NBA Grind Down: Wednesday, October 28th
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.
Washington at Orlando – 07:00 PM
- Vegas Line – Washington -4, 205 Over/Under
- Washington Proj. Starters – Wall-Beal-Porter-Humphries-Gortat
- Orlando Proj. Starters – Payton-Oladipo-Harris-Gordon-Vucevic
| Washington | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 205 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | -4.0 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 104.5 | ||||
| Team Pace | 95.96 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | John Wall | Bradley Beal | Otto Porter | Kris Humphries | Marcin Gortat |
| Opp. Season | 21 | 9 | 30 | 20 | 23 |
| Orlando | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 205 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | 4.0 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 100.5 | ||||
| Team Pace | 95.89 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Elfrid Payton | Victor Oladipo | Tobias Harris | Aaron Gordon | Nikola Vucevic |
| Opp. Season | 16 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
Washington
The Wizards return four-fifths of their starting lineup this season. They did lose Paul Pierce, but Otto Porter has shown that he is more than capable of being a starting small forward in the NBA. Washington is a talented young team that is looking to take that next step this season. They finished in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings in 2014-15.
Orlando Magic Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.4 (23 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 105.2 (25 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: -1.7 (22 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 201.1 (23 of 32)
The Wizards draw a favorable fantasy matchup right out of the gate. Last season, the Magic were ranked 22nd or worse in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. Any way you slice it, the Magic present a favorable matchup for the Wizards. Washington has an implied team total of 104.5 points, which is tied for the third highest on the schedule.
The Magic may not play at the fastest pace (especially in the second half of the season last year), but if you look at their Defense vs. Position chart above, you will see a lot of green and blue. That means that we have favorable matchups to exploit. The Wizards talented backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal should both be able to get going tonight. Both players can fill up all areas of the the stat sheet. Otto Porter is priced in that same range that we saw Paul Pierce in last season, but he brings a little more to the table in terms of upside. As for the front-court, Marcin Gortat is the safest option here. The Magic do not defend rebound well and they struggled to contain opposing centers last season. Nene Hilario and Kris Humphries are best left on the bench at this point.
Elite Plays
John Wall
FD: $9,400 — DK: $9,000
Min/Game: 36.0 — Usage: 25.7
FD FP/Min: 1.08 — DK FP/Min: 1.18
Secondary Plays
Brad Beal
FD: $7,200 — DK: $6,100
Min/Game: 34.0 — Usage: 22.6
FD FP/Min: 0.75 — DK FP/Min: 0.87
Marcin Gortat
FD: $6,500 — DK: $6,300
Min/Game: 30.0 — Usage: 17.5
FD FP/Min: 0.90 — DK FP/Min: 0.96
Otto Porter
FD: $5,300 — DK: $4,600
Min/Game: 19.0 — Usage: 15.2
FD FP/Min: 0.64 — DK FP/Min: 0.76
Orlando
The Magic are hoping to do what their opponent – the Wizards – were able to do four or five years ago. Orlando is filled with young talent, they just need that time to develop both as a team and as individual players. The Magic will bring back their same starting five as last season, although Aaron Gordon will draw the start at small forward, moving Tobias Harris to power forward and Channing Frye to the bench.
Washington Wizards Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 97.8 (9 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 100.0 (5 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: 3.0 (3 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 189.6 (4 of 32)
While I am excited to watch this young team this season, I am not excited about their matchup on opening night. The Wizards were extremely stingy on the defensive side of the floor last season, ranking ninth or better in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. The Wizards played at an average pace and they arguably got even better defensively with Otto Porter starting at small forward.
With 14 games on the schedule, there are going to be teams that we just gloss over when building lineups tonight. The Magic are one of those teams. While I do like the upside that Elfrid Payton brings to the table, there are so many great point guard options available that he is a deep tournament play at best tonight. As soon as we see him in a favorable matchup though, we will unleash him in all league formats. Payton is a stat-stuffing machine that should have a terrific sophomore season.
