Sign In $

NBA Grind Down: Tuesday, December 20th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-12-21 03:32:40

Jump to Page 1 2 3

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.

grind%20down%20article%20faq

Los Angeles Lakers at Charlotte Hornets – 7:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Lakers Charlotte Hornets
lalakersnba Vegas Total 214.0 charlottenba Vegas Total 214.0
Vegas Spread 9.0 Vegas Spread -9.0
Team Total 102.5 Team Total 111.5
Pace +/- 0.2 Pace +/- 2.4
Proj. Starter D’Angelo Russell Nick Young Luol Deng Julius Randle Timofey Mozgov Proj. Starter Kemba Walker Nicolas Batum Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Marvin Williams Cody Zeller
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 15 10 21 16 25 DvP 25 27 30 28 29
DRPM -0.48 0.28 1.64 0.25 1.93 DRPM -1.20 -1.61 0.22 -0.20 -0.50

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers have lost nine of their last ten games and are now eight games below .500 overall. They travel to Charlotte tonight to take on the Hornets in what could turn into another blowout. The Lakers are listed as 9-point underdogs against a Hornets’ defense that is ranked above the league average in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential. The Lakers have an implied total of only 102.5 points, which is the seventh lowest in the slate and 1.9 points below their season average. With everyone healthy for Los Angeles, they are a difficult team to predict given their deep and inconsistent rotation. Nick Young, Julius Randle, Luol Deng, Lou Williams, and Larry Nance have all had solid outings recently, but no one stands out as an elite play in this matchup.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
D’Angelo Russell $5,800 $5,300 $9,600 1.00 25.6 -0.7 25.7 -2.7 30.9% -1.4% 15 -0.48
Nick Young $4,500 $4,400 $7,700 0.77 25.4 4.2 19.6 9.0 19.5% 2.2% 10 0.28
Luol Deng $4,500 $4,700 $7,500 0.71 26.0 6.6 18.5 7.7 15.4% -0.5% 21 1.64
Julius Randle $6,300 $5,800 $10,100 0.96 28.6 2.3 27.6 2.1 23.5% 1.3% 16 0.25
Timofey Mozgov $3,500 $3,400 $8,300 0.74 21.2 1.1 15.7 -0.5 16.9% 1.9% 25 1.93
Lou Williams $5,700 $5,900 $9,400 1.10 25.1 -0.4 27.6 -2.5 30.7% -2.4% 10 N/A
Jordan Clarkson $4,800 $4,800 $9,600 0.77 28.6 -3.4 22.1 -2.9 24.2% -1.6% 15 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – Luol Deng (FD)

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets are 15-13 overall with an 8-6 record at home. They should be able to add a win to their resume tonight against the struggling Lakers. This is one of the best possible matchups for fantasy production, as the Lakers are ranked fourth in pace of play and 27th in points allowed per game. The Hornets have an implied total of 111.5 points, which is the third highest in the slate and 7.6 points above their season average. While there is certainly some concern that this game could turn into a blowout, we shouldn’t discount the favored team in these situations.

Kemba Walker has played well at home throughout his career and is having his best season as a pro. He is averaging 36.3 fantasy points per game with a true usage rate of 30.4%. Even if this game gets out of hand, he should still see around 30 minutes, which is more than enough playing time to reach value against the Lakers. The only concern with Walker is his elevated price point of $8,000 on both FanDuel and DraftKings. Nicolas Batum price is also at it’s peak, as he is coming off of a three-game stretch where he averaged 35.9 fantasy points per game. His usage has been higher in the last two weeks and we can expect that trend to continue moving forward. The Hornets’ frontcourt draws a favorable matchup against the Lakers, but the issue is always playing time. There are a lot of bodies splitting minutes. Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller are both worth a look in tournaments, but are easy fades in cash games.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Kemba Walker $8,000 $8,000 $12,000 1.09 33.2 1.6 36.3 0.6 30.4% -4.2% 25 -1.20
Nicolas Batum $7,200 $7,500 $10,700 0.91 34.5 0.5 31.4 4.5 22.1% 4.2% 27 -1.61
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist $4,600 $4,400 $8,000 0.74 28.5 -5.8 21.1 -9.0 14.6% 0.5% 30 0.22
Marvin Williams $4,600 $4,900 $8,200 0.72 27.5 1.4 19.8 0.9 17.2% -1.3% 28 -0.20
Cody Zeller $5,100 $4,900 $7,700 0.87 25.9 5.2 22.7 3.5 16.7% 0.3% 29 -0.50
Frank Kaminsky $4,200 $4,000 $7,300 0.81 25.3 -5.4 20.5 -2.9 21.3% 1.1% 28 N/A

