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NBA Grind Down: Wednesday, February 24th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-02-25 17:13:49

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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New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers – 7:00 PM

New York Knicks Indiana Pacers
newyorknba Vegas Total 202.5 indiananba Vegas Total 202.5
Vegas Sprd 8.0 Vegas Sprd -8.0
Team Proj. 97.3 Team Proj. 105.3
Team Pace 95.90 Team Pace 99.60
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 Arron Afflalo Carmelo Anthony Kristaps Porzingis Robin Lopez Proj. Starter George Hill Monta Ellis Paul George Myles Turner Ian Mahinmi
Opp. Season 7 19 6 14 14 Opp. Season 20 13 11 7 16
Last 3 Weeks 19 17 18 15 2 Last 3 Weeks 29 22 11 1 19

New York Knicks

Record: 24-34 — Road: 10-18 — Last 10: 2-8

The Knicks have lost eight of their last ten games and are starting to look like a lottery bound team. Tonight they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers in a game that features an 8-point spread. This will be a pace-up game for New York, but they still have the lowest implied team total (97.3 points) on the board tonight.

The Pacers have been stout defensively this season, ranking tenth or better in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. This is not an ideal matchup for the Knicks and the fact that it is on the road doesn’t help. The Knicks are an easy team to fade altogether tonight. If you are thinking about paying up for Carmelo Anthony, I recommend going up to LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Robin Lopez has been on a tear recently, but a bad matchup and an elevated price take him out of consideration tonight.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

NONE

Indiana Pacers

Record: 30-26 — Home: 17-9 — Last 10: 6-4

The Pacers have won six of their last ten games and currently find themselves in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against the reeling Knicks at home. The Pacers are projected to score 105.3 points, which is 2.8 points above their scoring average for the season.

The Knicks are basically an average matchup, but their defense has struggled over the last month of play. On the season, they are ranked between 11th and 20th in all four of the defensive categories listed above. Rodney Stuckey remains out for the Pacers and it looks like C.J. Miles will be out tonight as well. While I don’t mind the spot for Indiana, this is not a game that I will be heavily targeting tonight.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Paul George
paul-george-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,700 Salary:$8,600
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:1.09 FP/Min:1.20
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.5 36.0 0.5 36.1 0.6
FPPG (FD) 38.7 39.0 0.3 40.3 1.6
TO-Adj. Usage 24.8 24.2 -0.6 25.6 0.8

George has played well since the All-Star break, averaging 40.3 fantasy points in 36.1 minutes per contest. He has a high usage rate and he puts up those peripheral statistics, which gives him a high floor. The issue that I have with George is the alternatives at the position. LeBron James and Kevin Durant are slightly more expensive, but both offer higher floors and ceilings.

Myles Turner
myles-turner-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,700 Salary:$5,800
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.94 FP/Min:0.98
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 21.3 31.2 9.9 29.9 8.6
FPPG (FD) 20.0 27.1 7.1 26.6 6.7
TO-Adj. Usage 17.2 15.9 -1.3 15.6 -1.7

Turner doesn’t have that same minute upside as he did when Ian Mahinmi was out, but he should still see around 30 minutes tonight against the Knicks, who haven’t been particularly efficient against opposing frontcourts this season. There may be better options for cash games, but I don’t mind using Turner in a tournament lineup or two.

Ian Mahinmi
ian-mahinmi-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,100 Salary:$5,000
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:0.89 FP/Min:0.94
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 24.7 28.5 3.8 30.1 5.4
FPPG (FD) 22.0 24.1 2.0 27.6 5.5
TO-Adj. Usage 12.2 13.3 1.0 14.0 1.8

Mahinmi is one of those players that flies under the radar for weeks, then all of the sudden he becomes a household name. Tonight may be the last time to target him before he starts getting recognition by the touts across the industry. Over his last five games, he is averaging 27.6 fantasy points while averaging over 30 minutes per contest.

