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NBA Grind Down: Thursday, December 1st

by Chirag Hira (INSPYR) Last Updated 2016-12-02 02:16:09

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

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

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

If you want to try a new DFS site, be sure to click through a RotoGrinders link and use promo code “GRINDERS” to receive the best perks in the industry.

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

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Dallas Mavericks at Charlotte Hornets – 7:00 PM ET

Dallas Mavericks Charlotte Hornets
dallasnba Vegas Total 194.0 charlottenba Vegas Total 194.0
Vegas Spread 10.5 Vegas Spread -10.5
Team Total 91.8 Team Total 102.3
Pace +/- 0.6 Pace +/- -4.6
Proj. Starter Deron Williams Wesley Matthews Dorian Finney-Smith Harrison Barnes Andrew Bogut Proj. Starter Kemba Walker Nicolas Batum Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Frank Kaminsky Cody Zeller
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 15 10 21 17 23 2016-17 2 17 6 18 12

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks fielded a competitive game against the Spurs last night and travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets tonight. Harrison Barnes logged a team-high 40 minutes but was not able to do much with it from a fantasy perspective. He had 24.5 DKFP / 22.9 FDFP and should see nearly 40 minutes again tonight. He’ll get a much easier matchup tonight against Frank Kaminsky but is simply a tournament option tonight, even though the minutes are what we look for when selecting cash players. Andrew Bogut played a season-high 35 minutes last night and will be rested tonight. Since Bogut has been ruled out, we can expect Salah Mejri or Dwight Powell to start. Powell is in play on FanDuel because his salary is only $100 off the minimum. Over on DraftKings, he’s a little bit riskier but still cheap $3600. He flashed 30+ fps upside against the Warriors in a start earlier this season but keep in mind that the Warriors are basically a pace up game for everyone except the Suns and Nets. Keep your expectations low if Powell is something you land on to fit in all the stars playing tonight.

Seth Curry is questionable due to a leg injury and there is also a chance that Deron Williams will be limited on the second night of a back-to-back. Devin Harris made his season debut and played 10 minutes. His minutes will also be monitored for this game. This all adds up to a possibility of Jonathan Gibson being viable. Gibson is the stone cold minimum across the industry but is not an option unless we get some clarity on the Mavericks PG situation. This has been an injury prone team, so anything is possible. Wesley Matthews had his best game of the season last night and put together two consecutive good games for the first time all season. Batum was torched by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in their previous game but is usually a decent defender. Mathews does not need to be forced in with SG being so deep today.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Deron Williams $5,700 $4,000 $8,800 0.70 27.6 -10.1 19.4 -6.7 25.7% 10.1% 15
Wesley Matthews $4,700 $4,700 $8,300 0.60 36.1 -3.4 21.6 -1.0 20.2% 1.7% 10
Dorian Finney-Smith $3,500 $3,000 $6,300 0.48 17.5 6.7 8.5 5.0 12.1% 2.8% 21
Harrison Barnes $6,100 $6,200 $10,300 0.81 37.3 -3.3 30.1 -0.5 24.9% 1.1% 17
Andrew Bogut $4,500 $4,000 $7,800 0.82 25.5 -0.3 20.9 4.5 13.3% -0.7% 23
Seth Curry $4,500 $4,700 $7,200 0.66 28.0 1.5 18.5 -3.0 20.4% -0.1% 10

Elite Plays – N/A

Secondary Plays – Harrison Barnes, Jonathon Gibson (if Curry is ruled out), Dwight Powell, Salah Mejri

Charlotte Hornets

Kemba Walker has been on a tear this season but has a salary that makes it hard for him to be a tournament option. He has flashed the tournament-winning but has seen his minutes dip over the last couple games. We can attribute that to their schedule and the blowouts they have been a part of. Walker will get his 30 minutes regardless of the score but does not seem like he has ton of upside in his matchup. With all the great players available on this slate, it looks like Walker is only a secondary option that will have low ownership. Frank Kaminsky finally came back down to earth and should also have low ownership due to his recent dud and lack of upside. He’s still a solid cash game play but has all his upside priced in.

