NBA Grind Down: Tuesday, December 9th
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 NFL Scoring System, check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel Review.
Click ‘Stat Chart’ Buttons Below for Pop-Ups of Essential Game-Specific Statistics including Defense vs. Position and Pace
Toronto at Cleveland
- Vegas Line – Cleveland -5.5, 206 Over/Under
- Toronto Proj. Starters – Lowry-Vasquez-Ross-Johnson-Valanciunas
- Cleveland Proj. Starters – Irving-Marion-James-Love-Varejao
| Toronto | Cleveland | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 206 |  | Vegas Total | 206 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 5.5 | Vegas Sprd | -5.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 100.3 | Team Proj. | 105.8 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.20 | Team Pace | 95.08 | |||||||||
| 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 | Kyle Lowry | Greivis Vasquez | Terrence Ross | Amir Johnson | Jonas Valanciunas | Proj Starter | Kyrie Irving | Shawn Marion | LeBron James | Kevin Love | Anderson Varejao | |
| Opp. Season | 8 | 26 | 16 | 25 | 12 | Opp. Season | 17 | 2 | 25 | 8 | 19 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 12 | 29 | 19 | 11 | 2 | Opp. Last 7 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 24 | 5 | |
Toronto
The Raptors are 16-5 this season and currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings. Tonight they head to Cleveland to take on the red-hot Cavaliers who have won seven straight. The Raptors are listed as 5.5-point underdogs in a game that features a total of 206 points. Fantasy wise, this is a pretty average matchups. The Cavaliers are an average-paced team that is ranked 14th in defensive efficiency, holding opponents to 98.1 points per game.
Elite Plays
Greivis Vasquez (FD: $4800, DK: $5000 / MPG: 21 / Usage Rate: 23.7)
Vasquez has been very productive since DeMar DeRozan went down with his injury. In five starts this season, he is averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists while playing just over 31 minutes per game. His price is still relatively cheap on FD and DK and he only needs around 25 fantasy points to reach value on both sites. Tonight he’ll square off against the Cavaliers, who have really struggled to defend opposing SGs this season.
Secondary Plays
Kyle Lowry (FD: $9300, DK: $10200 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 25.6)
In the five games without DeMar DeRozan in the lineup, Lowry is averaging 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 assists per game. His usage rate has really improved without DeRozan, as it is now at 25.6 for the season. While the matchup may appear tough on paper, the Cavaliers have over-achieved with their defense against PGs this season. Kyrie Irving is not an elite defender and Lowry should have no problems getting wherever he wants to go on the floor.
Cleveland
The Cavaliers host the Raptors who have established themselves as a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. The season is still young, but both of these teams will have something to prove tonight. This is a pretty favorable matchup for the Cavaliers. On the season, the Raptors are ranked 17th in defensive efficiency, giving up an average of 100.3 points per game to their opponents.
Elite Plays
LeBron James (FD: $10600, DK: $11700 / MPG: 38 / Usage Rate: 30.5)
There isn’t a whole lot to say about LeBron that you don’t already know. He’s the best player in the world and he’s led his team to seven straight wins. Tonight he matches up against the Raptors, who are ranked 23rd in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing SFs. James may be a little too expensive to target on DK, but he’s a great option to anchor your team around on FD tonight at a price of only $10,600.
Secondary Plays
Anderson Varejao (FD: $5000, DK: $5200 / MPG: 26 / Usage Rate: 18)
I’m not a huge fan of the matchup for Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love as they will be locked with with two elite defenders in Kyle Lowry and Amir Johnson. Varejao on the other hand will match up against Jonas Valanciunas. On the season, the Raptors are ranked 23rd in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing centers. Varejao doesn’t have an incredibly high ceiling, but is a good target for cash games tonight.