Charlotte Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:00 PM

Charlotte Hornets Cleveland Cavaliers
charlottenba Vegas Total 204.5 clevelandnba Vegas Total 204.5
Vegas Sprd 8.5 Vegas Sprd -8.5
Team Proj. 98.0 Team Proj. 106.5
Team Pace 97.80 Team Pace 95.20
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 Kemba Walker Courtney Lee Nicolas Batum Marvin Williams Cody Zeller Proj. Starter Kyrie Irving J.R. Smith LeBron James Kevin Love Tristan Thompson
Opp. Season 18 6 7 2 2 Opp. Season 12 15 20 25 15
Last 3 Weeks 22 3 10 4 6 Last 3 Weeks 7 7 22 5 26

Charlotte Hornets

Record: 29-26 — Road: 10-17 — Last 10: 7-3

The Hornets have won seven of their last ten games and are back in the mix in the playoff race. They draw a difficult matchup tonight against the Cavaliers, though. To make matters worse, they have to face the Cavs in Cleveland. The Hornets are only projected to score 98 points, which is the second lowest team total on the board and four points lower than their scoring average.

The Cavaliers are one of a handful of teams that I purposely avoid targeting players against. They have an elite defense, ranking eighth or better in all four of the defensive categories listed above. Cleveland also blows a lot of teams out, which only makes fading players against them even easier. I will be fading all Hornets’ players in cash games tonight.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Nicolas Batum
nicolas-batum-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,800 Salary:$7,200
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.87 FP/Min:0.96
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.4 37.6 2.2 39.8 4.4
FPPG (FD) 30.8 31.3 0.5 36.5 5.7
TO-Adj. Usage 17.5 15.6 -1.9 16.2 -1.3

While I will not be looking at Batum in cash games, I do like the upside that he provides as a contrarian tournament play. His price is still affordable across the industry and he comes into this game in great form. Over his last five games, he is averaging 36.5 fantasy points in close to 40 minutes per contest.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Record: 40-15 — Home: 23-5 — Last 10: 7-3

The Cavaliers haven’t been in great form recently, but it’s hard to say that they have been playing poorly, as they have won seven of their last ten games. While the Hornets have been playing some good ball recently, the Cavaliers are still listed as 8.5-point favorites. The good news is that Cleveland is projected to score 106.5 points, which is 3.6 points above their scoring average.

The Hornets are actually a little better defensively than most give them credit for. On the season, they are ranked tenth or better in points allowed per game and defensive efficiency. Iman Shumpert has already been ruled out of tonight’s game. Mo Williams is listed as probable, but even if he’s active, he may not crack the rotation.

Elite Plays

LeBron James
lebron-james-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$9,900 Salary:$9,600
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:1.24 FP/Min:1.32
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 35.9 36.9 1.0 35.4 -0.5
FPPG (FD) 44.4 46.9 2.5 46.8 2.4
TO-Adj. Usage 27.5 28.2 0.7 27.7 0.2

James is coming off of one of his worst games of the season. He looked out of sorts against the Pistons, but it was the second half of a back-to-back. We can expect him to bounce back nicely tonight against the Hornets, who are without their best perimeter defender in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. James has a high floor and a high ceiling. In a projection sense, I have him very close with Kevin Durant. However, the Thunder are much smaller favorites, so I will give the edge to KD.

Secondary Plays

Kevin Love
kevin-love-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,500 Salary:$7,400
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:1.04 FP/Min:1.13
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.2 31.2 -1.0 30.1 -2.1
FPPG (FD) 33.4 32.7 -0.7 32.2 -1.2
TO-Adj. Usage 19.6 19.8 0.2 21.7 2.1

Love has been a little hit or miss this season, but he has really played well since Tyronn Lue has taken over as the head coach. Love has scored at least 35 fantasy points in six of his last nine games and I’m always willing to target bigs against this Hornets’ frontcourt. His ownership will likely be low, making him a great tournament play.

