NBA Grind Down: Wednesday, November 26th
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.
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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
Washington at Cleveland
- Vegas Line – Cleveland -6.5, 198 Over/Under
- Washington Proj. Starters – Wall-Beal-Pierce-Humphries-Gortat
- Cleveland Proj. Starters – Irving-Marion-James-Love-Varejao
| Washington | Cleveland | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 198 |  | Vegas Total | 198 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 6.5 | Vegas Sprd | -6.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 95.8 | Team Proj. | 102.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.07 | Team Pace | 95.55 | |||||||||
| 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 | John Wall | Bradley Beal | Paul Pierce | Kris Humphries | Marcin Gortat | Proj Starter | Kyrie Irving | Shawn Marion | LeBron James | Kevin Love | Anderson Varejao | |
| Opp. Season | 15 | 20 | 14 | 28 | 21 | Opp. Season | 1 | 18 | 20 | 3 | 8 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 10 | 25 | 8 | 25 | 24 | Opp. Last 7 | 3 | 24 | 23 | 10 | 10 | |
Washington
We have a monstrous 13-game slate on tap for tonight, so I will try to keep the analysis for each team short and sweet. The Wizards are playing the second half of a back-to-back tonight. They are expected to be without Nene Hilario again, which means Kris Humphries will likely draw another start at PF. The Wizards are 6.5-point underdogs tonight against the Cavaliers, in a game that features a total of 198 points.
Elite Plays
John Wall (FD: $9200, DK: $9900 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 27.5)
Wall has much better splits at home, but he’s in play tonight against the Cavaliers on the road. When these teams met up last week, Wall was unstoppable. He finished that game with 28 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals. Kyrie Irving is one of the worst on-ball defenders in the NBA, as evidenced by the fact that the Cavaliers are ranked 21st in fantasy points allowed to opposing PGs per 48 minutes.
Secondary Plays
Marcin Gortat (FD: $6900, DK: $6500 / MPG: 31 / Usage Rate: 18.1)
Gortat has a somewhat limited upside, but he has a nice floor, which makes him a good target for cash games. He’s seeing around 31 minutes per game this season and may see a small fantasy boost with Nene Hilario out again tonight. He draws a favorable matchup against the Cavaliers, who have not defended the paint well this season.
Bradley Beal (FD: $7700, DK: $6000 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 24.3)
Beal is still coming off the bench, but he has topped 30 minutes in three straight games. It’s only a matter of time before he is inserted back into the starting lineup. Beal is a DraftKings-specific play tonight, as his $6,000 price tag seems a bit low. He is a candidate to reach 6x value on DraftKings tonight.
Cleveland
The Cavaliers are coming off of one of their better games of the season, but it was at home against a short-handed Magic team, so it’s hard to give them too much credit. They will have a much tougher test tonight against the Wizards who beat them the other night in Washington. This matchup is less than appealing though, as the Wizards are ranked 6th in defensive efficiency this season.
Elite Plays
LeBron James (FD: $10600, DK: $11400 / MPG: 38 / Usage Rate: 30.4)
Before the Cavaliers’ last game, James said that he needed to stop being passive and take over offensively. He came out looking to attack the rim in that game and finished with 29 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists in only 31 minutes of action. With no Anthony Davis tonight, James is the top overall fantasy option.
Secondary Plays
Kyrie Irving (FD: $8000, DK: $8600 / MPG: 38 / Usage Rate: 23.2)
Irving has played well recently. Over his last eight games, he has averaged 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. The most promising stat with Kyrie is that he is averaging over 38 minutes per game this season. Minutes equal production in the NBA. His price has finally started to come up, but he’s still an excellent fantasy option, especially on FD.
