NBA Grind Down: Sunday, January 28th

by Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) Last Updated 2018-01-28 16:13:37

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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 Implied 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.

Legend & FAQ

Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls – 3:30 PM ET

Milwaukee Bucks							Chicago Bulls
			Vegas Total		215.0					Vegas Total		215.0
			Vegas Spread		-2.0					Vegas Spread		2.0
			Implied Team Total		108.5					Implied Team Total		106.5
			Pace Projection +/-		0.6					Pace Projection +/-		-1.6
Projected Starters	Eric Bledsoe	Malcolm Brogdon	Khris Middleton	Giannis Antetokounmpo	John Henson		Projected Starters	Jerian Grant	Zach LaVine	Justin Holiday	Lauri Markkanen	Robin Lopez
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	28	27	11	22	22		DvP	13	6	3	7	26
DRPM Rat.	21	16	10	26	20		DRPM Rat.	7	22	26	8	3

Milwaukee Bucks

Notable Injuries

Malcolm Brogdon (Questionable)

Happy Sunday, Grinders! We have a relatively large NBA slate by Sunday standards today, which could be partially because there is no football to compete with the NBA schedule (the Pro Bowl does not count in my book). Let me also add this for good measure: NBA injury reporting needs to change. I know late swap is a hot topic in the DFS industry, but that isn’t likely to change. The injury reporting is what needs to change. There was no excuse for there being no word about J.J. Barea and Caris LeVert before lineups locked last night. With that, I will get off the soap box. You have my condolences if you lost significant dollars with those late scratches both last night and earlier this week.

Moving on to today, the Bucks take on the Bulls in the first game of the afternoon. We have a seven game slate split into three early games and four evening games for us. We don’t have enough data to get a clear picture of what Milwaukee’s rotations will look like without Jason Kidd, and it’s a shame for us, as Kidd was actually becoming more predictable with his rotations. For now, I am not expecting many changes. The team continues to be led by Giannis Antetokounmpo. He returned from injury the other night and showed no rust, going for 41/13/7 against the Nets. Naturally, he is a strong play on a short afternoon slate.

After Giannis, the strongest plays here are the guards. Chicago ranks near the bottom of the league in defending both guard spots, while they are stronger against interior players. You can safely fire up Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton as mid to high-end plays, though their prices are a bit elevated from when Antetokounmpo was out. I slightly prefer Bledsoe, who is just a little bit cheaper on all the major sites. John Henson might have a more consistent role under a new coach and is coming off a strong game, but he is merely a secondary cash game option in a relatively difficult matchup. Sterling Brown might be worth a look as a punt play if Malcolm Brogdon is out again, as he grabbed nine rebounds in 27 minutes the other night with Brogdon sidelined. Keep an eye out for news on that front as we get closer to tip off.

Milwaukee Bucks Offense

Points Per Game: 105.0 (17 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 108.5 (7 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 3.5 (4 of 14)

Matchup vs. Chicago Bulls

Points Allowed Per Game: 108.9 (25 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 107.7 (24 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -0.9 (20 of 30)
Pace of Play: 100.0 (12 of 30)

Elite Plays – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Khris Middleton (Cash), John Henson (Cash), Sterling Brown (Only if Brogdon is out)

Chicago Bulls

Notable Injuries

Kris Dunn (Out)

The Bulls have been playing much better basketball after a slow start to the season, but they have slipped a bit with three consecutive losses. They are still scoring some points, though, as they have topped 100 points in nine straight games. Kris Dunn remains sidelined with his concussion, and his absence is a big reason why the Bulls have been struggling a little more. Jerian Grant has been hit or miss in Dunn’s absence, and his price is a little too expensive for my liking. In a relatively tough matchup, he isn’t the strongest option on the board today. Zach LaVine is doing a little more with taking over the offense, and his minutes are slowly increasing. LaVine took a whopping 17 shots against the Lakers the other night, but only three of them dropped. The points will come, and he is my preferred play of the day from the Chicago backcourt.

