NBA Grind Down: Wednesday, April 8th - Page Three
Sacramento at Utah – 9:00 PM
- Vegas Line – Utah -11, 191.5 Over/Under
- Sacramento Proj. Starters – McCallum-McLemore-Casspi-Gay-Evans
- Utah Proj. Starters – Exum-Hood-Hayward-Favors-Gobert
| Sacramento | Utah | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 191 |  | Vegas Total | 191 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 11.0 | Vegas Sprd | -11.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 90.3 | Team Proj. | 101.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 97.89 | Team Pace | 92.54 | |||||||||
| 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 | Ray McCallum | Ben McLemore | Omri Casspi | Rudy Gay | Reggie Evans | Proj Starter | Dante Exum | Rodney Hood | Gordon Hayward | Derrick Favors | Rudy Gobert | |
| Opp. Season | 5 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 1 | Opp. Season | 26 | 30 | 14 | 22 | 26 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 8 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 7 | Opp. Last 7 | 4 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 1 | |
Sacramento
Editor’s Note: DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay are both out for tonight.
The Kings will likely be without DeMarcus Cousins again tonight, as he has is dealing with a sore foot. If he is unable to play, Reggie Evans would likely draw another start in his place. The Kings draw one of the worst matchups on the board, as the Jazz have an elite defense. The Jazz are ranked first in points allowed per game and second in rebounding differential this season.
Opponent Breakdown (Utah)
Record: 35-42
Points Allowed Per Game: 94.7 (Rank: 1)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 13
Rebounding Differential Rank: 2
Elite Plays
Omri Casspi (FD: $4000, DK: $4500 / MPG: 20 / Usage Rate: 17.8)
Casspi had a huge game against the Wolves last night, finishing with 31 points and 5 rebounds. Casspi sees a huge spike in usage with DeMarcus Cousins off the floor and he is arguably the second option offensively behind Rudy Gay. Casspi’s price is still extremely cheap and he should be considered an elite play tonight, even in a tough matchup against the Jazz.
Editor’s Note: DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay are both out for tonight.
Secondary Plays
With DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay out, Ray McCallum (FD: $5000, DK: $4800) are both viable secondary options tonight against the Jazz.
Utah
The Jazz draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Kings, who are ranked 29th in points allowed per game this season. The Kings will also likely be without their rim protector in DeMarcus Cousins. The only concern in this game is that it has the potential to turn into a blowout. The Jazz are listed as 11.5-point favorites tonight against the Kings.
Opponent Breakdown (Sacramento)
Record: 26-50
Points Allowed Per Game: 104.9 (Rank: 29)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 27
Rebounding Differential Rank: 3
Elite Plays
Gordon Hayward (FD: $8100, DK: $7700 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 26.1)
Hayward sees a boost tonight with Rudy Gay starting at power forward. Gay is an excellent defender and Hayward won’t have to deal with him, as he will be on Derrick Favors. Hayward will match up against Omri Casspi. That’s a matchup that he should be able to exploit. Hayward has scored at least 34 fantasy points in four of his last six games and he has a good shot of reaching that mark again tonight.
Secondary Plays
Rudy Gobert (FD: $8900, DK: $8100) and Derrick Favors (FD: $7700, DK: $7700) are both in play tonight against the Kings. Both players should be able to dominate the glass with DeMarcus Cousins out.
Phoenix at Dallas – 9:30 PM
- Vegas Line – Dallas -8.5, 206.5 Over/Under
- Phoenix Proj. Starters – Bledsoe-Tucker-Morris-Morris-Wright
- Dallas Proj. Starters – Rondo-Ellis-Jefferson-Nowitzki-Chandler
| Phoenix | Dallas | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 206 |  | Vegas Total | 206 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 8.5 | Vegas Sprd | -8.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 99.0 | Team Proj. | 107.5 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 98.99 | Team Pace | 97.24 | |||||||||
| 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 | Eric Bledsoe | P.J. Tucker | Marcus Morris | Markieff Morris | Brandan Wright | Proj Starter | Rajon Rondo | Monta Ellis | Richard Jefferson | Dirk Nowitzki | Tyson Chandler | |
| Opp. Season | 20 | 12 | 22 | 17 | 17 | Opp. Season | 18 | 20 | 24 | 10 | 20 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 15 | 27 | 22 | 29 | 26 | Opp. Last 7 | ||||||
Phoenix
The Suns are playing in the second half of a back-to-back after getting crushed by the Hawks in Atlanta last night. The only good thing that came from that blowout was the fact that the starters all sat the fourth quarter. The Suns are 8.5-point underdogs tonight against the Mavericks in what should be one of the highest scoring games of the night.