Elite Plays – Kemba Walker

Secondary Plays – Nicolas Batum, Cody Zeller (GPP), Marvin Williams (GPP)

New Orleans Pelicans at Philadelphia 76ers – 7:00 PM ET

New Orleans Pelicans Philadelphia 76ers
neworleansnba Vegas Total 208.0 philadelphianba Vegas Total 208.0
Vegas Spread -3.5 Vegas Spread 3.5
Team Total 105.8 Team Total 102.3
Pace +/- 0.1 Pace +/- 1.5
Proj. Starter Jrue Holiday Buddy Hield E’Twaun Moore Anthony Davis Alexis Ajinca Proj. Starter Sergio Rodriguez Gerald Henderson Robert Covington Joel Embiid Jahlil Okafor
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 18 21 26 13 19 DvP 27 19 18 27 21
DRPM -0.93 0.19 3.10 1.49 -0.17 DRPM -0.66 -2.62 -0.95 2.35 -0.29

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans have lost eight of their last ten games and appear to be lottery bound once again. While there isn’t a whole lot they can do right now, it’s sad to see them wasting Anthony Davis in his prime. I would love to see him play on a good team. Tonight the Pelicans head to Philadelphia to take on another lottery bound team in the Sixers. This should be a game filled with fantasy production, as both teams are ranked in the bottom half of the league in points allowed per game. The Pelicans have an implied total of 105.8 points, which is the 11th highest in the slate and 3.2 points above their season average.

Tyreke Evans is expected to miss tonight’s game, so Jrue Holiday and Tim Frazier should see their usual complement of minutes. Holiday is the preferred option of the two. He hasn’t been the most consistent player this season, but he has scored at least 33 fantasy points in three of his last five games. I love the matchup against the Sixers, but will probably reserve my Holiday shares for tournaments. The only other play of note here is Anthony Davis, who is coming off of back-to-back games with fewer than 30 fantasy points. I’ll go out on a limb here and say that he ends that streak tonight against the Sixers, who are ranked 22nd in rebounding differential this season. While some of this may have to do with his injuries, Davis has the biggest home/road splits of any player in the NBA. He is averaging 17.8 fewer fantasy points per game on the road. I still see him as an elite play tonight in this matchup, but this is certainly worth monitoring moving forward.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Jrue Holiday $7,200 $6,700 $10,600 0.95 30.1 1.7 28.6 -1.7 27.4% -4.3% 18 -0.93
Buddy Hield $3,800 $3,800 $7,200 0.69 18.8 9.3 12.9 7.8 22.0% 0.0% 21 0.19
E’Twaun Moore $3,700 $3,400 $6,900 0.70 25.8 -3.3 18.0 -6.4 19.5% -4.5% 26 3.10
Anthony Davis $11,500 $11,700 $16,200 1.39 37.4 -6.9 52.0 -16.2 31.1% 0.8% 13 1.49
Alexis Ajinca $3,800 $3,200 $6,000 0.80 15.0 7.9 12.1 9.8 16.0% 1.6% 19 -0.17
Terrence Jones $4,700 $4,400 $7,500 0.90 24.4 -0.4 22.1 3.2 19.0% 2.2% 13 N/A
Tim Frazier $5,700 $5,600 $8,100 0.88 30.6 -6.3 27.0 -0.8 22.3% -0.4% 18 N/A

Elite Plays – Anthony Davis

Secondary Plays – Jrue Holiday

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers are coming off of a win on Sunday thanks to a massive performance from Joel Embiid. They only have seven wins on the season, but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, that light is being blocked by all of these high draft picks they keep using on centers. They come into tonight’s game as 3.5-point underdogs against a Pelicans’ defense that is ranked 24th in points allowed per game and 29th in rebounding differential. The Sixers’ implied total of 102.3 points may not seem like much, but it is a full four points higher than their season average.

