DFS Alerts
Luke Kornet (ankle) officially out Saturday; Daniel Gafford will start
As expected, Kornet has officially been downgraded from doubtful and won’t play in Saturday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns due to a sprained left ankle, while Wendell Carter Jr. remains sidelined with a sprained right ankle and is still without a firm timetable for a return. With Kornet unavailable, the Bulls are now even more shorthanded than they were in Thursday’s loss, which means that Gafford will be called upon to handle to the starting center duties after logging just over 16 minutes off the bench in his last time out. Kornet only accrued 15 minutes before exiting early in the fourth quarter of the aforementioned contest, so his playing time should be distributed amongst the Bulls two active centers in Gafford and Christiano Felicio, whereas any vacant non-center minutes should trickle down to the likes of Ryan Arcidiacono and Shaquille Harrison this evening.
As reported by: Tony Gill via Twitter Other tagged players: Daniel Gafford
Ben Simmons (back) available to play Saturday
As expected, Simmons has been upgraded from probable and will be available to play in Saturday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks after missing one game due to lower back tightness. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Simmons, so he should assume his usual starting point guard role and be fine to handle his normal minute allotment in tonight’s contest. In his absence, Raul Neto ended up receiving the starting nod at point guard, but he was rather disappointing for fantasy purposes despite logging over 28 minutes of action in Thursday’s win. In fact, Neto was thoroughly outplayed by Alec Burks in his 29 minutes off the bench, which will more than likely lead to Neto being relegated out of head coach Brett Brown’s rotation for the foreseeable future as long as the Sixers remain somewhat healthy at the backcourt positions. Simmons isn’t priced at a discount on daily fantasy sites, but he’s always in consideration for tournament formats since he has a 20.9% usage rate, 33.7% assist rate, and is averaging 1.18 DraftKings and 1.19 FanDuel points per minute on the season thus far.
As reported by: Keith Pompey via Twitter Superstar In Smash Spot
I know this is sort of a no-brainer call with Doncic facing the Hawks, who are 6th in pace and have been a fantasy goldmine for opposing players. We also have the Doncic vs Young narrative going on tonight. But the real appeal to me for Doncic is his price tag and the potential usage bump should Kristaps Porzingis rest on this back-end of a B2B. Per CourtIQ when Kristaps is out, Doncic has a team-high 39.3% usage rate and averages 1.76 fantasy points per minute. Even if Porzingis suits up, it would not shock me if his minutes were at least monitored or potentially scaled back. There are a ton of point guard options to choose from today, but Luka is my favorite at the high end.
Rebound Spot For Center
Recency bias should have everyone off Allen, who played just 13 minutes last game and finished with two rebounds and two turnovers. Yes, recency bias sucks, but I’m trying to overcome it tonight as I like Allen to rebound from his dud. His price around the industry is very fair, and he’s especially tempting on DraftKings where his price dropped $800. The matchup against Joel Embiid last game was not favorable for him, as DeAndre Jordan was called on to play 37 minutes and started the second half over Allen. With the Hornets more willing to play small (they used the 6’7’‘ P.J. Washington at center last game), this should be a better matchup for Allen. I’m not saying you need to go crazy with your Allen exposure, but I can see routes to success for him at this price tag.
Will Barton (knee) available to play Friday
Barton has officially been upgraded from questionable and will be available to play in Friday’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing four games due to right knee inflammation. Meanwhile, Michael Porter Jr. and Mason Plumlee are also set to return from extended absences because of their respective ailments, which puts the Nuggets’ rotation at full strength for the first time in quite a while. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Barton, so he should assume his usual starting small forward role and be fine to handle his normal allotment of minutes in tonight’s contest. Barton may be priced too high on daily fantasy sites with the Nuggets now healthy, but he can always be considered in tournament formats since he as a 20.1% usage rate and is averaging 0.96 DraftKings and 0.95 FanDuel points per minute on the season thus far.
