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NBA Grind Down: Saturday, January 7th

by Chirag Hira (INSPYR) Last Updated 2017-01-08 04:45:15

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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.

Click here to follow INSPYR on Twitter

New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers – 7:00 PM ET

New York Knicks Indiana Pacers
newyorknba Vegas Total 216.0 indiananba Vegas Total 216.0
Vegas Spread 7.0 Vegas Spread -7.0
Team Total 104.5 Team Total 111.5
Pace +/- 1.2 Pace +/- 1.2
Proj. Starter Derrick Rose Courtney Lee Carmelo Anthony Kristaps Porzingis Joakim Noah Proj. Starter Jeff Teague Glenn Robinson Paul George Thaddeus Young Myles Turner
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 18 19 15 22 17 DvP 13 29 12 12 28
DRPM 0.17 -0.79 -0.06 1.03 1.95 DRPM -1.87 -0.30 -1.74 1.50 1.72

New York Knicks

Welcome to the Saturday edition, Grinders! It’s been a fun week of hoops, so let’s keep the party going. Hopefully, someone can take down the big one tonight, but this slate is filled with fantasy goodness. The Knicks will be traveling to Indiana and are playing on the second night of a back-to-back. This is also their third game in four nights, except for Kristaps Porzingis. He was inactive for three games due to an Achilles injury but made his return last night. Porzingis was limited to 30 minutes, and I’d expect them to keep his minutes in that range if he even plays tonight. It would be wise for the Knicks to rest their young stud in this situation, but he’s on record as saying he wants to play as many games as possible. With his minutes likely restricted, his ceiling is capped, and there’s not much profit to be had on his inflated salary on FanDuel. He’s slightly more playable on DK but still not safe for cash.

Carmelo Anthony has really turned it up over the last three games, and especially in his last two, both against the Bucks. He looks like a viable cash game option since he has a 1.04 FP/Min and leads the team with a true usage rate of 28.9 percent. There is some risk, as he was unable to finish the game on New Year’s Eve due to a sore knee. Maybe he wanted to be fresh for the festivities, but I’d consider him a risky GPP option on the second night of a back-to-back and playing his third game in four nights. One point in his favor is that he just lit up the Pacers for 50+ DK points a couple weeks ago.

Courtney Lee has seen 33+ minutes in four consecutive games and looks like he’s over the wrist injury that cost him three games last month. He lacks considerable upside, but he’s a decent cash game play in a 19th-ranked DvP matchup. Derrick Rose has really cooled off over the last three games but would see a huge boost if Anthony or Porzingis are limited or out. Joakim Noah fouled out last night, but he was playing really well before foul trouble caught up with him in that game. The Pacers rank 27th in rebounding differential, so Noah has GPP upside here. The fact that the Knicks are seven-point dogs really concerns me because it says there’s a real chance this game could get out of hand.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Derrick Rose $6,200 $5,900 0.89 32.1 2.0 28.7 0.5 28.3% 1.2% 18 0.17
Courtney Lee $4,100 $3,900 0.57 31.1 4.8 17.9 1.9 14.0% -0.3% 19 -0.79
Carmelo Anthony $7,900 $7,600 1.04 33.5 -3.3 34.8 0.6 28.9% 0.8% 15 -0.06
Kristaps Porzingis $7,900 $7,000 1.01 34.8 35.2 23.5% 22 1.03
Joakim Noah $5,100 $5,400 0.95 23.0 7.7 21.8 13.2 14.1% 0.0% 17 1.95

Elite Plays – N/A

Secondary Plays – Carmelo Anthony (DK), Kristaps Porzingis (DK), Derrick Rose (GPP), Joakim Noah (GPP)

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers host the Knicks after defeating the Nets on Thursday. The Pacers have won four straight games after losing their previous four games. Paul George played has played fewer than 32 minutes in two out of his last three starts, but that has more to do with the fact that the Pacers are blowing the other team out. If we can get George for 35+ minutes tonight, he should be able to exceed salary-based expectations. Still, he’s not an elite cash game play since he’s proven that he can underperform rather easily and has only one game over 50 DK points this season. Jeff Teague has been dishin’ out dimes and has recently recorded games with 15 and 17 assists. He looks like a better play over on DK for the slight discount and double-double bonus due to the double-digit assists being a possibility. He’s also picked up a steal in five straight games, so his floor looks secure but the potential profit is not that high since his salary is at a season-high on both sites.

