstring injury. Glenn Robinson III will continue to start in place of Ellis and has played 30+ minutes in two of his last three starts. He’s in a tough spot tonight against Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and his 0.64 DPRM. Jeff Teague has taken the reins with Ellis sidelined and has scored over 40 fantasy points in two of his last three starts. He’s also only played over 34 minutes in the games where he exceeded value. His dud against Miami is excusable, and he should be considered an elite option against Reggie Jackson who sports a -0.20 DPRM.

Paul George returned to play mediocre ball compared to his salary-based expectations after his huge game against Portland. George is averaging 34.03 DraftKings points over his last three games and also gets a tough first-ranked DvP, 0.09 DPRM matchup against Marcus Morris. This is a pace-down game for the entire Pacers squad, and it’ll be tough to trust George in cash games. Myles Turner has been a beast over his last six games, averaging 35.1 DraftKings points while playing over 30 minutes in five out of those six games. Even if his shot is not falling, he provides defensive statistics, and while the DPRM and DvP are not in his favor, he gets an exploitable matchup against Andre Drummond. Thaddeus Young has also played over 36 minutes in three of his last four starts, but he’s simply a tournament option in the best DPRM matchup on the team.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Jeff Teague $7,100 $6,600 $10,400 1.02 31.7 1.2 32.4 2.5 26.4% 1.9% 18 -0.20
Glenn Robinson $4,200 $4,100 $6,700 0.61 19.7 10.3 12.0 4.4 13.0% -5.6% 4 0.64
Paul George $8,000 $7,900 $12,900 1.02 35.5 1.5 36.1 -5.8 26.6% -0.4% 1 0.09
Thaddeus Young $4,700 $4,900 $9,900 0.75 30.4 4.4 22.7 -4.0 16.2% -4.1% 3 -0.32
Myles Turner $6,500 $6,400 $10,400 1.03 29.2 4.4 30.2 7.0 19.6% -0.1% 6 2.67
C.J. Miles $4,400 $4,300 $7,800 0.85 21.9 2.1 18.6 -2.1 18.9% -0.1% 1 N/A

Elite Plays – Myles Turner, Jeff Teague

Secondary Plays – Thaddeus Young (GPP)

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons return home after losing in Washington and will look to keep going to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. KCP had his best game of the month against Washington, scoring 24 points and grabbing six rebounds. KCP has played over 30 minutes in 11 consecutive games and only sat out against Philly due to a minor knee issue. He’s shown he can easily disappear, but in the best DPRM (-1.39) and DvP (21st) matchup on the team, KCP should be considered an elite option in all formats. He’s SO cheap on DK and should be able to beat his salary-based expectations. He’s $900 more over on FanDuel but should still be able to hit as a cash game play.

Marcus Morris had a horrible game against the Wizards last night but had played 34 or more minutes in four consecutive games before riding the pine last night. He’s cheaper than Tobias Harris and also has a better DPRM matchup, but Harris has the better DvP matchup. Both players don’t look mandatory but Tobias Harris is likely the better play with Morris focused on trying to stop Paul George. Andre Drummond has been playing poorly on this road trip but should be able to hit tonight against a Pacers team that ranked 29th in rebounding differential. He’s pretty expensive on FanDuel at $8.1k but a more playable $7.6k on DraftKings. The double-double bonus makes him a better play over there but should only be reserved for tournaments. Jon Leuer has scored over 30 fantasy points in consecutive games and has also played over 30 minutes in back-to-back games. If Harris or Morris struggle, Stan Van Gundy will not hesitate to put Leuer in.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Reggie Jackson $5,600 $5,400 $9,900 0.84 25.7 3.4 21.7 1.7 31.6% -1.3% 18 0.23
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope $5,500 $4,600 $8,300 0.73 33.3 0.3 24.5 -6.4 20.5% -2.6% 21 -1.39
Marcus Morris $5,200 $5,300 $8,100 0.73 32.4 4.2 23.7 2.6 20.0% -1.1% 12 -0.63
Tobias Harris $5,700 $5,500 $9,300 0.78 33.1 -4.1 25.8 -8.8 21.4% -3.2% 24 0.74
Andre Drummond $8,100 $7,600 $12,600 1.21 29.7 0.8 36.0 0.6 22.6% -2.5% 19 1.66
Jon Leuer $4,600 $4,200 $7,100 0.80 26.6 0.3 21.3 -0.1 17.1% -2.1% 24 N/A