Golden State at Orlando
- Vegas Line – Golden State -9, 201 Over/Under
- Golden State Proj. Starters – Curry-Thompson-Barnes-Green-Bogut
- Orlando Proj. Starters – Oladipo-Fournier(Q)-Harris(Q)-Frye-Vucevic
| Golden State | Orlando | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 201.0 |  | Vegas Total | 201.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -9.0 | Vegas Sprd | 9.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 105.0 | Team Proj. | 96.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 101.56 | Team Pace | 95.16 | |||||||||
| 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 | Victor Oladipo | Evan Fournier | Tobias Harris | Channing Frye | Nikola Vucevic | |
| Opp. Season | 17 | 26 | 16 | 14 | 29 | Opp. Season | 27 | 17 | 1 | 19 | 1 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 29 | 7 | 29 | 6 | 28 | Opp. Last 7 | 17 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 20 | |
Golden State
The Warriors picked up a nice road win over the Heat last night. They will look to make it back-to-back road wins tonight as they head to Orlando to take on what could be a short-handed Magic team. The Warriors are 9-point favorites in a game that features a total of 201 points. The Magic are ranked 18th in defensive efficiency this season.
Elite Plays
Stephen Curry (FD: $9900, DK: $9400 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 28.9)
I mentioned in yesterday’s Grind Down that Curry has been under-priced this season thanks to the Warriors being involved in a ton of blowouts. His price is based on a 34-minute per game production, when he typically plays around 37 minutes per game when the game is fairly close. Curry had a huge fantasy outing last night. He’s in a great spot again tonight as he faces the Magic, who are ranked 27th in fantasy points allowed to PGs per 48 minutes.
Secondary Plays
Klay Thompson (FD: $7900, DK: $7400 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 27.4)
Thompson’s salary is also based on a 33-minute per game basis. He will also see around 37 minutes per game when the game is close. I always try to take advantage of mis-priced players, and there are two of them tonight on the Warriors. Thompson has 40 fantasy point upside, plus the three-point bonus on DK comes into play.
Draymond Green (FD: $6900, DK: $6200 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 17.6)
Green has really played well in David Lee’s absence. On the season, he is averaging 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. He should be able to replicate those stats tonight against a Magic team that has been pretty average defensively this season.
Orlando
Tobias Harris, Evan Fournier, and Kyle O’Quinn are all game-time decisions for tonight’s game against the Warriors. Obviously, things will change based on their availability, but for our purposes, we will assume that Harris and Fournier will both be in the lineup. In terms of the fantasy matchup, this is a tough one. The Warriors are ranked 2nd in defensive efficiency and 11th in rebounding differential.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Nikola Vucevic (FD: $8900, DK: $8800 / MPG: 36 / Usage Rate: 25.5)
The only thing holding Vucevic back from being an elite play is his matchup against Andrew Bogut. The Warriors have really been stingy against opposing centers this season, especially ones that do the most of their damage in the paint. Vucevic is still a threat for a double-double though.
Victor Oladipo (FD: $6800, DK: $6400 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 25.8)
Oladipo has the best matchup of anyone on the Magic tonight. Stephen Curry is the one weakness in the Warriors defense. On the season, the Warriors are ranked 24th in fantasy points allowed to opposing PGs per 48 minutes. Oladipo is coming off of his best game of the season. Target him as an upside play in tournaments.
Brooklyn at Philadelphia
- Vegas Line – Brooklyn -8, 197.5 Over/Under
- Brooklyn Proj. Starters – Williams-Johnson-Bogdanovic-Garnett-Lopez
- Philadelphia Proj. Starters – Carter-Williams-Wroten-Mbah a Moute-Davies-Sims
| Brooklyn | Philadelphia | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 197 |  | Vegas Total | 197 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -8.0 | Vegas Sprd | 8.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 102.8 | Team Proj. | 94.8 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.45 | Team Pace | 99.85 | |||||||||
| 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 | Deron Williams | Joe Johnson | Bojan Bogdanovic | Kevin Garnett | Brook Lopez | Proj Starter | Michael Carter-Williams | Tony Wroten | Mbah a Moute | Brandon Davies | Henry Sims | |
| Opp. Season | 8 | 29 | 29 | 15 | 19 | Opp. Season | 29 | 23 | 26 | 8 | 20 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 27 | 8 | 18 | 15 | 23 | Opp. Last 7 | 19 | 29 | 25 | 26 | 12 | |
Brooklyn
The Nets are 8-point favorites tonight against the Sixers. The Nets are typically a team that gets overlooked in DFS, due to the fact that they are so well-balanced offensively. The matchup against the Sixers may be too good to pass up though. The Sixers are ranked 25th in defensive efficiency and dead last in rebounding differential.
