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NBA Grind Down: Tuesday, December 15th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2015-12-17 16:05:54

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.

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Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics – 7:30 PM

Cleveland Cavaliers Boston Celtics
clevelandnba Vegas Total 201.5 bostonnba Vegas Total 201.5
Vegas Sprd -1.5 Vegas Sprd 1.5
Team Proj. 101.5 Team Proj. 100.0
Team Pace 95.60 Team Pace 101.30
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 Matthew Dellavedova J.R. Smith LeBron James Kevin Love Timofey Mozgov Proj. Starter Isaiah Thomas Avery Bradley Jae Crowder Amir Johnson Jared Sullinger
Opp. Season 1 19 23 22 16 Opp. Season 13 16 3 1 4
Opp. Last 7 15 11 17 24 26 Opp. Last 7 17 5 1 1 8

Cleveland Cavaliers

Record: 15-7 — Road: 5-6 — Last 10: 6-4

The Cavaliers have won six of their last ten games. Even though they are 15-7 on the season, they are only 5-6 on the road. Tonight they head to Boston to take on a Celtics team that has been good on both ends of the floor. Vegas is expecting tonight’s game to stay close, as the Cavaliers are 1.5-point favorites. Cleveland has an implied team total of 101.5 points tonight, which is very close to their average points scored per game this season.

The Celtics play at a fast pace (101.3 possessions per game), but they are still ranked in the top half of the league in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. Kyrie Irving will not make his debut tonight. He is tentatively on track to play on December 20th. Matthew Dellavedova and J.R. Smith have both been nursing injuries, but both players are expected to be in the lineup tonight against the Celtics.

Elite Plays

LeBron James

A lot of times it looks like James is just coasting through the middle of the season, but I’m not sure I’d call 50 fantasy points per game coasting. He came out and said that he doesn’t want his minutes to go down, so you know that he is fully committed this season. He’ll draw a tough matchup tonight against Jae Crowder, but James is as matchup proof of a player as you can find. With only four games on the schedule, he is an elite play in all league formats.

FD — $10,400 — SF
DK — $10,000 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 28.5 | Last Five Games: 29.7
Min/Game — Season: 36.7 | Last Five Games: 38.0
FP/Game — Season: 46.0 | Last Five Games: 50.2

Secondary Plays

Kevin Love

Love has struggled in his last five games, averaging only 27.6 fantasy points in 30 minutes per contest. Maybe he feels the inevitable return of Kyrie Irving. While he may drop off into fantasy oblivion here soon, he is worth a look tonight at his discounted price point. He draws a favorable matchup against the Celtics, who are ranked 22nd against power forwards this season.

FD — $7,800 — PF
DK — $8,000 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 20.5 | Last Five Games: 18.9
Min/Game — Season: 33.2 | Last Five Games: 30.0
FP/Game — Season: 35.1 | Last Five Games: 27.6

Boston Celtics

Record: 14-10 — Home: 7-5 — Last 10: 7-3

The Celtics have won seven of their last ten games. They were so close to pulling off the upset against the Warriors on Friday night, but they eventually fell short. Tonight they host another elite team in the Cavaliers. This will be a pace-down game for Boston and that is shown in their team total. They are only projected to score 100 points tonight, which is 3.7 points lower than their average points scored per game this season.

The Cavaliers have been elite defensively this season. They are ranked fourth or better in points allowed per game, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. This would typically be a nice spot to fade the Celtics altogether, but we have such a short slate that there are a few players on my radar tonight at home.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Isaiah Thomas

Thomas continues to flourish in Marcus Smart absence. In his last five games, Thomas has averaged 37 fantasy points in just over 36 minutes per contest. His price has come up across the industry, but the Celtics may need a big game from him tonight. He’s not a great cash game play, but he is worth a look in tournaments.