Portland at Detroit
- Vegas Line – Portland -7, 195.5 Over/Under
- Portland Proj. Starters – Lillard-Matthews-Batum-Aldridge-Lopez
- Detroit Proj. Starters – Jennings-Caldwell-Pope-Singler-Smith-Drummond
| Portland | Detroit | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 195.5 |  | Vegas Total | 195.5 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -7.0 | Vegas Sprd | 7.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 101.25 | Team Proj. | 94.25 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.70 | Team Pace | 94.53 | |||||||||
| 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 | Damian Lillard | Wesley Matthews | Nicolas Batum | LaMarcus Aldridge | Robin Lopez | Proj Starter | Brandon Jennings | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Kyle Singler | Josh Smith | Andre Drummond | |
| Opp. Season | 10 | 23 | 9 | 23 | 27 | Opp. Season | 12 | 3 | 24 | 2 | 29 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 26 | 24 | Opp. Last 7 | 3 | 13 | 24 | 5 | 15 | |
Portland
The Blazers head to Detroit to take on the Pistons in what is expected to be a slow-paced, low-scoring game. The Blazers are listed as 7-point favorites in a game that features a total of 195.5 points. The good news is that the Pistons have been awful defensively this season. They are ranked 19th in defensive efficiency, 18th in rebounding differential, and have allowed their opponents to score an average of 99.6 points per game.
Elite Plays
LaMarcus Aldridge (FD: $9700, DK: $9900 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 28.5)
Aldridge has to be fired up for his matchup against the Pistons tonight. It will be interesting to see if the Pistons roll out their bigger starting lineup in order to avoid the Josh Smith / LaMarcus Aldridge matchup. Either way, Aldridge is in a great spot tonight, as the Pistons are ranked dead last in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing PFs. Aldridge has a double-double in seven of his last eight games and should easily rack up another double-double tonight.
Secondary Plays
Nicolas Batum (FD: $6700, DK: $6600 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 15.2)
Batum has a low usage rate in the Blazers offense, but he does so much on the floor that he remains a terrific fantasy option. He is coming off of a good four-game stretch in which he has averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals per game. He will likely match up against both Kyle Singler and Josh Smith, neither of which are great defenders. Batum’s price is down and it’s a good chance to take advantage.
Detroit
The Pistons have lost 12 straight games and have fallen to 3-18 on the season. This isn’t exactly what Stan Van Gundy had in mind coming into the season. Tonight they host the Blazers, who are one of the better defensive teams in the NBA. On the season, the Blazers are ranked 6th in defensive efficiency, holding opponents to an average of 96.0 points per game. Tread lightly with the Pistons tonight.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Andre Drummond (FD: $7700, DK: $8100 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 20.8)
Drummond is the one Pistons’ player that I may have some exposure to tonight, and I will only be using him in tournaments. He’s too prone to foul trouble, which makes him a tough player to target for cash games. He has been playing well recently though. Over his last four games, he is averaging 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game.
New York at New Orleans
- Vegas Line – New Orleans -7, 196.5 Over/Under
- New York Proj. Starters – Calderon-Shumpert-Anthony-Acy-Stoudemire
- New Orleans Proj. Starters – Holiday-Rivers-Evans-Davis-Asik
| New York | New Orleans | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 196.5 |  | Vegas Total | 196.5 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 7.0 | Vegas Sprd | -7.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 94.75 | Team Proj. | 101.75 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 92.07 | Team Pace | 95.03 | |||||||||
| 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 | Jose Calderon | Iman Shumpert | Carmelo Anthony | Quincy Acy | Amare Stoudemire | Proj Starter | Jrue Holiday | Austin Rivers | Tyreke Evans | Anthony Davis | Omer Asik | |
| Opp. Season | 19 | 10 | 27 | 9 | 17 | Opp. Season | 4 | 27 | 6 | 18 | 10 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 9 | 8 | Opp. Last 7 | 10 | 21 | 8 | 6 | 26 | |
New York
The Knicks losing streak isn’t quite as bad as the Pistons, but it’s not a good time to be a Knicks’ fan. They have lost eight games in a row and have fallen to 4-18 on the season. Tonight they head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans. The Knicks are 7-point underdogs in a game that features a total of 196.5 points. With the way the Knicks are playing, you have to consider them as risky fantasy options tonight.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Carmelo Anthony (FD: $9300, DK: $10000 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 31.4)
Anthony is doing his best to keep this team afloat. Over his last five games, he is averaging 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. He is going to need a big game offensively if the Knicks are going to have any shot of picking up a win in New Orleans. Anthony does draw a decent matchup, as the Pelicans are ranked 25th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing SFs.