Elite Plays
Deron Williams (FD: $7700, DK: $7600 / MPG: 38 / Usage Rate: 23.8)
Williams has really played well this season, but no one seems to be noticing because he plays on the Nets. He is averaging 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He draws a terrific matchup against Michael Carter-Williams who takes too many chances defensively. There is a reason why the Sixers were ranked dead last in fantasy points allowed to opposing PGs last season.
Brook Lopez (FD: $6500, DK: $6500 / MPG: 29 / Usage Rate: 26.9)
Lopez is one of my favorite targets for both cash games and GPP’s tonight. His ownership level will likely be low despite a very affordable price tag and a terrific matchup against the Sixers. The Sixers are ranked 28th in fantasy points allowed to centers per 48 minutes this season. They are also ranked dead last in rebounding differential. Lopez will be a staple on quite a few of my lineups tonight.
Secondary Plays
Joe Johnson (FD: $6400, DK: $6500 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 22.9)
Johnson has only topped 26 fantasy points one time in his last four games. This mini-slump has brought his salary down to a very playable level on both FD and DK. He has shown that he has 40 fantasy-point upside when the matchup is right. Tonight he squares off against the Sixers, who have allowed more fantasy points to SGs per 48 minutes than any other team in the NBA.
Philadelphia
The Sixers are now 0-14 on the season. They come into tonight’s game as 8-point underdogs against the Nets in a game that features a total of 197 points. This will be a pace-down game for the Sixers, which hurts their fantasy appeal as a whole. With 12 other games on the schedule, tread lightly with the Sixers tonight.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Michael Carter-Williams (FD: $7900, DK: $7200 / MPG: 30 / Usage Rate: 32.5)
MCW is coming off of his best fantasy performance of the season. He had 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists the other night against the Blazers. MCW has one of the highest usage rates in the NBA at 32.5. He is only averaging 30 minutes per game, but he should see closer to 35 tonight against the Nets, who are ranked 26th in fantasy points allowed to PGs per 48 minutes.
Tony Wroten (FD: $6800, DK: $5600 / MPG: 32 / Usage Rate: 29.3)
Wroten is a DraftKings-specific play tonight. DraftKings is daring us to take him with a price tag of only $5,600. He and MCW typically compete for production when they are on the floor together, but they both played well the other night. He’s one of the top tournament plays tonight on DK.
Portland at Charlotte
- Vegas Line – Portland -6, 193.5 Over/Under
- Portland Proj. Starters – Lillard-Matthews-Batum-Aldridge-Lopez
- Charlotte Proj. Starters – Walker-Stephenson-Henderson-Williams-Jefferson
| Portland | Charlotte | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 193.5 |  | Vegas Total | 193.5 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -6.0 | Vegas Sprd | 6.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 99.75 | Team Proj. | 93.75 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.07 | Team Pace | 93.35 | |||||||||
| 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 Aldrdige | Robin Lopez | Proj Starter | Kemba Walker | Lance Stephenson | Gerald Henderson | Marvin Williams | Al Jefferson | |
| Opp. Season | 28 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 16 | Opp. Season | 19 | 2 | 19 | 4 | 22 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 23 | 6 | 17 | 4 | 15 | Opp. Last 7 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 27 | |
Portland
The Blazers head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets tonight. They are currently 6-point favorites in a game that features a total of 193.5 points. Fantasy-wise, this isn’t the best matchup on the board. The Hornets play at a very slow pace. The good news is that they are ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency and 21st in rebounding differential.
Elite Plays
LaMarcus Aldridge (FD: $9500, DK: $9500 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 27.6)
Aldridge has really picked up his play recently. Over his last seven games, he is averaging 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. His usage rate is also increasing game to game, as it now sits at 27.6. Aldridge should have a mis-match down low against Marvin Williams, who is much smaller than Aldridge.