FD — $8,100 — PG
DK — $7,700 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 25.7 | Last Five Games: 22.8
Min/Game — Season: 32.1 | Last Five Games: 36.3
FP/Game — Season: 34.4 | Last Five Games: 37.0

Jae Crowder

If you look strictly at the matchup, you would automatically avoid Crowder tonight. However, sometimes we have to read between the lines. You may see a tough matchup against LeBron James, but I see that as an opportunity for a minutes boost. He could play upwards of 40 minutes tonight, making him a nice mid-range option at small forward.

FD — $5,400 — SF
DK — $5,700 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 14.4 | Last Five Games: 13.6
Min/Game — Season: 31.3 | Last Five Games: 36.4
FP/Game — Season: 24.2 | Last Five Games: 24.6

Kelly Olynyk

It’s taken me some time, but I’m finally starting to believe in Olynyk. I’ve always clung to the thought that it’s tough for a player to reach value when they are playing less than 20 minutes per game. Luckily, Olynyk’s minutes are trending upward, as he has averaged 26.3 fantasy points in close to 24 minutes per game in his last five.

FD — $4,500 — C
DK — $4,400 — C
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 19.2 | Last Five Games: 23.7
Min/Game — Season: 18.9 | Last Five Games: 23.9
FP/Game — Season: 18.7 | Last Five Games: 26.3

Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8:00 PM

Denver Nuggets Minnesota Timberwolves
denvernba Vegas Total 204.5 minnesotanba Vegas Total 204.5
Vegas Sprd 5.5 Vegas Sprd -5.5
Team Proj. 99.5 Team Proj. 105.0
Team Pace 98.30 Team Pace 98.90
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 Jameer Nelson Gary Harris Danilo Gallinari Kenneth Faried Joffrey Lauvergne Proj. Starter Ricky Rubio Kevin Martin Andrew Wiggins Kevin Garnett Karl-Anthony Towns
Opp. Season 21 15 7 10 15 Opp. Season 27 29 12 20 29
Opp. Last 7 26 23 10 13 18 Opp. Last 7 5 24 9 4 29

Denver Nuggets

Record: 10-14 — Road: 5-7 — Last 10: 4-6

The Nuggets picked up a win last night at home against the Rockets. They have a quick turnaround tonight, as they head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves. The Nuggets are listed as 5.5-point underdogs in this matchup with an implied team total of 99.5 points. That total is the second lowest on the board tonight, but it is two points higher than their average points scored per game this season.

The Wolves started the season playing great defense, but have come crashing back down to Earth. They are now ranked below the league average in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. There are a couple of injuries to keep our eye on tonight. Emmanuel Mudiay missed last night’s game and is on the wrong side of questionable. Darrell Arthur also missed last night’s game and it doesn’t appear that the Nuggets are worried about rushing him back.

Elite Plays

Will Barton

It can be tough relying on bench players in cash games, especially when they are priced above $6,000. However, even though Barton comes off the bench, he has seen starter’s minutes for the better part of a month. He has been terrific in his last five games, averaging 34.4 fantasy points in 34 minutes per contest. He should also see a boost if Emmanuel Mudiay is unable to play.

FD — $6,000 — SG
DK — $6,200 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 19.1 | Last Five Games: 21.8
Min/Game — Season: 28.3 | Last Five Games: 34.0
FP/Game — Season: 26.8 | Last Five Games: 34.4

Jameer Nelson

Assuming Emmanuel Mudiay is out, Nelson becomes close to a must play again tonight. This looks like a great night to punt the point guard position, since Darren Collison will draw the start for suspended Rajon Rondo. Nelson didn’t have the best game last night against the Rockets, but he should see 30+ minutes at a bargain bin price point.

FD — $4,200 — PG
DK — $4,500 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 15.4 | Last Five Games: 14.3
Min/Game — Season: 25.1 | Last Five Games: 31.0
FP/Game — Season: 16.7 | Last Five Games: 23.1

Secondary Plays

Danilo Gallinari

Small forward is always a tough position to fill and while I don’t love the matchup for Gallinari – Andrew Wiggins is a good defender, he’s not a bad play. He comes into tonight’s game in good form, averaging 33.7 fantasy points in 37 minutes per game in his last five.