Cody Zeller is cheaper than Kaminsky on DraftKings but more expensive on FanDuel. He’s a C option but there’s much better choices available for tournaments. He’ll be a solid cash game salary saver but should only be a last resort. Jeremy Lamb is listed as questionable and we can see Marco Belinelli step up again. Belinelli is dealing with a hamstring issue of his own and is a boom-or-bust option that has been off lately. He’s not even cheap enough to the point where a low-end score is acceptable. Nicolas Batum has the highest tournament upside but has also played poorly since his eye injury. The Hornets have a pretty evenly distributed usage after Walker, limiting the upside of everyone here.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Kemba Walker $8,000 $7,800 $12,000 1.16 33.4 1.9 38.7 -5.8 30.9% -2.0% 2
Nicolas Batum $6,500 $6,400 $10,700 0.88 34.4 -0.2 30.2 -2.8 20.9% 0.2% 17
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist $5,200 $4,600 $8,200 0.75 30.9 -2.7 23.3 -2.9 14.0% 2.0% 6
Frank Kaminsky $4,500 $5,000 $7,600 0.85 26.5 8.8 22.6 2.0 21.8% -2.2% 18
Cody Zeller $4,600 $4,400 $7,700 0.96 23.4 -0.1 22.4 0.7 18.3% -0.4% 12
Marco Belinelli $4,000 $3,600 $6,500 0.70 25.5 -1.1 17.7 -1.6 17.4% -0.9% 6
Jeremy Lamb $4,100 $4,100 $7,100 1.19 17.6 11.7 20.9 18.2 24.0% -1.4% 17

Elite Plays – N/A

Secondary Plays – Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, Marco Belinelli (GPP if Lamb is out)

Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 PM ET

Milwaukee Bucks Brooklyn Nets
milwaukeenba Vegas Total 216.5 brooklynnba Vegas Total 216.5
Vegas Spread -4.5 Vegas Spread 4.5
Team Total 110.5 Team Total 106.0
Pace +/- 5.0 Pace +/- -0.6
Proj. Starter Giannis Antetokounmpo Matthew Dellavedova Tony Snell Jabari Parker John Henson Proj. Starter Isaiah Whitehead Sean Kilpatrick Bojan Bogdanovic Trevor Booker Brook Lopez
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 29 28 30 29 30 2016-17 6 20 22 18 29

Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to elevate his game and has scored 50 or more FD fantasy points in three out of his last four games, with two of those games going for 60 or more. He’s an elite option in all formats against the Nets. Jason Kidd loves to mess with his minutes but if we get anything over 35, Antetokounmpo will hit 50+ fps. He should have a triple-double tonight since his teammates should be able to score easily against Brooklyn. Jabari Parker minutes continue to fluctuate but this is a get right spot for him. He should have lower ownership over on DraftKings due to MPE and is a solid PF2 over on FanDuel. There’s some cheaper options available but none of them have the upside that Parker has in this spot. I’m still worried about the minutes but the matchup is too good to ignore.

John Henson looks like he’s locked into the starting center spot but that could easily change. He’s a decent salary saver that destroyed Orlando a couple games ago. The Nets rank 29th or 30th in all the defensive categories, making Henson extremely viable if he can stay on the court. With the minutes so random, it’ll be tough to trust him for cash games. Still, since he is so cheap, he really opens up a lot of possibilities if you avoid the elite bigs playing each other in the Miami/Utah game. Matthew Dellavedova and Tony Snell minutes look secure and they’re also in play against the Nets. Michael Beasley has also started to see more secure playing time and is a cheap GPP flier if you need exposure to second-high implied total of the night. The only concern is how many roster spots can you use on Bucks with the Rockets, Warriors, Clippers, and Cavs on the slate?

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Giannis Antetokounmpo $10,300 $9,900 $14,200 1.30 34.8 0.1 45.4 3.6 30.5% -0.6% 29
Matthew Dellavedova $4,100 $4,400 $7,500 0.72 29.1 -0.1 20.9 -1.2 19.6% 3.1% 28
Tony Snell $3,600 $3,600 $7,600 0.54 29.5 1.5 15.9 1.7 14.0% -1.8% 30
Jabari Parker $6,400 $6,100 $10,300 0.93 32.8 -0.3 30.5 -5.7 25.5% -3.4% 29
John Henson $4,200 $4,000 $7,100 0.90 17.9 7.6 16.2 10.1 15.5% 1.5% 30

