NBA Grind Down: Tuesday, April 21st
Welcome to the RotoGrinders NBA Grind Down Article. Each day, we’ll break down all of the matchups with a focus on defense vs. position stats. The Grind Down shows you Vegas lines, defense stats and projected starting lineups for each and every game.
The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. Use this article to help you gain a better understanding of the matchups for the coming week and build from there. We have everything you could possibly need on our Daily Research console for you to be a successful daily fantasy player!
Note: Fantasy Point Average Listed Uses FanDuel Scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s NBA Scoring System, check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel Review.
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Boston at Cleveland – 7:00 PM ET
- Vegas Line – Cleveland -11, 207 Over/Under
- Boston Proj. Starters – Smart-Bradley-Turner-Bass-Zeller
- Cleveland Proj. Starters – Irving-Smith-James-Love-Mozgov
| Boston | Cleveland | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 207 |  | Vegas Total | 207 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 11.0 | Vegas Sprd | -11.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 98 | Team Proj. | 109 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 95.10 | Team Pace | 95.10 | |||||||||
| 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 | Marcus Smart | Avery Bradley | Evan Turner | Brandon Bass | Tyler Zeller | Proj Starter | Kyrie Irving | J.R. Smith | LeBron James | Kevin Love | Timofey Mozgov | |
| Opp. Season | 11 | 21 | 22 | 9 | 14 | Opp. Season | 21 | 3 | 15 | 20 | 21 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 6 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 11 | Opp. Last 7 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 15 | |
Boston
The Celtics put up a good fight in Game 1, but the Cavaliers ended up with a 13-point victory. The Celtics will look to bounce back in Game 2, but Vegas has them installed as 11-point underdogs. The matchup on paper is less than ideal, as the Cavaliers were ranked 12th in points allowed per game and 8th in rebounding differential during the regular season. Add in the fact that the Celtics have a ten-man rotation and the Celtics are one of the worst teams to target on Tuesday night.
Opponent Breakdown (Cleveland)
Points Allowed Per Game: 98.5 (Rank: 12)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 20
Rebounding Differential Rank: 8
Elite Plays
Isaiah Thomas (FD: $7000, DraftKings $6700 / MPG: 26 / Usage Rate: 27.5)
Thomas is the one Celtics’ player that is on my radar on Tuesday night. He played 32 minutes in Game 1, which was the second-most of any player on the team. He finished the game with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists. While he still comes off the bench, he should see starter’s minutes. He has an extremely high usage rate of 27.5, which gives him great upside at his price point. He is still a fairly risky fantasy option, but he is a terrific tournament play against the Cavaliers.
Secondary Plays
Evan Turner (FD: $6700, DK: $6300 / MPG: 28 / Usage Rate: 19.5)
Cleveland
Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving played well in their first career playoff games. The Cavaliers look poised for a deep run through the playoffs. They are listed as 11-point favorites with their team total set at 109 points. The Celtics provide a terrific matchup for fantasy production, as they were ranked 22nd in points allowed per game and 20th in rebounding differential during the regular season. The Cavaliers tend to be criminally under-owned in DFS, but the big three are all in play against Boston.
Opponent Breakdown (Boston)
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.2 (Rank: 22)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 12
Rebounding Differential Rank: 20
Elite Plays
Kyrie Irving (FD: $7900, DK: $7900 / MPG: 37 / Usage Rate: 26.1)
Irving took over offensively in Game 1, finishing with 30 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. He should be able to replicate that performance in Game 2. The Celtics struggled to contain opposing point guards this season, ranking 21st against the position. Irving should push for 40+ minutes again on Tuesday, assuming the Celtics are able to keep this game within striking distance.
Kevin Love (FD: $7100, DK: $7400 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 21.6)
Love was one of my top targets in the Sunday slate of games and he is one of my top target again on Tuesday. He only averaged 34 minutes per game during the regular season, but should see that number increase to around 40 in the playoffs. Love had a big outing in Game 1, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. His outing could have been even better, had he not shot 5-for-14 from the floor.