FD — $7,200 — SF
DK — $7,000 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 19.0 | Last Five Games: 17.5
Min/Game — Season: 34.9 | Last Five Games: 37.4
FP/Game — Season: 30.5 | Last Five Games: 33.7

Kenneth Faried

I’m not sure why I expected anything other than what happened with Faried last night. This has been the problem for years, even when he puts together solid stretches, coaches just hate giving him consistent minutes. Despite scoring nine points and grabbing 11 rebounds, Faried only saw 20 minutes of playing time last night. I’d love to list him as an elite play, but have a hard time doing so when his minute total could fall anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes.

FD — $6,400 — PF
DK — $6,000 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 16.7 | Last Five Games: 18.2
Min/Game — Season: 26.5 | Last Five Games: 28.7
FP/Game — Season: 26.2 | Last Five Games: 28.5

Gary Harris

Harris has been getting a ton of minutes recently. In fact, in the last two games, he has averaged 42 per contest. He doesn’t have the same type of offensive upside as Will Barton, but he is cheap and could see extended playing time again tonight if Emmanual Mudiay is unable to play.

FD — $3,900 — SG
DK — $4,100 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 13.3 | Last Five Games: 13.5
Min/Game — Season: 28.3 | Last Five Games: 42.1
FP/Game — Season: 17.4 | Last Five Games: 21.4

Minnesota Timberwolves

Record: 9-14 — Home: 3-9 — Last 10: 4-6

The Wolves can’t seem to win at home. I don’t know if it’s just an aberration or if they are having a hard time getting focused playing at home. Tonight they host the Nuggets in what should be a pace-up game for the Wolves. Minnesota has an implied team total of 105 points, which 2.7 points higher than their average points scored per game this season.

The Nuggets have really struggled defensively this season. They are ranked 22nd or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. The Wolves should have an easy time scoring tonight and with the third highest team total on the board, there are a number of fantasy options in this matchup. The problem is that they all seem to be secondary options at their respective positions.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Karl-Anthony Towns

Towns is finally starting to see consistent minutes again. However, he is still averaging less than 30 minutes per game. He can certainly rack up fantasy points quickly, but the limited minutes give me pause on using him in cash games. I love Towns as a tournament play tonight, but will be looking elsewhere in cash.

FD — $7,100 — C
DK — $7,300 — C
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 19.0 | Last Five Games: 20.5
Min/Game — Season: 27.8 | Last Five Games: 29.2
FP/Game — Season: 31.1 | Last Five Games: 35.2

Ricky Rubio

Rubio may be a popular choice in expert columns today, but if you think about point guards in terms of roster construction, it’s going to be hard to pass up on the value provided by Jameer Nelson and Darren Collison. For that reason, I see Rubio more as a secondary play tonight against the Nuggets.

FD — $6,800 — PG
DK — $7,000 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 17.2 | Last Five Games: 14.8
Min/Game — Season: 29.7 | Last Five Games: 29.7
FP/Game — Season: 29.5 | Last Five Games: 29.5

Andrew Wiggins

Wiggins has really struggled recently, but at least that has led to a drop in price. He is worth a look tonight on FanDuel. Not only is he priced at an affordable $6,500, but he is also listed as a small forward. As I mentioned earlier, small forward is always a tough position to fill on short slates.

FD — $6,500 — SF
DK — $6,800 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 23.5 | Last Five Games: 20.3
Min/Game — Season: 34.9 | Last Five Games: 33.8
FP/Game — Season: 27.9 | Last Five Games: 21.1

Kevin Martin

Martin has been the Grind Down’s arch-nemesis this season. He was featured for what felt like two straight weeks. My argument was that the minutes were there and eventually, the shots would start to fall. It took longer than expected, but he is finally making shots again. Over his last five games, he has averaged 23.7 fantasy points per game.

