NBA Grind Down: Wednesday, October 29th
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.
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!
Lineups listed below may change throughout the day; for up-to-date starting lineups, check out our NBA Lineups Page!
Note: Any 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
Philadelphia at Indiana
- Vegas Line – Indiana -7, 189 Over/Under
- Philadelphia Proj. Starters – Wroten-McDaniels-Thompson-Noel-Sims
- Indiana Proj. Starters – Sloan-Stuckey-Miles-Scola-Hibbert
| Philadelphia | Indiana | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 189 |  | Vegas Total | 189 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 7.0 | Vegas Sprd | -7.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 91.0 | Team Proj. | 98.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 102.10 | Team Pace | 95.30 | |||||||||
| 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 | Michael Carter-Williams | K.J. McDaniels | Hollis Thompson | Nerlens Noel | Henry Sims | Proj Starter | George Hill | Rodney Stuckey | C.J. Miles | David West | Roy Hibbert | |
| Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Philadelphia
While last night was officially opening night of the NBA, tonight is the first real night of daily fantasy basketball as we have a full 12-game slate to look forward to. With such a large slate, we will try to cruise through the analysis for each team without leaving any important information out. Let’s get to the goods!
The Sixers open their season as seven point underdogs to the Pacers. You may be thinking that the Sixers must be improved if they are only seven point dogs to the Pacers, but that’s not the case. The Pacers are decimated with injuries. This is going to be another long season if you are a Sixers fan as their main goal is to develop their young talent.
Michael Carter-Williams will miss tonight’s game which means Tony Wroten will man the PG spot. He’ll be paired with rookie K.J. McDaniels, Hollis Thompson, Nerlens Noel, and Henry Sims to round out the starting five. The Sixers will be short-handed tonight which means we can expect big minutes from all five starters. While last season it was smart to avoid players against the Pacers, that’s not the case this year as most of their best defensive players are either hurt or not on the team anymore.
Prime Plays
Tony Wroten – Many experts have Donald Sloan as their favorite value play tonight, but for my money, I’ll side with Wroten. While he is a little more expensive than Sloan, he has a much higher ceiling. In spot starts last season, Wroten averaged 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. With Thaddeus Young gone, he’ll likely have to shoulder the load offensively until MCW comes back. Target Wroten in all league formats.
Secondary Plays
K.J. McDaniels – It’s always hard to predict how rookies will fare early in the season, but McDaniels has won the starting SG spot and he’s shown multiple facets of his game in the preseason. He’s a decent sleeper pick in tournaments.
Nerlens Noel – Noel is not the most polished offensive player, but he should average close to double-digit rebounds per game and he’ll likely invite players from all around the league to his block party. That said, he’s a GPP play until he proves otherwise.
Henry Sims – Sims is the one Sixers player that I would also consider in cash games. As a starter last season he averaged 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He should improve on those numbers this season.
Indiana
After losing in the Playoffs last year, I don’t think anyone could have predicted what the Pacers’ starting lineup would eventually look like on opening night. Lance Stephenson, Paul George, George Hill, and David West are all either hurt or on another team. Roy Hibbert is the only starter from last season that is going to play tonight. With all of the injuries, the Pacers will roll out a startling lineup of Donald Sloan, Rodney Stuckey, C.J. Miles, Luis Scola, and Roy Hibbert.
While stacking isn’t a successful strategy in daily fantasy basketball, tonight could be a great night to take a few Pacers players. Their prices do not match their expected level of production and they are facing the Sixers who had the worst defense in the NBA last season. The NBA is all about value and you’ll be hard-pressed to find better value plays than the Pacers’ starters tonight.
Prime Plays
Donald Sloan – George Hill and C.J. Watson are both out with injuries which means Sloan will be the starting PG on opening night for the Pacers. Rodney Stuckey should also see some work at PG, but there is really no one challenging Sloan for minutes. He’s minimum salary across the industry and should see 30+ minutes of action against a bad Sixers defense. He should easily pay off his salary with the potential for much more.
Luis Scola – Scola seems like he has been around forever, but he’s still producing at his old age. As a starter last season, he average 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. He’s expected to see all of the minutes that he can handle and should post a similar stat line tonight.
