NBA Grind Down: Tuesday, January 14th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2014-01-14 19:01:23

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: Any 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

New York at Charlotte

• Vegas Line – Charlotte -1, 186.5 Over/Under
• New York Proj. Starters – Felton-Shumpert-Anthony-Bargnani-Martin
• Charlotte Proj. Starters – Walker-Henderson-Douglas-Roberts-McRoberts-Jefferson

New York

The Knicks take their 5 game winning streak into Charlotte tonight to take on the Bobcats in what is expected to be a very close game. Both of these teams play at below average pace which hurts both teams fantasy value a bit here. That said, with only 4 games on the schedule tonight, there are a few options that you should be targeting here. As far as injuries are concerned, Tyson Chandler is listed as a game-time decision for tonight, but he is hopeful that he can play. If he does suit up, that hurts the value of both Andrea Bargnani and Kenyon Martin.

The Bobcats have been pretty average defensively this season and have really struggled against two positions in particular. Those two positions are PG and Center. I will likely be avoiding the Center position if Chandler plays though because we don’t know how many minutes he will end up playing.

• Raymond Felton – Felton makes an interesting play tonight. The Bobcats are ranked 29th against PG’s over the last 15 days and Felton has topped 20 FP’s in each of the last 4 games. His price is affordable across the industry and he has decent upside here.

• Carmelo Anthony – Even though the matchup isn’t great, Melo doesn’t need a good matchup to have a good game. He needs to be locked in and right now, he is as locked in as any other player in the NBA. Melo is averaging over 40 FP’s per game in his last 4 and has a great chance to top that mark again tonight.

Charlotte

The Bobcats may be getting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist back tonight which would end the run for both Chris Douglas-Roberts and Anthony Tolliver as value plays. I always like to give players a game or two before targeting them when they are coming back from injury. There is just more risk than there is reward. This game is expected to be close. The Knicks have really defended opposing big men well this season, but I think both Al Jefferson and Josh McRoberts are in play on sites where their prices are cheap.

• Kemba Walker – Walker has really played well at home this season. He is averaging over 30 FP’s per game there and I like the matchup against Felton and the Knicks. Dragic had great success against the Knicks last night and Walker should be able to do the same tonight.

• Gerald Henderson – Henderson is one of those players that often flies under the radar. He doesn’t overwhelm you with huge fantasy games, but he is s solid fantasy option that can be relied on. The Knicks have not defended SG’s well this season and I like his value tonight.

Sacramento at Indiana

• Vegas Line – Indiana -10.5, 195 Over/Under
• Sacramento Proj. Starters – Thomas-Thornton-Gay-Thompson-Cousins
• Indiana Proj. Starters – Hill-Stephenson-George-West-Hibbert

Sacramento

This game is a tough one to predict. I typically like to avoid the teams that are facing the Pacers tough defense, but on a night with only 4 games, that may be hard to do. The Pacers are double digit favorites tonight and rank in the top 6 at defending every position on the floor. That means that no who you target on the Kings, they will be in a less than favorable position. The big 3 of Isaiah Thomas, Rudy Gay, and DeMarcus Cousins have been playing well, but I think they are all overpriced for their matchup.

Indiana

The Pacers have a solid matchup tonight against the fast-paced Kings, but this game does come with some risk of a blowout. The Pacers have ran quite a few teams out of the gym this season and the Kings aren’t a team that continues to fight until the buzzer. That said, with only 3 other games on tap, I think you have to target a Pacers player or two tonight. The Kings have not defended any position well this season so there are a few different ways you can go with the Pacers tonight. All five starters are in play, but these two are my favorites:

• Paul George – This is the type of game that fits George’s style of play perfectly. He is at his best when you get him in the open floor because he can both attack the rim and spot up from deep. George should be able to force the Kings into some turnovers and get out and make plays in transition. As long as this one stays competitive, he has a great chance to top 40 FP’s.

• David West – West has scored at least 24 fantasy points in 5 straight games and should easily be able to top that mark again tonight. The Kings have an awful defense and the Pacers should see a few more possessions than their season average based on the fact that the Kings like to push the tempo.

