DFS Alerts
Through the Wire
We saw the rookie put out his last game posting a 24/7 performance against the Hawks. A matchup against the Jazz this time around isn’t nearly as good but JJR should see some increased run in JaMychal Green’s absence and he’s shown he’s not shy to let it fly. Jackson’s higher price tag on FanDuel should lead to single digit ownership whereas his more attractive tag on DraftKings may place him in the mid-teens.
More Minutes, More Points
Targeting players on or against the fastest paced team in the league is going to be a GPP strategy all season long and the Lakers are far and away the fastest paced team through two games. Kuzma’s playing time stands to benefit from Brandon Ingram’s suspension as he should see his minutes jump from 27 minutes-per-game into the low-to-mid 30’s. With a strong usage rate in the mid-20’s if Kuzma is able to be more aggressive on the boards he should easily exceed value at his mid-tier price tags.
Marcus Morris (knee) questionable Monday
Morris has officially been listed as questionable for Monday’s matchup with the Orlando Magic due to left knee soreness. The Celtics are already without Aron Baynes for tonight’s contest, so Daniel Theis could step into an even more prominent role in the backcourt rotation if Morris is ruled out closer to tipoff, opposed to only serving as the backup center. Boston has plenty of depth at the forward positions, so whatever extra playing time isn’t dispersed between Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown in this scenario would just trickle down to either Semi Ojeleye or Guerschon Yabusele at the end of Brad Stevens’ bench. Tatum has thrived in his new role as the primary power forward and also leads the Celtics with 32.2% usage rate with Morris and Baynes off the court this season, making him an elite play on FanDuel, where his price has been slow to adjust and remains significantly more affordable than DraftKings.
As reported by: Chris Forsberg via Twitter
Should See A Bump In Minutes
I said on the Morning Grind that tonight is the coming out party for Kyle Kuzma. Randle and Kuzma saw the two biggest bumps with Ingram off the floor last season, and I’m just hoping for a minutes bump for Kuzma tonight. He’s played 25 and 29 minutes in the first two games this season and has attempted 13 and 15 shots in those two games, but he’s 2-for-12 from three-point range. The shots are already up there for Kuzma, and if we add 4-8 minutes, we could see him approach 20 shots in this game. He’s not priced where he should be with Ingram off the floor, so I love the floor and upside in this matchup.
Harrison Barnes (hamstring) and Devin Harris (hamstring) will remain out for at least the next two games
Head coach Rick Carlisle Barnes confirmed with reporters following shootaround Monday morning that both Harrison Barnes and Devin Harris will remain sidelined for at least the next two games. This news is quite a turn of events for Barnes, who practiced in full on Friday and appeared close to making his season debut. In his absence, Dorian Finney-Smith will continue to start at small forward and has logged 30 minutes in both of his starts this season. J.J. Barea will also continue to have an increased role in the backcourt rotation with Devin Harris unavailable and has averaged 20.5 minutes off the bench through the first two games. On a separate note, rookie Luka Doncic is coming off of a stellar 36-minute performance on Saturday and will look to keep up his momentum in a pristine matchup with a Chicago Bulls squad that has played at the sixth-fastest pace and been the fifth-worst in defensive efficiency to begin the year.
As reported by: Eddie Sefko via Twitter Other tagged players: Devin Harris Andre Iguodala (calf) will play Sunday
As expected, head coach Steve Kerr confirmed with reporters during his pregame media availability that Andre Iguodala will play in Sunday’s matchup with the Denver Nuggets after missing one game due to left calf tightness. Kerr also verified that Shaun Livingston, who was listed as out on the latest version of the Golden State Warriors injury report with a left knee contusion, will not be available this evening. In his absence, Quinn Cook should absorb a majority of the backup guard minutes and could deserve consideration as a punt in tournaments on tonight’s abbreviated four-game slate.
As reported by: Mark Medina via Twitter Chris Paul suspended two games
Paul was handed down the lightest of the suspensions by the NBA, just two games, stemming from Saturday’s night’s altercation with Rajon Rondo and Brandon Ingram, who were suspended three and four games each, respectively. Paul’s suspension is the only news that affects tonight’s four-game slate, and his unavailability should allow Eric Gordon to draw the start at shooting guard alongside James Harden in the backcourt. While Gordon is typically a beneficiary of additional minutes and usage without Paul, it’s James Harden who typically sees a dramatic increase in his assist rate as the primary ballhandler, and is averaging 1.77 DraftKings and 1.76 FanDuel points per minute thus far, a massive +0.25 point increase over his seasons average.