Jrue Holiday used to be known as an elite on-ball defender, but that hasn’t been the case this season. He has a DRPM (Defensive Real Plus-Minus) of -0.66 and the Pelicans are ranked 27th in fantasy points allowed to point guards. If the slate featured fewer games, Sergio Rodriguez would deserve consideration as an elite play. However, with so many great options at his position, he is more of a secondary/GPP play. My main man Robert Covington is averaging 29.4 fantasy points in his last three games and his minutes continue to trend in the right direction. The best part is that I played him on Friday night and he didn’t burn me. He is back in my good graces. Joel Embiid is coming off of a 33-point, 10-rebound performances against the Nets. Granted, the Pelicans have a better defensive frontcourt than Brooklyn, but not by much. He remains an elite play on FanDuel at $7,200. Jahlil Okafor has played well recently, scoring at least 23 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games. He is a sneaky pivot off of Embiid in tournaments.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Sergio Rodriguez $5,000 $5,100 $7,800 0.82 27.1 -1.5 22.2 -3.1 23.9% 1.9% 27 -0.66
Gerald Henderson $3,500 $3,400 $7,900 0.65 24.5 0.8 16.0 -0.4 17.2% -2.3% 19 -2.62
Robert Covington $5,200 $5,700 $7,600 0.74 28.8 5.6 21.4 8.0 18.0% 6.4% 18 -0.95
Joel Embiid $7,200 $7,600 $10,300 1.35 24.2 3.4 32.7 1.7 34.4% -5.0% 27 2.35
Jahlil Okafor $5,200 $5,500 $8,600 0.90 23.0 4.4 20.7 4.0 22.5% -3.8% 21 -0.29
Ersan Ilyasova $5,600 $5,800 $8,800 0.87 26.7 0.4 23.3 2.6 21.1% 2.1% 27 N/A

Elite Plays – Joel Embiid, Robert Covington (FD)

Secondary Plays – Jahlil Okafor (GPP), Sergio Rodriguez, Robert Covington (DK)

Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks – 7:30 PM ET

Indiana Pacers New York Knicks
indiananba Vegas Total 212.5 newyorknba Vegas Total 212.5
Vegas Spread 5.0 Vegas Spread -5.0
Team Total 103.8 Team Total 108.8
Pace +/- 0.5 Pace +/- 1.1
Proj. Starter Jeff Teague Glenn Robinson Paul George Thaddeus Young Myles Turner Proj. Starter Derrick Rose Courtney Lee Carmelo Anthony Kristaps Porzingis Joakim Noah
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 13 27 22 13 28 DvP 19 20 11 24 17
DRPM -2.08 0.09 -0.84 0.50 1.92 DRPM 0.23 -1.39 -0.63 0.74 1.66

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are playing in the second half of a back-to-back, after beating the Wizards at home last night. They have a quick turnaround against the Knicks tonight in Madison Square Garden. Even though New York plays at a mediocre pace, they are one of the best teams to target in daily fantasy basketball. On the season, the Knicks are ranked 25th in points allowed per game and 26th in defensive efficiency. The Pacers’ implied total of 103.8 points seems a bit low, but it likely has something to do with the back-to-back situation. Rodney Stuckey has been upgraded to questionable for this game.

If you run the CourtIQ query for Indiana, you can see that Jeff Teague sees a 4% usage boost without Monta Ellis in the lineup. If Derrick Rose is back in the lineup for New York, I will have quite a bit of Teague exposure in tournaments. Rose has one of the worst DRPMs of any point guard in the NBA. Glenn Robinson and C.J. Miles would both see their minutes go down if Rodney Stuckey is able to return to the lineup. Shooting guards against the Knicks have had a lot of success this season, so don’t be afraid to play Robinson or Miles if Stuckey is out. Thaddeus Young minutes are on the rise, as he has played at least 36 minutes in four of his last six games. He may also have a little extra confidence after knocking down the game winner against Washington. Myles Turner is finally seeing enough minutes to be a reliable play in DFS. He has now scored at least 32 fantasy points in five of his last six games.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Jeff Teague $7,300 $6,900 $10,400 1.03 31.7 0.1 32.5 4.1 26.4% 2.9% 13 -2.08
Glenn Robinson $4,300 $4,500 $6,700 0.62 20.3 11.0 12.6 5.2 13.1% -2.1% 27 0.09
Paul George $8,100 $8,100 $12,900 1.03 35.4 0.8 36.5 -1.8 26.7% 0.4% 22 -0.84
Thaddeus Young $4,700 $4,900 $9,900 0.73 30.4 5.5 22.3 -2.9 15.9% -4.5% 13 0.50
Myles Turner $6,300 $6,300 $10,400 1.03 29.2 2.5 30.0 0.9 19.3% -1.6% 28 1.92
C.J. Miles $4,300 $4,200 $8,200 0.84 22.0 3.5 18.4 -3.1 18.7% -2.5% 22 N/A