Myles Turner crushed the Nets on Thursday and played well when these two teams hooked up in New York a couple weeks ago. His salary is also slightly inflated but he’s picked up a block in all but two games this season and double-digit rebounds in two out of this last three games. If you’re willing to pay this much for a center tonight, Andre Drummond looks like the higher-upside play. Glenn Robinson III looks like he’s finally putting together some consistent fantasy games, but the lack of upside is not working in his favor. Monta is splitting time with him at SG but has yet to really break out since returning from his injury five games ago. Ellis is cheap and his minutes are trending in the right direction, but he’s still risky. Thaddeus is back to not playing heavy minutes and will need to play over 35 minutes to really exceed salary-based expectations.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Jeff Teague $8,100 $7,700 1.06 32.1 -1.7 34.0 3.7 26.7% -0.6% 13 -1.87
Glenn Robinson $3,700 $3,800 0.58 22.5 5.9 13.0 5.0 12.6% -2.1% 29 -0.30
Paul George $7,900 $8,000 1.01 35.7 -3.2 36.2 0.8 26.9% 0.4% 12 -1.74
Thaddeus Young $5,200 $5,500 0.75 31.5 0.8 23.7 -3.1 16.0% -0.3% 12 1.50
Myles Turner $7,100 $7,200 1.06 29.8 3.2 31.5 13.0 19.5% 0.7% 28 1.72
Monta Ellis $3,700 $3,900 0.64 29.0 -10.0 18.5 -4.3 17.6% -1.4% 29 N/A

Elite Plays – Paul George

Secondary Plays – Jeff Teague, Myles Turner

New Orleans Pelicans at Boston Celtics – 7:30 PM ET

New Orleans Pelicans Boston Celtics
neworleansnba Vegas Total 214.0 bostonnba Vegas Total 214.0
Vegas Spread 7.0 Vegas Spread -7.0
Team Total 103.5 Team Total 110.5
Pace +/- -0.3 Pace +/- 1.2
Proj. Starter Jrue Holiday Buddy Hield Solomon Hill Dante Cunningham Anthony Davis Proj. Starter Isaiah Thomas Avery Bradley Jae Crowder Amir Johnson Al Horford
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 16 5 26 22 22 DvP 28 9 24 27 20
DRPM -3.75 -2.08 1.20 1.34 1.62 DRPM 0.55 -2.52 0.59 0.87 2.75

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans have lost their last two games but have actually been competitive. Anthony Davis is logging heavy minutes but has yet not had a true AD game in a while. He’s always a risk for an injury and has been known to let us down in great spots, but tonight’s spot is rather elite. We’ve been targeting big men against the Celtics all season long, and Davis looks like a strong option in all formats tonight. Davis leads the team with true usage rate 31 percent and has grabbed 15 or more rebounds in seven of his last eight starts. That’s pretty appealing against a team that ranks 28th in rebounding differential. Jrue Holiday has played over 34 minutes in five straight games and is also a viable option to pair with Davis. With so many great PG options on the slate, he’s not mandatory, but he will make a significant fantasy impact.

Buddy Hield has been really playing well over his last five games, but I’d look to avoid him in a matchup against Avery Bradley. Terrence Jones played about 30 minutes against the Hawks on Thursday, which could mean he’s back in the rotation. His minutes are rarely secure, but he’s a viable option against the poor interior defense of the Celtics. Donatas Motiejunas was as a DNP-CD, but it is possible that he plays tonight. He’s just someone to keep an eye on because it would ruin any potential upside Jones has. Tyreke Evans has yet to play 20 minutes this season, but that’s not stopping him from exceeding value on his cheap salary on DK. If the Pelicans announce they’ll play him 20 or more minutes, he would be an elite option, but if he’s not, he’s simply a GPP dart.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Jrue Holiday $7,000 $7,000 0.97 31.2 4.1 30.3 3.3 26.8% -4.5% 16 -3.75
Buddy Hield $4,200 $4,300 0.71 20.0 9.7 14.2 10.2 21.4% -0.2% 5 -2.08
Solomon Hill $3,500 $3,000 0.52 27.5 -1.8 14.4 -5.7 10.8% 1.1% 26 1.20
Dante Cunningham $3,600 $3,600 0.55 25.0 6.5 13.7 0.3 10.7% -2.6% 22 1.34
Anthony Davis $10,800 $10,600 1.38 37.3 -0.1 51.5 -3.8 31.0% -0.1% 22 1.62
Tyreke Evans $5,100 $4,100 1.04 14.8 1.7 15.5 2.4 29.6% 2.1% 5 N/A

