NBA Grind Down: Thursday, May 26th
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.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors – Thursday, 9:00 PM
- Vegas Line – Golden State -7, 220 Over/Under
- Oklahoma City Thunder Proj. Starters – Westbrook-Roberson-Durant-Ibaka-Adams
- Golden State Warriors Proj. Starters – Curry-Thompson-Barnes-Green-Bogut
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Golden State Warriors | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 220.0 |  | Vegas Total | 220.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 7.0 | Vegas Sprd | -7.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 106.5 | Team Proj. | 113.5 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 99.40 | Team Pace | 101.60 | |||||||||
| 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 | Russell Westbrook | Andre Roberson | Kevin Durant | Serge Ibaka | Steven Adams | Proj. Starter | Stephen Curry | Klay Thompson | Harrison Barnes | Draymond Green | Andrew Bogut | |
| Opp. Season | 20 | 9 | 15 | 17 | 19 | Opp. Season | 16 | 21 | 13 | 7 | 4 | |
| Last 3 Weeks | 10 | 10 | 25 | 28 | 6 | Last 3 Weeks | 6 | 20 | 26 | 5 | 5 | |
Oklahoma City Thunder
Series Record: 3-1
- Oklahoma City Thunder Offense
Points Scored Per Game: 110.2 (2 of 30)
Implied Team Total: 106.5 (2 of 4)
The Thunder became the first team since the Showtime Lakers to put up 72+ points in the first half of back-to-back games. They are peaking at all levels right now. Their players are playing the best that they have all season and Billy Donovan is out-coaching Steve Kerr. The job is far from done though, as they still have to beat the Warriors one more time before advancing to the NBA Finals. If we assume that the Warriors can take care of business at home in Game 5, that basically leaves a Game 6 in Oklahoma City that could very well decide the series.
- Injury Watch:
NO INJURIES
Elite Plays
| Russell Westbrook | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $10,400 | Salary: | $11,200 | ||
| Position: | PG | Position: | PG | ||
| FP/Min: | 1.41 | FP/Min: | 1.49 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 34.4 | 36.3 | 1.9 | 34.5 | 0.1 |
| FPPG (FD) | 48.8 | 51.2 | 2.4 | 54.0 | 5.2 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 28.3 | 30.7 | 2.3 | 31.3 | 3.0 |
It’s official: Westbrook is not human. I have been thinking this for a while now, but Game 4 proved that he is some type of Cyborg. He had a triple-double (with 30+ points) with ten minutes to go in the fourth quarter. He has outplayed Stephen Curry in this series and he has been great on both ends of the floor. Even though the Thunder are underdogs in Game 5, Westbrook remains the top overall play at any position.
| Kevin Durant | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $10,100 | Salary: | $10,300 | ||
| Position: | SF | Position: | SF | ||
| FP/Min: | 1.04 | FP/Min: | 1.25 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 35.8 | 39.4 | 3.6 | 36.0 | 0.2 |
| FPPG (FD) | 46.4 | 40.9 | -5.6 | 46.2 | -0.2 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 26.3 | 26.3 | 0.0 | 26.0 | -0.3 |
Durant is coming off of his best game of the series, scoring 56 fantasy points in 41 minutes of action. He remains an elite play heading into Game 5, as the Warriors have had no answer for him curling off of those down screens. It’s always a tough choice deciding between Durant and LeBron James, but I’ll give a small edge to James going on the road to take on the Raptors in Game 6.
| Serge Ibaka | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $5,200 | Salary: | $5,800 | ||
| Position: | PF | Position: | PF | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.73 | FP/Min: | 0.83 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 32.1 | 32.2 | 0.1 | 31.7 | -0.4 |
| FPPG (FD) | 25.4 | 23.4 | -1.9 | 25.3 | 0.0 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 14.8 | 11.3 | -3.5 | 12.8 | -2.0 |
Ibaka has played well on both ends of the floor in this series. He is averaging over 25 fantasy points per game and he is seeing minutes in the low to mid-30s in each game. With Kevin Love and Draymond Green playing so poorly and Patrick Patterson minute in doubt, Ibaka is the safest play at power forward.
| Steven Adams | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $5,200 | Salary: | $6,300 | ||
| Position: | C | Position: | C | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.79 | FP/Min: | 0.68 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 25.2 | 31.2 | 6.0 | 26.1 | 0.9 |
| FPPG (FD) | 19.3 | 24.8 | 5.4 | 21.8 | 2.4 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 10.4 | 10.1 | -0.3 | 11.1 | 0.7 |
Adams didn’t play in the fourth quarter in Game 4, but don’t take that as a bad sign. The Thunder were rolling at that point and with all of his minor injuries, they didn’t feel the need to put him back in the game. With Jonas Valanciunas cutting into the minutes and fantasy production of Bismack Biyombo, Adams is the preferred play at center.