Elite Plays – Thaddeus Young (FD), Myles Turner (FD)

Secondary Plays – Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young, Myles Turner

New York Knicks

The Knicks are looking to snap a three-game losing streak tonight against the Pacers at home. They are hoping to have Derrick Rose back in the lineup, after making it through a full practice on Monday. The Pacers are always a good matchup for fantasy production, especially when you factor in that they are playing in the second half of a back-to-back. On the season, Indiana is ranked 21st in points allowed per game and 28th in rebounding differential. The Knicks come into the game with an implied total of 108.8 points, which is the fifth highest in the slate.

If Derrick Rose is able to suit up tonight, he would immediately step back into the starting lineup and would become a viable play in tournaments. If he is forced to sit out another game, Brandon Jennings would become a top value play in the slate. Carmelo Anthony is averaging 37.3 minutes in his last three games and draws a favorable matchup against the Pacers, who have struggled defensively as a whole. While I like the spot for Anthony, I love the spot for Kristaps Porzingis. He is consistently seeing minutes in the mid to upper 30s and he gets to square off against a Pacers’ frontcourt that has allowed the seventh most fantasy points to opposing power forwards.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Derrick Rose $6,300 $6,100 $9,500 0.89 31.0 -21.1 27.6 -24.4 27.4% 0.2% 19 0.23
Courtney Lee $4,000 $4,100 $7,100 0.58 30.4 2.1 17.7 1.5 14.4% 0.3% 20 -1.39
Carmelo Anthony $7,700 $7,400 $12,400 1.01 34.2 3.1 34.6 -2.6 28.5% -4.7% 11 -0.63
Kristaps Porzingis $7,800 $7,800 $12,000 1.01 34.6 3.7 34.9 0.2 23.5% 0.3% 24 0.74
Joakim Noah $4,100 $3,900 $8,000 0.92 21.2 -5.2 19.4 -3.4 14.2% 9.9% 17 1.66

Elite Plays – Kristaps Porzingis

Secondary Plays – Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose (GPP)

Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM ET

Brooklyn Nets Toronto Raptors
brooklynnba Vegas Total 223.0 torontonba Vegas Total 223.0
Vegas Spread 15.0 Vegas Spread -15.0
Team Total 104.0 Team Total 119.0
Pace +/- -1.5 Pace +/- 5.2
Proj. Starter Isaiah Whitehead Sean Kilpatrick Bojan Bogdanovic Trevor Booker Luis Scola Proj. Starter Kyle Lowry DeMar DeRozan DeMarre Carroll Pascal Siakam Jonas Valanciunas
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 14 1 12 17 15 DvP 30 29 29 29 30
DRPM 0.15 -1.86 0.33 1.27 0.11 DRPM -0.65 -2.53 -2.00 1.89 0.34