Oklahoma City at Memphis

• Vegas Line – EVEN SPREAD, 194.5 OVER/UNDER
• Oklahoma City Proj. Starters – Jackson-Sefolosha-Durant-Ibaka-Perkins
• Memphis Proj. Starters – Conley-Lee-Prince-Randolph-Koufos

Oklahoma City

The Thunder take on the Grizzlies tonight and while there was some worry that Kevin Durant would sit out tonight, he says that he is playing. The Thunder have really been a one man show ever since Westbrook went down and I don’t see any reason to fade Durant tonight. He is matchup proof and should be treated as the top overall option on the board tonight. In addition to Durant, I also like both Serge Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha.

• Serge Ibaka – It’s hard to count on Ibaka for fantasy production every night because a lot of his value comes from putback dunks and blocks. Two things that are tough to predict. That said, I like the matchup against Z-Bo and think that he will play well.

• Thabo Sefolosha – Thabo is close to minimum salary across the board and has scored over 18 fantasy points in each of his last two starts. He is starting to earn more minutes with his play and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him top 30 minutes in what is expected to be a defensive battle. He makes a great punt option tonight.

Memphis

The Grizzlies are in a favorable spot tonight. The Thunder have defended SF’s and Centers well this season, but have struggled against the other 3 positions. With Tony Allen out, Courtney Lee is now the starting SG. I like his price across the industry and think he makes a solid punt option with good upside. Allen’s injury also gives a small fantasy boost to both James Johnson and Mike Miller. Both makes solid GPP plays.

• Mike Conley – Conley has been red hot recently. He is averaging over 45 fantasy points in his last 3 games and should be able to keep it going tonight against Jackson and the Thunder who are ranked 25th at defending the PG position this season. Conley’s price has gone up, but if you can fit him in your lineup, he makes a solid play tonight.

• Zach Randolph – Ibaka is always thought of as a great defender thanks to his ability to block shots, but it seems like the top shot blockers in the league let their opponents score a lot of fantasy points. Larry Sanders, DeAndre Jordan, and Ibaka are all great shot blockers, yet they are all near the bottom of the league at defending their opponents in terms of fantasy value. Enough of my rant, let’s get back to Z-Bo, he makes a solid play tonight.

Cleveland at L.A.Lakers

• Vegas Line – Cleveland -3.5, 202 Over/Under
• Cleveland Proj. Starters – Irving-Miles-Deng-Thompson-Varejao
• L.A.Lakers Proj. Starters – Marshall-Meeks-Young-Gasol-Sacre

Cleveland

The Cavaliers are my favorite team to target tonight. The Lakers rank in the bottom 4 against every position on the floor except for SF’s and I will be targeting 3-4 Cavs tonight. Luol Deng is on a 30 minute restriction right now, but he makes a decent play. Jarrett Jack makes a nice sleeper pick off the bench. I think this type of game sets up perfectly for the way he plays. Tristan Thompson has a fantastic matchup and should be able to dominate on the glass. Those 3 are all in play, but I will be using these two across all of my lineups tonight:

• Kyrie Irving – You can throw Irving’s last performance out the window. The Cavs were never really in that game and he is in a great spot for a bounce back game. I love taking PG’s against the Lakers because they have such bad transition defense that the opposing PG is likely to have inflated stats because they can either attack the rim themselves or create easy buckets for their teammates. Dollar for dollar, Irving is my top play on the board.

• Anderson Varejao – Varejao’s price across the industry is low. A little too low considering his matchup against the Lakers that are ranked dead last in the league at defending the Center position. Don’t overthink this one. Take Varejao as your Center and move on.

L.A.Lakers

The Lakers aren’t in as favorable of a position as you may think. Yes this game has the highest total of the night, but the total is low for a Lakers game. The Cavs play at a much slower pace than the Lakers which should mean a few less possessions for the Lakers than their season average. Not to say that the Lakers should be avoided, but of the two teams in this game, the Cavs are the better team to target based on the pace of play.

• Kendall Marshall – Marshall came out of nowhere and became a huge subject in the DFS world and now he seems to have been forgotten about altogether. The Lakers have really had a tough few games which has hurt all their fantasy values across the board. This game should be close though and I think Marshall will have an excellent game against the Cavs who have been awful against PG’s this season. I’m going out on a limb and predicting him to top 35 FP’s tonight.

• Pau Gasol – Gasol is currently listed as a GTD so make sure to check the injury news throughout the day. But if he plays, I really like him tonight. When Pau plays well, the Lakers play well. The offense runs through Pau and he can really fill up the stat sheet when things are going well. I’m expecting this game to come down to the wire and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pau post a 20/12/5 performance.