Sign In $

You must be a member to view this Article.

NBA Grind Down: Wednesday, March 15th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2017-03-16 02:21:01

Jump to Page 1 2

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.

Legend & FAQ

Dallas Mavericks at Washington Wizards – 7:00 PM ET

Dallas Mavericks Washington Wizards
dallasnba Vegas Total 207.5 washingtonnba Vegas Total 207.5
Vegas Spread 7.5 Vegas Spread -7.5
Team Total 100.0 Team Total 107.5
Pace +/- 0.9 Pace +/- -4.9
Proj. Starter Yogi Ferrell Seth Curry Dorian Finney-Smith Harrison Barnes Dirk Nowitzki Proj. Starter John Wall Bradley Beal Otto Porter Markieff Morris Marcin Gortat
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 8 13 11 28 12 Adj. DvP 1 6 2 11 10
DRPM -0.37 -0.65 1.26 1.88 1.77 DRPM -1.21 -0.16 0.27 0.04 1.17

Dallas Mavericks

We have a sizable ten game slate on tap tonight, so let’s jump right into the action. The Mavericks may fall just short of making the playoffs this season, but they can at least put some pressure on the Nuggets in the next few weeks. Tonight they head to Washington to take on the Wizards in what will be a pace-up game for Dallas. The Wizards are ranked below the league average in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, and rebounding differential. The Mavericks have an implied total of 100 points, which is slightly above their season average.

J.J. Barea has played more minutes in every game since returning from injury. We are to the point where we can avoid Yogi Ferrell in DFS. Seth Curry’s production has also come down in his last three games, but he may see all of the minutes that he can handle if Wesley Matthews (questionable) is unable to suit up. Nerlens Noel is probable for tonight’s game, so it will be interesting to see if they start him at the five if Matthews is ruled out. I’m a big fan of Noel in general, but the Mavericks may decide to ease him back into the rotation. Harrison Barnes draws the best matchup of the five starters, as the Wizards are ranked 28th in adjusted DvP against power forwards. Barnes is a viable play on FanDuel ($6,000) where we have to roster two small forwards. Marcin Gortat will have a tough time defending Dirk Nowitzki on the perimeter. While that’s not a matchup that is going to last all game, Nowitzki should have success while he’s playing the four as well. He provides good upside and has been in tremendous form over the last few weeks.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Yogi Ferrell $5,000 $4,800 0.71 26.3 5.0 18.6 1.7 21.3% -3.3% 8 -0.37
Seth Curry $5,600 $6,300 0.73 29.1 2.4 21.3 -0.9 20.3% -0.3% 13 -0.65
Dorian Finney-Smith $3,500 $3,000 0.49 20.5 -3.5 10.0 -0.4 11.1% -0.8% 11 1.26
Harrison Barnes $6,000 $6,400 0.81 35.9 -0.3 29.1 -2.9 24.7% -0.3% 28 1.88
Dirk Nowitzki $6,300 $6,200 1.01 26.4 1.0 26.7 6.5 24.4% 1.5% 12 1.77
Nerlens Noel $5,900 $5,500 1.03 20.3 -0.8 20.9 4.0 18.1% 3.8% 12 N/A

Elite Plays – Harrison Barnes (FD), Dirk Nowitzki (GPP)

Secondary Plays – Harrison Barnes (DK), Dirk Nowitzki (Cash), Seth Curry

Washington Wizards

The Wizards have won seven of their last ten games and are tied with the Celtics with 25 losses on the season. They have a decent shot of securing the two seed in the Eastern Conference. They draw a bad matchup for fantasy production tonight, as they take on a Mavericks’ team that is ranked 29th in pace of play and third in points allowed per game. Even with this game being played in Washington, the Wizards’ implied total is 1.6 points below their season average. They are also expected to see four or five fewer possessions in this pace-down game.