Opponent Breakdown (Dallas)
Record: 46-31
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.7 (Rank: 23)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 18
Rebounding Differential Rank: 30
Elite Plays
Brandan Wright (FD: $4900, DK: $5500 / MPG: 19 / Usage Rate: 14)
Alex Len is not expected to play tonight against the Mavericks, which means Wright will draw another start at center. In five starts this season, Wright has averaged 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game. He should see at least 30 minutes of action tonight against the Mavericks and he’ll have a little added motivation to play well, as he is facing his former team.
Secondary Plays
Markieff Morris (FD: $7100, DK: $6000), Marcus Morris (FD: $5600, DK: $5400), and Eric Bledsoe (FD: $8100, DK: $7600) are all secondary options tonight against he Mavericks.
Dallas
Chandler Parsons is not expected to play tonight against the Suns. Richard Jefferson is expected to draw the start in his place, although he is dealing with an injury himself. The Mavericks draw a very favorable matchup against the Suns, who are ranked 26th in points allowed per game this season. The Mavericks are projected to scored 108 points tonight, which is one of the highest team totals on the board.
Opponent Breakdown (Phoenix)
Record: 39-38
Points Allowed Per Game: 103.4 (Rank: 26)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 16
Rebounding Differential Rank: 22
Elite Plays
Monta Ellis (FD: $6900, DK: $6700 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 27.8)
Ellis sees a small boost with Chandler Parsons out of the lineup. He’ll likely see a small uptick in both minutes and usage rate. He draws a terrific matchup against a Suns’ defense that is ranked 20th against shooting guards this season. Ellis also has a depressed price point in his favor. Dollar for dollar, he’s one of the top shooting guard options tonight.
Secondary Plays
Dirk Nowitzki (FD: $6000, DK: $5800) and Tyson Chandler (FD: $5500, DK: $5500) are both viable secondary options tonight against the Suns.
Minnesota at Portland – 10:00 PM
- Vegas Line – Portland -17, 204 Over/Under
- Minnesota Proj. Starters – LaVine-Martin-Wiggins-Payne-
- Portland Proj. Starters – Lillard-Afflalo-Batum-Aldridge-Lopez
| Minnesota | Portland | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 204 |  | Vegas Total | 204 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 17 | Vegas Sprd | -17 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 93.5 | Team Proj. | 110.5 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.91 | Team Pace | 96.22 | |||||||||
| 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 | Zach LaVine | Kevin Martin | Andrew Wiggins | Adreian Payne | Proj Starter | Damian Lillard | Arron Afflalo | Nicolas Batum | LaMarcus Aldridge | Robin Lopez | ||
| Opp. Season | 28 | 21 | 12 | 1 | 5 | Opp. Season | 29 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 28 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 29 | 9 | 15 | 13 | 9 | Opp. Last 7 | 17 | 14 | 26 | 5 | 25 | |
Minnesota
The Wolves will be shorthanded again tonight, as they take on the Blazers in Portland. They are by far the biggest underdogs on the schedule tonight, as they are listed as they are favored to lose by 17 points. The Blazers present a difficult matchup for fantasy production, as they are ranked tenth or better in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential this season.
Opponent Breakdown (Portland)
Record: 50-26
Points Allowed Per Game: 97.9 (Rank: 10)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 8
Rebounding Differential Rank: 8
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Andrew Wiggins (FD: $7000, DK: $6800), Kevin Martin (FD: $6400, DK: $6000), Zach LaVine (FD: $5700, DK: $5900), and Justin Hamilton (FD: $5100, DK: $5000) are all secondary options tonight against the Blazers.
Portland
As last night’s game between the Lakers and Clippers proved, blowouts can be difficult to predict in the NBA. That said, this game has blowout written all over it. The Blazers are 17-point favorites against the Wolves, who are short-handed and playing in the second half of a back-to-back. There is no reason to target the Blazers in an expected blowout on a night that features 12 other games on the schedule.
Opponent Breakdown (Minnesota)
Record: 16-60
Points Allowed Per Game: 105.9 (Rank: 30)
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 30
Rebounding Differential Rank: 26
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
None