NBA Grind Down: Thursday, April 19th
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.
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Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat – 7:00 PM ET
| Philadelphia 76ers | Miami Heat | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 216.0 |  | Vegas Total | 216.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Spread | -2.0 | Vegas Spread | 2.0 | |||||||||
| Implied Team Total | 109.0 | Implied Team Total | 107.0 | |||||||||
| Pace Projection +/- | -1.8 | Pace Projection +/- | 2.6 | |||||||||
| Projected Starters | Ben Simmons | J.J. Redick | Robert Covington | Dario Saric | Ersan Ilyasova | Projected Starters | Goran Dragic | Tyler Johnson | Josh Richardson | James Johnson | Hassan Whiteside | |
| Opponent Rank | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | Opponent Rank | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DvP | 4 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 7 | DvP | 13 | 15 | 20 | 9 | 12 | |
| DRPM Rat. | 21 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 2 | DRPM Rat. | 1 | 25 | 1 | 19 | 16 | |
Philadelphia 76ers
NOTE: Joel Embiid is now probable for tonight’s game. His presence would lessen the value of the other 76ers.
We have another three-game slate on tap tonight. The Sixers were unable to grab a 2-0 lead in the series, which puts more pressure on Joel Embiid to return to the lineup. He is getting close, but is being listed as doubtful for tonight’s game. Even though the Sixers are playing on the road against a very good defense, they have an implied total of 109 points, which is the second highest on the board. It’s really impressive how quickly this team has come together and how they’ve managed to keep the ship afloat even without one of their best players. Tonight’s game will be key, as the loser will have to win three of the next four games to advance.
Ben Simmons does not look like a rookie, although neither does Donovan Mitchell. Both players have stepped up in a big way in the postseason. In the first two games of this series, Simmons has averaged 36 minutes and 50 fantasy points. While I don’t hate the play, power forward is loaded with options tonight. It scares me, but I will have zero exposure to Simmons tonight. J.J. Redick and Marco Belinelli have both played well at shooting guard. With similar price points, I will give the edge to the starter, as his minutes are more secure. I will note that Belinelli will be lower owned if you want to look his way in tournaments. Robert Covington couldn’t make a shot in Game 2 and got into foul trouble in Game 1. Perhaps Game 3 will be his time to shine. He offers so much upside thanks to his ability to rack up blocks and steals.
Assuming Embiid is out tonight, we can go right back to the Dario Saric well. He has averaged six more fantasy points per game when Embiid has been out of the lineup over the last two seasons. He played well in Game 2 and should push for minutes in the low 30s tonight. Ersan Ilyasova drew the start at center in Game 2, which was a big matchup problem for Hassan Whiteside. While I don’t hate the play, Iyasova feels a bit too expensive for a position that has so many viable plays. Dollar for dollar, I’d rather take the value route with Amir Johnson. He’s not going to play a ton of minutes, but minutes in the low 20s gives him a chance to reach 20 fantasy points.
Notable Injuries
Joel Embiid (Doubtful)
Philadelphia 76ers Offense
Points Per Game: 109.8 (7 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 109.0 (2 of 6)
Projected Point Differential: -0.8 (3 of 6)
Matchup vs. Miami Heat
Points Allowed Per Game: 102.9 (4 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 104.0 (7 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 0.4 (15 of 30)
Pace of Play: 97.8 (25 of 30)
| Player | FD Salary | DK Salary | FDRFT Salary | FP/Game | Playoffs +/- | Minutes | Playoffs +/- | FP/Min | True Usage | EFF | DVP | DRPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Simmons | $10,200 | $10,200 | $18,000 | 42.2 | 8.1 | 33.7 | 2.8 | 1.25 | 22.8% | 6 | 4 | 21 |
| J.J. Redick | $5,600 | $5,200 | $10,000 | 24.9 | 2.2 | 30.2 | 2.9 | 0.82 | 20.2% | 9 | 14 | 14 |
| Robert Covington | $7,100 | $5,600 | $11,300 | 28.3 | 0.3 | 31.6 | -0.1 | 0.89 | 15.2% | 11 | 1 | 7 |
| Dario Saric | $6,400 | $6,600 | $12,400 | 27.6 | 11.3 | 29.6 | 3.8 | 0.93 | 18.6% | 12 | 6 | 8 |