Tristan Thompson
tristan-thompson-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,000 Salary:$5,500
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.75 FP/Min:0.80
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.3 31.9 3.6 28.8 0.5
FPPG (FD) 21.3 23.1 1.8 27.2 6.0
TO-Adj. Usage 9.8 7.6 -2.3 9.4 -0.4

Speaking of being hit or miss, check out Thompson’s game log over the last five games. He has score 17, 38, 38, 34, and 8 fantasy points. The upside is obviously there, but so is the potential for him to put up a dud. I’m interested in Thompson on FanDuel ($5,000), but given his inconsistency, I have a hard time using him in cash games.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM

Minnesota Timberwolves Toronto Raptors
minnesotanba Vegas Total 212.5 torontonba Vegas Total 212.5
Vegas Sprd 9.5 Vegas Sprd -9.5
Team Proj. 101.5 Team Proj. 111.0
Team Pace 97.00 Team Pace 95.70
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 Ricky Rubio Andrew Wiggins Tayshaun Prince Karl-Anthony Towns Gorgui Dieng Proj. Starter Kyle Lowry DeMar DeRozan James Johnson Luis Scola Jonas Valanciunas
Opp. Season 3 12 4 4 18 Opp. Season 23 16 16 9 8
Last 3 Weeks 9 21 6 2 22 Last 3 Weeks 20 24 17 6 20

Minnesota Timberwolves

Record: 18-39 — Road: 8-19 — Last 10: 4-6

The Wolves have actually been playing some better basketball recently, winning four of their last ten games. They draw a very tough matchup tonight though, as they head to Toronto to take on the Raptors. The Wolves are listed as 9.5-point underdogs in one of the many potential blowouts on the schedule tonight.

The Raptors have been terrific defensively this season, ranking ninth or better in all four of the defensive categories listed above. Despite the difficult matchup, Vegas still projects the Wolves to score more points than their average this season. This would typically be a spot to fade Minnesota as a whole, but with all of the injuries to their frontcourt, it opens up a ton of minutes for both Gorgui Dieng and Karl-Anthony Towns. One other lineup note, Zach LaVine and Tayshaun Prince have been taking turns in the starting lineup. If that continues tonight, Prince will draw the start.

Elite Plays

Gorgui Dieng
gorgui-dieng-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,400 Salary:$6,700
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.88 FP/Min:0.93
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 26.1 36.4 10.3 35.5 9.4
FPPG (FD) 22.8 33.3 10.4 31.0 8.1
TO-Adj. Usage 13.0 13.8 0.8 12.8 -0.2

A lot of people were burned by Dieng on Saturday night, but in Monday’s Grind Down, I recommended getting right back on the bandwagon. As long as the Wolves’ frontcourt remains short-handed, he provides one of the highest floors of any player in his price range. He has played at least 35 minutes and has scored at least 34 fantasy points in seven of his last ten games. I don’t expect him to be popular tonight, but I’m willing to list him as an elite play in all league formats.

Secondary Plays

Karl-Anthony Towns
karl-anthony-towns-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$9,200 Salary:$8,800
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.13 FP/Min:1.22
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 30.5 35.7 5.2 35.6 5.1
FPPG (FD) 34.5 43.7 9.2 44.9 10.3
TO-Adj. Usage 20.1 22.0 1.9 24.2 4.0

Towns has proven that he is about as matchup-proof of a center as there is in the NBA. With Kevin Garnett, Nikola Pekovic, and Nemanja Bjelica out, Towns should continue to see minutes in the mid to upper-30s. While there are some better values for cash games, Towns makes a great tournament play. His ownership will be down, even though he is averaging 43.7 fantasy points in his last ten games.

Toronto Raptors

Record: 37-18 — Home: 19-6 — Last 10: 7-3

The Raptors have won seven of their last ten games and are now 37-18 overall. They are basically locked into the two seed, although they are only three games behind the Cavaliers. The Raptors are large favorites tonight at home against the Wolves. Toronto is projected to score 111 points, which is the third highest team total and 8.8 points above their scoring average.

The Wolves have not fared well on the defensive end of the floor this season. They have been tough on frontcourts, but they can’t seem to defend a point guard or a wing player. On the season, Minnesota is ranked 23rd in points allowed per game and 26th in defensive efficiency.

