NBA Starting 5: Tuesday, December 27th
The Starting 5 Series will provide Grinders a quick look at the day’s top positional plays, analyzed through the lens of our Daily Research Tools.
Today we’re going to take a look at Defense vs Position over the past four weeks to help identify today’s top plays on FanDuel. We have only four games on tonight’s slate, so we’re going to have to be much more lenient with our requirements, and it’s possible we may have to target a player that doesn’t have a matchup that’s as favorable as we would like. Let’s dig in and see what we come up with.
Point Guard: Shelvin Mack, Utah Jazz, $4,700
Mack draws a very favorable matchup with a Lakers team that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards over the past four weeks. With both George Hill and Dante Exum out, Mack should play well over 30 minutes. With Los Angeles pacing up the Jazz and providing little resistance on the defensive end, it’s hard to imagine Mack not paying off his cheap $4700 price tag. He’ll likely be a popular value option on tonight’s small slate, and while we can certainly play the fade in tournaments due to ownership, I would not recommend that strategy in cash games.
Shooting Guard: Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz, $4,800
Hood had been dealing with an illness, which explains the recent low minutes, but he should be good to go tonight for a plus matchup against the Lakers. Los Angeles has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards over the past four weeks, and with George Hill and Dante Exum out, Hood should be in line for a heavy workload. He’s extremely cheap at just $4800, and should have no trouble reaching value. Plus, his salary provides the necessary cap relief you need to get Russell Westbrook in your lineups tonight.
Small Forward: Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz, $7,800
Jazz night rolls on as we see that the Lakers rank second to last against opposing small forwards over the past four weeks. Hayward continues to take on a heavy role on the offensive end with starting point guard George Hill out, making him a top play tonight at a tough position. Hayward contributes across the board, and in a pace up matchup against a poor defensive opponent, he has an excellent chance of posting a big game. His high floor makes him a must in cash games, and his high ceiling gives him plenty of tournament appeal as well.
Power Forward: Enes Kanter, Oklahoma City Thunder, $5,500
Power forward is a very tough position tonight. The two most expensive options, Ryan Anderson and Julius Randle, draw the worst DvP matchups for power forwards. Amir Johnson, who has been good lately but can bust at any time, draws a similarly difficult matchup against Memphis. Houston ranks dead last over the past four weeks, but Dirk Nowitzki has played less than 20 minutes the past two games, so he’s not an option either. The same is true of Derrick Favors. We’re essentially left with Kanter, who has been playing very well and has seen a significant uptick in minutes over the past three games. Miami ranks a middling 14th against opposing power forwards over the past four weeks, which, while not ideal, is more than good enough considering how shallow the position is tonight.
Center: Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz, $7,900
Rostering four Jazz players is certainly a viable option tonight as Rudy Gobert draws the same favorable matchup against the Lakers. Los Angeles is allowing the second most fantasy points per game to opposing centers over the past four weeks while Gobert has been extremely consistent. With Derrick Favors only playing around 15 minutes and Boris Diaw and Trey Lyles offering no consistency, Gobert has increased his offensive output while dominating the glass and racking up blocks. I think it’s very likely he eclipses 40 fantasy points tonight, and he’s a cash game lock for me tonight.