Elite Plays – Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (DK), Andre Drummond (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (FD), Jon Leuer, Tobias Harris

Charlotte Hornets at Atlanta Hawks – 7:30 PM ET

Charlotte Hornets Atlanta Hawks
charlottenba Vegas Total 205.5 atlantanba Vegas Total 205.5
Vegas Spread 5.5 Vegas Spread -5.5
Team Total 100.0 Team Total 105.5
Pace +/- 2.6 Pace +/- 0.2
Proj. Starter Kemba Walker Nicolas Batum Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Marvin Williams Cody Zeller Proj. Starter Dennis Schroder Tim Hardaway Jr. Thabo Sefolosha Paul Millsap Dwight Howard
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 29 24 15 9 2 DvP 17 12 23 16 21
DRPM -2.29 -1.63 2.75 4.11 2.70 DRPM -0.48 0.28 1.64 0.25 1.93

Charlotte Hornets

Kemba Walker missed last night’s game due to personal reasons but is expected to start here tonight. He gets a highly exploitable -2.29 DPRM, 29th DvP matchup against Dennis Schroder. Walker is also dealing with a minor knee injury but should be fine for this game, as he has played over 35 minutes in back-to-back games. Walker has not scored over 40 FanDuel points in 10 consecutive games and has scored over 35 fantasy points in twice. He should be fine for cash games tonight but does carry a little bit of risk.

Nicolas Batum has stepped up in the last two games and only has two bad performances in his last eight games. He’ll also get an exploitable 24th ranked DvP, -1.63 DRPM matchup against Tim Hardaway Jr. DeMar DeRozan lit the Hawks up last night, and Batum could easily do the same. Walker has a 30.6 percent true usage rate compared to the 21.7 percent Batum sports. Both players are elite plays, but it seems Walker is in the better position to exceed value after not playing last night. Cody Zeller has been averaging 24.52 FanDuel points in his last four games but has an assignment against Dwight Howard tonight. He’s a risky option with a high chance of finding himself in foul trouble.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Kemba Walker $7,400 $7,100 $12,000 1.09 33.2 0.3 36.2 -6.2 30.6% -3.3% 29 -2.29
Nicolas Batum $7,300 $7,400 $10,700 0.91 34.5 0.1 31.4 -2.2 21.7% 1.8% 24 -1.63
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist $4,900 $4,200 $8,000 0.76 29.1 -5.9 22.2 -6.4 14.6% -0.3% 15 2.75
Marvin Williams $4,400 $4,000 $8,200 0.71 27.2 1.0 19.4 -2.6 17.3% -2.0% 9 4.11
Cody Zeller $4,900 $4,300 $7,700 0.87 25.4 2.6 22.0 2.6 16.8% 2.2% 2 2.70
Frank Kaminsky $4,500 $4,000 $7,300 0.80 25.8 -2.4 20.7 -4.3 21.2% 3.1% 9 N/A

Elite Plays – Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum

Secondary Plays – N/A

Atlanta Hawks

Paul Millsap was on a tear before turning in a dud against the Raptors last night. He picked up two early fouls and played under 30 minutes for the first time in six games. Millsap should be able to turn it around here tonight and is priced in the same range on DK as all the other upside PFs today. Dennis Schroder has been averaging 36.53 FanDuel fantasy points over his last nine starts, and his salary has finally caught up to his production on FanDuel. Over on DraftKings, he is still $6.5k and should be considered a strong option in all formats over there. Dwight Howard gets a 21st ranked DvP matchup but has a tough 1.93 DRPM matchup tonight. He crushed the Raptors last night and also dominated the Magic in the game prior to that. Howard is averaging 43.72 DraftKings fantasy points over his last four games and is much cheaper than Millsap.