Secondary Plays
| Dion Waiters | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $3,900 | Salary: | $4,200 | ||
| Position: | SG | Position: | SG | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.61 | FP/Min: | 0.69 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 27.6 | 26.4 | -1.2 | 31.7 | 4.1 |
| FPPG (FD) | 16.7 | 16.0 | -0.7 | 17.2 | 0.4 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 15.2 | 13.7 | -1.5 | 14.0 | -1.2 |
Waiters has been a strong value play in this series. He has played at least 29 minutes and has scored at least 15 fantasy points in all four games. He should be able to continue that streak in Game 5, even though the game is on the road. He remains the best value at shooting guard.
| Andre Roberson | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $3,900 | Salary: | $3,700 | ||
| Position: | SG | Position: | SG | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.67 | FP/Min: | 0.56 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 22.2 | 24.6 | 2.4 | 28.7 | 6.5 |
| FPPG (FD) | 12.5 | 16.6 | 4.1 | 27.5 | 15.0 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 8.0 | 8.1 | 0.1 | 14.2 | 6.2 |
Roberson didn’t look like himself in Game 4, and that is meant to be a compliment. He broke out with a 50 fantasy point outing against the Warriors. We shouldn’t expect anything close to that in Game 5, but he may have earned himself a few more minutes moving forward. This feels a bit like chasing points, but Roberson has scored at least 18 fantasy points in three of the first four games in the series.
Golden State Warriors
Series Record: 1-3
- Golden State Warriors Offense
Points Scored Per Game: 114.9 (1 of 30)
Implied Team Total: 113.5 (1 of 4)
All we are going to hear for the next couple of days is how the Warriors are choking, how Stephen Curry is possibly hurt, and how awful Draymond Green has played. While the Warriors have not looked like themselves, we have to give credit to the Thunder. They are playing at a completely different level than any other team left in the postseason. The Warriors have an uphill climb to return to the finals, but it’s certainly not out of reach. All they need to do right now is take care of business at home to force a Game 6. They are listed as 7-point favorites with the highest team total on the board.
- Injury Watch:
NO INJURIES
Elite Plays
| Stephen Curry | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $9,700 | Salary: | $10,700 | ||
| Position: | PG | Position: | PG | ||
| FP/Min: | 1.23 | FP/Min: | 1.66 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 34.2 | 31.2 | -3.0 | 32.8 | -1.4 |
| FPPG (FD) | 47.9 | 38.2 | -9.7 | 34.1 | -13.9 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 27.8 | 27.4 | -0.5 | 25.3 | -2.6 |
I don’t know if Curry’s elbow is affecting his play or whether his poor shooting has more to do with the Thunder’s defense against him. They are switching almost every screen and they are constantly throwing double teams at him. Curry has had a lot of open looks in the past couple of games, he just hasn’t been able to catch fire. A lot of people will be scared off by his poor shooting, but I’m on board with Curry in a must win game at home.
| Klay Thompson | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $7,400 | Salary: | $7,800 | ||
| Position: | SG | Position: | SG | ||
| FP/Min: | 1.01 | FP/Min: | 0.99 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 33.3 | 34.5 | 1.2 | 27.8 | -5.5 |
| FPPG (FD) | 30.9 | 34.8 | 3.9 | 27.0 | -3.9 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 22.3 | 24.7 | 2.4 | 27.2 | 4.9 |
Whether Stephen Curry is playing at less than 100% doesn’t really matter when it comes to Thompson. After his huge second half in Game 5, the Warriors are going to look to get him involved early and often in a must win Game 5 at home. He can catch fire at any time and he has the most upside of any shooting guard left in the playoffs.
| Andre Iguodala | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $4,300 | Salary: | $4,500 | ||
| Position: | SF | Position: | SF | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.71 | FP/Min: | 0.68 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 26.6 | 29.5 | 2.9 | 27.9 | 1.3 |
| FPPG (FD) | 18.5 | 21.0 | 2.5 | 21.3 | 2.8 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 10.7 | 11.4 | 0.7 | 13.4 | 2.6 |
Iguodala has been the best value at small forward in this round of the playoffs. He has scored at least 18 fantasy points in all four of the games in this series. He remains an elite play heading into Game 5 and we can expect him to play 30+ minutes in a must-win game at home.
