Sign In $

NBA Grind Down: Thursday, April 28th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-04-29 18:18:00

Welcome to the RotoGrinders NBA Grind Down. In this all-encompassing preview of today’s NBA action, every game will be broken down statistically, with several key elements highlighted in our charts.

Vegas lines are broken down to show projected team totals, to give you an idea of who is favored to win, and often more importantly, how many points they’re expected to score. We also provide pace numbers, so you can spot a game that might have a few extra possessions and more opportunities for fantasy points.

We also provide position-by-position matchup rankings for every team, to give you an idea of the players who will be in better situations to succeed. Using Defense versus Position data, every projected starter is listed along with his opponent’s rank in points allowed to players of his position. These color-coded charts will help you spot the best matchups of the night at a glance.

Every game is also broken down by our NBA experts, providing an overview of the game and a selection of players to consider from each contest.

Note: As always, if you want to try a new DFS site, be sure to click through a RotoGrinders link and use our DraftKings promo code and FanDuel promo code to receive the best perks in the industry.

grind%20down%20article%20faq

Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics – 8:00 PM

Atlanta Hawks Boston Celtics
atlantanba Vegas Total 197.5 bostonnba Vegas Total 197.5
Vegas Sprd -2.0 Vegas Sprd 2.0
Team Proj. 99.8 Team Proj. 97.8
Team Pace 99.40 Team Pace 101.10
Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters
DvP Rks PG SG SF PF C DvP Rks PG SG SF PF C
Proj. Starter Jeff Teague Kyle Korver Kent Bazemore Paul Millsap Al Horford Proj. Starter Isaiah Thomas Evan Turner Jae Crowder Jonas Jerebko Amir Johnson
Opp. Season 3 10 23 27 24 Opp. Season 8 19 14 12 22
Last 3 Weeks 17 17 23 27 12 Last 3 Weeks 24 13 13 12 23

Atlanta Hawks

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

The Hawks picked up an easy win over the Celtics to take a 3-2 lead in the series. They can close it out in Game 6, but they will have to beat Boston on their home floor. The Hawks are listed as 2-point favorites with the total for the game set at 197.5 points. Atlanta is projected to score 99.8 points, which is the second highest team total in the Thursday/Friday slate.

Elite Plays

Paul Millsap
paul-millsap-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,600 Salary:$8,700
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:1.15 FP/Min:1.23
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.7 33.7 1.0 34.7 2.0
FPPG (FD) 37.5 44.0 6.6 44.7 7.3
TO-Adj. Usage 19.9 19.4 -0.5 19.5 -0.4

Millsap is an elite play thanks to the fact that there are such limited options at power forward. He has scored under 35 fantasy points in four of the first five games in this series, but he did have a 72 fantasy point outing in Game 4. With the Celtics playing a little bigger with Jonas Jerebko at the four, Millsap has played much better. He is the top overall power forward target.

Kent Bazemore
kent-bazemore-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,500 Salary:$6,000
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.83 FP/Min:0.91
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 27.8 28.3 0.5 27.6 -0.2
FPPG (FD) 23.1 28.3 5.3 34.6 11.5
TO-Adj. Usage 16.1 16.9 0.8 20.5 4.4

Bazemore has scored at least 23 fantasy points in every single game so far in this series. He has seen a big boost in minutes during the postseason and he has made the most of them. He should see around 35 minutes tonight in Game 6.

Secondary Plays

Al Horford
al-horford-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,600 Salary:$7,700
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.00 FP/Min:1.06
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.1 32.3 0.2 32.5 0.4
FPPG (FD) 32.3 32.3 0.0 34.1 1.8
TO-Adj. Usage 17.9 18.4 0.5 18.7 0.7

Horford has the best matchup of the Hawks’ starters. During the regular season, the Celtics were ranked 24th against centers and 20th in rebounding differential. Horford has played well in this series, although he has been nursing a groin injury. With DeAndre Jordan and Mason Plumlee in such great spots, Horford is more of a GPP play.

Jeff Teague
jeff-teague-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,700 Salary:$6,800
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:0.98 FP/Min:1.07
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.5 30.4 1.9 29.4 0.9
FPPG (FD) 28.0 33.3 5.3 30.2 2.2
TO-Adj. Usage 22.4 25.3 2.9 23.5 1.1

Teague has had an up and down series with his worst two games coming in the last two outings. He only played 22 minutes in the Game 6 blowout. His minutes should be secure tonight, but there are better plays dollar for dollar at point guard.