John Wall never seems to be in bad form. He is averaging 45.4 fantasy points on the season with one of the highest true usage rates in the NBA. While the Mavericks are ranked first in adjusted DvP against point guards this season, Yogi Ferrell isn’t exactly a shut-down defender. The issue that I have with Wall isn’t the matchup, it’s the pace of the pace and the price. I may have some exposure to Wall on DraftKings ($9,700), but will be fading him on FanDuel ($10,400). Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, Markieff Morris, and Marcin Gortat are all in difficult matchups tonight. You could potentially look to Ian Mahinmi at close to min-salary. He has been seeing 20+ minutes on a regular basis if you are desperate for value.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
John Wall $10,400 $9,700 1.23 36.8 1.5 45.4 2.8 34.7% 1.6% 1 -1.21
Bradley Beal $8,100 $7,700 0.95 34.8 1.2 33.0 6.6 26.3% 1.0% 6 -0.16
Otto Porter $6,100 $6,100 0.83 33.8 -0.2 28.1 0.7 14.9% 0.3% 2 0.27
Markieff Morris $6,000 $6,000 0.84 31.9 -1.2 26.8 -4.6 20.1% -6.5% 11 0.04
Marcin Gortat $5,500 $5,000 0.84 33.1 -7.0 27.9 -7.1 14.6% 0.0% 10 1.17
Bojan Bogdanovic $4,100 $4,500 0.77 26.6 -1.5 20.4 0.7 22.2% 2.3% 2 N/A
Ian Mahinmi $3,500 $3,400 0.81 16.5 3.4 13.4 5.2 13.5% 1.4% 10 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – John Wall (DK), Ian Mahinmi

Charlotte Hornets at Indiana Pacers – 7:00 PM ET

Charlotte Hornets Indiana Pacers
charlottenba Vegas Total 203.0 indiananba Vegas Total 203.0
Vegas Spread 2.5 Vegas Spread -2.5
Team Total 100.3 Team Total 102.8
Pace +/- -0.2 Pace +/- -0.3
Proj. Starter Kemba Walker Jeremy Lamb Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Marvin Williams Cody Zeller Proj. Starter Jeff Teague C.J. Miles Paul George Thaddeus Young Myles Turner
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 11 17 16 8 17 Adj. DvP 15 19 8 27 15
DRPM -0.16 -0.54 -0.27 2.15 2.19 DRPM -0.84 -0.37 2.43 0.76 2.98

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets have lost two games in a row and are now three and half games out of the playoff picture. Tonight’s game against the Pacers is basically an elimination game for Charlotte. On paper, this is a mediocre matchup, as Indiana is ranked right around the league average in points allowed per game and defensive efficiency. The Hornets have not played well on the road though, which is shown in their implied total of 100.3 points. They currently have the second worst projected point differential in the slate at -5.1.

Nicolas Batum did not travel with the team and has already been ruled out of tonight’s game. Kemba Walker doesn’t see a major usage boost, but it’s close to 32% when Batum is off the floor. He may also be asked to play a few extra minutes in a decent matchup against Jeff Teague. Walker’s price has come up on both FanDuel and DraftKings, but he is worth a look in all formats. Jeremy Lamb was 80% owned the other night, but the sites were quick to adjust his salary. He is now $4,900 on FanDuel and $5,600 on DraftKings. In four starts this season, Lamb has averaged 17 points, eight rebounds, and three assists per game. I expect him to play around 30 minutes, which puts him firmly in play on FanDuel. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist should see a small minutes bump with Batum out and he should get overlooked in tournaments. Marvin Williams has been red-hot from the floor and has been grabbing every rebound imaginable. I don’t see this as sustainable production, so I’ll hop off of Williams while his price is at a premium.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Kemba Walker $8,400 $8,600 1.07 34.6 0.2 36.9 3.5 30.2% 1.9% 11 -0.16
Jeremy Lamb $4,900 $5,600 0.94 18.5 7.2 17.4 7.1 22.5% -2.8% 17 -0.54
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist $5,300 $5,100 0.79 29.5 -0.1 23.3 0.5 14.3% -0.9% 16 -0.27
Marvin Williams $6,500 $6,500 0.78 29.9 7.5 23.3 14.3 16.4% -1.4% 8 2.15
Cody Zeller $5,100 $5,100 0.84 27.5 8.9 23.2 2.0 16.0% -4.4% 17 2.19
Marco Belinelli $3,500 $3,600 0.69 24.3 -2.8 16.7 -2.6 19.1% 0.7% 16 N/A

Elite Plays – Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb (FD)

Secondary Plays – Jeremy Lamb (DK), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are right in the thick of things in the East. They are basically one of five teams fighting for the last three spots in the playoffs. They draw a decent matchup tonight against the Hornets, but are playing in the second half of a back-to-back. On the season, Charlotte has been a top ten defense, but that hasn’t been the case on the road. I expect the Pacers’ offense to have some success here and their implied total of 102.8 points seems a bit low. I actually think that they will score more than their season average in this spot.