Secondary Plays
LeBron James (FD: $10600, DK: $10600 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 32.5)
J.R. Smith (FD: $4800, DK: $5100 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 19.1)
Washington at Toronto – 8:00 PM ET
- Vegas Line – Toronto -5, 191.5 Over/Under
- Washington Proj. Starters – Wall-Beal-Pierce-Hilario-Gortat
- Toronto Proj. Starters – Lowry-DeRozan-Ross-Hansbrough-Valanciunas
| Washington | Toronto | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 191.5 |  | Vegas Total | 191.5 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 5.0 | Vegas Sprd | -5.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 93.3 | Team Proj. | 98.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 89.55 | Team Pace | 89.55 | |||||||||
| 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 | John Wall | Bradley Beal | Paul Pierce | Nene Hilario | Marcin Gortat | Proj Starter | Kyle Lowry | DeMar DeRozan | Terrence Ross | Tyler Hansbrough | Jonas Valanciunas | |
| Opp. Season | 22 | 11 | 23 | 8 | 11 | Opp. Season | 14 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 7 | Opp. Last 7 | 14 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 2 | |
Washington
The Wizards picked up a huge win in Toronto to take home-court advantage away from the Raptors. They would love to head back home with a 2-0 advantage, but we typically see letdown performances in these situations, as the home team has their back against the wall. The Raptors are a favorable matchup for fantasy production, as they were ranked 19th or worst in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential during the regular season.
Opponent Breakdown (Toronto)
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.1 (Rank: 19)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 23
Rebounding Differential Rank: 21
Elite Plays
John Wall (FD: $9300, DK: $8600 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 25.4)
Wall had a subpar shooting performance in Game 1, but he still finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. He should have a much better performance in Game 2 and he’ll likely see upwards of 40 minutes in this one. He has one of the best matchups on the board, as the Raptors were ranked 22nd against point guards during the regular season.
Paul Pierce (FD: $4400, DK: $5200 / MPG: 26 / Usage Rate: 20.1)
The Wizards picked up Paul Pierce for his postseason experience. He certainly didn’t let them down in Game 1, finishing with 20 points and 4 rebounds, including some huge buckets at the end of the game. While the game did go into overtime, Pierce still saw 32 minutes in regulation, which was six more than he averaged during the regular season. He’s a rare source of value on Tuesday night.
Secondary Plays
Bradley Beal (FD: $6500, DK: $6500 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 22.2)
Toronto
The Raptors have one of the best fan bases in the NBA and for their sake, hopefully their team can even up the series at a game a piece. The Raptors are listed as 5-point favorites in Game 2 with their team total set at 98 points. While I do expect the Raptors to play better than they did in the season opener, this is still one of the most difficult matchups on the board. The Wizards were ranked 9th or better points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential during the regular season.
Opponent Breakdown (Washington)
Points Allowed Per Game: 97.6 (Rank: 9)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 5
Rebounding Differential Rank: 3
Elite Plays
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays
DeMar DeRozan (FD: $8500, DK: $7800 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 28.5)
Kyle Lowry (FD: $7700, DK: $7500 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 24.9)
Lou Williams (FD: $5200, DK: $5300 / MPG: 25 / Usage Rate: 26.5)
Amir Johnson (FD: $4800, DK: $4400 / MPG: 27 / Usage Rate: 15.7)
Dallas at Houston – 9:30 PM ET
- Vegas Line – Houston -5.5, 215 Over/Under
- Dallas Proj. Starters – Rondo-Ellis-Parsons-Nowitzki-Chandler
- Houston Proj. Starters – Terry-Harden-Ariza-Jones-Howard
| Dallas | Houston | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 215 |  | Vegas Total | 215 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 5.5 | Vegas Sprd | -5.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 104.8 | Team Proj. | 110.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 109.64 | Team Pace | 109.64 | |||||||||
| 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 | Rajon Rondo | Monta Ellis | Chandler Parsons | Dirk Nowitzki | Tyson Chandler | Proj Starter | Jason Terry | James Harden | Trevor Ariza | Terrence Jones | Dwight Howard | |
| Opp. Season | 3 | 19 | 19 | 29 | 22 | Opp. Season | 18 | 13 | 26 | 18 | 17 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 13 | 2 | 15 | 20 | 20 | Opp. Last 7 | 7 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 17 | |
Dallas
The Mavericks fell short in Game 1 against the Rockets, losing by ten points. They are listed as 5.5-point underdogs in Game 2 with the total set at 215 points. This game has the highest total in Tuesday’s three-game slate and it’s not even close. If there was one game to load up on, this would be it. The Rockets are one of the fastest-paced teams in the NBA and they were ranked 17th in points allowed per game during the regular season.