Kyle Korver
kyle-korver-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,100 Salary:$4,500
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.59 FP/Min:0.65
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 30.0 30.6 0.6 30.5 0.5
FPPG (FD) 17.7 14.9 -2.8 12.3 -5.4
TO-Adj. Usage 11.4 10.4 -1.0 9.3 -2.1

Korver has now scored at least 21 fantasy points in each of the last four games in this series. His minutes have gone up in the postseasons and he has shown that he is not shy when it comes to putting up shots. After Jamal Crawford, he is the best cheap shooting guard option.

Boston Celtics

Record: 48-34 — Home: 28-13 — Last 10: 6-4

The Celtics have shown up at times in this series, but are coming off of a 27-point loss in Game 5. They now face elimination in Game 6. Luckily, the game is being played in Boston. It should be close throughout and it should be one of the top games to target for fantasy production in the Thursday/Friday site. The Celtics are projected to score 97.8 points, which gives them the fourth highest team total.

Elite Plays

Isaiah Thomas
isaiah-thomas-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,500 Salary:$8,100
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.08 FP/Min:1.16
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.2 30.3 -1.9 29.1 -3.1
FPPG (FD) 34.8 31.8 -3.0 32.5 -2.3
TO-Adj. Usage 26.3 28.2 1.9 27.1 0.7

Thomas is coming off of arguably his worst game of the season. He scored ten fantasy points in a blowout loss in Game 6. Look for him to bounce back in a must-win game for the Celtics. He has shown that he has 50 fantasy point type of upside in this matchup.

Evan Turner
evan-turner-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,900 Salary:$6,900
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.84 FP/Min:0.91
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.0 31.9 3.9 29.1 1.1
FPPG (FD) 23.4 25.6 2.2 23.9 0.5
TO-Adj. Usage 16.2 16.6 0.4 17.9 1.7

Turner’s price has gone way up on DraftKings. With Austin Rivers a shooting guard on that site, Turner is not a must play. However, he is close to a must play on FanDuel where he is priced at only $5,900. He has scored at least 30 fantasy points three times in this series.

Jonas Jerebko
jonas-jerebko-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,600 Salary:$4,400
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.70 FP/Min:0.80
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 15.1 18.1 3.0 18.7 3.6
FPPG (FD) 10.5 13.0 2.4 11.9 1.3
TO-Adj. Usage 11.3 10.3 -1.0 9.1 -2.2

Jerebko’s price has come up on both FanDuel and DraftKings, but it’s still not reflective of his recent production. In the three games that he has started in this series, he has scored 33, 28, and 20 fantasy points. I expect a nice outing from him with this game being played at home.

Secondary Plays

Jae Crowder
jae-crowder-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,500 Salary:$5,800
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.83 FP/Min:0.89
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 31.6 29.3 -2.3 28.0 -3.6
FPPG (FD) 26.3 23.7 -2.6 18.7 -7.6
TO-Adj. Usage 16.1 17.6 1.5 15.7 -0.4

Crowder hasn’t played bad in this series, but he hasn’t exactly met value either. He has scored at least 24 fantasy points four times, but he has only cracked the 30 fantasy point mark once. With this being a four game slate, there are slightly better plays at small forward.

Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers – Friday 7:30 ET

Toronto Raptors Indiana Pacers
torontonba Vegas Total 195.0 indiananba Vegas Total 195.0
Vegas Sprd 2.0 Vegas Sprd -2.0
Team Proj. 96.5 Team Proj. 98.5
Team Pace 95.30 Team Pace 99.00
Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters
DvP Rks PG SG SF PF C DvP Rks PG SG SF PF C
Proj. Starter Kyle Lowry DeMar DeRozan DeMarre Carroll Patrick Patterson Jonas Valanciunas Proj. Starter George Hill Monta Ellis Paul George Myles Turner Ian Mahinmi
Opp. Season 9 12 5 8 15 Opp. Season 2 13 7 6 7
Last 3 Weeks 9 21 4 8 18 Last 3 Weeks 8 16 21 18 4

Toronto Raptors

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

The Raptors completed an epic comeback in Game 5 to avoid losing homecourt advantage in the series. They have a chance to end the series tonight with a win against the Pacers in Indiana. The Pacers are listed as 2-point underdogs in what should be a close game throughout. The Raptors are projected to score 96.5 points, which gives them the fifth highest team total on the board.