Elite Plays – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker

Secondary Plays – Matthew Dellavedova, Tony Snell, Michael Beasley (GPP)

Brooklyn Nets

The Bucks have also been giving up a ton of fantasy points this season (23rd in the league) and Sean Kilpatrick is coming off the game of his life in a double overtime thriller against the Clippers. He’ll look to keep that momentum going against the Bucks tonight and should have a decent amount of ownership since he has played well for four straight games. He still has 30+ fps upside, just don’t expect another 50 burger. He’s second on the team with a 26.9% true usage rate will play around 30 minutes tonight. He’s likely a better cash game option due to the expected ownership but is a solid option regardless.

Brook Lopez will likely go back to seeing his normal minutes tonight and has only played 30+ twice the entire season outside of the double overtime game. His salary is back to being elevated and there’s much better options available for cheaper. Trevor Booker has been consistent this entire season and continues to see his salary spike. He’s not a high usage guy but has double-double potential, making him a better play on DraftKings. Still, Jabari Parker has a higher upside than Booker and would be the preferred option for tournaments.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Isaiah Whitehead $3,900 $3,600 $6,000 0.68 19.5 7.7 13.3 3.7 20.3% -4.1% 6
Sean Kilpatrick $5,700 $5,800 $8,600 0.90 25.7 3.8 23.1 8.3 26.9% 0.0% 20
Bojan Bogdanovic $4,200 $4,100 $7,900 0.73 27.6 -0.3 20.0 -2.4 20.1% -1.7% 22
Trevor Booker $5,900 $6,000 $7,900 1.02 26.7 2.4 27.3 6.0 16.9% 2.7% 18
Brook Lopez $7,300 $6,700 $11,100 1.13 26.8 0.5 30.3 -3.9 29.4% -3.2% 29

Elite Plays – Sean Kilpatrick

Secondary Plays – Brook Lopez, Trevor Booker

Los Angeles Clippers at Cleveland Cavaliers – 8:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Clippers Cleveland Cavaliers
laclippersnba Vegas Total 214.5 clevelandnba Vegas Total 214.5
Vegas Spread 5.0 Vegas Spread -5.0
Team Total 104.8 Team Total 109.8
Pace +/- 1.0 Pace +/- -0.4
Proj. Starter Chris Paul J.J. Redick Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Blake Griffin DeAndre Jordan Proj. Starter Kyrie Irving J.R. Smith LeBron James Kevin Love Tristan Thompson
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 21 12 18 2 20 2016-17 15 1 3 1 12

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers have gone missing on this road trip and continue their trek into Cleveland tonight. Blake Griffin should be back tonight after resting against the Nets. He’ll have his hands full with Kevin Love and Chris Paul will have his hands full against Kyrie Irving. Paul is coming off a monster triple-double and is an elite option with a true usage rate of 27.9% and a 21st ranked DvP matchup. Paul should be a lock for 32-35 minutes and is at a season-high $9.1k on DraftKings. He’s also $9.1k on FanDuel but has been more expensive in other games this season. Blake Griffin was consistently producing before the Clippers started this road trip and is also pretty expensive. His ownership should be low coming off a rest game and has not been as consistent as Kevin Love.

DeAndre Jordan was finally able to bust out with Griffin resting but gets a tough matchup tonight against a team that is 5th in rebounding differential. He’s a tournament option that should see 32-35 minutes tonight as well. J.J. Redick has been playing well and is third on the team with a 21.4% true usage rate. His fantasy output is directly tied to scoring but as we saw in the Cavs previous game, J.R. Smith WILL leave his man wide open for any reason he feels like. The rest of the Clippers bench is too much of a risky option with the starters expected to play heavy minutes tonight.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Chris Paul $9,100 $9,100 $13,700 1.30 30.8 -0.5 40.1 -9.3 27.9% -1.5% 21
J.J. Redick $4,300 $4,700 $8,400 0.75 26.2 -0.6 19.5 -5.2 21.4% 1.2% 12
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute $3,500 $3,000 $6,800 0.49 22.8 -4.8 11.2 -4.6 10.1% -1.5% 18
Blake Griffin $9,000 $8,700 $13,800 1.21 33.1 -1.0 39.9 -8.5 28.1% -0.8% 2
DeAndre Jordan $7,000 $6,500 $11,400 0.96 30.7 -0.3 29.5 1.6 14.5% -1.0% 20