Secondary Plays
| Harrison Barnes | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $4,200 | Salary: | $4,100 | ||
| Position: | SF | Position: | SF | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.56 | FP/Min: | 0.68 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 30.9 | 31.8 | 0.9 | 32.4 | 1.5 |
| FPPG (FD) | 21.0 | 17.7 | -3.3 | 15.9 | -5.1 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 13.8 | 12.0 | -1.9 | 9.9 | -3.9 |
Barnes had that dud in Game 3, but has otherwise played well in this series. He has scored 20, 23, and 16 fantasy points in the other three games. He should see 30+ minutes in Game 5, especially if the Warriors decide to employ their small ball lineup again. He is a borderline elite play, but I slightly prefer Andre Iguodala at a similar price point.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors – Friday, 8:30 PM
- Vegas Line – Cleveland -6.5, 196 Over/Under
- Cleveland Cavaliers Proj. Starters – Irving-Smith-James-Love-Thompson
- Toronto Raptors Proj. Starters – Lowry-DeRozan-Carroll-Scola-Biyombo
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Toronto Raptors | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 196.0 |  | Vegas Total | 196.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -6.5 | Vegas Sprd | 6.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 101.3 | Team Proj. | 94.8 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 95.50 | Team Pace | 95.30 | |||||||||
| 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 | Kyrie Irving | J.R. Smith | LeBron James | Kevin Love | Tristan Thompson | Proj. Starter | Kyle Lowry | DeMar DeRozan | DeMarre Carroll | Luis Scola | Bismack Biyombo | |
| Opp. Season | 2 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 7 | Opp. Season | 17 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | |
| Last 3 Weeks | 8 | 16 | 21 | 18 | 4 | Last 3 Weeks | 21 | 5 | 24 | 9 | 11 | |
Cleveland Cavaliers
Series Record: 3-2
- Cleveland Cavaliers Offense
Points Scored Per Game: 104.3 (8 of 30)
Implied Team Total: 101.3 (3 of 4)
The home teams have had their way so far in this series. The Cavaliers are coming off of a monster win over the Raptors in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead. They now have a chance to clinch the series with a win in Game 6 in Toronto. Even though the Raptors outplayed the Cleveland in the first two games in Toronto, the Cavaliers are listed as 6.5-point favorites in this one. It will be interesting to see if the Cavaliers come out with a sense of desperation or if they are ease into the game knowing that they have a Game 7 at home to fall back on.
- Injury Watch:
NO INJURIES
Elite Plays
| LeBron James | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $10,100 | Salary: | $10,500 | ||
| Position: | SF | Position: | SF | ||
| FP/Min: | 1.26 | FP/Min: | 1.30 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 35.6 | 37.6 | 2.0 | 38.7 | 3.1 |
| FPPG (FD) | 45.0 | 47.3 | 2.3 | 47.7 | 2.7 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 27.4 | 24.5 | -2.8 | 22.4 | -4.9 |
James only played 32 minutes in Game 5, yet he still put up 46 fantasy points. With all of the blowouts in this series, he has only played more than 40 minutes one time. In what is expected to be a competitive Game 6, look for James to play 40+ minutes on the road. He is my favorite small forward to target in this slate, slightly edging out Kevin Durant.
| Kyrie Irving | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $7,300 | Salary: | $8,100 | ||
| Position: | PG | Position: | PG | ||
| FP/Min: | 1.01 | FP/Min: | 0.95 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 31.5 | 35.5 | 4.0 | 34.5 | 3.0 |
| FPPG (FD) | 30.8 | 35.7 | 4.9 | 31.0 | 0.3 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 25.7 | 25.5 | -0.2 | 26.0 | 0.3 |
Other than Game 3, Irving has really played well in this series. He has scored 43, 34, 37, and 38 fantasy points in the other four games. His price on FanDuel is still a bit too cheap, making him an elite play in all league formats. His price on DraftKings is a bit expensive though, which makes him more of a secondary play.