Elite Plays

NONE

Kyle Lowry
kyle-lowry-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,000 Salary:$7,800
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.04 FP/Min:1.12
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 37.0 35.0 -2.0 30.8 -6.2
FPPG (FD) 38.5 29.0 -9.5 28.5 -10.1
TO-Adj. Usage 22.8 22.8 -0.1 23.0 0.1

Lowry has had three subpar games and two very good games in this series. If we are looking to reach 5x value, he has actually failed to hit value in every game so far this series. While that is certainly a concern, the Raptors will lean on their star point guard on the road. I expect Lowry to play 40+ minutes in this one in what is potentially a close out game for Toronto.

Jonas Valanciunas
jonas-valanciunas-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,200 Salary:$6,600
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.04 FP/Min:1.12
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 25.9 26.5 0.6 22.0 -3.9
FPPG (FD) 26.9 28.1 1.2 24.8 -2.1
TO-Adj. Usage 17.0 17.8 0.8 21.9 4.9

Valanciunas has scored less than 26 fantasy points in each of his last three games. After coming out firing in the first two games, the Pacers have made adjustments defensively. I still like big Val as a GPP play, but DeAndre Jordan and Mason Plumlee are better cash game targets.

Indiana Pacers

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

Despite a monster game from their superstar, Paul George, the Pacers couldn’t pull off a win in Toronto in Game 5. They now head back home to play in front of their home crowd in hopes of staving off elimination. They are listed as 2-point favorites with an implied team total of 98.5 points. They have the third highest team total and the third highest projected point differential in the Thursday/Friday slate.

Elite Plays

Paul George
paul-george-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$9,400 Salary:$10,000
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:1.12 FP/Min:1.23
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 34.8 31.2 -3.6 27.6 -7.2
FPPG (FD) 39.1 37.0 -2.1 31.2 -7.9
TO-Adj. Usage 25.2 23.6 -1.6 23.0 -2.2

George was on FIRE in Game 5. He almost single-handedly carried them to victory with a 64 fantasy point outing. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough, as the Pacers just fell short. He has been hit or miss in this series, but the Pacers will do everything they can to force a Game 7 against the Raptors. Look for George to play 40+ minutes. He is easily the top overall small forward.

Secondary Plays

Myles Turner
myles-turner-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,600 Salary:$5,200
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.90 FP/Min:0.95
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 22.8 21.1 -1.7 18.9 -3.9
FPPG (FD) 20.6 18.9 -1.7 19.9 -0.6
TO-Adj. Usage 17.2 16.5 -0.7 18.2 1.0

Turner has started the last two games and he has scored 19 and 28 fantasy points. With power forward being such a thin position, he is worth a look in all league formats. If he is playing well, he could see around 35 minutes again. The problem is that if he is struggling from the field, the Pacers have a lot of bigs they can put in the game.

Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets – Friday 8:00 ET

Miami Heat Charlotte Hornets
miaminba Vegas Total 191.0 charlottenba Vegas Total 191.0
Vegas Sprd 1.5 Vegas Sprd -1.5
Team Proj. 94.8 Team Proj. 96.3
Team Pace 95.70 Team Pace 97.80
Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters
DvP Rks PG SG SF PF C DvP Rks PG SG SF PF C
Proj. Starter Goran Dragic Dwyane Wade Joe Johnson Luol Deng Hassan Whiteside Proj. Starter Kemba Walker Courtney Lee Marvin Williams Frank Kaminsky Al Jefferson
Opp. Season 10 14 18 23 16 Opp. Season 1 4 12 3 8
Last 3 Weeks 5 18 11 23 19 Last 3 Weeks 3 15 1 2 26

Miami Heat

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

The Heat were unable to hold serve on their home floor in Game 5, losing to the Hornets by two points. They are now faced with the tough task of having to win two in a row, including Game 6 on the road. The Heat are listed as 1.5-point underdogs in another game that should remain competitive for all four quarters. Hassan Whiteside is dealing with a hand injury, but he is fully expected to play on Friday.

Elite Plays

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

After their Game 5 loss, Wade said that he was going to tell his teammates about the time that the Heat came back and beat the Celtics in a similar situation a few years ago. There is one problem with the story – that Heat team had LeBron James! Either way, look for the Heat to rely heavily on their superstar in this one. He is an elite GPP play and a borderline cash game target as well.