The Chicago frontcourt is very difficult to peg on a daily basis. The trio of Lauri Markkanen, Bobby Portis, and Nikola Miortic all bring upside to the table, but we never know how many minutes they are going to play. The coaching staff is willing to ride the the hot hand at times, and that makes our job more difficult. Markkanen generally has the safest minutes, and he is coming off a double-double against the Lakers. If I had to choose among the group, Markkanen is the cash game play, while Mirotic is the most intriguing GPP option. Milwaukee’s biggest defensive weakness is against the center spot, but Robin Lopez just doesn’t get enough minutes to hit any sort of ceiling. He’s a secondary cash option, at best.

Chicago Bulls Offense

Points Per Game: 103.6 (21 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 106.5 (9 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 2.9 (6 of 14)

Matchup vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Points Allowed Per Game: 105.8 (13 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 107.1 (23 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -3.2 (27 of 30)
Pace of Play: 97.8 (24 of 30)

Elite Plays – Zach LaVine

Secondary Plays – Jerian Grant, Lauri Markkanen (Cash), Robin Lopez (Cash), Nikola Mirotic (GPP)

Phoenix Suns at Houston Rockets – 3:30 PM ET

Phoenix Suns							Houston Rockets
			Vegas Total		227.0					Vegas Total		227.0
			Vegas Spread		13.0					Vegas Spread		-13.0
			Implied Team Total		107.0					Implied Team Total		120.0
			Pace Projection +/-		1.7					Pace Projection +/-		2.8
Projected Starters	Troy Daniels	Devin Booker	T.J. Warren	Marquese Chriss	Tyson Chandler		Projected Starters	Chris Paul	James Harden	Trevor Ariza	Ryan Anderson	Clint Capela
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	9	23	23	6	25		DvP	26	30	18	30	14
DRPM Rat.	2	19	15	28	4		DRPM Rat.	29	28	28	13	6

Phoenix Suns

Notable Injuries

Devin Booker (Probable)
Tyson Chandler (Probable)
Alex Len (Questionable)

The last two afternoon starts feature massive game totals of 227 points each, so expect some fantasy fireworks here. As of now, though, I have no idea what to do with the Phoenix frontcourt situation. Tyson Chandler is probable and Alex Len is questionable for this game. If one of them happens to sit out, the other one becomes an interesting low-cost center option. Greg Monroe would also likely crack 20+ minutes and would become a viable play. Keep an eye on the news wires to figure out what to do there. Marquese Chriss is also back from injury, but he was rusty in a blowout loss to the Knicks on Friday. His minutes were likely down because of a combination of the blowout and the fact that Chriss shot just 1-for-12 from the field. I would expect a better performance today in a pace up game against the Rockets, and I like him as a mid-range GPP option. His price is still far too high to be able to trust him in cash games. T.J. Warren remains the most steady selection in this frontcourt.

Jay Triano made a lineup change in the last game, moving Devin Booker over to the point and banishing Tyler Ulis to the bench. It was a long awaited move, as Ulis has been nothing short of terrible in the 2017-2018 season. Troy Daniels appears to be the new starting shooting guard, but who knows if that will last following a 22 point loss in the first game with this new lineup. Daniels is dirt cheap, though, and I don’t mind taking a flier on him as a punt play. You could also make a case for Isaiah Canaan as a GPP option off the bench. Booker is obviously your strongest play here, though he will likely see plenty of Chris Paul in this game. I expect Booker to play with a little motivation after being ejected against the Knicks and trolled by Enes Kanter on social media after Friday’s game. There is blowout risk here, but there are a lot of strong GPP options. The Suns could certainly push for 110+ points if they keep this game close.