Elite Plays – Chris Paul, Blake Griffin (GPP)

Secondary Plays – DeAndre Jordan (GPP), J.J. Redick (cash)

Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James had his worst game of the season against the Bucks on Tuesday. Due to the poor game we get James back under $10k on FanDuel and the lowest he’s been since the start of the season on DraftKings. The Clippers might be ranked 3rd in DvP against SFs but have not really played any of the top SF options outside of Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler this season. Don’t let the DvP and poor game drive you away from James tonight. LeBron is an elite option in all formats and is averaging 44.4 FanDuel fantasy points against the Clippers in 25 career games. That’s an elite floor and we know what the ceiling is for one of the greatest players in the world.

Kyrie Irving was playing consistent ball earlier this month but has only scored 45+ FD fantasy points twice in his last five starts. He should look to get back on track tonight and the Cavs have proven that all three of their studs can eat in the same game. He’s only a tournament play against Chris Paul because he has scored 30 or less fantasy points in three out of his five games. Kevin Love is also an elite option against the Clippers that has averaged 2.1 more fantasy points at home this season. This should be a high-scoring close game on national TV and Love should be back to his normal allotment of minutes. Tristan Thompson is a solid cash game play that has averaged 28.1 FanDuel fantasy points in his last three games. He’s also only had one game under 22 fantasy points in his last eight games.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Kyrie Irving $7,400 $7,400 $12,000 1.04 33.9 0.3 35.2 -0.7 30.8% -3.4% 15
J.R. Smith $3,700 $3,900 $8,500 0.55 31.0 -0.4 17.2 -6.9 14.2% -1.3% 1
LeBron James $9,700 $9,300 $14,800 1.33 36.1 -0.1 47.9 5.3 32.7% 2.5% 3
Kevin Love $8,300 $8,000 $12,400 1.22 31.7 -2.3 38.6 10.0 26.8% 2.1% 1
Tristan Thompson $5,000 $5,200 $7,500 0.82 28.7 2.1 23.6 1.5 8.7% 1.7% 12

Elite Plays – LeBron James, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving

Secondary Plays – Tristan Thompson (cash)

Orlando Magic at Memphis Grizzlies – 8:00 PM ET

Orlando Magic Memphis Grizzlies
orlandonba Vegas Total 182.5 memphisnba Vegas Total 182.5
Vegas Spread -2.0 Vegas Spread 2.0
Team Total 92.3 Team Total 90.3
Pace +/- -3.8 Pace +/- -2.3
Proj. Starter D.J. Augustin Evan Fournier Aaron Gordon Serge Ibaka Bismack Biyombo Proj. Starter Andrew Harrison Tony Allen Troy Williams JaMychal Green Marc Gasol
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 4 11 2 6 1 2016-17 20 15 12 15 14

Orlando Magic

Frank Vogel has resurrected the DFS corpse of Scott Skiles and continues to perplex us with his random rotations. He’s been starting Bismack Biyombo at center and has played Biyombo 30 or more minutes in three straight games. Biyombo is a low-end option that would see a huge spike in value if Marc Gasol were to sit on the second night of a back-to-back. If Gasol is in, Biyombo would be too risky for cash. The minutes seem secure and in a low-scoring game their should be more rebounds than usual, making him a low-end tournament option. D.J. Augustin has started over the last two games but does not have a ton of upside with Elfrid Payton expected to play.