Secondary Plays

Luol Deng
luol-deng-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,600 Salary:$6,500
Position:PF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.75 FP/Min:0.81
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.4 34.9 2.5 35.3 2.9
FPPG (FD) 24.2 28.0 3.8 24.4 0.2
TO-Adj. Usage 15.0 15.5 0.5 13.8 -1.2

Isn’t it crazy that all season small forward has been the thinnest of positions and now there are tons of options at the position? For that reason, I like Deng more on FanDuel where he is listed as a power forward. Deng has played well in this series, scoring at least 25 fantasy points in every single game.

Charlotte Hornets

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

The Hornets pulled off an upset in Miami to take a 3-2 series lead. Like the Pacers, they now have a chance to clinch the series with a win at home in Game 6. They are listed as 1.5-point favorites in a game that could eventually decide the series. The Hornets are projected to score 96.3 points, which gives them the third lowest team total on the board. Nicolas Batum and Cody Zeller are both listed as probable.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Kemba Walker
kemba-walker-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,100 Salary:$8,300
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.01 FP/Min:1.07
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.6 33.0 -2.6 30.4 -5.2
FPPG (FD) 36.0 33.8 -2.1 33.0 -3.0
TO-Adj. Usage 23.1 23.1 0.0 22.7 -0.4

Walker is a borderline elite play, but there are a lot of options at point guard. Austin Rivers is by far the best value and then we get to pair him with either Walker, Thomas, Teague, or Lillard. Walker plays much better at home and he scored 35 and 47 fantasy points in the two games in Charlotte in this series. He has great upside and I expect his ownership to be relatively low.

Marvin Williams
marvin-williams-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,200 Salary:$5,100
Position:SF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.84 FP/Min:0.88
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.9 27.6 -1.3 22.4 -6.5
FPPG (FD) 24.2 24.9 0.7 22.4 -1.8
TO-Adj. Usage 14.5 16.7 2.2 19.6 5.0

I can’t seem to get this guy right. I was all over him when Nicolas Batum was ruled out in Game 4. He only managed to score 15 fantasy points. Then, he turns around and scores 33 fantasy points in Miami with Batum back in the lineup in Game 5. Williams is far from a must play, but he is worth a look on DraftKings where he is listed as a power forward.

Los Angeles Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers – Friday 10:30 ET

Los Angeles Clippers Portland Trail Blazers
laclippersnba Vegas Total 198.0 portlandnba Vegas Total 198.0
Vegas Sprd 10.0 Vegas Sprd -10.0
Team Proj. 94.0 Team Proj. 104.0
Team Pace 98.00 Team Pace 98.30
Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters
DvP Rks PG SG SF PF C DvP Rks PG SG SF PF C
Proj. Starter Austin Rivers J.J. Redick Jeff Green Luc Richard Mbah a Moute DeAndre Jordan Proj. Starter Damian Lillard C.J. McCollum Al-Farouq Aminu Maurice Harkless Mason Plumlee
Opp. Season 24 18 4 22 27 Opp. Season 5 3 8 13 12
Last 3 Weeks 22 6 10 24 30 Last 3 Weeks 7 1 7 26 2

Los Angeles Clippers

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

The Clippers were unable to pick up a win at home in Game 5 and now have to head back to Portland down 3-2 in the series. No one is giving them a chance at this point, as they are listed as 10-point underdogs on the road. While the Clippers have the lowest team total on the board, the injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin open the door for a number of viable fantasy options.

Elite Plays

DeAndre Jordan
deandre-jordan-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,300 Salary:$8,200
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.06 FP/Min:1.13
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 33.7 29.9 -3.8 29.0 -4.7
FPPG (FD) 35.7 31.5 -4.2 29.7 -6.0
TO-Adj. Usage 12.5 13.6 1.1 13.9 1.4

I really wanted to roster both Jordan and Plumlee in Game 5. While that was an option on DraftKings, I eventually settled on Jordan on FanDuel. You couldn’t go wrong either way, as Jordan finished with 46 fantasy points and Plumlee finished with 36 fantasy points. With Blake Griffin out, Jordan sees a small boost in minutes, usage rate, and rebounding rate.

Jamal Crawford
jamal-crawford-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,000 Salary:$5,600
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.75 FP/Min:0.81
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 26.9 29.3 2.4 37.6 10.7
FPPG (FD) 20.2 27.1 6.9 35.6 15.4
TO-Adj. Usage 21.1 21.5 0.4 22.6 1.5

Crawford couldn’t buy a bucket in Game 5, yet he still finished with 30 fantasy points in 44 minutes of action. In my eyes, he is a must play in all league formats. The Clippers will do everything they can do force a Game 7 and I expect Crawford to play 40+ minutes once again with a very high usage rate.