Secondary Plays
Damian Lillard (FD: $8500, DK: $9300 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 24)
The only reason Lillard isn’t an elite play tonight is the fact that he plays PG. There are so many PG options that it’s tough to justify paying up for Lillard in what is expected to be a slow-paced game. That said, he does draw a terrific matchup against the Hornets, who are ranked 25th in fantasy points allowed to opposing PGs per 48 minutes.
Charlotte
The Hornets have been one of the biggest disappointments this season. After making they playoffs last year, there were high hopes heading into this season. They’ve opened with a 4-11 record. Tonight’s matchup against the Blazers isn’t great, as the Blazers are ranked 7th in defensive efficiency and 3rd in rebounding differential.
Elite Plays
Al Jefferson (FD: $8600, DK: $7900 / MPG: 33 / Usage Rate: 30.2)
The two positions that the Blazers have struggled to defend this season are PG and center. Jefferson has been heavily involved in the offense over the past two weeks, as evidenced by his usage rate of 30.2. He’s a terrific scorer that should be able to get what he wants in the post. His price on DraftKings is still under $8,000, which is just too cheap.
Secondary Plays
Kemba Walker (FD: $7100, DK: $7400 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 23.1)
Walker has the same problem as Damian Lillard. He plays a position that is full of viable fantasy options. Walker makes a nice tournament play tonight though. He draws a favorable matchup against the Blazers and he has topped 33 fantasy points (FD scoring) in each of his last three games.
Toronto at Atlanta
- Vegas Line – Toronto -3.5, 204.5 Over/Under
- Toronto Proj. Starters – Lowry-DeRozan-Ross-Johnson-Valanciunas
- Atlanta Proj. Starters – Teague-Korver-Carroll-Millsap-Horford
| Toronto | Atlanta | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 204 |  | Vegas Total | 204 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | -3.5 | Vegas Sprd | 3.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 104.0 | Team Proj. | 100.5 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 96.49 | Team Pace | 95.35 | |||||||||
| 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 | DeMar DeRozan | Terrence Ross | Amir Johnson | Jonas Valanciunas | Proj Starter | Jeff Teague | Kyle Korver | DeMarre Carroll | Paul Millsap | Al Horford | |
| Opp. Season | 13 | 27 | 15 | 27 | 7 | Opp. Season | 21 | 1 | 21 | 5 | 24 | |
| Opp. Last 7 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 30 | 2 | Opp. Last 7 | 21 | 1 | 21 | 16 | 9 | |
Toronto
The Raptors are 12-2 to start the season. They are tied with the Grizzlies for the best overall record in the NBA. They are currently 3.5-point favorites tonight against the Hawks in a game that features a total of 204 points. Both of these teams like to push the pace and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them hit the over in this one.
Elite Plays
DeMar DeRozan (FD: $7700, DK: $7100 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 28.6)
DeRozan’s price has come down to a very playable level on both FD and DK. He’s a score-first type of player, but he can add the peripheral stats as well. On the season, he is averaging 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. The Hawks will likely stick DeMarre Carroll on him tonight, but DeRozan is very crafty on the offensive side of the floor. He’s a safe cash game play tonight.
Secondary Plays
Kyle Lowry (FD: $8400, DK: $8000 / MPG: 34 / Usage Rate: 23.1)
Lowry’s usage rate seems to go up after each game. It was around 20 only a week ago and is now all the way up to 23.1. He’s a player that can fill up all areas of the stat sheet and he can take over games at any point. His price has gone up a bit, but he’s still in play tonight against the Hawks, who have been pretty average at defending the PG position this season.
Atlanta
If the playoffs were to start today, the Hawks would be the 4th seed in the East. They have played well to start the season and should have plenty of motivation to knock off the Raptors, who sit atop the standings. Tonight’s matchup looks tough on paper though, as the Raptors are ranked 6th in defensive efficiency, holding opponents to 95.1 points per game this season.
Elite Plays
None
Secondary Plays
Paul Millsap (FD: $8600, DK: $9200 / MPG: 35 / Usage Rate: 24)
Millsap draws a tough matchup against Amir Johnson, but Millsap has a complete offensive game that makes it extremely tough on defenders. He can knock down outside shots, score in the post, and he can attack the rim off the dribble. What stands out in this matchup is the fact that the Raptors are ranked 26th in rebounding differential this season.