| Ersan Ilyasova | $6,600 | $5,800 | $13,200 | 22.8 | 8.7 | 25.1 | 4.6 | 0.91 | 16.4% | 8 | 7 | 2 |
| Marco Belinelli | $5,700 | $5,000 | $9,600 | 19.0 | 10.9 | 24.3 | 7.3 | 0.78 | 18.9% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Amir Johnson | $4,100 | $3,700 | $7,700 | 15.3 | 4.1 | 15.8 | 6.2 | 0.97 | 11.9% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Elite Plays – J.J. Redick, Robert Covington (DK), Dario Saric (GPP)
Secondary Plays – Robert Covington (FD), Dario Saric (Cash), Ben Simmons, Marco Belinelli (GPP), Ersan Ilyasova (DK), Amir Johnson
Miami Heat
The Heat picked up a big win in Game 2 to steal home-court advantage from the Sixers, but this series is still far from over. Miami is actually listed as a two-point underdog tonight, even though they are playing at home. Statistically, this is not a great matchup, as the Sixers were ranked third in defensive efficiency during the regular season. The difference is that Joel Embiid played in most of those games and he’s not expected to suit up tonight. The Heat have an implied total of 107 points, which is the third highest on the board and 3.6 points above their season average.
Goran Dragic got into foul trouble in Game 2 and only ended up playing seven minutes in the first half. While he is only averaging 28 minutes per game during the series, we can project him to play 32-34 tonight, assuming he can stay out of foul trouble. He may end up being the forgotten man at point guard, even though his price is affordable across the industry. Tyler Johnson has not played a big role in this series, which is to be expected when Dwyane Wade is coming off the bench. Wade carried Miami with a big game the other night and didn’t see much of a price hike on FanDuel ($4,900). Josh Richardson played 33 minutes in Game 2, which was encouraging. He is certainly viable on FanDuel where we have to roster two small forwards.
If you can accurately predict Miami’s frontcourt rotation tonight, you will put yourself in a great position in tournaments. James Johnson is the one player that I expect to play 30+ minutes. I mentioned him as an elite play heading into Game 2 and he played very well, finishing with 43 fantasy points. Even though power forward is loaded, he’s on my radar again tonight at a price point below $6,000 on both FanDuel and DraftKings. Kelly Olynyk is always viable in tournaments, but scares me in a cash game setting. Justise Winslow has played quite a bit in this series and his price has come down if you want to give him a look as an SF2 on FanDuel ($4,800). The real question is what to do with Hassan Whiteside. He got off to a slow start in Game 1 and then picked up two early fouls in Game 2. He’s one of those players that is great when engaged and terrible when things aren’t going his way. Center tonight is absolutely brutal, so I may end up going back to Whiteside, at least on FanDuel. Perhaps some home cooking can get him rolling in this series.
Notable Injuries
None
Miami Heat Offense
Points Per Game: 103.4 (23 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 107.0 (3 of 6)
Projected Point Differential: 3.6 (1 of 6)
Matchup vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Points Allowed Per Game: 105.3 (11 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.0 (3 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 5.2 (1 of 30)
Pace of Play: 102.2 (4 of 30)
| Player | FD Salary | DK Salary | FDRFT Salary | FP/Game | Playoffs +/- | Minutes | Playoffs +/- | FP/Min | True Usage | EFF | DVP | DRPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goran Dragic | $6,300 | $6,300 | $13,200 | 30.2 | -4.6 | 31.7 | -3.4 | 0.95 | 24.7% | 2 | 13 | 1 |
| Tyler Johnson | $4,500 | $3,900 | $7,900 | 22.0 | -8.3 | 28.5 | -12.3 | 0.77 | 17.5% | 17 | 15 | 25 |
| Josh Richardson | $5,800 | $5,500 | $11,500 | 27.0 | -0.3 | 33.2 | -3.0 | 0.81 | 16.7% | 6 | 20 | 1 |
| James Johnson | $5,400 | $5,700 | $10,900 | 25.6 | 6.2 | 26.6 | 4.1 | 0.96 | 18.2% | 7 | 9 | 19 |
| Hassan Whiteside | $5,500 | $5,400 | $10,400 | 34.7 | -22.9 | 25.3 | -11.5 | 1.37 | 20.7% | 6 | 12 | 16 |