Austin Rivers
austin-rivers-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,000 Salary:$3,900
Position:PG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.65 FP/Min:0.69
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 21.8 23.7 1.9 23.3 1.5
FPPG (FD) 14.1 21.4 7.2 16.8 2.7
TO-Adj. Usage 16.4 20.2 3.8 19.0 2.6

Rivers is also a borderline must play, at least for cash games. With Chris Paul out, he should see 35+ minutes of action against a Blazers’ defense that has not fared well against point guards this season. In his start in Game 5, Rivers played 37 minutes.

Secondary Plays

Jeff Green
jeff-green-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$4,700 Salary:$4,200
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.73 FP/Min:0.76
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.2 25.6 -2.6 24.0 -4.2
FPPG (FD) 20.5 19.4 -1.1 20.5 0.0
TO-Adj. Usage 17.2 20.3 3.1 22.4 5.3

Green is a borderline elite play as well, but his price has come up on both FanDuel and DraftKings. Without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in Game 5, Green played 37 minutes and scored 32 fantasy points off the bench. I’m not sure that we will see him play that many minutes again, but 30+ is a safe projection.

Portland Trail Blazers

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

The Blazers have won three straight games in this series and now have a chance to advance to the second round with a win in Game 6 at home. The crazy thing is that at one point in Game 3, many were thinking that the Clippers could sweep the Blazers. Portland is listed as a 10-point favorite with an implied team total of 104 points. They have the highest team total and the highest projected point differential on the board.

Elite Plays

Damian Lillard
damian-lillard-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,200 Salary:$8,500
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.10 FP/Min:1.19
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.7 33.5 -2.2 33.9 -1.8
FPPG (FD) 39.4 32.4 -7.0 37.9 -1.5
TO-Adj. Usage 27.6 26.3 -1.3 28.6 1.1

It’s close, but I slightly prefer Lillard over the likes of Thomas, Teague, Walker and Lowry. He has scored at least 33 fantasy points three times in this series and he has yet to really have a great shooting performance. We know he can catch fire at any time and he sees a nice boost with Chris Paul out of the lineup.

Mason Plumlee
mason-plumlee-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,200 Salary:$6,700
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:0.96 FP/Min:1.04
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 25.4 25.1 -0.3 26.4 1.0
FPPG (FD) 24.3 27.4 3.1 30.6 6.2
TO-Adj. Usage 14.2 15.2 1.0 14.0 -0.2

Plumlee and Jordan were the top two center targets on Wednesday night and they are the top two center targets again in this slate. If you are playing on DraftKings, you may want to employ the two-center approach. Plumlee has been a monster in this series, scoring at least 36 fantasy points in each of his last four games.

Secondary Plays

C.J. McCollum
c-j-mccollum-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,200 Salary:$6,800
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.91 FP/Min:0.98
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 34.7 33.3 -1.4 34.1 -0.6
FPPG (FD) 31.6 32.8 1.2 31.3 -0.3
TO-Adj. Usage 23.6 23.3 -0.3 22.9 -0.7

With Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford both listed as shooting guards on DraftKings, McCollum is an easy fade. He is definitely worth a look on FanDuel though, as Rivers is listed as a point guard. McCollum had 40 fantasy points in Game 5 and his price is affordable at $7,200.

Al-Farouq Aminu
al-farouq-aminu-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,900 Salary:$5,700
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.75 FP/Min:0.85
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.5 28.7 0.2 29.2 0.7
FPPG (FD) 21.5 26.6 5.1 23.9 2.4
TO-Adj. Usage 14.3 15.5 1.2 14.2 -0.1

Aminu has taken a big leap in the postseason. His minutes have gone up and he has scored at least 21 fantasy points in each of the first five games in this series. He should see 35+ minutes in this game, as the Blazers have tightened their rotation.

About the Author

Notorious
Derek Farnsworth (Notorious)

Derek Farnsworth (aka Notorious) is a lead RotoGrinders Expert and one of the most recognizable names and faces in all of DFS. Before joining the RotoGrinders team, Derek received a Master’s Degree from the University of Utah. When he’s not busy providing content, he’s dominating the DFS industry as evidenced by his consistent top rankings in several sports and multiple Live Final appearances. Noto provides expert NBA, NFL, MLB, and PGA analysis for RotoGrinders Premium members on a daily basis and has also been nominated for five different Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association (FSWA) awards. Follow Noto on X – @RG_Notorious