NBA Tournament Plays: Friday, Dec 19th
Happy Friday RotoGrinders Nation! It’s been a coon’s age since I’ve written an article for the main page, so I am super excited to be writing one for this glorious mid-December Friday.
We’re jam-packed with big tournaments across the industry today, and there are a lot of boom-or-bust GPP plays out there. Let’s take a gander at some of the guys I have my eye on for these big tournaments tonight.
POINT GUARD
Chris Paul – Paul broke out of a mini-slump with a huge game on Wednesday, and maybe that’s what he needs in order to get going. The masses will be on Russell Westbrook tonight against the Lakers, with Durant likely out and the matchup being golden. If you want to fade the herd in a tournament game, Paul is a logical pivot for a slightly cheaper price. The Clippers’ contest against Denver should be played at a very fast pace, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Paul put up 50+ fantasy points again this evening.
Aaron Brooks – Derrick Rose is ill and did not make the trip to Memphis, which means it will be the Kirk Hinrich and Aaron Brooks show at the point guard spot for the Bulls. Brooks played very well in 25 minutes off the bench last night, and playing off the bench isn’t necessarily a bad thing here. Brooks will draw more of his minutes against backup PG Beno Udrih and his awful defense, while Hinrich will draw the tough defense of Mike Conley. Brooks is a high-upside value pick tonight.
SHOOTING GUARD
Kobe Bryant – This pick is more on the lines of the Narrative Street mold, but you can’t deny that Kobe Bryant gets up for these big-time games on national TV against the star-studded teams. Even though Kevin Durant may not play, I still expect Kobe to bring his A game this evening to take on Russell Westbrook and the Thunder. Bryant won’t be afraid to shoot the ball 30 times in this game, and if his shot is falling he could be one of the highest scoring fantasy contributors of the evening. There’s big time “boom” potential here.
Arron Afflalo – I love targeting wing players against the Clippers, so I decided to write up Afflalo in this piece. You could definitely make a case for Wilson Chandler too, but I like Chandler as more of a cash game play tonight. Afflalo has been playing much better over the past few weeks, and he’s always been one of the streakier performers in the league. It certainly isn’t a sexy pick, but there’s no reason to fear the defense of J.J. Redick or Jamal Crawford. Afflalo should continue his recent surge on this Friday.
SMALL FORWARD
Jeff Green – With the trade of Rajon Rondo to Dallas, others in the offense will have to step up and make things happen, especially if Marcus Smart is not yet ready for a full complement of minutes. Green is the best pure scorer on the team, and he’s one of just a few guys on the team that can create his own shot. The matchup is a solid one tonight against an up-tempo Minnesota team that doesn’t play exceptional defense. He’s scoring dependent, but he is a great GPP option this evening.
Perry Jones – If Kevin Durant sits out this evening, a few plays open up for the Thunder. Obviously, Westbrook will lead the offense. Perry Jones started the second half in Durant’s place last night and played 19 minutes on the night. We saw him have some explosive games earlier in the year when Durant was out, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see another against the Lakers this evening. Keep an eye on the news and feel free to fire him up if Durant is out, especially on DraftKings where his price is just $3,000.
POWER FORWARD
Pau Gasol – The logical reaction is to see the matchup against Memphis and simply pass on Gasol this evening. However, with Derrick Rose out, Taj Gibson questionable, and Joakim Noah playing his first back-to-back set since returning, the Bulls will lean on Gasol tonight. Even in the tough matchup against the Memphis frontcourt, we saw Tim Duncan put up big numbers for the shorthanded Spurs on Wednesday. I expect a similar performance out of Gasol tonight. The price tag and matchup will keep most gamers away.
Cody Zeller – He played on Wednesday despite a broken nose and had his best game of the past couple of weeks. Despite some recent struggles, the Hornets know that Zeller is their most talented player at the position. He’s had some big games this year, and the matchup sets up well for another one as the Hornets draw Philadelphia tonight. Throw in Zeller’s very reasonable price tag across the industry and you have a solid value option.
CENTER
Nikola Vucevic – Nikola Vucevic had a great start to the season derailed by back woes a couple weeks ago, but he now appears fully healthy and locked into his regular 35 minute role for the Magic. The offense runs through him, and let’s not forget that he’s had some mammoth games already this season, highlighted by a 33 point, 17 rebound game against the Heat. He had a solid double-double in his last outing and should play well tonight against a Utah team that struggles to cover quality big men.
Enes Kanter – On the other side of the matchup, I don’t mind targeting Kanter as a tournament play this evening, too. He has been remarkably consistent with at least 20 fantasy points in nine consecutive games, and the Jazz will need his presence to compete in this game. He is never a popular pick with DFS players because he’s burned us all in the past, but it appears that he is becoming a better all-around player. Give him a look as a boom or bust tournament option at a mid-level price tag tonight.