Secondary Plays
| Kevin Love | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $6,700 | Salary: | $7,700 | ||
| Position: | PF | Position: | PF | ||
| FP/Min: | 1.01 | FP/Min: | 1.11 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 31.5 | 32.0 | 0.5 | 27.8 | -3.7 |
| FPPG (FD) | 32.4 | 32.2 | -0.1 | 22.8 | -9.6 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 19.9 | 21.1 | 1.1 | 18.7 | -1.3 |
Love has been super frustrating in this series. We have waited and waited for him to show up and right when everyone jumps ship, he has his best game to date. Love put up 34 fantasy points in only 24 minutes of action in Game 5. He would have seen more minutes if the game didn’t get out of hand. At this point, I’m not sure what to do with him.
| J.R. Smith | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $4,500 | Salary: | $5,000 | ||
| Position: | SG | Position: | SG | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.61 | FP/Min: | 0.66 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 30.7 | 33.3 | 2.6 | 32.9 | 2.2 |
| FPPG (FD) | 20.3 | 20.4 | 0.1 | 20.9 | 0.6 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 16.0 | 11.9 | -4.1 | 14.2 | -1.8 |
Smith has only had one big game so far in this series. Dollar for dollar, I prefer to go down to Dion Waiters or up to Klay Thompson at shooting guard. That said, he is a viable option if you need a shooting guard in his price range. He has shown that he has 30+ fantasy point upside.
| Tristan Thompson | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $4,400 | Salary: | $4,700 | ||
| Position: | C | Position: | PF | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.64 | FP/Min: | 0.77 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 27.7 | 28.6 | 0.9 | 27.9 | 0.2 |
| FPPG (FD) | 21.3 | 18.3 | -3.0 | 18.0 | -3.4 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 9.9 | 7.8 | -2.1 | 5.0 | -4.9 |
Thompson also had his best game of the series in Game 5, scoring 25 fantasy points in only 29 minutes of action. He has the potential to play around 35 minutes if the game is close and if he is being effective, but I see him as more of a secondary play in this slate.
| Channing Frye | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $4,200 | Salary: | $4,100 | ||
| Position: | PF | Position: | PF | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.94 | FP/Min: | 0.89 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 17.1 | 15.8 | -1.3 | 18.5 | 1.4 |
| FPPG (FD) | 12.6 | 14.8 | 2.3 | 18.5 | 5.9 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 13.3 | 14.6 | 1.2 | 12.9 | -0.5 |
Frye is a viable option at power forward strictly due to a lack of options at his position. Draymond Green, Kevin Love, and Patrick Patterson all have question marks surrounding them. Frye didn’t play a lot in Game 5, but he has seen an increased role in the last three games.
Toronto Raptors
Series Record: 2-3
- Toronto Raptors Offense
Points Scored Per Game: 102.7 (13 of 30)
Implied Team Total: 94.8 (4 of 4)
The Raptors need to muster up another big performance at home if they are going to force a winner-take-all Game 7. They have played well at home in this series and their fans will certainly have the Air Canada Centre rocking. Even though this game is being played in Toronto, the Raptors are still listed as 6.5-point underdogs. With Jonas Valanciunas back in the mix, I will be avoiding all of the Raptors bigs in this one. There aren’t enough minutes to go around.
- Injury Watch:
NO INJURIES
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
| Kyle Lowry | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $8,000 | Salary: | $8,000 | ||
| Position: | PG | Position: | PG | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.88 | FP/Min: | 1.07 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 37.0 | 38.1 | 1.1 | 35.4 | -1.6 |
| FPPG (FD) | 38.5 | 33.5 | -5.0 | 34.7 | -3.8 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 22.8 | 22.1 | -0.7 | 21.3 | -1.5 |
Lowry was tremendous in the two home games in this series, scoring 29 and 53 fantasy points. This may be the last time to target him all season, because even if the Raptors win, I don’t want to use him on the road in Game 7. I still prefer the likes of Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, and Kyrie Irving at point guard, but Lowry makes an excellent GPP play.
| DeMar DeRozan | |||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | |||
| Salary: | $8,100 | Salary: | $7,500 | ||
| Position: | SG | Position: | SG | ||
| FP/Min: | 0.82 | FP/Min: | 0.97 | ||
| Statistics | Season Average | Playoffs | Playoffs +/- | Last 3 Games | Last 3 +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 35.9 | 37.1 | 1.2 | 37.1 | 1.2 |
| FPPG (FD) | 35.3 | 30.5 | -4.8 | 36.6 | 1.3 |
| TO-Adj. Usage | 26.0 | 26.3 | 0.2 | 25.6 | -0.5 |
DeRozan also played well in the two homes game in this series, scoring 44 and 40 fantasy points. He should see all of the minutes that he can handle in a must win Game 6 and he is a borderline elite play. The only knock on DeRozan is that there are four other viable plays at his position.