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
Elfrid Payton
FD: $7,400 — DK: $6,900
Min/Game: 30.0 — Usage: 18.2
FD FP/Min: 0.84 — DK FP/Min: 0.90
Chicago at Brooklyn – 07:30 PM
- Vegas Line – Chicago -5, 195 Over/Under
- Chicago Proj. Starters – Rose-Butler-Snell-Mirotic-Noah
- Brooklyn Proj. Starters – Larkin-Ellington-Johnson-Young-Lopez
| Chicago | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 195 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | -5.0 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 100.0 | ||||
| Team Pace | 95.35 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Derrick Rose | Jimmy Butler | Tony Snell | Nikola Mirotic | Joakim Noah |
| Opp. Season | 15 | 24 | 8 | 28 | 16 |
| Brooklyn | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 195 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | 5.0 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 95.0 | ||||
| Team Pace | 94.97 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Shane Larkin | Wayne Ellington | Joe Johnson | Thaddeus Young | Brook Lopez |
| Opp. Season | 19 | 2 | 28 | 8 | 7 |
Chicago
The Bulls played last night, so we don’t really need to go over their changes in the offseason. However, if you didn’t read the Grind Down yesterday, we will quickly cover it here. The Bulls return a similar roster this season, although they have decided to start Nikola Mirotic at power forward over Joakim Noah. If last night was any indication, we can expect big things from him this season. Mike Dunleavy is still on the team, but he is out with a back injury.
Brooklyn Nets Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 100.9 (18 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 105.0 (24 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: -1.9 (23 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 202.1 (25 of 32)
The Bulls played well in last night’s win over the Cavaliers and they will look to start the season 2-0 with a win over the Nets. Typically, we are a little concerned with teams playing in back-to-backs, but this early in the season, it shouldn’t be an issue for any of the players. The Bulls draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Nets, who were a below average team defensively by most metrics last season.
The Bulls have an implied team total of 100 points tonight, which is right in the middle of the pack. Nikola Mirotic remains an elite fantasy option tonight. Despite some early foul trouble last night, he finished with 19 points and 9 rebounds in only 25 minutes of action. He will match up against Thaddeus Young, who has never been known as an elite defender. Jimmy Butler is a strong play at shooting guard, although he’s not a must with so many options at the position tonight. Tony Snell was quiet in the Bulls’ opener, but he still offers good value if he is going to see that type of playing time in Mike Dunleavy absence.
Elite Plays
Nikola Mirotic
FD: $5,500 — DK: $6,400
Min/Game: 20.0 — Usage: 23.1
FD FP/Min: 0.97 — DK FP/Min: 1.00
Secondary Plays
Pau Gasol
FD: $7,900 — DK: $8,000
Min/Game: 34.0 — Usage: 24.4
FD FP/Min: 1.15 — DK FP/Min: 1.21
Jimmy Butler
FD: $7,500 — DK: $7,600
Min/Game: 39.0 — Usage: 21.5
FD FP/Min: 0.90 — DK FP/Min: 0.96
Tony Snell
FD: $3,900 — DK: $3,000
Min/Game: 20.0 — Usage: 14.2
FD FP/Min: 0.54 — DK FP/Min: 0.56
Brooklyn
The Nets have a bit of a new look this season, as Deron Williams is now in Dallas. Jarrett Jack is expected to take over the starting point guard spot, but he is dealing with a hamstring injury that will keep him out of their season opener tonight against the Bulls. Shane Larkin will draw the start at point guard and if you know anything about daily fantasy basketball, you know how much we love finding value thanks to injuries.
Chicago Bulls Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 97.8 (9 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 101.5 (11 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: 2.3 (5 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 194.4 (13 of 32)
The Bulls return a similar cast of players and are projected to have a similar defense as last season. They were ranked above the league average in points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game. This is not the best matchup on the board and we can see in the Nets implied total only 95.0 points.
With a full slate and a bad matchup, this would typically be a nice spot to fade a team completely. However, we have to let pricing and opportunity dictate our decisions. As mentioned above, Jarrett Jack will not be able to start tonight, which means Shane Larkin will get the start at point guard. Donald Sloan may steal some minutes off the bench, but 30 minutes for Larkin is a pretty safe assumption. At his price point, he is an elite play tonight at point guard.