As reported by: Mike Singer via Twitter Deandre Ayton (ankle), Dario Saric (ankle), and Aron Baynes (hip) available to play Friday
As expected, Ayton, Saric, and Baynes have been upgraded from probable and will play in Friday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors despite dealing with their respective ailments, while Elie Okobo remains probable with a sprained left ankle. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Ayton, so he’ll assume his usual starting center role and should be fine to handle a normal minute workload in tonight’s contest. However, given the length of Baynes and Saric’s absences, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if head coach Monty Williams opts to ease them back into action with Mikal Bridges still receiving the starting nod at point guard this evening. Even if Baynes and Saric are limited, it will be tough to trust any of the Suns’ frontcourt pieces in any daily fantasy formats on a sizable nine-game slate.
As reported by: Gina Mizell via Twitter Other tagged players: Dario Saric, Aron Baynes T.J. Warren (back) will play Friday
Warren has officially been upgraded from questionable and will play in Friday’s matchup against the New York Knicks despite dealing with a sore lower back, while Edmond Sumner will also be available to play after being listed as questionable with a sore left hip. Sumner has been out of the regular rotation for quite some time, so his availability means essentially nothing to the remaining backcourt members. However, there also haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Warren, which means he should be fine to assume his usual starting small forward role and handle a normal allotment of minutes in tonight’s contest. Warren may be priced too high on daily fantasy sites with the Pacers at full strength, but he can always be considered in tournament formats since he as a 22.9% usage rate and is averaging 0.88 DraftKings and 0.89 FanDuel points per minute on the season thus far.
As reported by: J. Michael via Twitter Patrick McCaw (illness) listed out Friday
As expected, McCaw has been downgraded from doubtful on the latest Raptors injury report and won’t play in Friday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns due to an illness, while Norman Powell and Marc Gasol remain sidelined with their respective ailments, the latter still being a ways away from a return to game action. McCaw has largely been in a reserve role and playing anywhere between mid-teens and low-20s minutes off the bench of late, which means that his vacated playing time should be absorbed mostly by the starters and Terence Davis, whereas Matt Thomas is a candidate to step into the rotation to absorb a minimal role in the second unit as well. Davis isn’t exactly priced down on daily fantasy sites, but he could be a viable tournament option on a nine-game slate since he is averaging 1.09 DraftKings and 1.02 FanDuel points per minute with McCaw, Powell, and Gasol off the court this season.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Thomas Bryant (foot) and Ian Mahinmi (foot) will play Friday
Bryant has officially been upgraded from questionable and will play in Friday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing four games due to right foot soreness, while Mahinmi will also play despite originally being listed as questionable on the Wizards’ injury report with right foot soreness. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for either big man, but it’s certainly possible that head coach Scott Brooks and the training staff opt to ease Bryant back into action given his inability to stay healthy this season. However, Mahinmi should be fine to handle his usual minute allotment as the starting center in tonight’s contest, though his range of outcomes is certainly more variable with another body available off the bench in Brooks’ frontcourt rotation.
As reported by: Chase Hughes via Twitter Other tagged players: Ian Mahinmi Elfrid Payton (ankle) out Friday; Wayne Ellington (ankle) available to play
Payton has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Friday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers due to a sore right ankle, while Ellington will be available to play despite dealing with a sprained right ankle. The previous two times Payton has been sidelined, Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr. have alternated starts at point guard, but considering Ntilikina was also unavailable for game Smith received the starting nod, it appears that he would be the likeliest candidate to join RJ Barrett in the backcourt this evening. Obviously, the combined absence of Payton and Marcus Morris should enable Barrett and Julius Randle to absorb a larger portion of the usage available in the first unit, but Ntilikina has still benefitted the most with the aforementioned duo off the court, as he has a 19.6% usage rate, 27.5% assist rate, and is averaging 0.89 DraftKings and 0.88 FanDuel points per minute in a 368.6 minutes sample size.