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets are tied with the Sixers and Mavericks for the fewest amount of wins in the NBA this season. They have a tall task ahead of them tonight, as they have to face the Raptors in Toronto. To make matters worse, they will be without their best offensive player, Brook Lopez. It comes as no surprise that the Nets are the biggest underdogs in the slate at 15 points. The Raptors aren’t a terrible matchup, but a blowout is likely in this one. The Nets are only projected to score 104 points, which is the ninth lowest implied total in the slate and 2.7 points below their season average. Jeremy Lin may be fantasy viable soon, but he is still playing on a minute restriction. The fact that he is back in the lineup hurts the usage of players like Sean Kilpatrick and Bojan Bogdanovic. Trevor Booker could push for 30 minutes tonight if the game stays close, but that’s not something I want to bank on. I will likely be avoiding the Nets in all formats tonight.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Isaiah Whitehead $3,600 $3,300 $6,000 0.62 22.9 -0.1 14.3 0.1 18.4% -4.1% 14 0.15
Sean Kilpatrick $5,200 $5,000 $8,600 0.88 27.8 0.4 24.5 0.1 25.4% -5.2% 1 -1.86
Bojan Bogdanovic $4,600 $4,700 $7,900 0.75 27.8 0.4 20.9 3.2 21.3% 2.7% 12 0.33
Trevor Booker $5,600 $5,800 $8,500 0.95 28.5 1.3 27.1 -5.7 16.8% -1.9% 17 1.27
Luis Scola $3,500 $3,000 $6,300 0.91 13.0 -1.2 11.8 -0.5 18.7% 2.8% 15 0.11
Jeremy Lin $6,500 $5,700 $9,300 1.18 24.5 -3.7 28.9 -4.1 29.2% 3.7% 14 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – NONE

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have the most efficient offense in the NBA and tonight they get to face the worst defense in the NBA. The Nets are ranked first in pace of play and dead last in points allowed per game. They are a dream matchup for fantasy production. The obvious issue here is the potential blowout, but we could see the Raptors’ starters reach value in only three quarters of action. If the Nets manage to keep it close, Toronto’s players would have an absolute field day. The Raptors have an implied total of 119 points, which is the highest in the slate and 6.9 points above their season average.

Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are both elite plays on paper against a Nets’ defense that is ranked 30th against point guards and 29th against shooting guards. The question that we have to ask is whether we want to take the risk on either player in a potential blowout. If the slate was smaller, I would be all over them in all formats, but with 11 games on the schedule tonight, I will likely reserve them for tournaments. If I’m paying up at point guard, I’d rather have Chris Paul against the Nuggets and if I’m paying up at shooting guard, I’d rather go all the way to the top with James Harden or Giannis Antetokounmpo. DeMarre Carroll is a sneaky value play here. At his price point, he could reach and exceed value in 20 minutes against the Nets. Jonas Valanciunas makes a nice play in tournaments against a bad rebounding team that is missing their starting center. I have a hard time seeing Luis Scola stopping Valanciunas.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Kyle Lowry $8,400 $8,400 $12,100 1.04 37.1 -0.9 38.4 -4.0 26.8% -0.9% 30 -0.65
DeMar DeRozan $8,600 $8,500 $13,000 1.15 35.4 -3.2 40.6 2.9 34.6% 3.2% 29 -2.53
DeMarre Carroll $3,900 $4,200 $8,500 0.69 25.9 -4.6 18.0 -6.0 15.5% 0.2% 29 -2.00
Pascal Siakam $3,600 $3,000 $7,200 0.68 18.7 -1.5 12.6 2.0 13.0% 4.5% 29 1.89
Jonas Valanciunas $5,500 $5,800 $9,100 0.93 27.8 1.0 25.9 3.8 18.8% 1.2% 30 0.34
Patrick Patterson $4,200 $4,200 $7,600 0.67 28.7 -1.0 19.1 -1.5 12.6% -1.9% 29 N/A

Elite Plays – Kyle Lowry (GPP), DeMar DeRozan (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Kyle Lowry (Cash), DeMar DeRozan (Cash), Jonas Valanciunas, DeMarre Carroll

Orlando Magic at Miami Heat – 7:30 PM ET

Orlando Magic Miami Heat
orlandonba Vegas Total 198.5 miaminba Vegas Total 198.5
Vegas Spread 3.0 Vegas Spread -3.0
Team Total 97.8 Team Total 100.8
Pace +/- -2.3 Pace +/- -1.7
Proj. Starter D.J. Augustin Evan Fournier Aaron Gordon Serge Ibaka Bismack Biyombo Proj. Starter Goran Dragic Rodney McGruder Josh Richardson Josh McRoberts Hassan Whiteside
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
DvP 4 6 19 7 24 DvP 20 11 14 10 26
DRPM -2.08 -1.06 -0.41 0.34 0.94 DRPM -2.12 -1.66 -0.51 0.57 1.02