Phoenix Suns Offense

Points Per Game: 104.9 (19 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 107.0 (8 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 2.1 (10 of 14)

Matchup vs. Houston Rockets

Points Allowed Per Game: 106.5 (20 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 105.0 (13 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 2.7 (5 of 30)
Pace of Play: 101.1 (8 of 30)

Elite Plays – Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss (GPP), T.J. Warren

Secondary Plays – Center news TBA, Troy Daniels, Isaiah Canaan (GPP)

Houston Rockets

Notable Injuries

None

For our purposes, this should be an “all systems go” game for the Rockets. They are at home against an up tempo squad that doesn’t play much defense. There’s a reason that the Rockets have a mammoth team total of 120 points in this game. The biggest risk here is a potential blowout. There’s also the matter of figuring out who will be the one to knock down all the three pointers for the team, especially now that James Harden is back. Phoenix ranks in the bottom third of the league against both guard spots, so both Chris Paul and James Harden check in as elite plays today. This profiles as the type of matchup where either one could very well put up a triple-double. If you have the salary to fit one of them into your lineup, do it.

The other spot where Phoenix has struggled defensively has been against power forwards, but Ryan Anderson has been nothing short of awful lately. He’s nothing more than a massive risk/reward GPP option, as he was scoreless over just 14 minutes against the Pelicans the other night, while posting a ridiculous -20 plus/minus in those minutes. Yikes. Clint Capela is your best upside option from this frontcourt, especially if Greg Monroe ends up finding the court for Phoenix. I like him as a strong GPP center on the afternoon slate, especially when most people will gravitate toward spending for Anthony Davis (more on that in a minute).

Lastly, Trevor Ariza and Eric Gordon are also fantasy options in a favorable matchup. Ariza doesn’t have a high ceiling, but he is a steady cash game option who should continue to see minutes in the mid-30’s. Gordon continues to have a fine role off the bench, too. While he generally gets ignored in DFS now that Harden is back, he actually is a better fit with the second unit. His price is also a lot cheaper than it was when Harden was out, and Gordon poured in 27 points against the Pelicans on Friday. There’s no way he should be priced at $5,400 on DraftKings and under $5,000 on FanDuel. He remains an elite option at those prices.

Houston Rockets Offense

Points Per Game: 114.1 (2 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 120.0 (1 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 5.9 (1 of 14)

Matchup vs. Phoenix Suns

Points Allowed Per Game: 112.1 (30 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 109.5 (28 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -0.4 (16 of 30)
Pace of Play: 102.2 (4 of 30)

Elite Plays – Chris Paul, James Harden, Eric Gordon, Clint Capela (GPP), Trevor Ariza (Cash)

Secondary Plays – Clint Capela (Cash), Trevor Ariza (GPP), Ryan Anderson (GPP)

Los Angeles Clippers at New Orleans Pelicans – 4:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Clippers							New Orleans Pelicans
			Vegas Total		227.5					Vegas Total		227.5
			Vegas Spread		1.0					Vegas Spread		-1.0
			Implied Team Total		113.3					Implied Team Total		114.3
			Pace Projection +/-		2.1					Pace Projection +/-		1.2
Projected Starters	Milos Teodosic	Tyrone Wallace	Wesley Johnson	Blake Griffin	DeAndre Jordan		Projected Starters	Rajon Rondo	Jrue Holiday	E’Twaun Moore	Dante Cunningham	Anthony Davis
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	19	26	20	24	6		DvP	14	29	24	15	19
DRPM Rat.	28	4	29	17	2		DRPM Rat.	4	7	5	27	11

Los Angeles Clippers

Notable Injuries

Danilo Gallinari (Out)
Austin Rivers (Out)

The afternoon slate wraps up with an interesting matchup between the Clippers and Pelicans. This profiles as a high scoring, close game, as we have a 227 point total and a one point spread here. While the one point spread may be surprising, especially with this game taking place in New Orleans, we have to remember that the Clippers have gotten Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan back, playing together for the first time in quite a while. Also, the Pelicans just lost DeMarcus Cousins to a season-ending Achilles injury. As such, the spread is much less surprising. Jordan should be without a major minutes restriction in this one after logging 30 minutes against Memphis the other night. Both Griffin and Jordan will benefit from Cousins being out for New Orleans, and they are both solid high-end frontcourt options. Jordan is a little too expensive for my liking on FanDuel, though, so he is a secondary play over there.