FD — $4,500 — SG
DK — $4,700 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 20.2 | Last Five Games: 22.1
Min/Game — Season: 26.1 | Last Five Games: 28.8
FP/Game — Season: 18.1 | Last Five Games: 23.7

Gorgui Dieng

Dieng continues to come off the bench, but his minutes seem as secure as anyone’s. The other night he had zero points and five turnovers in the first half and he still saw minutes in the mid-20’s. Dieng is a decent value play at center if you are looking to punt the position. We all know how bad the Nuggets are against opposing bigs.

FD — $4,500 — C
DK — $5,100 — C
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 12.5 | Last Five Games: 12.4
Min/Game — Season: 22.5 | Last Five Games: 27.4
FP/Game — Season: 19.1 | Last Five Games: 19.7

Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings – 10:00 PM

Houston Rockets Sacramento Kings
houstonnba Vegas Total 220.0 sacramentonba Vegas Total 220.0
Vegas Sprd 1.5 Vegas Sprd -1.5
Team Proj. 109.3 Team Proj. 110.8
Team Pace 100.40 Team Pace 101.90
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 Patrick Beverley James Harden Trevor Ariza Clint Capela Dwight Howard Proj. Starter Darren Collison Ben McLemore Rudy Gay Omri Casspi DeMarcus Cousins
Opp. Season 22 25 25 27 26 Opp. Season 24 22 28 30 19
Opp. Last 7 2 18 29 17 14 Opp. Last 7 6 27 19 28 11

Houston Rockets

Record: 12-13 — Road: 5-6 — Last 10: 7-3

I can’t wait for this game. You could honestly make a quality fantasy lineup just by using players in this game alone. The Rockets are 1.5-point underdogs tonight against the Kings in a game that features a ridiculously high total of 220 points. The Rockets are projected to score 109.3 points tonight, which is 4.8 points higher than their average points scored per game this season.

We have two of the worst defenses squaring off against one another tonight. On the season, the Kings are ranked 28th or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. There are two injury notes that I need to point out tonight. Clint Capela was a late scratch from last night’s game against the Nuggets. He is dealing with an illness and is questionable for tonight’s game against the Kings. Dwight Howard is expected to play in the second half of the Rockets’ back-to-back, but they are expected to limit his minutes. He will probably only see 25-28 minutes of action, which really limits his fantasy appeal.

Elite Plays

James Harden

With Dwight Howard on a potential minutes restriction and Clint Capela questionable, Harden is really the only Rockets player that stands out as an elite play tonight. Harden is the premier play at any position and with all of the value in this slate, it will be easy to get him into your lineup. In a game that features a total of 220 points, there is no reason to fade Harden tonight.

FD — $10,700 — SG
DK — $10,800 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 27.7 | Last Five Games: 25.9
Min/Game — Season: 38.6 | Last Five Games: 35.4
FP/Game — Season: 47.4 | Last Five Games: 43.4

Secondary Plays

Trevor Ariza

Ariza is a borderline elite play tonight. If Clint Capela is out, I would probably bump him up to an elite play. The Kings like to play small with Omri Casspi at the four, so we could see Ariza play some power forward tonight. He should see around 35 minutes tonight against the Kings in a game that will feature very little defense.

FD — $5,600 — SF
DK — $5,500 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 13.8 | Last Five Games: 14.9
Min/Game — Season: 34.5 | Last Five Games: 27.7
FP/Game — Season: 23.6 | Last Five Games: 22.2

Patrick Beverley

On a typical night, Beverley would offer great value at point guard. His minutes and production are both trending upward and he draws a favorable matchup against the Kings. However, as I continue to harp on – Jameer Nelson and Darren Collison are basically the top two points per dollar plays on the board tonight.

FD — $4,200 — PG
DK — $4,900 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 13.4 | Last Five Games: 14.8
Min/Game — Season: 24.0 | Last Five Games: 30.4
FP/Game — Season: 16.7 | Last Five Games: 21.9

Donatas Motiejunas

Motiejunas could be worth a look on DraftKings tonight. He is close to minimum salary and he is coming off of his best game in months. If Clint Capela is out again tonight, he could be a nice source of value.