Orlando Magic

The Magic have not been an exciting team this season. They are ranked 24th in pace of play and 28th in points scored per game. They face another slow paced team tonight in the Heat, who are ranked seventh in points allowed per game and 12th in defensive efficiency. This game projects to be one of the slowest paced games in the slate and the over/under is set at a meager 198.5 points. The Magic have an implied total of only 97.8 points, which is the third lowest in the slate. The only two plays that stand out here are Elfrid Payton and Nikola Vucevic. Both players come off the bench, but they are still seeing starter’s minutes. Payton should match up against Goran Dragic, who has a DRPM of -2.08 this season. Vucevic leads the Magic in true usage at 24.8%. While Hassan Whiteside is a good defender, the Heat have allowed the seventh most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
D.J. Augustin $3,700 $3,800 $7,400 0.74 20.5 3.1 15.1 1.3 22.4% -2.5% 4 -2.08
Evan Fournier $5,800 $5,900 $9,900 0.79 32.9 -2.8 25.9 2.4 24.2% 3.9% 6 -1.06
Aaron Gordon $4,200 $4,900 $8,600 0.76 26.0 3.8 19.8 4.0 20.1% 3.9% 19 -0.41
Serge Ibaka $6,100 $6,000 $9,600 0.91 30.2 -2.1 27.6 -2.2 20.0% -2.0% 7 0.34
Bismack Biyombo $4,700 $4,800 $7,800 0.76 26.3 2.4 20.1 5.1 12.9% 0.8% 24 0.94
Nikola Vucevic $6,800 $6,200 $9,900 1.14 27.4 0.7 31.1 3.5 24.8% 4.3% 24 N/A
Elfrid Payton $5,600 $5,500 $8,700 0.90 28.5 -4.6 25.5 -0.8 24.4% 4.5% 4 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – Elfrid Payton (GPP), Nikola Vucevic

Miami Heat

The Heat have lost seven of their last ten games and are ten games below .500 overall. They have been one of the biggest disappointments thus far, as any team with Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside should be able to win a few more games. They draw a mediocre matchup tonight against the Magic, who are ranked ninth in points allowed per game and 19th in defensive efficiency. The Heat have an implied total of 100.8 points, which is the fifth lowest in the slate. Even though the matchup is less than ideal, the Heat are actually projected to score 3.5 points more than their season average.

Wayne Ellington is not expected to play tonight, while Rodney McGruder is listed as questionable. If they are both ruled out, Josh Richardson could be in line for a big role tonight and he would likely enter the starting lineup. His minutes have been trending upward, he just hasn’t been that productive since coming back from his injury. Goran Dragic is averaging 38.4 fantasy points in his last three game and has an elite true usage rate of 30% on the season. He should be able to get wherever he wants on the floor against D.J. Augustin and Elfrid Payton, who are both below-average defenders. Richardson and Dragic were just appetizers though, as Hassan Whiteside is the main course in this matchup. The Magic are ranked 26th in fantasy points allowed to centers and 24th in rebounding differential. Whiteside should be able to dominate the paint on both ends of the floor and the fact that he averages 8.4 more fantasy points per game at home than he does on the road is just icing on the cake.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary Rosters Sal. FP/Min Minutes L3 +/- FP/Game L3 +/- True Usage L3 +/- DvP DRPM
Goran Dragic $7,500 $7,600 $11,100 0.98 33.9 3.1 33.3 5.1 30.0% 0.8% 20 -2.12
Rodney McGruder $3,600 $3,000 $7,100 0.53 25.6 1.5 13.7 -1.7 12.5% -4.4% 11 -1.66
Josh Richardson $4,200 $4,700 $7,600 0.64 28.6 2.9 18.3 -3.6 19.5% -3.0% 14 -0.51
Josh McRoberts $3,700 $3,200 $7,000 0.77 17.6 -0.7 13.5 0.0 20.4% -1.2% 10 0.57
Hassan Whiteside $9,000 $8,700 $13,900 1.22 33.4 0.6 40.6 6.0 22.6% 1.8% 26 1.02
Tyler Johnson $5,300 $5,200 $7,900 0.83 30.8 0.4 25.5 -0.4 21.3% -1.9% 20 N/A

Elite Plays – Hassan Whiteside

Secondary Plays – Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson

Jump to Page 1 2 3

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