This is a pace up game for the Clippers against a Pelicans team that likes to run, and the Pelicans have also been very weak at defending the guard spots this season. Lou Williams has moved back to the bench, but he is still coming off a 40 point, 10 assist performance against the Grizzlies. I hate to pay the massive price tag for a bench player, and he probably doesn’t fit my optimal afternoon build, but I can’t dismiss him entirely in a favorable matchup. Tyrone Wallace and Milos Teodosic aren’t high usage offensive players, but they are reasonably priced cash game options at their current salary levels. You definitely don’t want to dismiss this Clippers squad today, but the guards are the more difficult options to peg.

Los Angeles Clippers Offense

Points Per Game: 107.8 (8 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 113.3 (4 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 5.5 (2 of 14)

Matchup vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Points Allowed Per Game: 110.6 (29 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 106.9 (21 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -0.7 (18 of 30)
Pace of Play: 101.5 (6 of 30)

Elite Plays – Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan (DK & FDRAFT)

Secondary Plays – DeAndre Jordan (FD), Milos Teodosic, Tyrone Wallace (Cash), Lou Williams (GPP)

New Orleans Pelicans

Notable Injuries

DeMarcus Cousins (Out)
Alexis Ajinca (Out)
Tony Allen (Out)

The big news, of course, is that DeMarcus Cousins will be out for the season with a devastating Achilles injury. If we fire up the RotoGrinders CourtIQ tool, we see that two players get a massive benefit with Cousins off the floor. Jrue Holiday sees an 8.8% usage boost and scores 15 additional fantasy points per 36 minutes with Cousins off the floor. Anthony Davis sees a 5.5% usage boost and scores 12 additional fantasy points per 36 minutes with Cousins off the floor. Both are elite options in any format, and they are the two logical starting points for your cash game builds this afternoon. Davis will undoubtedly carry massive ownership, so a case can be made for a GPP fade. There are other studs to pay for on this slate, so the leverage is there. Keep that in the back of your mind as you build rosters. I am NOT trying to tell you to absolutely fade Davis in tournaments, as that decision could very easily cripple your lineups when he goes for 80 fantasy points. I just think that it’s a viable path to success today.

As for the rest of the team, it’s likely that someone steps up as a third option in Cousins’ absence. The problem is figuring out who that will be. A ton of the offense is going to flow through Holiday and Davis. I would expect Davis to shift to center, and perhaps Darius Miller gets some run at the four. He has seen the most consistent minutes off the bench and scored 20 points in 29 minutes against Houston on Friday. E’Twaun Moore is also a solid mid-range play who might see a few more offensive looks. Rajon Rondo has played fewer than 20 minutes in three straight games and is not a fantasy option until we start to see more court time. He is fading away in favor of Holiday and Moore in this backcourt.

New Orleans Pelicans Offense

Points Per Game: 111.1 (3 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 114.3 (2 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 3.2 (5 of 14)

Matchup vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Points Allowed Per Game: 107.4 (22 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 106.5 (17 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -1.2 (22 of 30)
Pace of Play: 100.6 (11 of 30)

Elite Plays – Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis, E’Twaun Moore

Secondary Plays – Darius Miller

Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers – 6:00 PM ET

Detroit Pistons							Cleveland Cavaliers
			Vegas Total		216.5					Vegas Total		216.5
			Vegas Spread		8.0					Vegas Spread		-8.0
			Implied Team Total		104.3					Implied Team Total		112.3
			Pace Projection +/-		0.2					Pace Projection +/-		-1.5
Projected Starters	Langston Galloway	Avery Bradley	Stanley Johnson	Tobias Harris	Andre Drummond		Projected Starters	Isaiah Thomas	J.R. Smith	LeBron James	Kevin Love	Tristan Thompson
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	25	25	27	23	18		DvP	7	10	29	12	10
DRPM Rat.	26	26	23	19	29		DRPM Rat.	2	23	11	24	6

Detroit Pistons

Notable Injuries

Reggie Jackson (Out)

The evening slate starts with a matchup between the Pistons and Cavaliers. It’s no secret that the Cavs have been awful defensively this season, and it has gotten worse of late. The problem is that the Pistons aren’t really an offense that is guaranteed to take advantage of that, as they are currently riding a seven game losing streak. Langston Galloway and Stanley Johnson remained in the starting lineup on Saturday ahead of Ish Smith and Reggie Bullock, but that was in title only. Both starters played less than 15 minutes in the game, while both Smith and Bullock logged 30+ minutes off the bench. They are the stronger options here, with both checking in as affordably priced options. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them re-enter the starting lineup tonight. Against a weak defensive team, I’ll take some chances on a four game slate.