The Magic continue to ruin Aaron Gordon by starting him at SF and his minutes are far from secure. Serge Ibaka is back to playing well and has scored over 31 FD Fantasy points in five of his last six starts. His salary his spiked due to his recent strong play, pricing in most of the potential upside. Evan Fournier continues to be boom-or-bust and if Tony Allen is rested on the second night of a back-to-back he could also be an elite option. With so many strong options in the other games, limit your Magic exposure to the value guys unless rest situations open up the upside. We can’t safely predict what Nikola Vucevic minutes will be tonight and that makes him simply a GPP option that carries considerable risk and slight upside due to a slightly inflated salary.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
D.J. Augustin $3,700 $4,600 $7,400 0.72 19.4 4.6 13.9 2.2 25.1% -3.9% 4
Evan Fournier $5,800 $5,800 $9,900 0.77 34.2 0.9 26.2 8.9 24.1% 1.7% 11
Aaron Gordon $4,000 $4,300 $8,600 0.73 26.8 -1.0 19.6 -4.8 19.9% 2.2% 2
Serge Ibaka $6,300 $5,900 $9,900 0.87 30.2 1.8 26.2 2.1 20.6% -0.4% 6
Bismack Biyombo $4,200 $4,300 $7,300 0.76 23.8 4.4 18.0 -5.2 12.6% -4.1% 1
Elfrid Payton $5,700 $5,000 $9,800 0.86 29.8 -1.1 25.6 -0.5 24.0% 3.4% 4
Nikola Vucevic $6,900 $6,200 $10,600 1.12 27.8 3.6 31.3 13.5 24.4% 1.2% 1

Elite Plays – N/A

Secondary Plays – Bismack Biyombo, Evan Fournier, D.J. Augustin

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies put up a fight last night against the Raptors for three quarters before losing it in the fourth. JaMychal Green had his best game of the season and will continue to be a solid cash game option as long as Zach Randolph is out. If Marc Gasol is rested tonight, he’ll be an elite option that could easily see 30-33 minutes. Andrew Harrison had his best game of the season and will likely be considerably chased tonight since he is so cheap. He’ll continue to start but is likely a better cash game option than a tournament player if we take game theory into account. Troy Williams has been solid yet unspectacular. He’ll likely see around 30 minutes tonight. Jarell Martin and Wade Baldwin could see an uptick in minutes if Tony Allen or Marc Gasol are rested but are too risky with them in the lineup. Troy Daniels had his best game of the season and has proved that he’s incredibly inconsistent even if he is starting. He’s a a minimum salaried player that should have low expectations if you are forcing him in. It’s better to avoid it, but he’s viable if Allen and Gasol are out.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Andrew Harrison $3,900 $4,400 $7,200 0.61 25.8 1.9 15.6 -0.9 17.7% 0.7% 20
Tony Allen $4,000 $4,100 $7,100 0.70 23.5 2.7 16.5 1.8 17.6% -0.2% 15
Troy Williams $3,700 $4,200 $6,300 0.63 12.8 16.2 8.1 12.3 17.8% 1.9% 12
JaMychal Green $4,400 $4,500 $7,200 0.66 29.0 2.0 19.1 -0.1 14.0% -2.5% 15
Marc Gasol $7,000 $7,000 $10,700 1.00 33.1 -2.0 33.1 -1.4 27.5% -2.5% 14

Elite Plays – JaMychal Green

Secondary Plays – Andrew Harrison (cash), Troy Williams

Miami Heat at Utah Jazz – 9:00 PM ET

Miami Heat Utah Jazz
miaminba Vegas Total 189.0 utahnba Vegas Total 189.0
Vegas Spread 9.5 Vegas Spread -9.5
Team Total 89.8 Team Total 99.3
Pace +/- -5.4 Pace +/- -2.5
Proj. Starter Goran Dragic Rodney McGruder Luke Babbitt Derrick Williams Hassan Whiteside Proj. Starter George Hill Rodney Hood Gordon Hayward Boris Diaw Rudy Gobert
Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent DvP Rank PG SG SF PF C
2016-17 1 4 8 3 7 2016-17 4 6 9 7 28

Miami Heat

Miami makes the tough journey to Utah after playing in Denver last night. The Heat confirmed that Josh Richardson will join Dion Waiters and Justise as players that have been ruled out for this contest. Hassan Whiteside has scored 25 actual points in two straight games and 50+ fantasy points in both those games. He’s still only a tournament option that carries foul trouble risk on the second night of a back-to-back. His salary fell a bit on DraftKings but stayed the same on FanDuel. I’d rather go to a cheaper Rudy Gobert if I was going for a center in this game. Goran Dragic came back down to his normal stats after posting a huge game against Boston the other night. He looks like a player to avoid if Dante Exum starts and an elite option if Shelvin Mack starts. I’d expect for the Jazz to stat Exum tonight.