| Dwyane Wade | $4,900 | $5,400 | $11,000 | 23.8 | 8.6 | 22.9 | -0.2 | 1.04 | 24.4% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Justise Winslow | $4,800 | $4,600 | $9,500 | 20.4 | -2.1 | 24.7 | 1.4 | 0.83 | 15.5% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Kelly Olynyk | $6,300 | $6,100 | $11,800 | 24.4 | 10.3 | 23.4 | 8.8 | 1.04 | 19.4% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Elite Plays – Goran Dragic, James Johnson, Dwyane Wade (FD), Hassan Whiteside (FD), Justise Winslow (DK)
Secondary Plays – Dwyane Wade (DK), Hassan Whiteside (DK GPP), Josh Richardson (DK), Justise Winslow (FD), Kelly Olynyk (GPP)
Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans – 9:00 PM ET
| Portland Trail Blazers | New Orleans Pelicans | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 214.5 |  | Vegas Total | 214.5 | |||||||
| Vegas Spread | 4.0 | Vegas Spread | -4.0 | |||||||||
| Implied Team Total | 105.3 | Implied Team Total | 109.3 | |||||||||
| Pace Projection +/- | 3.1 | Pace Projection +/- | -0.8 | |||||||||
| Projected Starters | Damian Lillard | C.J. McCollum | Evan Turner | Al-Farouq Aminu | Jusuf Nurkic | Projected Starters | Rajon Rondo | Jrue Holiday | E’Twaun Moore | Nikola Mirotic | Anthony Davis | |
| Opponent Rank | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | Opponent Rank | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DvP | 18 | 27 | 25 | 18 | 17 | DvP | 1 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 5 | |
| DRPM Rat. | 16 | 1 | 28 | 11 | 1 | DRPM Rat. | 10 | 24 | 20 | 2 | 1 | |
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers are in desperate need of a win tonight, as they are down 0-2 in the series. A sweep to the Pelicans was not what Blazers’ fans had in mind heading into the postseason. Even though they haven’t played up to expectations, this is still a good matchup for fantasy production. New Orleans is one of the only teams in the playoffs that struggled defensively during the regular season (29th in points allowed per game). Portland comes into tonight’s game with an implied total of 105.3 points, which is nearly identical to their season average.
Damian Lillard is 13-for-41 so far in this series. While we can give Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo a little credit, Lillard has played better in worse matchups all season. At the bare minimum, we should expect him to play 40 minutes tonight in a must-win game. Dollar for dollar, he’s my favorite superstar of the slate. C.J. McCollum is viable as well and you can potentially play the two Blazers’ guards together. We know that the offense will be running through one of them at all times. Evan Turner is currently listed as questionable with a toe injury that made him miss a lot of the second half in Game 2. If he is unable to suit up, Maurice Harkless would become a great value play in all formats.
Al-Farouq Aminu broke out of his slump with a 33 fantasy point outing in Game 2. I always like Aminu because he racks up fantasy production in so many ways that he rarely disappoints when he plays 30+ minutes. His price has come up a bit, but he’s still viable on DraftKings ($5,300). Jusuf Nurkic has been a non-factor so far in this series, which is really surprising. He was tremendous down the stretch of the regular season. Perhaps his leg injury is worse than the Blazers are letting on. I’m still fine going there in tournaments on FanDuel due to the scarcity of the position, but he’s nearly as risky of a play as Hassan Whiteside. Ed Davis is a great source of value if you need it. He should log around 20 minutes at a bargain price of $3,600 on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Notable Injuries
Evan Turner (Questionable)
Portland Trail Blazers Offense
Points Per Game: 105.6 (16 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 105.3 (4 of 6)
Projected Point Differential: -0.3 (2 of 6)
Matchup vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Points Allowed Per Game: 110.4 (29 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 105.6 (12 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: -1.2 (21 of 30)
Pace of Play: 102.7 (1 of 30)
| Player | FD Salary | DK Salary | FDRFT Salary | FP/Game | Playoffs +/- | Minutes | Playoffs +/- | FP/Min | True Usage | EFF | DVP | DRPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damian Lillard | $9,600 | $8,900 | $17,000 | 43.9 | -11.2 | 36.6 | 4.6 | 1.20 | 29.5% | 15 | 18 | 16 |
| C.J. McCollum | $7,200 | $6,700 | $12,700 | 33.6 | 1.9 | 36.1 | 2.4 | 0.93 | 24.9% | 25 | 27 | 1 |