Secondary Plays
C.J. Miles – The only reason Miles is not a ‘prime play’ is because he is a scorer that doesn’t contribute much in terms of other fantasy production. He should get plenty of shots up against a bad defense though. Give Miles a small boost on DK with the three-point bonus.
Roy Hibbert – In addition to David West being out, it sounds like Hibbert’s backup Ian Mahinmi may also miss tonight’s game. Hibbert should be a lock for around 35 minutes against a weak Sixers defense.
Milwaukee at Charlotte
- Vegas Line – Charlotte -8, 192.5 Over/Under
- Milwaukee Proj. Starters – Knight-Dudley-Antetokounmpo-Parker-Sanders
- Charlotte Proj. Starters – Walker-Stephenson-Kidd-Gilchrist-Williams-Jefferson
| Milwaukee | Charlotte | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 192 |  | Vegas Total | 192 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 8.0 | Vegas Sprd | -8.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 92.3 | Team Proj. | 100.3 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.24 | Team Pace | 95.04 | |||||||||
| 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 | Brandon Knight | Jared Dudley | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Jabari Parker | Larry Sanders | Proj Starter | Kemba Walker | Lance Stephenson | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | Marvin Williams | Al Jefferson | |
| Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Milwaukee
The Bucks open their season in Charlotte as they take on the Hornets in what is expected to be one of the slower-paced games on the schedule. The Bucks have a new coach in Jason Kidd, but it already looks like we could see some inconsistent rotations much like the Larry Drew debacle last season. Brandon Knight and Larry Sanders should both be in the starting lineup, but we’ll have to wait and see who Kidd starts at the other three positions. Overall, this isn’t a great matchup as the Bobcats were one of the better defensive teams in the NBA last season.
Prime Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
Brandon Knight – Knight is likely the safest play on the Bucks tonight. His role is established and he may be the only Bucks player that doesn’t have someone currently challenging him for minutes. He’ll have a nice size advantage over Kemba Walker and owns a high floor thanks to his ability to contribute in multiple statistical categories.
Larry Sanders – When Sanders is healthy, he’s a high upside player that can really put up some big fantasy performances. He’s one of the league leaders in blocks per game and he’s a solid rebounder. I’ll likely use him in a few tournament lineups.
Charlotte
The Bobcats Hornets open their season up as 8 point favorites in a game that features a total of only 193 points. The Bobcats and Bucks were both two of the slower paced teams in the league last season which should lead to one of the lower scoring games of the night. Newly acquired Lance Stephenson will be in the lineup tonight and he’ll be joined by Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams, and Al Jefferson to round out the starting five. This is a decent matchup, but with 11 other games on the schedule, there aren’t any Hornets players that stand out as “must-plays.”
Prime Plays
Al Jefferson – The Bucks were one of the worst teams at defending opposing centers last season. While they will have Larry Sanders back, he’s more of a shot-blocker than a good defender. Jefferson is the best big man in basketball at using pump fakes to avoid his shot getting blocked and there’s no reason to think that Sanders is going to bite on quite a few of them tonight. Jefferson averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 assists last season and will be the focal point of their offense on opening night.
Secondary Plays
Kemba Walker – Walker is one of the more explosive PG’s in the NBA. He’s listed as a secondary play thanks to his big game potential, but I don’t love the matchup against Brandon Knight who is one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA.
Lance Stephenson – When a team acquires a new player in the offseason, I typically like to wait a few games in order to get a feel of their role in the offense. I’ll stick with that philosophy in cash games, but I do think Stephenson is worth a look in tournaments.