I’ve buried the obvious statement here, but the safest fantasy options on this team are Andre Drummond and Tobias Harris. Drummond is having a breakout season, and he was flat out an All Star snub. He has backed up that snub with a pair of strong games against tough opponents in Utah and Oklahoma City, and he should find the sledding much easier against Cleveland. He should be better this time than he was in the blowout loss the first time these teams met this year. As for Harris, he is never all that exciting to roster, but he has a steady floor and a reasonable ceiling. Harris isn’t the first guy you lock into your lineups, but he is certainly a solid play on this slate. Drummond is the only primary play from this team, but Harris would be my next choice.

Detroit Pistons Offense

Points Per Game: 102.1 (25 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 104.3 (11 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 2.2 (9 of 14)

Matchup vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Points Allowed Per Game: 109.6 (26 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 109.8 (30 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -2.4 (25 of 30)
Pace of Play: 99.6 (14 of 30)

Elite Plays – Andre Drummond, Tobias Harris (Cash)

Secondary Plays – Tobias Harris (GPP), Ish Smith, Reggie Bullock

Cleveland Cavaliers

Notable Injuries

Dwyane Wade (Questionable)

Tyronn Lue finally made a lineup change before the last game, and since it resulted in a win over Indiana, I would expect that same lineup to be used tonight. Tristan Thompson entered the starting lineup in place of Jae Crowder, and he responded with a 10 point, 10 rebound double-double in 31 minutes of court time. This is about the line we should expect from Thompson. He won’t score a ton, but his interior presence is much needed for this weak defensive squad. I wouldn’t be surprised if he approached 35 minutes tonight against Drummond and company. He remains an affordable value on all sites. LeBron James is also a safe play, as usual, but it comes down to whether you prefer him or Westbrook as the primary spend on the night slate. I slightly prefer Westbrook, but this is largely an exercise in splitting hairs. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if James scored the most fantasy points on the entire slate.

I am hesitant to trust Kevin Love at this point, especially with Isaiah Thomas firmly entrenched into a 30+ minute role now. Love is still a little over-priced for my liking. Love is still considerably more expensive than Thomas, and that just doesn’t make sense to me. Thomas is the additional player I would look to for the Cavs if I am trying to choose someone other than the two obvious plays. Keep an eye on the status of Dwayne Wade. If he is out tonight, you could maybe give J.R. Smith a look as a punt play after he poured in seven three pointers in a whopping 37 minutes on Friday. He is extremely inconsistent, though, so be aware of the low floor and the fact that this is only viable if Wade sits.

Cleveland Cavaliers Offense

Points Per Game: 109.7 (5 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 112.3 (5 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 2.6 (8 of 14)

Matchup vs. Detroit Pistons

Points Allowed Per Game: 102.1 (5 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 104.4 (7 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -0.5 (17 of 30)
Pace of Play: 97.9 (22 of 30)

Elite Plays – Tristan Thompson, LeBron James, Isaiah Thomas (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Isaiah Thomas (Cash), Kevin Love, J.R. Smith (If Wade is out)

Philadelphia 76ers at Oklahoma City Thunder – 6:00 PM ET

Philadelphia 76ers							Oklahoma City Thunder
			Vegas Total		215.0					Vegas Total		215.0
			Vegas Spread		3.5					Vegas Spread		-3.5
			Implied Team Total		105.8					Implied Team Total		109.3
			Pace Projection +/-		-1.3					Pace Projection +/-		3.0
Projected Starters	Ben Simmons	Jerryd Bayless	Robert Covington	Dario Saric	Joel Embiid		Projected Starters	Russell Westbrook	Josh Huestis	Paul George	Carmelo Anthony	Steven Adams
Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C		Opponent Rank	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
DvP	5	14	2	8	2		DvP	10	24	16	18	13
DRPM Rat.	3	10	6	24	22		DRPM Rat.	1	27	1	25	2