| Evan Turner | $4,000 | $4,000 | $7,800 | 16.9 | 3.9 | 25.7 | -0.4 | 0.66 | 14.9% | 19 | 25 | 28 |
| Al-Farouq Aminu | $5,500 | $5,300 | $10,400 | 24.2 | 1.2 | 30.0 | 2.8 | 0.81 | 13.2% | 23 | 18 | 11 |
| Jusuf Nurkic | $7,500 | $6,200 | $12,200 | 32.1 | -6.2 | 26.4 | -6.5 | 1.22 | 22.4% | 12 | 17 | 1 |
| Maurice Harkless | $3,600 | $4,200 | $8,500 | 14.9 | 4.1 | 21.4 | 5.7 | 0.70 | 11.5% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Ed Davis | $3,600 | $3,600 | $6,800 | 17.4 | -0.5 | 18.9 | 1.5 | 0.92 | 10.2% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Zach Collins | $3,500 | $3,600 | $7,000 | 11.1 | 8.9 | 15.8 | 5.8 | 0.70 | 13.1% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Elite Plays – Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Maurice Harkless (if Turner is out)
Secondary Plays – Al Farouq Aminu, Jusuf Nurkic (FD), Ed Davis
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans weren’t expected to win either game in Portland, yet they took both. I was expecting them to be content with their Game 1 win, but they really impressed with another win in Game 2. They’ll look to take a commanding 3-0 lead tonight at home. The Blazers have a stout defense, ranking eighth or better in points allowed per game and defensive efficiency during the regular season, but the Pelicans’ offense has been rolling. They have an implied total of 109.3 points, which is the highest on the board.
There is something about the playoffs that brings out the best in Rajon Rondo. He scored 42 fantasy points in Game 1 and 36 fantasy points in Game 2. He’s one of the best point guard options again tonight, especially on FanDuel ($7,000). Jrue Holiday is also viable after his big outing in Game 2. He’s going to play close to 40 minutes and he actually draws the better of the two matchups, as C.J. McCollum is far from an elite defender. Ian Clark and E’Twaun Moore are competing for minutes at the three. I will continue to avoid both.
Nikola Mirotic has averaged 39 minutes and 42 fantasy points in the first two games of the series. He’s a little pricey on FanDuel, but an excellent play on DraftKings at $7,000. Anthony Davis is the top overall play on the board and perhaps DraftKings didn’t watch the first two games of the series. For some reason, he is priced below $11,000. He’s close to an auto-play at that price, at least in cash games. While I also like Davis on FanDuel, there are so many routes to take at power forward that I wouldn’t call him a must play at a price of $12,700.
Notable Injuries
Nikola Mirotic (Probable)
New Orleans Pelicans Offense
Points Per Game: 111.7 (3 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 109.3 (1 of 6)
Projected Point Differential: -2.5 (5 of 6)
Matchup vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Points Allowed Per Game: 103.0 (5 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 104.2 (8 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 2.6 (4 of 30)
Pace of Play: 98.8 (19 of 30)
| Player | FD Salary | DK Salary | FDRFT Salary | FP/Game | Playoffs +/- | Minutes | Playoffs +/- | FP/Min | True Usage | EFF | DVP | DRPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajon Rondo | $7,000 | $7,400 | $14,900 | 27.0 | 11.8 | 26.2 | 12.9 | 1.03 | 18.3% | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Jrue Holiday | $8,400 | $7,900 | $14,600 | 37.7 | 7.6 | 36.1 | 2.5 | 1.04 | 21.8% | 15 | 7 | 24 |
| E’Twaun Moore | $4,500 | $4,100 | $7,800 | 21.5 | -7.8 | 31.5 | -2.7 | 0.68 | 14.6% | 12 | 13 | 20 |
| Nikola Mirotic | $8,000 | $7,000 | $13,100 | 30.1 | 11.5 | 27.2 | 12.1 | 1.11 | 20.5% | 9 | 12 | 2 |
| Anthony Davis | $12,700 | $10,900 | $20,900 | 55.0 | 2.2 | 36.4 | 4.1 | 1.51 | 25.9% | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Ian Clark | $3,500 | $3,400 | $6,600 | 12.4 | -0.2 | 19.7 | 1.4 | 0.63 | 15.6% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Darius Miller | $3,500 | $3,200 | $7,300 | 13.1 | -6.6 | 23.7 | -9.0 | 0.55 | 11.6% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Solomon Hill | $3,500 | $2,900 | $6,000 | 10.0 | -4.2 | 15.6 | -5.0 | 0.64 | 11.5% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Elite Plays – Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo (FD), Nikola Mirotic (DK)
Secondary Plays – Rajon Rondo (DK), Nikola Mirotic (FD)
Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs – 9:30 PM ET