Iman Shumpert (FD: $5100, DK: $3700 / MPG: 26 / Usage Rate: 20.8)
Shumpert is a DK-specific play tonight. He is currently listed at a bargain bin price of only $3,700. If you are using a 5x salary value system, he only needs 18.5 fantasy points to reach value. Considering the fact that he is averaging 21.4 fantasy points this season, he’s certainly capable of reaching and exceeding value tonight against the Pelicans.
New Orleans
The Pelicans are in a great spot tonight. Not only are they playing at home with one of the more generous statisticians in the league, but they get to face the Knicks, who are ranked 27th in defensive efficiency and 24th in rebounding differential. This will be a pace-down game for the Pelicans, but the favorable matchup more than makes up for that.
Injury Note: Luke Babbitt is questionable for tonight’s game. If he is forced to sit, Austin Rivers would likely draw the start.
Elite Plays
Tyreke Evans (FD: $7200, DK: $7300 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 25.4)
Evans is one of those players that seems to have a lot of fantasy duds. He has scored less than 25 fantasy points in each of his last three games. The good news is that his price has come down to a very playable level on both FD and DK. On the season, he has a high usage rate of 25.4. Tonight he’ll match up against Iman Shumpert and the Knicks, who are currently ranked 28th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing SGs.
Secondary Plays
Anthony Davis (FD: $11400, DK: $11600 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 26.4)
Davis is coming off of two subpar fantasy outings in a row. That would usually be a time for sites to lower his price, but that’s not the case, as he is well over $11,000 tonight on both FD and DK. Davis is certainly in play though, as there are quite a few value plays available tonight which helps ease the burden of paying that hefty price tag. On the season, Davis is averaging 25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals per game. He’s certainly capable of posting a similar stat line against the Knicks tonight.
Milwaukee at Oklahoma City
- Vegas Line – Oklahoma City -10, 199 Over/Under
- Milwaukee Proj. Starters – Knight-Mayo-Antetokounmpo-Parker-Sanders
- Oklahoma City Proj. Starters – Westbrook-Roberson-Durant-Ibaka-Adams
| Milwaukee | Oklahoma City | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 199.0 |  | Vegas Total | 199.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 10.0 | Vegas Sprd | -10.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 94.5 | Team Proj. | 104.5 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 95.93 | Team Pace | 93.88 | |||||||||
| 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 | Brandon Knight | O.J. Mayo | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Jabari Parker | Larry Sanders | Proj Starter | Russell Westbrook | Andre Roberson | Kevin Durant | Serge Ibaka | Steven Adams | |
| Opp. Season | 15 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 18 | Opp. Season | 11 | 20 | 28 | 7 | 30 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 15 | 1 | 18 | 30 | 17 | Opp. Last 7 | 14 | 8 | 29 | 4 | 13 | |
Milwaukee
The Bucks head to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder. They have to be wishing that they were facing this team a couple of weeks ago, as they will now have to deal with one of the best duo’s in the NBA in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Fantasy-wise, this isn’t a great matchup. The Thunder are ranked 7th in defensive efficiency this season, holding their opponents to an average of only 94.1 points per game.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Brandon Knight (FD: $7500, DK: $6800 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 25.2)
Knight is the only Bucks player that is on my radar tonight. Jabari Parker draws a tough matchup against Serge Ibaka and the rest of the Bucks are too inconsistent for my liking. Knight is extremely cheap on DK, despite averaging close to 35 fantasy points per game this season. He draws a decent matchup against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder, who are ranked 16th in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing PGs.