Jeff Teague has been in awful form in his last five games, averaging only 25 fantasy points per contest. His price has come down, but he is an easy fade in a ten game slate. I somehow ended up with C.J. Miles in cash games last night and for the 100th time, I’ve learned my lesson. Knowing Miles, he will have a big game tonight just to spite me. However, I will have little to no exposure to him in this slate. Paul George has played well in his last five games, averaging 40 fantasy points with a true usage rate over 28%. He will draw the defense of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, but I’m not overly worried. When George is locked in, he is close to matchup-proof. Thaddeus Young has played at least 37 minutes in back-to-back games. He hasn’t done much with those minutes, but remains a nice value play on DraftKings ($4,300). Myles Turner broke out of his slump with a big game last night, but it was against the Knicks, so we should take it with a grain of salt. I still like his price on DraftKings ($5,700) and will be firing him up in a few tournament lineups.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Jeff Teague $6,800 $6,500 1.01 32.4 -2.2 32.7 -8.0 26.2% 2.2% 15 -0.84
C.J. Miles $3,900 $4,200 0.71 23.6 3.9 16.8 -0.4 17.2% -3.0% 19 -0.37
Paul George $8,100 $8,300 1.00 35.4 1.3 35.4 4.5 27.8% 0.7% 8 2.43
Thaddeus Young $4,800 $4,300 0.76 30.2 -0.4 23.1 -4.5 16.1% -2.0% 27 0.76
Myles Turner $6,200 $5,700 0.97 30.9 -0.9 30.0 -2.2 19.2% -2.0% 15 2.98
Monta Ellis $4,300 $3,500 0.65 26.8 -2.8 17.5 -2.1 18.3% 3.5% 19 N/A

Elite Plays – Paul George

Secondary Plays – Thaddeus Young (DK), Myles Turner (DK), C.J. Miles (FD GPP)

Utah Jazz at Detroit Pistons – 7:30 PM ET

Utah Jazz Detroit Pistons
utahnba Vegas Total 199.5 detroitnba Vegas Total 199.5
Vegas Spread -3.5 Vegas Spread 3.5
Team Total 101.5 Team Total 98.0
Pace +/- -1.8 Pace +/- -5.1
Proj. Starter George Hill Rodney Hood Gordon Hayward Boris Diaw Rudy Gobert Proj. Starter Reggie Jackson Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Marcus Morris Tobias Harris Andre Drummond
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 21 2 6 20 5 Adj. DvP 6 1 3 1 3
DRPM -2.90 -0.02 0.87 -0.97 1.29 DRPM 0.94 0.69 -0.11 -1.00 5.49

Utah Jazz

This is one of those games that nobody is excited for. I’m not even sure that the players are looking forward to this one. Both teams are ranked in the bottom seven in pace of play and they are both ranked in the top six in points allowed per game. The over/under for the game is currently set at 199.5 points, which is awfully low. Even though this isn’t the best game environment for fantasy production, there are two players on the Jazz that have piqued my interest. The first is George Hill, who put up 40 fantasy points the other night. He is cheap on both FanDuel ($6,300) and DraftKings ($6,000) and will likely draw the defense of Reggie Jackson, who has a DRPM of -2.90 this season. Hill should have low ownership on both sites. The other player of note here is Rudy Gobert. With Derrick Favors ruled out, Gobert has 36-38 minute upside if he can stay out of foul trouble. He has also been in great form recently, averaging over 40 fantasy points in his last five games. At $6,900 on DraftKings, I will be targeting the Stifle Tower in both cash games and tournaments.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
George Hill $6,300 $6,000 0.91 31.7 -0.1 28.9 0.2 24.7% -1.4% 21 -2.90
Rodney Hood $4,300 $4,700 0.74 28.2 -2.2 20.8 -1.7 22.6% -0.3% 2 -0.02
Gordon Hayward $7,800 $7,200 1.00 34.5 -0.4 34.7 -3.9 27.6% 1.0% 6 0.87
Boris Diaw $3,500 $3,000 0.53 17.6 1.6 9.4 -1.0 17.4% -2.6% 20 -0.97
Rudy Gobert $7,700 $6,900 1.03 33.6 4.0 34.6 7.5 15.5% -0.9% 5 1.29