Elite Plays

DeMar DeRozan
demar-derozan-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,000 Salary:$7,300
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.97 FP/Min:1.02
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 36.1 34.6 -1.5 35.7 -0.4
FPPG (FD) 34.9 35.2 0.4 34.5 -0.4
TO-Adj. Usage 25.8 27.8 2.0 26.2 0.4

DeRozan is a more of a DraftKings play than he is a FanDuel play tonight. At $7,300, it’s hard to ignore what he brings to the table. He has scored at least 29.7 fantasy points (DK scoring) in each of his last ten games. The upside is also there, as he has scored at least 38 fantasy points four times during that stretch. DeRozan is still in play on FanDuel, but if you are playing on both sites, you might as well get your exposure to him on DraftKings.

Secondary Plays

Kyle Lowry
kyle-lowry-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,900 Salary:$8,500
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.06 FP/Min:1.15
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 36.8 38.3 1.5 37.7 0.9
FPPG (FD) 39.0 39.3 0.3 40.4 1.4
TO-Adj. Usage 22.4 21.6 -0.8 21.8 -0.7

In a vacuum, Lowry is an elite play. Everything checks out for him tonight. He has been in good form over his last five games, averaging over 40 fantasy points per contest. He also draws a nice matchup against Ricky Rubio and the Wolves. The problem is that the point guard position is STACKED tonight. Given all of the other options, I wouldn’t have Lowry listed as a top three point-per-dollar play at his position.

Golden State Warriors at Miami Heat – 7:30 PM

Golden State Warriors Miami Heat
goldenstatenba Vegas Total 214.0 miaminba Vegas Total 214.0
Vegas Sprd -8.5 Vegas Sprd 8.5
Team Proj. 111.3 Team Proj. 102.8
Team Pace 102.30 Team Pace 95.10
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 Stephen Curry Klay Thompson Harrison Barnes Draymond Green Andrew Bogut Proj. Starter Goran Dragic Dwyane Wade Gerald Green Luol Deng Amar’e Stoudemire
Opp. Season 2 2 18 3 6 Opp. Season 26 11 13 13 23
Last 3 Weeks 3 6 20 20 7 Last 3 Weeks 30 28 5 11 29

Golden State Warriors

Record: 50-5 — Road: 26-5 — Last 10: 9-1

The Warriors are on pace to beat the Bulls’ regular season record. They are 50-5 on the season and they have more home games than road games the rest of the way. Tonight they take on a Heat team that is a bit short-handed. The Warriors are listed as 8.5-point favorites with their team total set at 111.3 points. While they do have the highest total on the board, it’s worth noting that it is 3.8 points below their scoring average.

The Heat have been stout defensively this season, ranking ninth or better in all four of the defensive categories listed above. I generally try to avoid targeting players against Miami and that’s not going to change tonight. This will be a pace-down game for Golden State, as the Heat average only 95.1 possessions per game.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Stephen Curry
stephen-curry-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$10,800 Salary:$10,500
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.41 FP/Min:1.55
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 33.8 33.7 -0.1 33.1 -0.7
FPPG (FD) 47.6 46.7 -0.9 50.6 3.1
TO-Adj. Usage 27.4 27.3 0.0 28.8 1.4

For cash game purposes, I will be avoiding the Warriors. Given the matchup and the spread, it makes sense to go with Russell Westbrook over Curry in cash games. However, Westbrook’s ownership will be much higher, making Curry an interesting pivot in tournaments. Curry is matchup-proof and we all know the type of upside that he brings to the table.

Miami Heat

Record: 32-24 — Home: 18-11 — Last 10: 7-3

The Heat have played well without Chris Bosh, but it’s hard to see them keeping pace the rest of the season. They draw a tough matchup tonight against the Warriors at home. The good news is that this will be a pace-up game for Miami, as evidenced by their implied team total of 102.8 points, which is six points above their scoring average.