Elite Plays
Shane Larkin
FD: $4,500 — DK: $3,000
Min/Game: 25.0 — Usage: 13.7
FD FP/Min: 0.60 — DK FP/Min: 0.64
Secondary Plays
NONE
Philadelphia at Boston – 07:30 PM
- Vegas Line – Boston -11.5, 198 Over/Under
- Philadelphia Proj. Starters – Canaan-Stauskas-Sampson-Holmes-Noel
- Boston Proj. Starters – Smart-Bradley-Crowder-Lee-Zeller
| Philadelphia | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 198 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | 11.5 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 93.3 | ||||
| Team Pace | 98.28 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Isaiah Canaan | Nik Stauskas | JaKarr Sampson | Richaun Holmes | Nerlens Noel |
| Opp. Season | 22 | 3 | 17 | 19 | 21 |
| Opp. Last 7 | |||||
| Boston | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 198 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | -11.5 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 104.8 | ||||
| Team Pace | 98.40 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Marcus Smart | Avery Bradley | Jae Crowder | David Lee | Tyler Zeller |
| Opp. Season | 28 | 28 | 15 | 25 | 30 |
| Opp. Last 7 | |||||
Philadelphia
The Sixers seem to go into rebuilding mode every single season. They have gotten to the point where they are even trading their young, budding superstars away (see: Michael Carter-Williams). The Sixers open their season with quite a few injuries, as Joel Embid, Robert Covington, and Tony Wroten are all out for the foreseeable future. While they may not win many games in the early part of the season, they do offer nice value with backups having to step up and play significant minutes.
Boston Celtics Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.2 (21 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.1 (12 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: -0.9 (20 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 198.2 (18 of 32)
The Celtics were one of my favorite teams to target players against last season. While they weren’t terrible in terms of defensive efficiency, they played at one of the fastest paces of any team in the NBA. The more possessions that there are in a game, the more opportunities there are to score fantasy points. The Sixers are only projected to score 93.5 points tonight, but that production has to come from somewhere and we don’t really have to worry about the blowout factor here, as their young players should see minutes regardless of the game’s outcome.
A case can be made for all five Sixers’ starters tonight. Nerlens Noel was a fantasy beast last season thanks to his ability to rack up both steals and blocks. If he can stay out of foul trouble tonight, he could be in for a very nice fantasy outing against Tyler Zeller and the Celtics. Isaiah Canaan is projected to start at point guard and like Shane Larkin, he offers great value at his price point. He no longer has to worry about Ish Smith stealing his minutes in the backcourt.
Elite Plays
Nerlens Noel
FD: $7,500 — DK: $6,800
Min/Game: 31.0 — Usage: 17.3
FD FP/Min: 0.89 — DK FP/Min: 0.95
Isaiah Canaan
FD: $5,200 — DK: $4,200
Min/Game: 20.0 — Usage: 21.7
FD FP/Min: 0.73 — DK FP/Min: 0.82
Secondary Plays
Jakarr Sampson
FD: $4,000 — DK: $3,000
Min/Game: 15.0 — Usage: 17.8
FD FP/Min: 0.67 — DK FP/Min: 0.73
Nik Stauskas
FD: $3,800 — DK: $3,400
Min/Game: 15.0 — Usage: 14.1
FD FP/Min: 0.51 — DK FP/Min: 0.55
Boston
The Celtics return a year older and a year wiser. They have a lot of young talent on their team and they added a veteran in David Lee to be a leader in their locker room. Lee will step in as the starting power forward and if you remember, a short time ago, he was an All-Star. He should have a nice bounce back season under coach Brad Stevens. The biggest issue with the Celtics last season was their depth. They basically have two talented players at every single position, which makes predicting minutes tough on a nightly basis.
Philadelphia 76ers Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.0 (20 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.1 (12 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: -3.4 (29 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 206.1 (26 of 32)
On paper, the Celtics draw one of the best matchups on the board tonight. The Sixers are a young team that played at a fast pace last season. They were ranked 20th in points allowed per game, 29th in rebounding differential, and 26th in fantasy points allowed. The Celtics have an implied team total of 104.5 points, which is tied for the third highest on the schedule tonight. The main concern here is a potential blowout. The Celtics are favored by 11 points at home and I’ve already touched on how deep their bench is.
I’m going back and forth on which Celtics’ players are my favorite targets tonight. Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley are both in great matchups, but they have Isaiah Thomas playing behind them. He can take over a game at any time. Jae Crowder is also in a nice spot, but Evan Turner is capable of taking over a game as well. David Lee is probably my favorite play here, but with 14 games on the schedule, I am going to list the Celtics as secondary plays tonight.