Elite Plays – George Hill (GPP), Rudy Gobert (DK)

Secondary Plays – George Hill (Cash), Rudy Gobert (FD)

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons hit the snooze button a few too many times last night and forgot to show up to their game against the Cavaliers. They gave up 46 points in the first quarter and it was basically over at that point. They now have a quick turnaround and have to face a Jazz team that is ranked dead last in pace of play and first in points allowed per game. The Pistons have an implied total of only 98 points, which is the lowest in the entire slate and 4.3 points below their season average.

While I won’t be using any Pistons’ players in cash games, there are three names that carry some GPP appeal. The first is Reggie Jackson, who has scored at least 30 fantasy points (DK scoring) in three of his last five games. He is cheap enough that I don’t mind taking a shot on him, as he is typically priced around $7,000 when in good form. Tobias Harris is only $5,600 on FanDuel and has really played well since entering the starting lineup. If the Jazz decide to start Boris Diaw at power forward, I like his chances in that matchup. Andre Drummond is the final play of note here. He is only $6,800 on DraftKings and could see minutes in the low 30s.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Reggie Jackson $5,200 $5,400 0.89 28.1 -0.9 24.9 2.3 29.5% 0.3% 6 0.94
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope $4,700 $5,100 0.71 33.9 -3.4 24.1 -8.3 19.4% -4.7% 1 0.69
Marcus Morris $5,900 $5,400 0.73 33.0 -3.0 24.2 -3.1 20.2% -1.1% 3 -0.11
Tobias Harris $5,600 $5,700 0.83 31.5 -0.6 26.2 5.9 21.8% 2.9% 1 -1.00
Andre Drummond $8,000 $6,800 1.20 30.4 -0.7 36.6 -0.3 22.4% -1.5% 3 5.49

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – Reggie Jackson (GPP), Tobias Harris (FD GPP), Andre Drummond (DK GPP)

New Orleans Pelicans at Miami Heat – 7:30 PM ET

New Orleans Pelicans Miami Heat
neworleansnba Vegas Total 206.0 miaminba Vegas Total 206.0
Vegas Spread 6.5 Vegas Spread -6.5
Team Total 99.8 Team Total 106.3
Pace +/- -1.3 Pace +/- 1.1
Proj. Starter Jrue Holiday Wayne Selden Solomon Hill DeMarcus Cousins Anthony Davis Proj. Starter Goran Dragic Rodney McGruder Dion Waiters Luke Babbitt Hassan Whiteside
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 4 3 5 5 6 Adj. DvP 23 11 10 21 22
DRPM -1.91 -0.91 -0.04 1.55 2.02 DRPM 0.92 1.31 0.51 3.18

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans picked up a nice win over the Blazers last night at home. While they have little chance of making the playoffs at this point, they will be fun to watch in the last month of the season. They draw a difficult matchup tonight against the Heat, who are ranked fifth in both points allowed per game and defensive efficiency. New Orleans has an implied total of only 99.8 points, which is the fourth lowest in the slate and 3.2 points below their season average.

Jrue Holiday hasn’t seen a major usage decline since the trade for DeMarcus Cousins, but there are only so many shots to go around in this offense when both of the big men are healthy. I’m bearish on Holiday for the rest of the season. Jordan Crawford is averaging 22 fantasy points in his first four games with the team. He is no longer minimum salary, but he should see 22-25 minutes off the bench if you need a value play at shooting guard. Anthony Davis rolled his ankle last night, left the court, and then eventually returned to the game. Ankles often swell up overnight, so I will be staying away from the injury-prone big man. I would much rather target DeMarcus Cousins at a sizable discount. Cousins played well last night against the Blazers and will now go toe-to-toe with Hassan Whiteside. Cousins has 35+ minute upside if he can stay out of foul trouble.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Jrue Holiday $7,700 $7,000 1.01 32.7 -0.7 33.0 -3.4 27.4% -4.4% 4 -1.91
Wayne Selden N/A N/A 0.42 14.5 0.0 6.1 0.0 11.2% 0.0% 3 -0.91
Solomon Hill $3,600 $3,200 0.52 28.9 1.5 15.1 -0.4 11.3% 0.3% 5 -0.04
DeMarcus Cousins $9,000 $9,500 1.42 34.1 -1.5 48.4 -12.9 35.6% -1.9% 5 1.55
Anthony Davis $11,400 $10,400 1.38 36.1 -3.1 49.9 -4.9 30.7% -1.6% 6 2.02
E’Twaun Moore $3,700 $3,300 0.68 25.1 1.6 17.0 -1.3 17.9% -1.1% 3 N/A
Jordan Crawford $4,000 $4,300 0.93 24.1 0.0 22.5 0.0 22.2% 0.0% 3 N/A