Thabo Sefolosha was averaging 28.35 DraftKings points in his last four starts before putting up 20 last night. He might not be the focal point of the offense, but he fills the stat sheet. Tread lightly, though, as he is at a risk for losing minutes to Kent Bazemore. Kyle Korver has also been hot over his last five games, averaging 21.54 DraftKings points and being price at a cheap $3.9k. He’s doing better off the bench, but the minutes are an issue with Bazemore back in the rotation. Mike Muscala continues to be a solid cash game punt play who has averaged 19.86 DraftKings points over his last six games. Tim Hardaway Jr. looks like he is secure with 30 minutes even though Bazemore is back. He’s played 30+ in three straight games and is averaging 24.86 DraftKings points in those games. He’s still a cheap $4k on DraftKings and only $3.9k on FanDuel.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Dennis Schroder $7,000 $6,500 $10,400 0.94 30.2 5.0 28.5 9.5 29.6% 0.5% 17 -0.48
Tim Hardaway Jr. $3,900 $4,000 $6,600 0.74 22.0 5.6 16.3 2.3 22.3% 2.2% 12 0.28
Thabo Sefolosha $4,500 $4,900 $6,700 0.80 25.3 4.2 20.2 8.5 14.6% 3.0% 23 1.64
Paul Millsap $8,300 $7,800 $12,900 1.07 33.1 1.9 35.5 11.3 24.2% -1.1% 16 0.25
Dwight Howard $7,600 $7,000 $12,500 1.16 28.7 2.0 33.2 6.0 20.0% -1.7% 21 1.93

Elite Plays – Dwight Howard, Dennis Schroder

Secondary Plays – Paul Millsap, Tim Hardaway Jr.

Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Lakers Cleveland Cavaliers
lalakersnba Vegas Total 218.0 clevelandnba Vegas Total 218.0
Vegas Spread 16.0 Vegas Spread -16.0
Team Total 101.0 Team Total 117.0
Pace +/- 0.1 Pace +/- 2.7
Proj. Starter D’Angelo Russell Nick Young Luol Deng Julius Randle Timofey Mozgov Proj. Starter Kyrie Irving J.R. Smith LeBron James Kevin Love Tristan Thompson
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 23 27 5 5 12 DvP 25 29 29 28 29
DRPM -2.74 0.16 0.90 1.35 2.08 DRPM -1.20 -1.61 0.22 -0.20 -0.50

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers travel to Cleveland after defeating the Sixers last night in Philly. This looks like a prime spot to avoid the Lakers, even though someone has to score. D’Angelo Russell had his best game since returning from a knee injury but is still being held under 28 minutes. I’m expecting the Lakers to be careful with Russell, and I would only look his way in tournaments since he has a 23rd ranked DvP and a -2.74 DPRM matchup against Kyrie Irving and sports a 31.1 percent true usage rate. Julius Randle also dominated against the Sixers but has one of the toughest matchups tonight. He did not play well against the Cavs last year, so this is a prime avoid spot.