FD — $4,900 — PF
DK — $3,400 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 16.9 | Last Five Games: 16.9
Min/Game — Season: 11.6 | Last Five Games: 11.6
FP/Game — Season: 7.5 | Last Five Games: 7.5

Sacramento Kings

Record: 9-15 — Home: 7-7 — Last 10: 4-6

The Kings haven’t been great this season, but they have managed to post a .500 record (7-7) at home. They are listed as 1.5-point favorites tonight against the Rockets. You may be thinking, how on Earth are the Kings favored tonight without Rajon Rondo (who is suspended)? It’s pretty simple – the Rockets have struggled all season, the Kings are well rested, the Rockets are playing in the second half of a back-to-back, and the Kings are playing at home.

The Rockets have been just as bad as the Kings defensively, although they also add a bad rebounding differential to their resume. They are ranked 23rd or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. With such a favorable matchup and with Rajon Rondo out, tonight is the night to load up on Kings in daily fantasy.

Elite Plays

DeMarcus Cousins

Cousins has not preformed up to his standards recently, averaging only 35.7 fantasy points per game in his last five. We shouldn’t be too concerned though, because he is still the most talented center in the NBA. He sees a small boost tonight with Dwight Howard expected to play limited minutes. I still prefer James Harden if you can only afford one superstar, but don’t mind using both in this short slate.

FD — $9,800 — C
DK — $10,200 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 29.4 | Last Five Games: 27.2
Min/Game — Season: 33.0 | Last Five Games: 32.3
FP/Game — Season: 43.3 | Last Five Games: 35.7

Darren Collison

The good news is that Collison has been playing well off the bench, so his price isn’t close to minimum salary. The bad news is that he is still going to be around 80-90% owned tonight in cash games. With Rajon Rondo out, there is no reason to fade Collison in cash games. He is my favorite play on the board tonight and the value allows you to spend up on the likes of James Harden and/or DeMarcus Cousins.

FD — $5,000 — PG
DK — $4,900 — PG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 18.5 | Last Five Games: 18.8
Min/Game — Season: 28.0 | Last Five Games: 26.2
FP/Game — Season: 21.1 | Last Five Games: 21.0

Omri Casspi

As with all daily fantasy sports, each pick is price-sensitive. Casspi is an elite play on FanDuel and a secondary play on DraftKings tonight. He draws a terrific matchup against the Rockets, who have been one of the worst teams at defending power forwards this season.

FD — $4,700 — SF
DK — $5,600 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 14.5 | Last Five Games: 16.0
Min/Game — Season: 28.2 | Last Five Games: 35.5
FP/Game — Season: 21.6 | Last Five Games: 25.8

Secondary Plays

Rudy Gay

Gay has been playing better recently, but he has still only averaged 29.9 fantasy points per game this season. Sites have yet to adjust his price to his actual level of production, which makes him a bit overpriced across the industry. Gay is in play tonight against the Rockets, but he is my fourth favorite Kings’ player to target.

FD — $7,000 — SF
DK — $6,900 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 21.3 | Last Five Games: 17.8
Min/Game — Season: 32.6 | Last Five Games: 34.4
FP/Game — Season: 29.9 | Last Five Games: 29.3

Milwaukee Bucks at Los Angeles Lakers – 10:30 PM

Milwaukee Bucks Los Angeles Lakers
milwaukeenba Vegas Total 197.5 lalakersnba Vegas Total 197.5
Vegas Sprd -4.0 Vegas Sprd 4.0
Team Proj. 100.8 Team Proj. 96.8
Team Pace 95.70 Team Pace 99.10
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 O.J. Mayo Khris Middleton Giannis Antetokounmpo Jabari Parker Greg Monroe Proj. Starter Jordan Clarkson Louis Williams Kobe Bryant “(player-popup)Larry Nance Jr Roy Hibbert
Opp. Season 30 27 18 25 27 Opp. Season 7 9 27 24 11
Opp. Last 7 27 30 24 26 27 Opp. Last 7 22 13 22 25 13

Milwaukee Bucks

Record: 10-15 — Road: 2-10 — Last 10: 4-6

Even though there are only four games on the schedule tonight, this is actually a great slate for fantasy basketball. All of the games are expected to stay close and three of them feature some of the worst defenses in the NBA. The Bucks are listed as 4-point favorites tonight against the Lakers in Los Angeles. Milwaukee has an implied team total of 100.8 points, which is 5.3 points higher than their average points scored this season.