Elite Plays – DeMarcus Cousins (FD)

Secondary Plays – DeMarcus Cousins (DK), Jordan Crawford

Miami Heat

The Heat have made such an amazing turnaround this season, that it would be devastating if they didn’t make the playoffs. They are currently a game behind in the loss column, so every game from here on out is important. They draw a mediocre matchup tonight against the Pelicans, but the game is at home and New Orleans is playing in the second half of a back-to-back. The Heat have an implied total of 106.3 points, which is four points higher than their season average.

When I saw this picture of Goran Dragic, I figured there was no way that he would be able to play tonight. However, the eye has apparently opened up and he is expected to be in the starting lineup. Nobody is going to roster Dragic tonight, even though he is only $7,200 on DraftKings and draws a favorable matchup against the Pelicans, who are ranked 23rd in adjusted DvP against point guards. With Dragic back, we can safely avoid the likes of Dion Waiters, Josh Richardson, and Tyler Johnson. James Johnson should see a few extra minutes tonight, as they will need his defense out there against Anthony Davis. He and Dragic are both very intriguing tournament options. DeMarcus Cousins is not a player that I like to target centers against. We saw him shut down Jusuf Nurkic last night and he is one of the best in the NBA at drawing fouls. In Hassan Whiteside’s last two games against Cousins, he only managed to score 28 and 11 fantasy points.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Goran Dragic $7,500 $7,200 0.99 33.5 -6.0 33.3 -0.1 29.2% 1.5% 23 0.92
Rodney McGruder $3,500 $3,100 0.53 25.4 -3.9 13.5 -2.2 12.4% 0.8% 11
Dion Waiters $6,800 $7,100 0.90 30.5 0.5 27.4 3.5 27.6% 0.3% 10 1.31
Luke Babbitt $3,500 $3,000 0.56 15.6 -1.2 8.7 1.0 13.4% 1.3% 21 0.51
Hassan Whiteside $8,700 $8,100 1.17 32.8 0.5 38.3 0.7 21.0% -2.2% 22 3.18
James Johnson $6,000 $5,800 0.94 26.6 0.0 24.9 -0.1 23.3% -0.1% 21 N/A
Tyler Johnson $5,200 $5,500 0.86 30.1 -5.3 26.0 -8.2 21.9% 1.0% 23 N/A

Elite Plays – NONE

Secondary Plays – Goran Dragic (GPP), James Johnson (GPP)

Minnesota Timberwolves at Boston Celtics – 7:30 PM ET

Minnesota Timberwolves Boston Celtics
minnesotanba Vegas Total 209.5 bostonnba Vegas Total 209.5
Vegas Spread 6.0 Vegas Spread -6.0
Team Total 101.8 Team Total 107.8
Pace +/- 0.1 Pace +/- -1.8
Proj. Starter Ricky Rubio Brandon Rush Andrew Wiggins Gorgui Dieng Karl-Anthony Towns Proj. Starter Isaiah Thomas Avery Bradley Jae Crowder Amir Johnson Al Horford
Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C Opponent Rank PG SG SF PF C
Adj. DvP 18 9 22 15 25 Adj. DvP 3 8 17 4 18
DRPM -4.42 -1.41 0.73 3.09 0.90 DRPM 0.89 0.39 -2.40 3.46 -0.98

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Wolves have been one of the best teams in the NBA since the All-Star break. While it may be too little, too late when it comes to the playoffs, there is still an outside shot. Tonight they head to Boston to take on the Celtics in one of the few games that stands out in this slate. The Celtics are average defensively and are one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. The Wolves’ implied total is considerably lower than their season average, but the expected pace of the game makes up for it.