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
Avery Bradley
FD: $6,000 — DK: $4,900
Min/Game: 32.0 — Usage: 21.0
FD FP/Min: 0.67 — DK FP/Min: 0.72
Marcus Smart
FD: $5,700 — DK: $4,700
Min/Game: 27.0 — Usage: 15.2
FD FP/Min: 0.69 — DK FP/Min: 0.74
David Lee
FD: $5,400 — DK: $5,400
Min/Game: 19.0 — Usage: 19.7
FD FP/Min: 0.95 — DK FP/Min: 0.88
Jae Crowder
FD: $4,600 — DK: $4,300
Min/Game: 20.0 — Usage: 17.4
FD FP/Min: 0.77 — DK FP/Min: 0.83
Utah at Detroit – 07:30 PM
- Vegas Line – Utah -1.5, 188.5 Over/Under
- Utah Proj. Starters – Neto-Hood-Hayward-Favors-Gobert
- Detroit Proj. Starters – Jackson-Caldwell-Pope-Morris-Ilyasova-Drummond
| Utah | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 188 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | -1.5 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 95.0 | ||||
| Team Pace | 92.78 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Raul Neto | Rodney Hood | Gordon Hayward | Derrick Favors | Rudy Gobert |
| Opp. Season | 3 | 12 | 13 | 27 | 29 |
| Detroit | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 188 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | 1.5 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 93.5 | ||||
| Team Pace | 95.18 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Reggie Jackson | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Marcus Morris | Ersan Ilyasova | Andre Drummond |
| Opp. Season | 4 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 1 |
Utah
The Jazz (my favorite team) are yet another team that is looking to take that next step this season. They have all the pieces to do so, as they have an All-Star in Gordon Hayward and a defensive anchor in Rudy Gobert. It sounds like the Jazz will start Raul Neto and Rodney Hood in the backcourt tonight against the Pistons, which would allow coach Quin Snyder to bring Trey Burke and Alec Burks off the bench.
Detroit Pistons Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 99.5 (14 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 104.2 (21 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: 0.8 (11 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 198.2 (20 of 32)
The Pistons picked up a surprising win over the Hawks in Atlanta last night. It will be interesting to see if Stan Van Gundy will be able to turn this team around. Looking at last season’s numbers, they were a middle of the pack defense, ranking 14th in points allowed per game and 21st in defensive efficiency. The Jazz have a low implied team total of 95.0 points, but that has more to do with their pace of play than it does the Pistons’ defense.
When it comes to the Jazz, there is basically one fantasy option that stands above the rest – Rudy Gobert. He is appropriately nicknamed the “Stifle Tower” and the “French Rejection,” but I personally like to say “Gobert or go home.” It’s hard to label anyone a must play on a night that features 14 games, but Gobert is a very strong option at center. He is one of the few players in the NBA that can give you double-digit fantasy points on blocks and steals alone. Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors are both secondary options tonight, while Rodney Hood makes for a nice tournament play.
Elite Plays
Rudy Gobert
FD: $8,300 — DK: $7,300
Min/Game: 26.0 — Usage: 14.0
FD FP/Min: 1.02 — DK FP/Min: 1.08
Secondary Plays
Gordon Hayward
FD: $7,400 — DK: $7,400
Min/Game: 34.0 — Usage: 26.1
FD FP/Min: 0.95 — DK FP/Min: 1.02
Derrick Favors
FD: $7,300 — DK: $7,200
Min/Game: 31.0 — Usage: 24.1
FD FP/Min: 1.02 — DK FP/Min: 1.07
Rodney Hood
FD: $4,200 — DK: $3,900
Min/Game: 21.0 — Usage: 19.6
FD FP/Min: 0.70 — DK FP/Min: 0.76
Detroit
We covered the Pistons’ offseason changes in yesterday’s Grind Down, but let’s quickly recap them for those of you that missed it. The Pistons lost Greg Monroe to the Bucks, but they acquired two new starters in Marcus Morris and Ersan Ilyasova – both of whom played very well last night. We also touched on Brandon Jennings injury that will likely keep him out until Christmas.
Utah Jazz Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 94.9 (1 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 102.1 (12 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: 4.8 (1 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 184.6 (1 of 32)
After the Pistons made quick work of the Hawks last night, my hope is that it will sway some ownership levels their way tonight. I will be pulling an all out fade of the Pistons here, as the Jazz were ranked first in points allowed per game, rebounding differential, and fantasy points allowed per game last season. The Jazz also played at one of the slowest paces of any team in the league. There is a reason why Vegas has the Pistons installed with an implied team total of only 93.5 points, which is the second lowest on the schedule tonight.