Oklahoma City
The Thunder have a lot of ground to make up in the Western Conference. They are currently four games behind the 8th place Suns. Tonight they host the Bucks in what should be a fairly high scoring game. They are currently listed 10-point favorites. The Bucks are currently ranked 8th in defensive efficiency, but they have given up an average of 99.9 points per game thanks to their fast pace of play. Kevin Durant is still on a 30-minute restriction, which keeps him out of play at his price point.
Elite Plays
Russell Westbrook (FD: $9800, DK: $10400 / MPG: 27 / Usage Rate: 38.3)
Westbrook’s fantasy production has not taken a hit with Kevin Durant back in the lineup. He still has the highest usage rate of anyone in the NBA at 38.3 and he’s still putting up plenty of shots. Westbrook is averaging 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game since coming back from injury. The best part is that he only topped 32 minutes one time during that stretch. He should see closer to 35 minutes tonight against the Bucks, as long as it doesn’t turn into a blowout.
Secondary Plays
None
Dallas at Memphis
- Vegas Line – Memphis -3.5, 205 Over/Under
- Dallas Proj. Starters – Nelson-Ellis-Parsons-Nowitzki-Chandler
- Memphis Proj. Starters – Conley-Lee-Allen-Randolph-Gasol
| Dallas | Memphis | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 205.0 |  | Vegas Total | 205.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 3.5 | Vegas Sprd | -3.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 100.75 | Team Proj. | 104.25 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.29 | Team Pace | 94.12 | |||||||||
| 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 | Monta Ellis | Chandler Parsons | Dirk Nowtizki | Tyson Chandler | Proj Starter | Mike Conley | Courtney Lee | Tony Allen | Zach Randolph | Marc Gasol | |
| Opp. Season | 3 | 14 | 8 | 21 | 2 | Opp. Season | 20 | 25 | 13 | 6 | 8 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 7 | 30 | 16 | 28 | 4 | Opp. Last 7 | 6 | 28 | 4 | 17 | 21 | |
Dallas
The Mavericks have the worst matchup on the board tonight. They have to face the Grizzlies in Memphis. On the season, the Grizzlies are ranked 5th in defensive efficiency, holding opponents to only 93.5 points per game. The Grizzlies are also one of the slowest-paced teams in the NBA. Vegas has the total for the game set at 205 points, but this is not a good night to heavily target the Mavericks.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Dirk Nowitzki (FD: $7500, DK: $6400 / MPG: 29 / Usage Rate: 26.6)
Nowitzki is the one Mavericks’ player that I will be targeting tonight, but only on DK. He’s listed at a bargain price of only $6,400, which means he only needs to score 32 fantasy points to reach value. He’s certainly capable of that tonight against Zach Randolph, who is a bit too slow to defend Nowitzki on the perimeter. In four meetings against the Grizzlies last season, Nowitzki averaged 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game.
Memphis
The Grizzlies will have a pace-up game tonight against the Mavericks. According to the Vegas line and total, the Grizzlies are projected to score 104 points tonight, which is four points higher than their season average. On the season, the Mavericks are ranked 18th in defensive efficiency and 22nd in total rebounding.
Elite Plays
Courtney Lee (FD: $4900, DK: $4000 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 14.9)
Lee’s price has come way down recently, especially on DK. This is a great time to buy low on what is expected to be a rare fast-paced game for the Grizzlies. On the season, he is averaging 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He should be in for a productive outing tonight against Monta Ellis and the Mavericks, who are ranked 21st in fantasy points allowed per 48 minutes to opposing SGs.
Secondary Plays
Zach Randolph (FD: $7400, DK: $7200 / MPG: 31 / Usage Rate: 24.2)
While Randolph may struggle to defend Nowitzki, Nowitzki will likely have the same problem when it’s his turn to defend. In four meetings against the Mavericks last season, Randolph averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. He should be able to use his body down low to create easy shots against Dirk. He is a safe cash game play tonight.