| Golden State Warriors | San Antonio Spurs | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 206.0 |  | Vegas Total | 206.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Spread | -4.0 | Vegas Spread | 4.0 | |||||||||
| Implied Team Total | 105.0 | Implied Team Total | 101.0 | |||||||||
| Pace Projection +/- | -2.4 | Pace Projection +/- | 2.2 | |||||||||
| Projected Starters | Andre Iguodala | Klay Thompson | Kevin Durant | Draymond Green | JaVale McGee | Projected Starters | Dejounte Murray | Patty Mills | Danny Green | Rudy Gay | LaMarcus Aldridge | |
| Opponent Rank | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | Opponent Rank | PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DvP | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | DvP | 15 | 23 | 11 | 26 | 6 | |
| DRPM Rat. | 1 | 26 | 1 | 9 | 8 | DRPM Rat. | 2 | 11 | 24 | 3 | 25 | |
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors picked up two fairly easy wins against the Spurs to take a two-game advantage in the series. The real test starts tonight, as the series shifts to San Antonio for the first time. We can expect a much more competitive game here, as the spread is set at only four points. Starters from both sides have had their minutes limited a bit by the blowouts, but that shouldn’t be a concern as we head into tonight’s game. The Warriors have an implied total of only 105 points, which is the second lowest on the board.
On paper, the Spurs are one of the best two defensive teams in basketball. They are ranked fifth or better in fantasy points allowed to all five positions, which helps explain the low team total for the Warriors. With that said, the spread is close (starters should see a full complement of minutes) and the Warriors are missing Stephen Curry. This obviously opens the door for Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Thompson is my least favorite of the bunch, as he relies on scoring for such a large portion of his fantasy production. We know the Spurs defend the perimeter well, especially at home. Durant and Green are both borderline elite plays, especially on FanDuel where they feel slightly underpriced. Andre Iguodala and JaVale McGee have both played well in this series, but I don’t love targeting role players on the road. I would rather take a shot on David West, who has plenty of experience in road playoffs games.
Notable Injuries
JaVale McGee (Questionable)
Golden State Warriors Offense
Points Per Game: 113.5 (1 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 105.0 (5 of 6)
Projected Point Differential: -8.5 (6 of 6)
Matchup vs. San Antonio Spurs
Points Allowed Per Game: 99.8 (1 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.4 (4 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 1.7 (6 of 30)
Pace of Play: 97.2 (29 of 30)
| Player | FD Salary | DK Salary | FDRFT Salary | FP/Game | Playoffs +/- | Minutes | Playoffs +/- | FP/Min | True Usage | EFF | DVP | DRPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Iguodala | $4,600 | $4,800 | $9,500 | 18.7 | 7.9 | 25.4 | 0.2 | 0.74 | 11.5% | 14 | 5 | 1 |
| Klay Thompson | $6,500 | $6,800 | $13,900 | 30.4 | 5.5 | 34.3 | 3.1 | 0.89 | 20.7% | 1 | 2 | 26 |
| Kevin Durant | $11,000 | $10,300 | $18,100 | 47.2 | 1.1 | 34.2 | 1.0 | 1.38 | 26.9% | 8 | 5 | 1 |
| Draymond Green | $7,300 | $7,500 | $13,300 | 36.0 | 0.1 | 32.7 | 1.7 | 1.10 | 16.7% | 5 | 3 | 9 |
| JaVale McGee | $3,600 | $3,800 | $7,300 | 11.9 | 16.7 | 9.5 | 8.0 | 1.25 | 16.5% | 5 | 4 | 8 |
| Kevon Looney | $3,700 | $3,500 | $7,100 | 12.3 | 1.9 | 13.8 | 7.1 | 0.89 | 11.0% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| David West | $3,900 | $3,300 | $6,000 | 17.3 | -2.9 | 13.7 | 1.5 | 1.26 | 19.4% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Shaun Livingston | $3,800 | $3,200 | $6,200 | 12.3 | -0.6 | 15.9 | 3.3 | 0.77 | 15.6% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Elite Plays – Kevin Durant, Draymond Green
Secondary Plays – Klay Thompson, David West
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs need a win tonight to keep their hopes alive. After the passing of Greg Popovich’s wife, this team may come together and put together an inspired performance. Best wishes to the Popovich family. San Antonio comes into the game as a four-point underdog with the lowest implied total on the board at 101 points. While that’s not great, it’s actually pretty close to their season average.