Tyler Johnson came back with a mouth guard and has now scored 31+ FD fantasy points in three of his last four games. He’s also scored 18.3 FD fps or less recentely as well making him too risky for cash but still a strong GPP play with Josh Richardson also out. James Johnson went back to his random ways, having his best game of the season last night. We’ve seen what James Johnson chalk day feels like, and I hope you can keep your expectations in check if using him tonight. He’s gotten 31 or more minutes in four out of his last five games and should have a clear path to the floor with Luke Babbitt only played 23 minutes as the starting SF. Still, on the second night of a back-to-back, traveling to Utah, Johnson is too risky for cash games and carries considerable risk making him GPP viable. You’re better off paying for the high-end SFs and reserving Johnson as a last in GPP option as a second forward. Wayne Ellington went off against Denver and could be inserted into the starting lineup tonight. If he starts, he could a bunch of open looks with the defense focused on Whiteside and Dragic. He’s taking minutes from Rodney McGruder, making him also a risky option.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
Goran Dragic $6,800 $6,300 $10,600 0.94 32.3 5.5 30.4 25.5 27.9% 6.3% 1
Rodney McGruder $3,900 $3,900 $6,000 0.54 22.0 12.6 11.9 5.0 13.9% 2.6% 4
Luke Babbitt $3,800 $3,000 $7,000 0.46 16.0 3.9 7.4 0.1 13.9% -1.8% 8
Derrick Williams $4,000 $3,000 $6,800 0.67 15.5 1.4 10.5 1.8 20.4% 2.8% 3
Hassan Whiteside $8,700 $8,200 $13,900 1.25 32.7 0.0 41.0 -5.1 22.7% -4.4% 7

Elite Plays – Tyler Johnson

Secondary Plays – James Johnson (GPP), Wayne Ellington (GPP)

Utah Jazz

The Jazz should be able to defeat the Heat with or without Rodney Hood tonight, but it’s the one main injury situation we’re watching for. This team just continues to struggle with the injury bug and could start Joe Johnson in place of Rodney Hood. Iso Joe is a low-end minimum priced option on FanDuel and a slightly expensive player over on DraftKings. He might not see the same usage with the starters but would likely approach the 30 minutes he was playing earlier this season when he started for Gordon Hayward. If Johnson starts, he’s a free space play over on FanDuel. We might not find out until lineups lock but monitor Hood’s situation during shootaround today. Gordon Hayward is an elite option in all formats with a team-leading 28.1% true usage rate following a season-high 31 actual points. He looks to have adjusted to his finger injury on his non-shooting hand and has shot 47% or better in three of his last four starts.

Dante Exum will likely start in place of George Hill and is back to being a minimum salaried player across the industry. He does not have a ton of upside proven by his previous starts this season in place of Hill, but we do need some value plays and he stands out as one that will get nearly 30 minutes. Shelvin Mack will also see a bump in value with Hill out and if Hood is also ruled out and Johnson starts, Mack would be one of the remaining true offensive weapons off the bench with Trey Lyles. Rudy Gobert has been on a tear since Derrick Favors went down. Only putting up foul trouble dud in his last seven starts and averaging 35.01 FanDuel fantasy points in those games. His salary has spiked back to a season-high $7.1k on FanDuel but is still a very playable $6.5k on DraftKings. He’s my favorite center option on the slate and brings the defensive upside that only Whiteside can match. Trey Lyles has been getting consistent minutes but would need Boris Diaw to rest to really be an elite option.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP
George Hill $6,300 $6,800 $9,400 1.02 32.8 -2.3 33.5 2.2 24.9% 1.9% 4
Rodney Hood $5,300 $5,300 $9,300 0.78 32.1 -2.2 25.2 -6.1 23.0% -1.2% 6
Gordon Hayward $7,600 $7,300 $12,300 0.98 35.4 -2.0 34.6 3.5 28.1% -1.0% 9
Boris Diaw $3,500 $3,000 $6,000 0.38 21.1 2.4 8.0 8.0 14.2% 2.9% 7
Rudy Gobert $7,100 $6,500 $10,900 0.97 30.9 1.0 30.0 6.8 14.6% 2.7% 28
Trey Lyles $4,200 $4,400 $7,200 0.72 23.1 -2.0 16.7 1.4 20.8% 4.6% 7

Elite Plays – Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gobert

Secondary Plays – Joe Johnson (if Hood is out), Dante Exum, Shelvin Mack

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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.