DFS Alerts
Still Time to Buy this Center on the Cheap
I play Marcin Gortat more than most, but I am very selective about when I target him. If it’s not Polish Heritage night, I tend to only target Gortat when he is facing a traditional center. That’s the case tonight, as he will square off against Andre Drummond. In their last five meetings, Gortat has averaged over 30 minutes and over 30 fantasy points per game. His price is reasonable across the industry and he should come at fairly low ownership.
D'Angelo Russell (knee contusion) available to play Friday
Russell has been cleared to play and will suit up for tonight’s game against the Miami Heat after previously being listed as probable on the Brooklyn Nets’ injury report with a left knee contusion he sustained while recovering from his November knee surgery. Russell hasn’t been given an official minute restriction, but head coach Kenny Atkinson did convey that the team expects to build up his minutes gradually and was noncommittal on whether Russell would start right away, meaning he shouldn’t be expected to play anywhere close to his normal minute allotment in his first game back. Spencer Dinwiddie has been excellent as the starting point guard in Russell’s absence and it’ll certainly be interesting to see if Atkinson opts to utilize a two-point guard starting lineup once Russell is back to full strength. Caris Levert and Allen Crabbe were also tertiary beneficiaries in terms of usage and minutes while Russell was sidelined and it’s likely their fantasy value begins to diminish as Russell’s playing time increases over the coming games.
As reported by: Tom Lorenzo via Twitter
Marc Gasol (illness) expected to play Friday; Brandan Wright (illness) likely doubtful
Gasol participated in shootaround this morning and is expected to play in tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings after previously being listed as questionable on the Memphis Grizzlies’ injury report with an illness that has forced him to miss one game. Meanwhile, Brandan Wright was not present at shootaround and appears likely doubtful to suit up for Friday’s contest, despite his current questionable designation on the injury report. The Grizzlies are already without Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons, and James Ennis, and with Wright looking unlikely to play, Deyonta Davis will be locked in as the team’s primary backup behind Gasol at center, though he had seemingly surpassed Wright in the rotation anyway. Memphis has yet to provide an update on Andrew Harrison, who remains questionable with a left shoulder injury, and if he were to be ruled out, there would be a plethora of playing time available on the wing for Dillon Brooks and Wayne Selden, while Ben McLemore would likely absorb some of the unclaimed minutes as well.
As reported by: Michael Wallace via Twitter Other tagged players: Brandan Wright Avery Bradley (groin), Reggie Bullock (illness), Luke Kennard (thumb), and Stanley Johnson (hip) “50/50” to play Friday
Bradley, Kennard, and Johnson went through shootaround this morning and are “50/50” to play in tonight’s game against the Washington Wizards, according to head coach Stan Van Gundy, and all three are currently listed as questionable on the Detroit Pistons’ injury report with their respective ailments. Meanwhile, Reggie Bullock was not present at Friday’s shootaround and appears to be on the wrong side of questionable due to a bout of bronchitis, despite Van Gundy also calling him “50/50” to play this evening. Van Gundy seemed optimistic on all four wing players being cleared and available to play, though that remains to be seen, as Kennard was a DNP-CD on Wednesday, despite being active, and Johnson has been sidelined for eight of the last nine games with a strained right hip flexor. Johnson and Reggie Jackson have jointly missed eight games, and in those contests, Kennard and Anthony Tolliver have both averaged north of 20 minutes per game, while Dwight Buycks has displaced Langston Galloway as the primary backup behind Ish Smith at point guard.
As reported by: James Edwards III via Twitter Other tagged players: Reggie Bullock, Luke Kennard, Stanley Johnson Arrow Pointing Straight Up
Speaking of uncomfortable risk/reward plays, enter Willie Cauley-Stein. He is never a safe play because we have no idea what the Kings will do with their big men, but Cauley-Stein appears to be exempt from the inconsistent rotations. He is really opening eyes this season, and his stats have gradually increased over each of the last three months, from his scoring to his rebounding to his minutes per game. His arrow is clearly pointed upward, and his presence should be needed against Memphis. He also gets a boost if Marc Gasol happens to be out or limited, but I am willing to play him in tournaments regardless of the Memphis big man’s status.
Cleaning the Glass
Myles Turner has already been ruled out for the Pacers again tonight, which should give Domantas Sabonis an opportunity to pick up heavy minutes once again in the frontcourt. He is averaging 29 minutes per game over the last five contests, and he has snagged 11 rebounds per game in that span. His offense is the wild card factor, as he isn’t generally known for his scoring. However, the potential is there in a favorable matchup against the Lakers, especially now that noted weak interior defender Brook Lopez is back in the mix. The upside is very high, and Sabonis’ ownership will be held in check somewhat by the fact that his price tag is slightly elevated on DraftKings. I’m definitely a buyer here in tournament formats.
A Top Mid-Range Option
It sounds like Jamal Murray is going to be out again tonight, so opportunity will open up in the Denver backcourt for both Gary Harris and Will Barton. He is going to be massively popular, but this is a situation where I will be happy to eat the chalk, even in tournaments. Why is that the case, you may ask? Well, the Nuggets have a favorable matchup against a Suns team that ranks fourth in the NBA in tempo and second to last in defensive efficiency. There is also the matter of Barton being priced at $6,500 on DraftKings, which is just way too cheap. He has played 42 and 35 minutes over the last two games, posting lines of 22/5/6 and 17/6/6 in those contests. I would expect a higher ceiling against the Suns, and I may very well end up with 100% exposure to Barton tonight.