Opponent Breakdown (Houston)
Points Allowed Per Game: 100.6 (Rank: 17)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 6
Rebounding Differential Rank: 15
Elite Plays
Dirk Nowitzki (FD: $6300, DK: $6900 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 25.1)
Nowitzki is one of the few veterans that is going to see a major uptick in minutes during the playoffs. In the regular season, he averaged 30 minutes per contest, but he played 37 minutes in Game 1 and he’ll likely see a similar number in Game 2. Nowitzki played well in the series opener, finishing with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists. Dollar for dollar, he is one of the top forwards on the board.
Monta Ellis (FD: $6300, DK: $6400 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 27.8)
Ellis was quiet in Game 1, but he can take over a game at any point. His price is currently depressed and he’s the one Mavericks’ player that we can count on to see close to 40 minutes of playing time. In four meetings against the Rockets in the regular season, he averaged 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per contest.
Secondary Plays
Tyson Chandler (FD: $6500, DK: $6600 / MPG: 31 / Usage Rate: 12.7)
Al-Farouq Aminu (FD: $4500, DK: $3900 / MPG: 18 / Usage Rate: 15.2)
Houston
The Rockets picked up a win in Game 1 by scoring 118 points. They have the highest team total on the board at 110 points, which makes them the top team to target on Tuesday night. The Mavericks present a terrific matchup, as they were ranked 25th in points allowed per game and 30th in rebounding differential during the regular season.
Opponent Breakdown (Dallas)
Points Allowed Per Game: 102.4 (Rank: 25)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 18
Rebounding Differential Rank: 30
Elite Plays
James Harden (FD: $10800, DK: $10500 / MPG: 37 / Usage Rate: 31.3)
At this point, do I really have to persuade you to target James Harden in DFS? He had a subpar outing by his standards in Game 1, but he still finished with 24 points, 2 rebounds, and 11 assists. He should be able to improve on those numbers in Game 2 and he’s priced under $11,000 on both FanDuel and DraftKings. Value is tough to find during the playoffs, but you can fit Harden into your lineups pretty easily.
Dwight Howard (FD: $7200, DK: $7000 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 23.3)
Howard got into foul trouble in Game 1 and only ended up playing 17 minutes. Hopefully everyone will see the 17 minutes and immediately think to avoid him in Game 2. I’m all in on Howard for Game 2 though. Despite only playing 17 minutes in the series opener, he finished with an impressive tally of fantasy points. He should see a major uptick in minutes in Game 2 and the matchup is in Dwight’s favor. The Rockets were ranked dead last in rebounding differential during the regular season.
Terrence Jones (FD: $6200, DK: $5800 / MPG: 27 / Usage Rate: 19.2)
Jones is one of the three great power forward options in Tuesday’s small slate of games. His price is depressed and he is coming off of a strong outing in Game 1, as he finished with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Those numbers are impressive, but the 34 minutes of playing time is the key statistic. He’s under-valued heading into Game 2.
Secondary Plays
Trevor Ariza (FD: $6400, DK: $6200 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 16.8)
Jason Terry (FD: $3800, DK: $3700 / MPG: 21 / Usage Rate: 14.1)