DFS Alerts
Joel Embiid (illness) questionable Monday; Raul Neto (illness) probable
Embiid missed shootaround and is now questionable for Monday’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons due to an illness, while Neto is also battling an illness and is probable for tonight’s contest. However, Neto was a DNP-CD in Saturday’s win and appears to have ceded the backup point guard role to Trey Burke for the time being. If Embiid is unable to suit up, Mike Scott would more than likely start alongside Al Horford in the frontcourt, and he’s averaged 22.5 minutes in his previous two spot starts with Embiid sidelined. Unsurprisingly, Horford and Tobias Harris have benefitted the most with Embiid off the court, as they each own a minimum of a +2.0% increase in usage rate and are averaging at least +0.19 fantasy points per minute over their normal season-long numbers.
As reported by: Serena Winters via Twitter Other tagged players: Raul Neto
Paul Millsap (knee) available to play Sunday
Millsap has officially been upgraded from questionable and is available to play in Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers despite dealing with a left knee contusion. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Millsap, so he’ll presumably be able to handle his usual minute allotment in the low to mid-20s in tonight’s contest, but it will keep Jerami Grant in a reserve role where he essentially splits the available power forward minutes with Millsap on most nights. Millsap had a rather sluggish start to the season, but he’s picked up recently and is currently averaging 0.99 DraftKings and 0.99 FanDuel points per minute on the year, making him a viable tournament target at his price tag across the industry.
As reported by: the Denver Nuggets via Twitter LeBron James (back) officially out Sunday; Anthony Davis (ankle) and Kyle Kuzma (ankle) will play
As expected, James won’t play in Sunday’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets due to a strained thoracic muscle, while Davis and Kuzma will play after originally being listed as probable with respective ailments. Head coach Frank Vogel still hasn’t confirmed who will replace James in the starting lineup, but Rajon Rondo appears to be the overwhelming favorite since he’s been serving as the backup point guard behind James and has already logged at least 25 minutes off the bench in three of the Lakers previous four games. Other than Rondo’s likely increased playing time, Davis and Dwight Howard are the main beneficiaries with James off the court, as they each see a minimum of a +5.9% increase in usage rate and are averaging at least +0.24 more fantasy points per minute over their typical season-long numbers.
As reported by: Kyle Goon via Twitter Other tagged players: Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma Domantas Sabonis (hip) available to play Sunday; Jeremy Lamb (groin) ruled out
Sabonis has officially been upgraded from questionable and will be available to play in Sunday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks despite dealing with a sore hip, while Lamb will miss a second straight game due to sore groin. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Sabonis, so he presumably should be able to handle his usual allotment of minutes in tonight’s contest. In Lamb’s absence, Aaron Holiday ended up receiving the start alongside Malcolm Brogdon in the backcourt, and he was mostly serviceable from a fantasy perspective in 30 minutes of action in Friday’s win. Somewhat surprisingly, Myles Turner has been an indirect beneficiary with Lamb off the court this season, as he owns a 20.7% usage rate, a 12.7% rebound rate, and is averaging 1.05 DraftKings and 1.06 FanDuel points per minute in a 241.5 minutes sample size.
As reported by: the Indiana Pacers via Twitter Other tagged players: Jeremy Lamb George Hill (thigh) and Wesley Matthews (thigh) available to play Sunday
Hill will be available to play in Sunday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers despite dealing with a right thigh contusion, while Matthews is also available after missing one game with a right thigh contusion. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Matthews in his likely return to the starting lineup, so he’ll presumably be fine to assume his typical allotment of minutes in tonight’s contest, and Ersan Ilyasova should head back to the bench to resume a reserve role following a mediocre fantasy performance in just over 19 minutes of action in Saturday’s win. Even if he’s a full-go, Matthews is a tough player to target in daily fantasy formats with his low-minute ceiling, and he is also only averaging 0.65 DraftKings and 0.63 Fanduel points per minute with Eric Bledsoe off the court this season.
As reported by: Matt Velazquez via Twitter Other tagged players: Wesley Matthews Patrick Beverley (groin) out Sunday
Beverley is a late scratch and will join Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers’ inactive list for Sunday’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a sore groin, while JaMychal Green was cleared to return but will have a minute restriction after missing seven games. Head coach Doc Rivers didn’t disclose who will replace Leonard or Beverley in the starting lineup, but Landry Shamet appears to be the likeliest candidate to start considering he started the last time Leonard was sidelined and has logged at least 21 minutes off the bench in three of the previous four games. Ever since Paul George made his Clippers debut in mid-November, he’s been the clear beneficiary with Leonard off the court, as he owns a 35.5% usage rate, a 27.0% assist rate, and is averaging 1.61 DraftKings and 1.50 FanDuel points per minute in a 255.6 minutes sample size.
As reported by: Andrew Greif via Twitter JaMychal Green (tailbone) will play with a minute restriction Sunday
Head coach Doc Rivers confirmed that Green will play in Sunday’s second leg of a back-to-back set against the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing the last seven games with a tailbone contusion, while Kawhi Leonard was already ruled out for injury management of his troublesome left knee. Rivers didn’t disclose who will replace Leonard in the starting lineup, but Landry Shamet appears to be the likeliest candidate considering he started the last time Leonard was sidelined and has logged at least 21 minutes off the bench in three of the previous four games. Ever since Paul George made his Clippers debut in mid-November, he’s been the clear beneficiary with Leonard off the court, as he owns a 35.5% usage rate, a 27.0% assist rate, and is averaging 1.61 DraftKings and 1.50 FanDuel points per minute in a 255.6 minutes sample size.