Elite Plays – Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday

Secondary Plays – Tyreke Evans (DK GPP)

Boston Celtics

The Celtics continue their home stand tonight against New Orleans with the third-highest implied team total after facing a tough battle against the Sixers last night. Avery Bradley and Al Horford picked up the slack for a semi-struggling Isaiah Thomas. It’s really interesting to note that in Thomas’s last nine games, he has greatly exceeded salary-based expectations only when shooting over 50 percent and getting to the free throw line 10+ times. That’s pretty tough to accomplish consistently even though he leads the team with a true usage rate of 34.8 percent. His salary is at a season-high on FanDuel but from a raw points total he should be able to get there. The lack of potential profit is concerning on FanDuel but we do have some potential upside left on his salary on DraftKings in a 28th ranked DvP matchup. Horford continues to be a strong upside play on DraftKings and is also a viable cash game play on FanDuel. Avery Bradley should also be able continue his hot play against Buddy Hield and his -2.52 DPRM.

Jae Crowder scored a whopping ZERO real points last night and there’s nowhere to go but up from here. He was consistent before last night’s game and gets a 24th-ranked DvP matchup tonight. He lacks elite upside but is still cash game playable even though he had a dud last night. Marcus Smart had a strong performance last night and also scored 35 fantasy points against the Pelicans earlier this season. Amir Johnson has seen over 23 minutes in eight of his last nine starts and is still pretty cheap on both sites. He did have his once-in-a-month performance last night, but his floor looks relatively safe even if the upside might not be there. Kelly Olynyk also deserves an honorable mention on the second night of a back-to-back. With Tyler Zeller not expected to play again tonight, Olynyk looks like he’s in line for 18-20 minutes here.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Isaiah Thomas $9,300 $8,500 1.20 33.5 1.9 40.2 13.3 34.8% -1.4% 28 0.55
Avery Bradley $6,300 $6,100 0.88 35.0 -1.9 30.9 -6.8 22.1% 2.3% 9 -2.52
Jae Crowder $5,300 $5,300 0.77 31.6 1.8 24.5 0.7 16.2% -3.2% 24 0.59
Amir Johnson $4,000 $3,900 0.79 20.3 1.7 16.0 0.4 14.4% -1.2% 27 0.87
Al Horford $7,400 $6,700 1.05 32.8 -2.3 34.4 -5.9 23.1% -0.3% 20 2.75
Marcus Smart $4,700 $4,500 0.73 29.8 1.1 21.8 -4.8 19.6% -4.3% 28 N/A

Elite Plays – Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Al Horford

Secondary Plays – Jae Crowder (cash), Marcus Smart (GPP), Kelly Olynyk (GPP)

Utah Jazz at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8:00 PM ET

Utah Jazz Minnesota Timberwolves
utahnba Vegas Total 195.5 minnesotanba Vegas Total 195.5
Vegas Spread -3.0 Vegas Spread 3.0
Team Total 99.3 Team Total 96.3
Pace +/- -1.6 Pace +/- -5.5
Proj. Starter Shelvin Mack Rodney Hood Gordon Hayward Derrick Favors Rudy Gobert 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 21 9 7 4 18 DvP 2 2 3 1 4
DRPM 1.12 -2.91 -2.36 2.88 -1.81 DRPM -1.45 1.19 0.44 2.26 4.96

Utah Jazz

Editor’s Note: George Hill will play tonight and has been confirmed in the starting lineup. Get the most up-to-date NBA news at RotoGrinders’ News and Alerts page.

The Jazz will be without the services of George Hill once again tonight. According to our CourtIQ tool, Gordon Hayward has a 30 percent usage rate with George Hill off the court this season. He’s had two bad games in a row but is in a prime bounce back spot tonight against the Timberwolves. The T-Wolves are 24th in defensive efficiency, and Andrew Wiggins owns a -2.36 DPRM. Both Hayward and Wiggins play extended minutes, so expect them to guard each other a ton. The low implied team total is concerning for Hayward’s upside. Rudy Gobert continues to play well and has grabbed double-digit rebounds in 22 consecutive games, a franchise record. While the T-Wolves are a strong rebounding team due to Karl-Anthony Towns, I expect the streak to live on, meaning Gobert provides a solid floor even though he lacks elite upside on FanDuel. He’s slightly cheaper on DK and more valuable there since you can get the extra double-double bonus.