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
NONE
Charlotte at Miami – 07:30 PM
- Vegas Line – Miami -6, 192 Over/Under
- Charlotte Proj. Starters – Walker-Hairston-Batum-Zeller-Jefferson
- Miami Proj. Starters – Dragic-Wade-Deng-Bosh-Whiteside
| Charlotte | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 192 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | 6.0 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 93.0 | ||||
| Team Pace | 95.33 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Kemba Walker | P.J. Hairston | Nicolas Batum | Cody Zeller | Al Jefferson |
| Opp. Season | 9 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 10 |
| Miami | |||||
 | Vegas Total | 192 | |||
| Vegas Sprd | -6.0 | ||||
| Team Proj. | 99.0 | ||||
| Team Pace | 93.26 | ||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks and Projected Starters | |||||
| DvP Rks | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proj Starter | Goran Dragic | Dwyane Wade | Luol Deng | Chris Bosh | Hassan Whiteside |
| Opp. Season | 14 | 10 | 4 | 15 | 9 |
Charlotte
The Hornets took a step back last season, after a very impressive 2013-14 campaign. Lance Stephenson was never a good fit for this team and I expect much better chemistry now that he is gone. The Hornets picked up Nicolas Batum in the offseason, which should help bolster their defense and give them another perimeter scorer to clear the lane for Kemba Walker. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is out for the foreseeable future after having shoulder surgery. P.J. Hairston is tentatively expected to start in his place.
Miami Heat Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 97.3 (6 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 103.8 (19 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: -1.9 (23 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 188.9 (3 of 32)
The Hornets draw a difficult matchup in their season opener. The Heat were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA last season in terms of points allowed and fantasy points allowed per game. A large part of that was thanks to their pace of play. According to John Hollinger’s team efficiency statistics on ESPN, the Heat had the second slowest pace of any team in the NBA last season. This shows in the implied team total of the Hornets, as they are only projected to score 93.0 points tonight.
With the Heat returning all five of their starters from a season ago, we can expect them to be near the top of the defensive rankings again this year. If you look at the Defense vs. Position table above, you will see that the Heat were ranked tenth or better at defending all five positions on the floor in the 2014-15 season. That’s not a great recipe for fantasy success. Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson, and Nicolas Batum are all viable fantasy options moving forward, but I will be avoiding them tonight against the Heat.
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
Kemba Walker
FD: $7,200 — DK: $7,000
Min/Game: 34.0 — Usage: 25.9
FD FP/Min: 0.93 — DK FP/Min: 0.98
Miami
The Heat have a very talented starting five this season. With Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, and Hassan Whiteside, they could easily challenge for one of the top three or four seeds in the Eastern Conference. Their season is going to be defined by injuries, one way or another. Dragic, Wade, and Whiteside have all struggled to stay healthy in the last couple of seasons.
Charlotte Hornets Defense (2014-15)
Points Allowed Per Game: 97.3 (6 of 32)
Defensive Efficiency: 101.0 (9 of 32)
Rebounding Differential: 0.0 (14 of 32)
Fantasy Points Allowed per Game: 194.3 (12 of 32)
The Heat draw a difficult matchup against the Hornets in their season opener. The Hornets arguably got better defensively and they were ranked sixth in points allowed per game, ninth in defensive efficiency, and 12th in fantasy points allowed per game last season. Like the Heat, the Hornets played at a very slow pace, which hurt the fantasy appeal of their opponents. The Heat are sizable favorites tonight at home, but their implied team total is only 99.0 points.
There were times last season when all five starters were solid fantasy options. That usually came at a time when one, two, or three of the other starters were out with injuries though. I’m interested to see where the production will come from on this team, as all five starters are very capable of putting up big fantasy outings. Given the difficult matchup against the Hornets, I am going to take a wait and see approach with the Heat. However, do have my eye on Hassan Whiteside in tournaments.
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
Hassan Whiteside
FD: $7,700 — DK: $6,500
Min/Game: 24.0 — Usage: 20.6
FD FP/Min: 1.21 — DK FP/Min: 1.29