Brooklyn at Boston
- Vegas Line – Boston -1, 193 Over/Under
- Brooklyn Proj. Starters – Williams-Bogdanovic-Johnson-Garnett-Plumlee
- Boston Proj. Starters – Rondo-Bradley-Green-Sullinger-Olynyk
| Brooklyn | Boston | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 193 |  | Vegas Total | 193 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 1.0 | Vegas Sprd | -1.0 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 96.0 | Team Proj. | 97.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 94.59 | Team Pace | 95.30 | |||||||||
| 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 | Bojan Bogdanovic | Joe Johnson | Kevin Garnett | Mason Plumlee | Proj Starter | Rajon Rondo | Avery Bradley | Jeff Green | Jared Sullinger | Kelly Olynyk | |
| Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Brooklyn
After failing to live up to the lofty expectations last season, the Nets quietly enter this season with no pressure as no one is expecting this team to do much. They have a solid core group of players, but they are an aging team. Even their younger players Deron Williams and Brook Lopez seem a lot older than they actually are as both have dealt with numerous injuries throughout their careers. Speaking of a Lopez injury, he will miss the opener as he is dealing with a foot injury. The Nets are 1 point favorites tonight against the Celtics in a game that features a total of 193 points.
Prime Plays
Mason Plumlee – Plumlee will draw the start for Brook Lopez tonight and he’ll likely be asked to play a heavy dose of minutes as Kevin Garnett is really their only other talented big that can play center and he’s not going to play more than his usual 20-25 minutes a night. On a 36 minute basis last season, Plumlee averaged 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks per game. A stat line similar to that would be more than enough to pay off his cheap salary against a Celtics team that struggled against opposing centers last season.
Secondary Plays
Deron Williams – Williams is a very good PG when he is healthy and it appears that he is coming into the season healthier than he has been in a couple of years. We’ll have to see how his surgically-repaired ankles hold up, but he’s a decent option in the early going.
Boston
The Celtics open their season tonight at home. The Celtics were much better than most people expected them to be last season and most experts are expecting them to take a step forward this season. A lot of that is going to hinge on the health (and happiness) of their star PG Rajon Rondo. After hurting his hand in the offseason, his status for tonight’s game is still in jeopardy. If he is forced to sit out, Avery Bradley would likely assume the PG duties. In terms of the matchup, much is to be desired. The Nets were one of the slowest paced teams in the league last season and had one of the best defenses. That really limits the amount of exposure I want to have of the C’s tonight.
Prime Plays
Jared Sullinger – Sully has had a great preseason and many think he is primed for a breakout season. He’s coming off of a somewhat disappointing sophomore campaign, but he’s coming into this season healthy and he will be a focal point of this Celtics offense. His ability to score and rebound should make him a fan favorite of DraftKings players as he will consistently reach the double-double bonus. He seems a bit under-priced so I will be heavily targeting him tonight against a short-handed Nets frontcourt.
Secondary Plays
Kelly Olynyk – Olynyk will start at center for the Celtics this season. He’s one of the few bigs that has a well-rounded game. He can score, rebound, and is a great passer for a big man. Last season as a starter, he averaged 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game.
Washington at Miami
- Vegas Line – Miami -4.5, 190.5 Over/Under
- Washington Proj. Starters – Wall-Porter-Pierce-Gooden-Gortat
- Miami Proj. Starters – Cole-Wade-Deng-Williams-Bosh
| Washington | Miami | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 190 |  | Vegas Total | 190 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 4.5 | Vegas Sprd | -4.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 93.0 | Team Proj. | 97.5 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 95.33 | Team Pace | 95.83 | |||||||||
| 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 | Nene Hilario | Marcin Gortat | Proj Starter | Mario Chalmers | Dwyane Wade | Luol Deng | Josh McRoberts | Chris Bosh | |
| Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Washington
The Wizards will start their 2014-15 season off a bit short-handed. Bradley Beal is injured and will not play both Nene Hilario and Drew Gooden are suspended for the first game of the season. This should open up minutes for Otto Porter, Drew Gooden, and Kevin Seraphin. In terms of their matchup against the Heat, it’s not a great one. The Heat played at a very slow pace last season and will could even play at a slower pace after losing LeBron James who was a one-man fastbreak. On a full slate, there aren’t any Wizards players that really stand out tonight.
Prime Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
John Wall – Wall has a good track record against the Heat. He also has an ability to fill up multiple areas of the stat sheet. While he should play well, there is too much value at PG to spend up and take Wall in cash games.