Thriving for a Banged Up Squad
With Dion Waiters out for the season and Tyler Johnson also sidelined, Dragic is going to have to shoulder the load in the Miami backcourt. On the season, he is averaging 17 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game. In the month of January, he is averaging 21 points, five rebounds, and seven assists per game. That is a sizable bump across the board, and his minutes are also way up in that span. Dragic has played 35.6 minutes per game in the eight January contests. Oh, and the Heat just happen to draw a huge pace-up matchup against the Nets tonight. All aboard!
Injury Has Created Extra Minutes For Me
With Chandler Parsons and James Ennis already ruled out for tonight’s game, Dillon Brooks is looking at a healthy dose of minutes tonight. I’d be the first one to admit that I hate playing anyone from this Memphis team, but it’s hard not to like this spot for Brooks. We could also see Gasol and Wright sit tonight, and that would make Brooks a lock for me. He’s played 35, 26, and 31 minutes in the last three games, and has at least 24 fantasy points in two of those games.
I'm Slated To Play Big Minutes Tonight
With Ball and KCP already ruled out for tonight’s game, Josh Hart should play 30+ minutes tonight. In the last five games Hart has played at least 29 minutes, he is averaging 28 fantasy points per game. When he plays minutes he has been very productive for fantasy, and I don’t see a way he doesn’t play minutes tonight.
Derrick Rose (ankle sprain) will play off the bench Thursday
Rose has officially been given the all clear and will play off the bench in tonight’s game against the Orlando Magic after previously being listed as probable on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ injury report with a sprained right ankle that had forced him to be sidelined since early November and miss 32 consecutive games. Meanwhile, Iman Shumpert participated in Wednesday’s practice but remains out with a left knee effusion for Thursday’s contest. Rose will be subject to an unspecified minute restriction in his first game back, but he should only be expected to log minimal minutes right out of the gate anyway. This is the first game all season that both Rose and Isaiah Thomas are jointly active and it remains to be seen how head coach Tyronn Lue alters the rotation once Rose is back up to full game-speed.
As reported by: Chris Fedor via Twitter Kyrie Irving (shoulder) ruled out Thursday; Marcus Smart (illness) will play
Irving has officially been ruled out and won’t suit up for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers after previously being listed as questionable on the Boston Celtics’ injury report with a sore left shoulder, while Marcus Smart has been given the all clear and will play following his earlier questionable designation on the injury report due to an illness. Smart will draw the start at point guard in Irving’s absence, as he typically does when Irving or Jaylen Brown have been sidelined at various times this season, while Terry Rozier will step into a larger role off the bench as the primary backup point guard. Not only will Smart see a small bump in playing time, but he, Marcus Morris, and Al Horford all own at least a +3.9% usage rate differential with Irving off the court this season, while Horford trails only Morris for the team lead with a 24.3% usage rate and has averaged 1.11 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.10 on FanDuel in this scenario.
As reported by: Sean Grande via Twitter Other tagged players: Marcus Smart Arron Afflalo suspended two games by the NBA
Afflalo has been suspended for two games by the NBA for his physical altercation with Nemanja Bjelica during Tuesday’s win, according to Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania, and he will begin serving that suspension for tonight’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, effectively ruling him out of Thursday’s matchup. Afflalo has not played a major role in the Magic’s rotation for quite a while now and has logged 11 minutes or fewer in four of the last five games. His absence would open up additional playing time for Mario Hezonja and Wesley Iwundu on the wing, though nothing substantial enough to boost the projected fantasy value of either young forward this evening.
As reported by: Shams Charania via Twitter Lance Stephenson (illness) a game-time decision Thursday
Stephenson is a new addition to the Indiana Pacers’ injury report and will be a game-time decision for tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers due to an illness. The Pacers are already without Myles Turner for the remainder of their current five-game road trip with a sprained right elbow, effectively ruling him out for at least two more games, and Domantas Sabonis will continue to start at center in his absence. Stephenson has been extremely inconsistent from a fantasy perspective since returning to his normal bench role and has logged 24 minutes or fewer in five of the last six games. Cory Joseph and Darren Collison would likely be the main beneficiaries of additional playing should Stephenson be ruled out closer to tipoff, and Joseph has still seen at least 29 minutes in each of the last two games even with Stephenson active. Additionally, with Stephenson and Turner off the court this season, Joseph owns a +1.5% usage rate differential and has averaged 0.91 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 0.92 on FanDuel, a +0.19 increase over his season averages.
As reported by: the Indiana Pacers via Twitter James Harden (hamstring) will start, limited to around 25 minutes Thursday
Harden has been cleared to play and will start in tonight’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after previously being listed as questionable on the Houston Rockets’ injury report with a strained right hamstring that had forced him to miss seven consecutive games, while Nene will make his return from a six-game absence following his earlier questionable designation on the injury report due to a right knee contusion. Harden will be limited to around 25 minutes in his first game back, which will still leave plenty playing time for Eric Gordon on the wing, especially with Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green serving the first half of their two-game suspensions. This will leave Luc Mbah a Moute and P.J. Tucker to absorb the remaining minutes the aforementioned duo leaves behind, and Mbah a Moute will draw the start at small forward in Ariza’a place. That said, he remains an extremely inefficient fantasy producer, especially with both Harden and Chris Paul on the court together this season.
As reported by: Jenny Dial Creech via Twitter