As reported by: NY_KnicksPR via Twitter Other tagged players: Wayne Ellington D.J. Augustin (knee) available to play Friday
Augustin has officially been upgraded from questionable and will be available to play in Friday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks after missing the previous 15 games due to bone irritation in his left knee. Head coach Steve Clifford didn’t specify with reporters at shootaround if Augustin will have a set minute restriction, but he did say that the team plans to ease him back into action. The return of Augustin to the second unit will probably affect the playing time of Michael Carter-Williams, Terrence Ross, and James Ennis III from the outset, and eventually could even push one of them, most likely Carter-Williams, from the rotation entirely in the near future.
As reported by: Dante Marchitelli via Twitter Eric Gordon (leg) officially out Thursday
As expected, Gordon has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Thursday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors due to a left lower leg contusion that has now forced him to miss three games. In his absence, Danuel House Jr. and Robert Covington have remained in the starting lineup at the forward positions, and they both were extremely serviceable for fantasy purposes in a minimum of 38 minutes of action in last Thursday’s win. However, Jeff Green and DeMarre Carroll will be available to make their Rocket debuts in tonight’s contest, so it remains to be seen how their presence on the bench affects head coach Mike D’Antoni’s rotations moving forward. Covington appears to have the more secure minute floor than House after logging at least 35 minutes in each of the previous two games, and he has averaged 0.97 DraftKings and 0.99 FanDuel points per minute since being traded to Houston prior to the deadline, keeping him firmly in consideration for all daily fantasy formats on a six-game slate.
As reported by: Craig Ackerman via Twitter De'Andre Hunter (ankle) and Kevin Huerter (illness) will play Thursday
Hunter has officially been upgraded from questionable and will play in Thursday’s matchup against the Miami Heat after tweaking his right ankle during Wednesday’s practice, while Huerter will also be available to play following his earlier probable designation due to the effects from an allergic reaction. Head coach Lloyd Pierce admitted to reporters at Hawks shootaround this morning that Hunter’s injury is nothing serious, so he should be fine to assume his usual starting small forward role and handle a typical allotment of minutes since there haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for either Hunter or Huerter this evening.
As reported by: Sarah K. Spencer via Twitter Other tagged players: Kevin Huerter Ben Simmons (back) out Thursday
Simmons has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Thursday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets due to lower back tightness. The Sixers only have a one-game sample size utilizing their new-look starting lineup and rotation, so it’s a bit difficult to predict who will start at point guard with Simmons unable to suit up, but either way, Alec Burks should step into an expanded role since he and Josh Richardson handled all of the ball-handling responsibilities when Simmons was on the bench in last Tuesday’s win. However, it is possible that either Raul Neto or Shake Milton takes on a minimal role in the second unit to help compensate for the loss of Simmons’ playmaking ability. It comes as no surprise that Joel Embiid and Al Horford have benefitted the most with Simmons off the court, as they each own a minimum +4.3% increase in usage rate and are averaging at least +0.10 more fantasy points per minute over their normal season-long numbers.
As reported by: Keith Pompey via Twitter Eric Gordon (leg) unlikely to play Thursday
Gordon is still technically listed as questionable, but during an afternoon radio interview, head coach Mike D’Antoni disclosed that Gordon is unlikely to play in Thursday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors due to a left lower leg contusion that has already forced him to miss two games. In his absence, Danuel House Jr. and Robert Covington have remained in the starting lineup at the forward positions, and they both were extremely serviceable for fantasy purposes in a minimum of 38 minutes of action in last Thursday’s win. Covington appears to have the more secure minute floor off the two after logging at least 35 minutes in each of the previous two games, and he has averaged 0.97 DraftKings and 0.99 FanDuel points per minute since being traded to Houston prior to the deadline, keeping him firmly in consideration for all daily fantasy formats on a six-game slate.
As reported by: Adam Wexler via Twitter