Rodney Hood is STILL killing lineups with his poor play but has played over 34 minutes in consecutive games. This could be his spot to turn it around since Zach LaVine has a DPRM of -2.91. I would not consider him an elite GPP play, but those minutes are too good to ignore entirely. Derrick Favors is also starting to consistent minutes but has not played over 30 minutes since November. The Jazz will likely keep him under wraps for a little while longer. Shelvin Mack continues to play well in the absence of George Hill but lacks truly elite upside with the rest of the roster healthy. Joe Ingles is also seeing consistent minutes, but how many Utah players can we use in a game that is expected to be this low scoring?

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Shelvin Mack $4,100 $4,600 0.66 24.1 5.5 15.9 5.9 21.8% 0.2% 21 1.12
Rodney Hood $4,200 $4,500 0.74 29.3 3.2 21.7 -3.5 23.3% -3.0% 9 -2.91
Gordon Hayward $7,500 $7,400 1.01 35.1 -0.9 35.5 -5.5 28.0% 0.1% 7 -2.36
Derrick Favors $4,500 $5,200 0.89 21.7 2.7 19.4 -0.2 20.8% -1.0% 4 2.88
Rudy Gobert $7,700 $7,100 1.00 33.2 2.7 33.2 2.1 14.8% 2.8% 18 -1.81

Elite Plays – Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gobert (DK)

Secondary Plays – Rodney Hood (GPP), Shelvin Mack

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves will host the Jazz tonight after losing in Washington last night. Andrew Wiggins had a huge game, but that was partially due to the fact he played 39 minutes with Shabazz Muhammad out of the lineup. I would not chase Andrew Wiggins against the Jazz. Karl-Anthony Towns has also been playing well, but his elevated salary makes me want to avoid him in a tough matchup. Gorgui Dieng has played over his last six games but should also be avoided here. The only person that really piques my interest is Zach LaVine since SG not entirely deep and LaVine plays a ton of minutes. Just keep in mind that Minnesota has the lowest implied team total on the slate.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Ricky Rubio $5,500 $5,000 0.77 31.3 -0.5 24.3 -5.2 17.3% -3.8% 2 -1.45
Zach LaVine $6,100 $6,100 0.78 37.6 0.8 29.4 -1.2 23.3% -0.4% 2 1.19
Andrew Wiggins $6,200 $6,000 0.82 36.7 1.1 30.2 0.4 27.3% 0.9% 3 0.44
Gorgui Dieng $5,400 $5,300 0.79 32.8 0.2 25.9 0.9 15.3% -1.8% 1 2.26
Karl-Anthony Towns $9,000 $8,700 1.16 35.3 1.1 41.1 1.6 27.4% -1.1% 4 4.96

Elite Plays – N/A

Secondary Plays – Zach LaVine (GPP)

Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls – 8:00 PM ET

Toronto Raptors Chicago Bulls
torontonba Vegas Total 208.5 chicagonba Vegas Total 208.5
Vegas Spread -2.0 Vegas Spread 2.0
Team Total 105.3 Team Total 103.3
Pace +/- -1.8 Pace +/- -1.2
Proj. Starter Kyle Lowry DeMar DeRozan DeMarre Carroll Pascal Siakam Jonas Valanciunas Proj. Starter Michael Carter-Williams Dwyane Wade Jimmy Butler Taj Gibson Robin Lopez
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 8 15 17 19 15 DvP 15 1 13 26 14
DRPM -0.16 -0.03 1.12 1.37 0.10 DRPM 0.58 -2.39 0.58 1.40 -0.13

Toronto Raptors

Kyle Lowry has been on an absolute tear, and if we ignore the game against the Spurs, Lowry is averaging 52.12 DK points in his last seven games. Lowry is seeing heavy minutes and still played well even though he tweaked his ankle against the Jazz on Thursday. He’s cash game viable in a game that is projected to be close, but if I’m spending for up for a PG, it’s got to be Russell Westbrook first in cash. DeMar DeRozan is not priced for upside, but I’m sure he can roast old man Wade. It would not surprise me to see the Bulls switch Jimmy Butler onto DeRozan and hide Wade on DeMarre Carroll. Speaking of Carroll, he saw a season-high 39 minutes against the Jazz on Thursday. He is the minimum salary on FanDuel and only $3.8k on DraftKings. If you need a punt that’ll hit his floor and could potentially provide 8x upside, Carroll is your guy.