The Warriors have been an average matchup this season. When the game stays close, we have seen some nice fantasy outings against Golden State. The big question here is whether or not the Heat will be able to keep this game within striking distance. This is one of the eight games tonight that has a spread of at least seven points.

Elite Plays

Dwyane Wade
dwyane-wade-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$7,300 Salary:$6,900
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:1.02 FP/Min:1.07
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 30.4 31.3 0.9 34.1 3.7
FPPG (FD) 30.9 32.3 1.5 25.4 -5.5
TO-Adj. Usage 27.0 28.2 1.3 26.1 -0.9

Wade did not look great in his first game since the All-Star break. He was only 4/21 from the floor. The good news is that he was able to log 39 minutes and that he is not listed on the injury report ahead of tonight’s game. I often mention how important usage rate is when it comes to daily fantasy basketball and there are few players in the NBA with a higher usage than Wade when Chris Bosh is out. Over the last two season, Wade has a usage rate over 35 without Bosh in the lineup.

Secondary Plays

Hassan Whiteside
hassan-whiteside-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,200 Salary:$7,600
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.18 FP/Min:1.27
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 28.5 26.2 -2.3 28.2 -0.3
FPPG (FD) 33.7 38.2 4.5 38.8 5.1
TO-Adj. Usage 14.9 18.2 3.3 20.2 5.2

There will be a few people looking to play Luol Deng here. While he has been in great form, I have a hard time paying the elevated price. If I’m targeting anyone outside of Dwyane Wade, it will be Whiteside. Even though he is coming off the bench, he is starting to see more and more minutes. He is also coming off of two huge outings in a row, scoring 55 and 53 fantasy points.

Philadelphia 76ers at Detroit Pistons – 7:30 PM

Philadelphia 76ers Detroit Pistons
philadelphianba Vegas Total 210.0 detroitnba Vegas Total 210.0
Vegas Sprd 11.0 Vegas Sprd -11.0
Team Proj. 99.5 Team Proj. 110.5
Team Pace 100.00 Team Pace 97.80
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 Ishmael Smith Nik Stauskas Robert Covington Nerlens Noel Jahlil Okafor Proj. Starter Reggie Jackson Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Marcus Morris Tobias Harris Andre Drummond
Opp. Season 13 10 3 15 12 Opp. Season 24 17 27 28 30
Last 3 Weeks 13 16 21 8 10 Last 3 Weeks 25 19 15 17 27

Philadelphia 76ers

Record: 8-48 — Road: 3-26 — Last 10: 1-9

The Sixers played well last night, but eventually fell short against the Magic. They have a quick turnaround tonight, as they head to Detroit to take on the Pistons. This game has one of the highest totals on the board tonight and could be a fantasy goldmine if the Sixers are able to keep it close. Philadelphia is projected to score 99.5 points, which is 3.5 points above their scoring average.

The Pistons aren’t a team that we need to go out of our way to target players against, but they aren’t one that we need to avoid either. On the season, they are ranked between eighth and 11th in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and fantasy points allowed per game. T.J. McConnell is not expected to play tonight, after rolling his ankle late against the Magic. That could open up a few extra minutes for Ish Smith and Isaiah Canaan, but neither player is on my radar.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Nerlens Noel
nerlens-noel-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,800 Salary:$6,500
Position:PF Position:PF
FP/Min:0.94 FP/Min:0.99
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 29.3 29.2 -0.1 30.1 0.8
FPPG (FD) 27.5 32.1 4.6 32.6 5.1
TO-Adj. Usage 13.9 14.8 0.9 14.1 0.2

Noel and Jahlil Okafor have taken turns posting big games. Given the way last night’s game played out, it should be Okafor’s turn tonight. However, Noel draws the better matchup of the two, as Okafor will have to deal with Andre Drummond (potential foul trouble). The Pistons have not been great against the pick and roll this season and we know how often the Sixers run that with Ish Smith and Noel. I don’t love Nerlens in cash games, but he is certainly worth a look in tournaments.