Marcin Gortat – Gortat averaged 13 points and 13 rebounds against the Heat last season and there’s no reason to think he won’t have success against them again this year. Chris Bosh is just too small to keep Gortat out of the paint.
Otto Porter – Porter is expected to make leaps and bounds this season after a disappointing rookie season. He will likely get the start at SG tonight and could make for a nice contrarian play at SF.
Miami
The Heat went from championship favorites to a team that will be fighting for it’s playoff lives. It’s incredible how much of a difference a single player can make. The good news for the Heat is that they will actually be relevant in daily fantasy leagues this season. Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade are both expected to pick up the slack offensively. They will be joined by Norris Cole, Luol Deng, and possibly Shawne Williams in the starting lineup.
Prime Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
Chris Bosh – Targeting bigs against the Wizards isn’t something that I typically like to do, but Bosh is one of the few big men that play outside-in. Marcin Gortat will have a tough time defending him on the perimeter and in pick and rolls. With an increased role in the offense, Bosh in an interesting option tonight considering his cheap price tag.
Dwyane Wade – It will be interesting to see how D-Wade fares without his sidekick LeBron James. While he isn’t a recommended option in season long leagues due to his constant array of injuries, he should have a much better season statistically. He’s looked good in the preseason and makes a nice tournament play on both DK and FD.
Atlanta at Toronto
- Vegas Line – Toronto -4.5, 200.5 Over/Under
- Atlanta Proj. Starters – Teague-Korver-Carroll-Millsap-Horford
- Toronto Proj. Starters – Lowry-DeRozan-Ross-Johnson-Valanciunas
| Atlanta | Toronto | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 200 |  | Vegas Total | 200 | |||||||
| Vegas Sprd | 4.5 | Vegas Sprd | -4.5 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 98.0 | Team Proj. | 102.5 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 97.43 | Team Pace | 95.37 | |||||||||
| 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 | Jeff Teague | Kyle Korver | DeMarre Carroll | Paul Millsap | Al Horford | Proj Starter | Kyle Lowry | DeMar DeRozan | Terrence Ross | Amir Johnson | Jonas Valanciunas | |
| Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Opp. Last 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Atlanta
The Hawks are hoping to take a step forward this season after almost pulling off the upset against the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs last season. The biggest news in Atlanta is the return or Al Horford after he missed the majority of last season with a torn pec. Horford hasn’t looked great in the preseason though and it will likely take him a few weeks of action before he gets back to playing at a high level. The Hawks open their season against the Raptors who had a top five defense last season. There are few fantasy options that catch my eye here. Jeff Teague will be stuck in a tough matchup against the great defender that is Kyle Lowry and it’s hard to trust either DeMarre Carroll or Kyle Korver on the wing.
Prime Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays
Paul Millsap – Until Horford gets back to the level of play that we have come to expect from him over the years, Millsap will likely shoulder the load offensively. He’s coming off of a career year in which he averaged 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block per game.
Toronto
The Raptors have extremely high hopes for this season after being knocked out by the Nets in a tough 7-game series. Those two teams are trending in opposite directions though as the Raptors should once again contend for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs in the East. The Raptors are one of the few teams that enter the season at full strength. They will roll out the same starting five as last season: Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross, Amir Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas. Tonight sets up well for the Raptors as they face a fast-paced Hawks team in a game that features a total of 200.5 points.
Prime Plays
Kyle Lowry – Lowry is one of the few PG’s in the NBA that has triple-double type of potential. For a small guy, he does everything well, including rebounding. Last season he averaged 18 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He has looked sharp in the preseason and should be ready to roll for their opener against the Hawks who did not defend the PG position well last season. Look for Lowry to have a solid all-around effort tonight with the potential to get you the double-double or even the triple-double bonus on DK.
Secondary Plays
DeMar DeRozan – DeRozan is coming off of a career season in which he averaged 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. We’d like him to contribute a little more in the statistical categories other than scoring, but he’s a safe option at SG in the Raptors opener.
Jonas Valanciunas – Big Val is expected to have a breakout season. The talented young center showed flashes of brilliance last season, but failed to provide consistent output. He’s a double-double threat every night which boosts his value on a site like DK that has the milestone bonuses.