In the Raptors’ last game, Lucas Nogueira started at PF with Patrick Patterson out of the lineup and played 25 minutes. The Raptors are trying to play Nogueira and Jonas Valanciunas more minutes together to make up for the defensive deficiencies that Val has. I call him The Weeknd and the Raptors call him Bebe, but you can call him profit. The only issue is that he is foul prone, so there’s a chance he can ruin a lineup. In other words, don’t play Bebe him in cash games, but give him a long look if Patrick Patterson is out yet again. Jonas Valanciunas randomly gets 30 minutes, and when he does, he exceed salary-based expectations. Terrence Ross has also been getting consistent minutes and has played over 30 minutes in three of his last five games. He has the potential to go off and looks like he also has a floor that won’t kill you if he underperforms. He’s not a cash game play but also another look for tournaments.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Kyle Lowry $8,700 $8,400 1.07 37.1 -0.7 39.6 1.4 27.0% -0.2% 8 -0.16
DeMar DeRozan $8,300 $8,000 1.13 35.3 -0.7 39.8 -3.1 34.2% 3.3% 15 -0.03
DeMarre Carroll $3,500 $3,800 0.67 25.5 -0.8 17.2 -3.7 15.1% -2.8% 17 1.12
Pascal Siakam $3,500 $3,000 0.65 18.0 2.2 11.6 -1.2 12.5% -3.4% 19 1.37
Jonas Valanciunas $5,300 $5,200 0.95 26.8 1.2 25.6 -2.5 18.3% -3.1% 15 0.10
Lucas Nogueira $3,600 $3,400 0.81 19.7 2.9 16.0 -2.4 9.6% 1.1% 15 N/A

Elite Plays – Kyle Lowry

Secondary Plays – DeMar DeRozan, Lucas Nogueira (GPP), DeMarre Carroll (GPP), Terrence Ross (GPP)

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are on a two-game winning streak on the back of Jimmy Butler, who has played over 36 minutes in nine straight games. The Bulls have the 11th=highest implied team total but it is still 2.1 points over their season average. Butler is an elite option anytime Dwyane Wade is out but is simply overpriced on FanDuel right now with Dwyane Wade expected to play. Yes, he can easily go for 50 fantasy points right now, but that’s the least I would need to make me happy with playing him. He’s slightly more affordable on DK but with Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis on the slate, it’s probably not possible to spend up for Butler, as well.

Dwyane Wade missed one game due to a swollen knee and has exceeded 30 minutes in only two of his last 10 games. He’s slightly overpriced here and does not make sense for cash games. Nikola Mirotic and Taj Gibson are in a timeshare at PF, but Gibson is still the starter. He also has more upside against a team that ranks 21st in rebounding differential. His upside might be mitigated if the Raptors start Bebe again. Mirotic is a fine option, but as we all know, he’s not a cash game play at all. Michael Carter-Williams has taken over for Rajon Rondo and provides low-end value since his salary has caught up to his production. Doug McDermott has been making the most of his minutes and is viable low-end play.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Michael Carter-Williams $5,000 $5,000 0.79 21.2 6.7 16.7 5.3 23.0% -1.5% 15 0.58
Dwyane Wade $6,500 $6,100 1.03 30.3 -4.1 31.2 -9.5 30.1% -2.6% 1 -2.39
Jimmy Butler $9,300 $8,900 1.15 36.6 1.5 42.0 14.5 29.7% 3.4% 13 0.58
Taj Gibson $4,800 $4,900 0.86 28.0 1.4 24.1 -1.5 19.1% -1.3% 26 1.40
Robin Lopez $4,300 $4,300 0.78 28.0 -2.5 21.7 -2.6 15.7% -1.0% 14 -0.13
Jerian Grant $3,600 $3,500 0.68 14.0 7.7 9.6 6.4 17.5% -1.0% 15 N/A
Nikola Mirotic $4,400 $4,500 0.85 23.2 2.1 19.6 1.2 19.2% -2.7% 26 N/A

Elite Plays – Jimmy Butler

Secondary Plays – Michael Carter-Williams, Doug McDermott, Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic

Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder – 8:00 PM ET

Denver Nuggets Oklahoma City Thunder
denvernba Vegas Total 218.5 oklahomacitynba Vegas Total 218.5
Vegas Spread 7.5 Vegas Spread -7.5
Team Total 105.5 Team Total 113.0
Pace +/- 1.4 Pace +/- 1.8
Proj. Starter Emmanuel Mudiay Gary Harris Danilo Gallinari Wilson Chandler Nikola Jokic 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 25 3 9 18 5 DvP 29 28 8 14 16
DRPM -0.60 0.50 2.14 1.22 1.99 DRPM -2.16 -1.16 -0.85 -1.48 1.70

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets travel to Oklahoma City on the heels of four consecutive losses. Head Coach Mike Malone, called them out for their defense, but I doubt that turns around here against the Thunder. Nikola Jokic (illness) is questionable for tonight’s game and Kenneth Faried is expected to play. WIlson Chandler was moved back to the bench and Darrell Arthur is now the starting PF. Arthur is the minimum on DK and $100 over it on FD. He’s worth a tournament flier in this game, especially if Jokic is out Emmanuel Mudiay is not a player for the faint of heart, but since we’ve been targetting PGs against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder all season, he’s in play. Much of the value depends on if Nikola Jokic plays or not. Stay tuned for more updates on our DFS Alerts page regarding this situation.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Emmanuel Mudiay $4,700 $4,600 0.77 29.1 -0.3 22.5 -6.1 24.5% -6.2% 25 -0.60
Gary Harris $4,600 $4,700 0.79 27.6 2.3 21.8 -0.3 20.0% -2.0% 3 0.50
Danilo Gallinari $6,000 $5,400 0.79 34.0 -3.1 27.0 3.7 19.4% 2.2% 9 2.14
Wilson Chandler $5,600 $5,600 0.88 31.1 -0.4 27.5 -2.7 23.1% -3.3% 18 1.22
Nikola Jokic $7,800 $7,300 1.18 24.6 2.2 29.1 10.7 22.2% 5.3% 5 1.99
Will Barton $4,800 $4,800 0.82 28.9 -9.7 23.7 -6.7 21.4% 0.5% 3 N/A
Jusuf Nurkic $4,000 $3,600 1.04 19.7 0.4 20.5 5.0 22.7% -2.4% 5 N/A

Elite Plays – Jusuf Nurkic (if Jokic is out)

Secondary Plays – Darrell Arthur, Emmanuel Mudiay

Oklahoma City Thunder

If Tony Parker can go off against this team, just imagine what Russell Westbrook is about to do. Beastbrook is the top overall play on the slate and has elite tournament upside on FanDuel. He’s at a season-high $12.9k on DraftKings but he roasted the Nuggets for 82.5 DK points in an overtime victory in November. There’s no way I can justify fading Westbrook in cash games tonight. Victor Oladipo played 41 minutes against the Rockets and has scored over 30 fantasy points in three consecutive games. His salary is back near its highs on DraftKings but sits under $6k on FanDuel.

If Nikola Jokic plays, Steven Adams and Enes Kanter are risky options, since the Nuggets will have most of their big man rotation in tact and should hold up their top rebounding differential. Still, since the Nuggets are such a poor defensive team both Kanter and Adams deserve consideration since they are playing well. Andre Roberson played over 35 minutes against the Rockets, and if he continues to see heavy minutes, he’ll be a viable low-end option again here tonight.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Russell Westbrook $12,200 $12,900 1.66 34.6 1.1 57.6 1.7 46.2% 5.9% 29 -2.16
Victor Oladipo $5,900 $6,600 0.77 34.4 2.8 26.4 2.9 21.2% 0.4% 28 -1.16
Andre Roberson $3,700 $3,700 0.56 30.9 -2.7 17.5 -4.0 10.7% -1.4% 8 -0.85
Domantas Sabonis $3,500 $3,000 0.63 21.2 0.6 13.3 -3.8 14.2% -6.3% 14 -1.48
Steven Adams $5,800 $5,700 0.87 29.7 3.6 25.8 10.0 16.3% -1.7% 16 1.70
Enes Kanter $5,500 $5,200 1.13 20.6 0.7 23.4 1.0 25.2% -2.8% 14 N/A

Elite Plays – Russell Westbrook, Victor Oladipo

Secondary Plays – Enes Kanter, Steven Adams, Andre Roberson

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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.