Detroit Pistons

Record: 28-29 — Home: 16-11 — Last 10: 3-7

The Pistons have lost seven of their last ten games and are now 28-29 overall. They will be playing short-handed tonight, but it shouldn’t be a big concern against a team that is the caliber of the Sixers. The Pistons are projected to score 110.5 points in this matchup, which is nine points above their scoring average for the season.

The Sixers are always one of our favorite teams to see on the schedule. Last night was a great example of how great of a matchup Philadelphia is, as Victor Oladipo, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Vucevic all reached value. With Stanley Johnson and Anthony Tolliver out, we can expect big minutes from all five of the starters. Given the matchup and the high team total, all five deserve consideration tonight.

Elite Plays

Andre Drummond
andre-drummond-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$8,600 Salary:$8,000
Position:C Position:C
FP/Min:1.19 FP/Min:1.28
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 33.8 34.1 0.3 34.9 1.1
FPPG (FD) 40.2 37.6 -2.6 41.2 1.0
TO-Adj. Usage 20.5 18.0 -2.5 18.9 -1.6

There are a number of great plays at center tonight, but none with the upside that Drummond provides against the Sixers. In addition to being ranked dead last against centers, the Sixers are also near the bottom of the league in rebounding and in blocked shots allowed. In their first two meetings of the season, Drummond has averaged 21.5 points, 17 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks/steals per game.

Reggie Jackson
reggie-jackson-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$6,800 Salary:$6,700
Position:PG Position:PG
FP/Min:1.02 FP/Min:1.10
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 31.0 31.3 0.3 31.2 0.2
FPPG (FD) 31.7 28.7 -3.0 30.4 -1.3
TO-Adj. Usage 25.9 24.0 -1.9 25.8 -0.1

Jackson has looked good since the All-Star break and his minutes are slightly up now that Brandon Jennings is in Orlando. Jackson’s price is a bit lower than it should be, especially given his matchup against the Sixers. They are ranked 24th against point guards this season. Jackson provides a high floor and a high ceiling and should be one of the most popular targets at his position.

Tobias Harris
tobias-harris-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,700 Salary:$6,000
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.81 FP/Min:0.87
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 32.9 32.5 -0.4 33.3 0.4
FPPG (FD) 26.7 24.7 -2.0 27.9 1.2
TO-Adj. Usage 16.1 16.5 0.4 18.9 2.8

I expect Harris to be the highest owned small forward in tonight’s slate. With Anthony Tolliver and Stanley Johnson out, he should be a lock to play 35+ minutes against one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA. Harris is one of those players that can do a little bit of everything on the floor, which is the type of player that I like targeting at small forward.

Marcus Morris
marcus-morris-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,200 Salary:$5,400
Position:SF Position:SF
FP/Min:0.65 FP/Min:0.70
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 36.2 35.7 -0.5 36.2 0.0
FPPG (FD) 23.7 23.8 0.1 22.4 -1.3
TO-Adj. Usage 15.6 16.3 0.7 15.0 -0.6

I expect Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, and Tobias Harris to be very popular tonight. Do you know who the odd man out will be? That’s right, Morris will get overlooked tonight, even though he is an elite play in his own right. With Stanley Johnson out, Morris could see minutes in the upper-30s tonight and his price point is very appealing.

Secondary Plays

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
kentavious-caldwell-pope-300x200 FanDuel: DraftKings:
Salary:$5,400 Salary:$5,100
Position:SG Position:SG
FP/Min:0.65 FP/Min:0.69
Statistics Season Average Last 10 Games Last 10 +/- Last 5 Games Last 5 +/-
Minutes 36.8 32.0 -4.8 34.4 -2.4
FPPG (FD) 23.8 18.9 -5.0 19.5 -4.4
TO-Adj. Usage 15.8 16.3 0.5 15.5 -0.3

KCP is in the same boat as Marcus Morris. Everyone will be on the other three starters, which should help bring his ownership down in all league formats. KCP makes a strong tournament play tonight in a game where he could easily push for 40 minutes. He is also coming off of two nice games in a row against the Pelicans and Cavaliers.

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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