As reported by: Adrian Wojnarowski via Twitter Shaun Livingston (knee) listed out Sunday
Livingston has been listed as out on the latest version of the Golden State Warriors injury report for Sunday’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets with a left knee contusion. There’s been no update on the status of Andre Iguodala, who missed the previous game with a calf injury, but he is not currently listed on the injury report, so it appears likely that he will play this evening. In Livingston’s absence, Quinn Cook should absorb a majority of the backup guard minutes and could deserve consideration as a punt in tournaments on tonight’s abbreviated four-game slate.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Russell Westbrook (knee) will start Sunday
Westbrook has officially been cleared to play by the Oklahoma City Thunder medical staff and will start in Sunday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings after missing each of the first two games rehabbing from an offseason knee procedure. He reportedly won’t be subject to a minute restriction, and his return to the lineup will send Dennis Schroder to the bench to assume the sixth-man role. This means that Terrance Ferguson will continue to start at the shooting guard spot, but he’ll likely give way to Schroder in crunch time and any time head coach Billy Donovan opts to utilize dual point guard lineups, limiting his minute floor on a nightly basis. The Kings have been one of the worst teams in the NBA in terms of defensive efficiency through the first week of the season, which presents an intriguing matchup for Westbrook, Paul George, and Steven Adams, who has traditionally been a better fantasy producer with Westbrook on the floor throughout his career.
As reported by: Royce Young via Twitter Larry Nance (ankle) available to play Sunday
Head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed with reporters during his pregame media availability that Larry Nance has been cleared to play and will make his season debut in Sunday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks after missing each of the first two games. Meanwhile, Sam Dekker is also available to play despite exiting Friday’s contest early, but he’ll see his role in the rotation diminished with all of the Cavaliers frontcourt players healthy. Even though Nance will be subject to an unspecified minute restriction, his presence in the on the bench should also demote Ante Zizic, who averaged 12 minutes per game over the first two contests, from the rotation entirely.
As reported by: Cayleigh Griffin via Twitter Fast Pace, Big Involvement
Regardless of if you think Trae Young went too early in the 2018 draft, it’s undeniable that he’s going to be a big contributor to the Atlanta Hawks offense this season. Young is hoisting up 16 shots per game in 33 minutes of playing time and has shown strong awareness on the court with a 27.3% assist rate. That type of involvement is huge for a team that has the second fastest pace early this season.
Will Barton (hip) listed out Sunday
Barton sustained a right hip injury during Saturday’s win and has officially been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup with the Golden State Warriors. He was carted off the court following the incident, so this update was ultimately expected, and the team is still awaiting MRI results to determine the severity of the injury. Torrey Craig or Juan Hernangomez are the leading candidates to replace Barton at small forward in the starting lineup, while Trey Lyles and Malik Beasley could also be in line for increased playing time off the bench. Craig is such a low-usage player that his presence in the starting unit would be the most beneficial to the remaining starters, and most notably Jamal Murray, who has recorded a 39.7% usage rate and averaged 1.29 DraftKings and 1.21 FanDuel points with Barton off the court this season, albeit a limited sample size thus far.
As reported by: T.J. McBride via Twitter No Westbrook, More Opportunities
Russell Westbrook continues to be out for the Thunder which filters his heavy usage onto guys like Paul George and Dennis Schroder. PG13 has a usage rate north of 36% through two games this year and still is priced a tad too low for his new role in a Westbrook-less offense. Usage aside, this is a good matchup for George against a Kings team that ranks dead last in defensive efficiency.
Love's Team
With LeBron living the life in LA the Cavs are now Love’s team. Love took one game to get back into shape and then absolutely dominated Minnesota with a 25/19 line. The matchup for Love is good on Sunday as he’ll square off against a fast paced Hawks team that is still thin in the frontcourt.
Cheap Starter In Good Spot
I’m not a Kent Bazemore truther, but he’s too cheap at his current price in a matchup against a poor Cavs team. We’ve seen the good and the bad from Bazemore in his first two games, but the upside is a 30-minute game if things fall right. He’s nabbed two steals in both of his first two games and isn’t a prolific scorer, but he can get hot from time to time. He’s a sneaky source of value.