Nick Young has scored 24 DraftKings fantasy points in back-to-back games and only played 21 minutes last night. He’s much cheaper than Lou Williams and has relatively the same floor. Lou Williams continues to play well, but he’s not priced for upside anymore. With the Lakers healthy, Williams is not seeing nearly the same amount of minutes he was earlier this month. Luol Deng has seen 32 or more minutes in four of his last five starts and is averaging 28.02 DraftKings fantasy points over that span. He’ll get a tough assignment in LeBron James tonight. Larry Nance is back on the radar, and if this game does not stay close, Nance should play over 22 minutes. He played 34 minutes last night and has scored over 20 fantasy points in consecutive games.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
D’Angelo Russell $5,800 $5,300 $9,600 1.01 25.5 -5.6 25.8 -8.9 31.1% 2.1% 23 -2.74
Nick Young $4,000 $4,100 $7,700 0.74 25.0 0.4 18.4 -0.6 19.3% 2.6% 27 0.16
Luol Deng $4,300 $4,600 $7,500 0.70 25.5 4.7 18.0 12.6 15.5% 3.4% 5 0.90
Julius Randle $6,200 $5,900 $10,100 0.96 28.4 2.7 27.3 -5.7 22.8% -6.7% 5 1.35
Timofey Mozgov $3,700 $3,500 $8,300 0.75 21.6 4.3 16.3 3.1 16.7% -1.4% 12 2.08
Jordan Clarkson $4,800 $4,800 $8,800 0.78 28.6 -4.4 22.4 -0.3 24.5% -0.8% 23 N/A
Lou Williams $5,700 $6,000 $9,400 1.11 25.1 0.1 27.9 -1.1 30.9% 0.9% 27 N/A

Elite Plays – Nick Young

Secondary Plays – D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs have the second-highest implied team total on the slate and face the Lakers, who are 29th in fantasy points allowed per game. LeBron James will be back tonight after his rest game in Memphis and is an elite option in all formats. The only concern is that he might not play his full allotment of minutes. He’s still LeBron James but not a strong cash game play since the minutes don’t seem too secure with the Cavs being huge favorites. Kyrie Irving has rested the past two games and has not played since last Saturday. I’d consider Irving the best play since he gets a -1.20 DPRM and a 25th-ranked DvP matchup. Before his poor showing against Charlotte, Irving had hit 20 or more actual points in all but two games this season. Kevin Love should also have a strong game in this one, but his upside is pretty much priced in.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Kyrie Irving $7,300 $7,300 $11,800 0.99 34.0 2.1 33.6 -13.3 30.6% -8.4% 25 -1.20
J.R. Smith $4,000 $3,800 $8,000 0.55 29.4 0.8 16.3 3.2 14.5% 5.0% 29 -1.61
LeBron James $10,200 $9,800 $14,800 1.29 36.7 2.8 47.2 10.3 33.3% 2.7% 29 0.22
Kevin Love $8,400 $8,000 $12,400 1.19 32.1 3.0 38.1 4.8 26.1% -1.6% 28 -0.20
Tristan Thompson $4,900 $4,900 $7,500 0.79 29.2 -0.3 23.1 -1.8 9.3% 2.8% 29 -0.50

Elite Plays – Kyrie Irving

Secondary Plays – LeBron James, Kevin Love

Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8:00 PM ET

Houston Rockets Minnesota Timberwolves
houstonnba Vegas Total 221.0 minnesotanba Vegas Total 221.0
Vegas Spread -3.5 Vegas Spread 3.5
Team Total 112.3 Team Total 108.8
Pace +/- -1.3 Pace +/- 1.4
Proj. Starter Patrick Beverley James Harden Trevor Ariza Ryan Anderson Clint Capela Proj. Starter Ricky Rubio Zach LaVine Andrew Wiggins Gorgui Dieng Karl-Anthony Towns
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 24 7 15 11 12 DvP 6 19 23 18 16
DRPM 0.16 -2.97 -2.90 2.52 -2.19 DRPM 0.90 -0.76 1.28 -0.51 0.77

Houston Rockets

The Rockets travel to Minnesota after making an NBA-record 24 three-pointers. You knew it was just a matter of time before they did it in Mike D’Antoni’s offense. James Harden posted his second consecutive triple-double and will look to keep it going against the T-Wolves tonight. Harden gets a -2.97 DPRM matchup against Zach LaVine. Harden is a cash game lock and has huge tournament upside as well. The only starter who did not play well against the T-Wolves last night was Ryan Anderson. He was 3-for-11 and had been hot before last night. He has a tough DPRM matchup but Gorgui Dieng struggles to defend perimeter oriented big men.