Ricky Rubio is coming off of a monster game against the Wizards on Monday night. He was mentioned as one of my favorite point guard plays in the Grind Down and that’s the case again tonight. He may see some of Avery Bradley’s defense, but Rubio isn’t a player that relies on scoring points for his fantasy production. He should play 35+ minutes against a Celtics’ defense that is ranked 18th in adjusted DvP against point guards. Andrew Wiggins can’t seem to break out of his slump. While I expect him to turn it around shortly, I don’t want to keep throwing good money after bad money. Until he starts making shots, I will be avoiding him in DFS. Karl-Anthony Towns is one of my favorite plays in the slate. The Celtics are ranked 25th against centers and 27th in rebounding differential this season. Towns also has 40-minute upside, which can’t be said about any other center in the slate. Nemanja Bjelica has been playing minutes in the mid 20s recently and is worth a look in tournaments as a low-owned upside play.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Ricky Rubio $7,600 $7,400 0.90 32.4 3.4 29.3 14.1 20.9% 5.2% 18 -4.42
Brandon Rush $3,500 $3,000 0.46 20.3 8.3 9.4 4.6 10.3% -0.6% 9 -1.41
Andrew Wiggins $7,100 $6,900 0.86 37.2 1.5 31.9 -8.1 27.9% -1.5% 22 0.73
Gorgui Dieng $5,300 $5,200 0.80 31.7 -0.3 25.3 0.3 14.8% -0.4% 15 3.09
Karl-Anthony Towns $10,800 $10,900 1.23 36.7 2.1 45.0 4.0 27.3% -0.1% 25 0.90
Nemanja Bjelica $4,400 $4,400 0.74 18.4 8.5 13.6 8.2 17.0% -1.6% 15 N/A

Elite Plays – Ricky Rubio, Karl-Anthony Towns

Secondary Plays – Nemanja Bjelica (GPP)

Boston Celtics

The Celtics are tied with the Wizards in the loss column. The two teams will likely end up being the two and three seeds in the East, so home-court advantage could play a pivotal role in the second round of the playoffs. Boston draws a mediocre matchup tonight against the Wolves, who are ranked 12th in points allowed per game and 21st in defensive efficiency. The Celtics have an implied total of 107.8 points, which is the seventh highest in the slate.

Isaiah Thomas is having a tremendous season, but his numbers are down a bit when Avery Bradley is in the starting lineup. While his price point is awfully tempting, Ricky Rubio is surprisingly a pretty good defender. Rubio has a DRPM of 0.89 and the Wolves are ranked third in adjusted DvP against point guards. Avery Bradley is off of his minute restriction and should see 30-32 minutes tonight. Even though his matchup isn’t ideal, this is a great buy low opportunity, as he was once priced close to $8,000. Al Horford is also a nice buy-low candidate, but there are so many viable plays at center that I will only have a small piece of exposure in tournaments.

Notable Fantasy Players

Player FD Salary DK Salary FP/Min Minutes L5 +/- FP/Game L5 +/- True Usage L5 +/- DvP DRPM
Isaiah Thomas $8,800 $8,500 1.20 34.1 -2.1 41.0 -3.7 35.1% -1.0% 3 0.89
Avery Bradley $5,600 $5,800 0.88 33.2 -5.5 29.1 -4.6 22.3% 4.1% 8 0.39
Jae Crowder $5,500 $5,500 0.78 32.2 -1.0 25.0 -1.3 16.5% -0.2% 17 -2.40
Amir Johnson $3,700 $3,700 0.83 19.8 2.5 16.4 2.0 14.3% 0.3% 4 3.46
Al Horford $6,000 $5,700 0.97 32.7 -0.5 31.6 -4.3 21.7% -2.7% 18 -0.98
Marcus Smart $5,500 $5,100 0.78 30.7 -3.4 24.1 -1.4 20.5% 4.3% 8 N/A

Elite Plays – Avery Bradley

Secondary Plays – Isaiah Thomas (GPP), Al Horford (GPP)

Jump to Page 1 2

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