Dejounte Murray is basically the point guard version of Hassan Whiteside when it comes to DFS. When he is playing well, he’s going to see 30 minutes and put up big fantasy outings. When he is struggling, he will quickly get benched and ruin your fantasy lineups. His price on DraftKings ($4,900) is awfully tempting, especially since young players tend to play better at home. Patty Mills is the safest play here, as he should see 30+ minutes at a price point below $5,000 on both FanDuel and DraftKings. Danny Green is always hit or miss, but is worth a look in tournaments.
Rudy Gay is my favorite play at small forward tonight when you factor in salaries. After playing well in Game 1, he drew the start in Game 2 and posted another 30+ fantasy point outing. You have to imagine that he’ll get the nod again tonight and hopefully push for 30+ minutes. He’s definitely the preferred play over Kyle Anderson. Manu Ginobili is always viable in tournaments if you are making more than one lineup. He tends to have a couple of big games every year in the playoffs. While I expect LaMarcus Aldridge to play well here, it’s hard to pay up for him when there are so many power forwards that I want to play tonight. I much prefer him on DraftKings where he is center eligible. And finally, Pau Gasol is a fairly easy fade in this series. He’s a liability on defense when the Warriors play small ball. I suppose all the centers are bad on FanDuel, but I’d rather take a shot on Whiteside.
Notable Injuries
Joffrey Lauvergne (Out)
San Antonio Spurs Offense
Points Per Game: 102.7 (27 of 30)
Implied Implied Team Total: 101.0 (6 of 6)
Projected Point Differential: -1.7 (4 of 6)
Matchup vs. Golden State Warriors
Points Allowed Per Game: 107.5 (18 of 30)
Defensive Efficiency: 104.2 (8 of 30)
Rebounding Differential: + 1.0 (11 of 30)
Pace of Play: 101.8 (5 of 30)
| Player | FD Salary | DK Salary | FDRFT Salary | FP/Game | Playoffs +/- | Minutes | Playoffs +/- | FP/Min | True Usage | EFF | DVP | DRPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dejounte Murray | $6,000 | $4,900 | $9,900 | 22.4 | -5.4 | 21.5 | -3.8 | 1.04 | 19.4% | 12 | 15 | 2 |
| Patty Mills | $4,800 | $4,300 | $8,200 | 17.6 | -0.3 | 25.7 | 3.8 | 0.68 | 17.1% | 11 | 23 | 11 |
| Danny Green | $4,000 | $3,800 | $7,000 | 20.2 | -10.1 | 25.6 | -2.4 | 0.79 | 15.0% | 10 | 11 | 24 |
| Rudy Gay | $5,900 | $5,100 | $12,100 | 22.7 | 8.7 | 21.6 | 7.6 | 1.05 | 21.7% | 13 | 26 | 3 |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | $10,000 | $9,400 | $17,300 | 40.2 | -3.8 | 33.4 | -2.5 | 1.20 | 26.5% | 15 | 6 | 25 |
| Pau Gasol | $4,700 | $4,500 | $8,600 | 26.9 | -10.0 | 23.5 | -5.8 | 1.14 | 19.1% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Manu Ginobili | $4,500 | $4,100 | $8,800 | 16.4 | 5.1 | 20.0 | -0.2 | 0.82 | 19.6% | N/A | N/A | N/A |