Philadelphia 76ers

Notable Injuries

Jerryd Bayless (Doubtful)
J.J. Redick (Out)

The Sixers continue to be thin in the backcourt, with J.J. Redick sidelined and Jerryd Bayless doubtful for today. This should allow Ben Simmons to handle the ball more, while Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot will remain in the starting lineup and T.J. McConnell will play more minutes off the bench. Luwawu-Cabarrot isn’t a high usage player and isn’t really high on my list of value plays generally, but I understand the appeal of a guy who is likely going to start and approach 30 minutes. I don’t love his matchup against the Thunder wings, though, so he is probably a fade for me today. McConnell carries some upside and GPP appeal off the bench, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him grab a few more minutes this evening. Simmons was a shocking 10-for-11 from the field the other night, and he had a triple-double against the Bulls earlier in the week, so he is squarely in play as well.

Oklahoma City is a solid defensive team, so this isn’t necessarily a spot where we want to load up on Sixers players. Joel Embiid is too expensive for me in a matchup against a frustrating defender in Steven Adams, and I can’t endorse paying the premium for him over both James and Westbrook tonight. Is the upside there? Sure. Is he the most likely player to break this slate? Probably not. I definitely don’t think it’s necessary in cash games. Robert Covington is a frustrating player to own and is entirely dependent on knocking down some three pointers. As with Embiid, I likely won’t go there today, but there’s some risk/reward GPP upside. The absence of Roberson on the other side does help to some degree.

The sneakiest play from this Sixers team might well be Dario Saric. I like his individual matchup the best at power forward, and Saric has quietly become a consistent fantasy option for this team. The minutes are there, the double-double potential is there, and the price rarely moves. I’m a willing buyer in all formats. Don’t sleep on him!

Philadelphia 76ers Offense

Points Per Game: 108.1 (7 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 105.8 (10 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: -2.3 (12 of 14)

Matchup vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Points Allowed Per Game: 101.7 (4 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.9 (5 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 3.9 (3 of 30)
Pace of Play: 98.1 (20 of 30)

Elite Plays – Ben Simmons, Dario Saric

Secondary Plays – Joel Embiid, T.J. McConnell (GPP), Robert Covington (GPP)

Oklahoma City Thunder

Notable Injuries

Andre Roberson (Out)

The parade of injuries continues in the NBA, as the Thunder have lost Andre Roberson for the season. That isn’t necessarily an offensive hit for this team, but it does hurt their defensive prowess a bit. Terrance Ferguson is the most likely beneficiary in terms of minutes, but he is not a high usage player. I’m not all that excited. Paul George and Russell Westbrook will continue to be the primary offensive weapons for the team, and I don’t mind either today. Westbrook seems like the most logical spend on the board in a decent home matchup. The Thunder have an implied team total of a healthy 110 points, so I am comfortable using both George and Westbrook in any format.

As usual, we know that the minutes will be there for Steven Adams. His defensive, pestering presence will definitely be needed against Joel Embiid. While he may not have the most GPP upside, the floor is very safe, and he’s one of the best point per dollar center options on the late slate. I almost never roster Carmelo Anthony at this point in his career, and that is not going to change today. I’ll stick with the core three pieces here, and I won’t fault you if you want to consider Ferguson as a value play.

Oklahoma City Thunder Offense

Points Per Game: 105.7 (14 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 109.3 (6 of 14)
Projected Point Differential: 3.6 (3 of 14)

Matchup vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Points Allowed Per Game: 106.3 (18 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.4 (3 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 5.4 (1 of 30)
Pace of Play: 102.4 (3 of 30)

Elite Plays – Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Steven Adams (Cash)

Secondary Plays – Steven Adams (GPP), Terrance Ferguson, Carmelo Anthony

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