As reported by: Jovan Buha via Twitter Kawhi Leonard (knee) officially out Sunday; JaMychal Green (tailbone) questionable
As expected, Leonard won’t play in Sunday’s second leg of a back-to-back set against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to injury management for his troublesome knee, while Green is listed as questionable once again after missing the last seven games with a tailbone contusion. Head coach Doc Rivers hasn’t disclosed who will replace Leonard in the starting lineup, but Landry Shamet appears to be the likeliest candidate considering he started the last time Leonard was sidelined and has logged at least 21 minutes off the bench in three of the previous four games. Ever since Paul George made his Clippers debut in mid-November, he’s been the clear beneficiary with Leonard off the court, as he owns a 35.5% usage rate, a 27.0% assist rate, and is averaging 1.61 DraftKings and 1.50 FanDuel points per minute in a 255.6 minutes sample size.
As reported by: Sabreena Merchant via Twitter Other tagged players: JaMychal Green George Hill (thigh) listed questionable Sunday; Wesley Matthews (thigh) probable
Hill has been listed as questionable on the Bucks’ injury report for Sunday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers due to a right thigh contusion, while Matthews is probable after missing one game with a right thigh contusion as well. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Matthews in his likely return to the starting lineup, so he’ll presumably be fine to assume his typical allotment of minutes in tonight’s contest, and Ersan Ilyasova should head back to the bench to resume a reserve role following a mediocre fantasy performance in just over 19 minutes of action in Saturday’s win. Even if he’s a full-go, Matthews is a tough player to target in daily fantasy formats with his low-minute ceiling, and he is also only averaging 0.65 DraftKings and 0.63 Fanduel points per minute with Eric Bledsoe off the court this season.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Gordon Hayward (foot) out Sunday
Hayward has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Sunday’s matchup against the Boston Celtics due to left foot soreness that has now forced him to miss three games. With Hayward and Marcus Smart unavailable for Friday’s win, Semi Ojeleye ended up receiving the start at power forward once again and logged just over 18 minutes, but he gave way to rookie Grant Williams, who saw 30 minutes off the bench himself, for extended stretches of the contest. Other than the increased playing time for Williams, Ojeleye, and Brad Wannamaker, it’s been Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown that are the clear beneficiaries with both Hayward and Smart off the court, as they each see a minimum of a +4.2% increase in usage rate and average at least +0.17 more fantasy points per minute over their normal season-long numbers.
As reported by: Chris Forsberg via Twitter Sunday's Top Preferred Spend
Anthony Davis is easily Sunday’s top preferred spend with LeBron James expected to miss with a muscle strain. Davis had a bit of a slow start to the season sharing the court with LeBron but he’ll be the go to guy against the Nuggets and should see monster usage. In 270.3 minutes with James off the court this season, Davis has seen his usage rate jump to an otherworldly 38.1% (+7.6%) and he’s averaging over 10 more fantasy points per 36 minutes.
Salary Relief Option In Elite Spot
Let me preface by saying that with LeBron James out, both Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo become elite options. And with Kawhi Leonard expected out, Paul George becomes an elite option. You can even make a case Giannis is still in play on this slate despite the b2b. We’re going to need some salary relief to jam in the studs, and that’s where Daniel Theis comes in. He continues to be in a timeshare with Enes Kanter, but the matchup against the Hornets is a fantastic one. Charlotte continues to give up the most fantasy points to opposing centers, making this a dream matchup.
Good Ol’ Fashion Revenge
Paul George returns to OKC to face his former team in a #revenge game, but more importantly, does so without teammate Kawhi Leonard as Leonard is expected to rest. Per CourtIQ, when Leonard is off the court this season, George sees a +3.8% usage bump and averages 1.6 fantasy points per minute. The offense should flow through him here as George, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell all benefit greatly here.
Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) out Saturday
Towns has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Saturday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a sprained left knee that has now forced him to miss three games. In his absence, Gorgui Dieng has been filling in as the starting center, and he’s been relatively useful for fantasy purposes even though he has only logged 24 minutes in each of his aforementioned starts. With Towns remaining sidelined, there’s obviously a plethora of usage and production to go around in the first unit, and Andrew Wiggins leads the way with a 29.5% usage rate while Robert Covington is averaging a whopping 1.14 DraftKings and 1.15 FanDuel points per minute in a 220.8 minutes sample size with Towns off the court this season.
As reported by: Timberwolves PR via Twitter Mario Hezonja (back) available to play Saturday
Hezonja has officially been upgraded from questionable and is available to play in Saturday’s matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing one game due to back spasms, while Carmelo Anthony was already ruled out with a left knee contusion. Anthony sustained the aforementioned injury early in the second quarter of Friday’s win, and Anthony Tolliver went on to start the second half at power forward, accumulating 19 total minutes after logging just under seven minutes in the first half. Ever since Anthony made his Trail Blazers debut in mid-November, the trio of Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, and Kent Bazemore all have seen a minimum of a +3.1% increase in usage rate and are averaging at least +0.16 more fantasy points per minute over their typical season-long numbers with Anthony off the court.
As reported by: Jamie Hudson via Twitter