The Lakers are doing their best to claim their throne as the worst defense in the NBA. On the season, they are ranked 28th or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. The Bucks are expected to be without Jerryd Bayless and Greivis Vasquez again tonight, which means another start for my second favorite drink in the morning (coffee is number one, O.J. is number two).

Elite Plays

Greg Monroe

Monroe is finally starting to get consistent minutes and surprise, surprise, he is starting to produce consistent results. He has averaged 35.2 fantasy points per game in his last five and he draws a terrific matchup against the Lakers, who don’t defend the paint or rebound the basketball.

FD — $7,800 — C
DK — $7,100 — C
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 20.0 | Last Five Games: 18.6
Min/Game — Season: 31.4 | Last Five Games: 33.0
FP/Game — Season: 34.0 | Last Five Games: 35.2

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo has also seen a minutes spike recently and suprise, surprise, he has started to produce at a higher level. It’s crazy what a little bit of confidence can do, right Jason Kidd? Antetokounmpo has averaged 33.3 fantasy points per game in his last five and makes a strong play in all league formats.

FD — $7,000 — SG
DK — $6,800 — SF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 17.8 | Last Five Games: 17.4
Min/Game — Season: 33.4 | Last Five Games: 35.9
FP/Game — Season: 29.7 | Last Five Games: 33.3

O.J. Mayo

Mayo has looked good as a point guard. Those are words that I never thought I could have written. Over his last five games, he has averaged 26.1 fantasy points in 34 minutes per game. The most impressive part is that there were some tough matchups mixed in during that stretch. He is an elite play tonight at shooting guard against the Lakers, who are ranked dead last against point guards.

FD — $4,900 — SG
DK — $5,700 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 15.9 | Last Five Games: 17.9
Min/Game — Season: 29.6 | Last Five Games: 34.2
FP/Game — Season: 20.3 | Last Five Games: 26.1

Secondary Plays

Khris Middleton

Middleton has also seen a spike in minutes recently, averaging 38.5 per game in his last five. That hasn’t led to an increase in production, but he is certainly in play tonight against the Lakers.

FD — $5,700 — SF
DK — $5,300 — SG
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 17.2 | Last Five Games: 15.6
Min/Game — Season: 34.5 | Last Five Games: 38.5
FP/Game — Season: 24.1 | Last Five Games: 23.2

Jabari Parker

Parker is a nice contrarian play tonight at power forward. He has averaged 24.6 fantasy points per game over his last five and his minutes are trending in the right direction.

FD — $5,000 — PF
DK — $5,100 — PF
TO-Adjusted Usage — Season: 17.3 | Last Five Games: 18.3
Min/Game — Season: 25.0 | Last Five Games: 30.5
FP/Game — Season: 18.7 | Last Five Games: 24.6

Los Angeles Lakers

Record: 3-21 — Home: 1-6 — Last 10: 1-9

The Lakers have lost nine of their last ten games and are now 1-6 at home this season. They are listed as 4-point underdogs tonight against the Bucks at home. Los Angeles has an implied team total of 96.8 points, which is the lowest on the board tonight.

The Bucks have not been great defensively this season, but they continue to move up in the rankings. They are still ranked below the league average in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. Jordan Clarkson is expected to play tonight, which should send D’Angelo Russell back to the bench. Even though the Lakers are in a decent spot, there are so many great fantasy options tonight that there really aren’t any players from this team that are on my radar.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

NONE

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