Patrick Beverley had his second-best fantasy performance of the season last night and should be locked in against Ricky Rubio. Trevor Ariz and Eric Gordon continue to play well, and Gordon is the cheaper of the two. SF looks a bit deeper than SG tonight, making Eric Gordon the better play. Clint Capela continues to play solid ball and is averaging 25.8 DraftKings fantasy points in his last eight games. Sam Dekker has seen 22+ minutes in three out of his last four games and is a viable option as well. He carries considerable risk for tournaments and has only really exceeded value in blowouts.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Patrick Beverley $5,400 $5,200 $7,800 0.81 29.4 0.5 23.8 2.9 16.1% 2.6% 24 0.16
James Harden $11,800 $11,600 $16,400 1.43 36.7 -0.6 52.5 1.4 38.1% -4.4% 7 -2.97
Trevor Ariza $5,700 $5,700 $8,600 0.76 33.3 -0.4 25.4 0.3 14.7% -0.5% 15 -2.90
Ryan Anderson $5,300 $4,900 $9,000 0.70 30.6 -1.7 21.6 2.5 17.3% -0.5% 11 2.52
Clint Capela $5,800 $5,200 $8,700 1.04 25.0 -3.5 25.9 -3.4 18.5% 2.2% 12 -2.19
Eric Gordon $5,300 $5,400 $9,200 0.81 30.6 -3.6 24.8 -1.4 23.0% 5.2% 7 N/A

Elite Plays -James Harden, Patrick Beverley

Secondary Plays – Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon

Minnesota Timberwolves

The T-Wolves have the fifth-highest implied team total tonight, and Andrew Wiggins is the cheapest of their “Big 3.” He gets a tough DPRM matchup against Trevor Ariza, but the DvP chart shows it as an easy matchup. Ariza is a defender who will lock in on guys that are ball dominant and roam on players that are not on the ball as much. Wiggins averaged 35 DraftKings points in the games where he played over 30 minutes against the Rockets last season. Zach LaVine has been averaging 35.67 DraftKings fantasy points in his last 10 starts and has played over 39 minutes in eight of those games. He’s pretty much a lock for cash games with elite tournament upside since he’s on the floor for a ton of minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns has posted a double-double in six straight games but is pretty expensive on both sites. He’ll need to have a monster performance to really exceed value. While it’s possible, he does not have as much upside and is a better cash game play since he has played over 38 minutes in back-to-back games.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Ricky Rubio $5,600 $5,000 $8,500 0.74 30.7 1.0 22.7 2.7 17.3% 1.1% 6 0.90
Zach LaVine $6,500 $6,700 $10,300 0.77 37.7 2.5 29.1 3.4 23.1% 0.0% 19 -0.76
Andrew Wiggins $6,400 $6,300 $10,500 0.83 36.4 -0.9 30.1 -0.4 27.6% -2.2% 23 1.28
Gorgui Dieng $5,800 $5,800 $10,100 0.82 31.6 1.7 25.9 1.0 16.3% 0.9% 18 -0.51
Karl-Anthony Towns $8,900 $8,700 $13,600 1.13 35.1 1.5 39.7 -2.0 27.0% -1.3% 16 0.77

Elite Plays – Zach LaVine

Secondary Plays – Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns (cash)

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About the Author

INSPYR
Chirag Hira (INSPYR)

Chirag Hira, DFS alias “INSPYR”, has been playing fantasy basketball since 2001. He picked up DFS during the 2015 playoffs and has never looked back. In charge of DFS Alerts for the NBA, Chirag takes it as a daily challenge to break news before anyone else in the industry. He graduated with a degree in sports journalism and his career highlights include interviewing Kobe Bryant and Joe Torre. You can find Chirag on Twitter at C_Hira24.