DFS Alerts
An Easy Value Play at Point Guard
With Tony Parker getting the night off for rest, Dejounte Murray should start and see minutes in the mid-20s. He’s cheap across the industry, and we’ve seen him have very productive nights when he sees significant minutes. With so many studs in great spots tonight, going the stars and scrubs route is very attractive. I like saving a ton of salary with Murray so I can spend up elsewhere. The matchup with Dallas isn’t great as both teams play slow, but Murray should still easily meet or exceed value.
Rudy Gobert (PCL sprain) expected to miss one month
The Utah Jazz has announced that Rudy Gobert has been diagnosed with a sprained posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in his left knee and a bone bruise in his tibia, according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, and the initial timetable for his return is expected to be one month. Derrick Favors is currently questionable due to a left eye laceration that required six stitches, but if he’s able to give it a go, he figures to greatly benefit from his move to the center spot and averaged 30 minutes per game in Gobert’s absence earlier in the season. Other than that, this Jazz team is relatively healthy as Raul Neto is the only other currently inactive player that’s normally in the regular rotation. Alec Burks saw his playing time dip with Joe Johnson making his return to the lineup on Friday, essentially ending his run a viable option in daily fantasy formats for the foreseeable future. With Gobert and Neto off the court this season, Rodney Hood owns a +2.5% usage rate differential and has actually led the team with a 31.8% usage rate while averaging 1.03 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 0.94 on FanDuel.
As reported by: Shams Charania via Twitter
Tyreke Evans (hip) questionable Saturday; Chandler Parsons (rest) ruled out
Evans has been listed as questionable on the Memphis Grizzlies’ injury report for tonight’s game against the Boston Celtics due to a sore right hip that has forced him to appear on the injury report several times in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Chandler Parsons has been ruled out for rest purposes and continues to be subject to a maintenance program that prohibits him from playing back-to-back days. If Evans can’t give it a go, Mario Chalmers is by far the leading candidate to draw the start at point guard in his absence with Mike Conley still sidelined with his Achilles issue. The unavailability of Evans would be a big loss for this Grizzlies squad, as they would be without their top two playmakers in the backcourt. The players that stand to benefit the most with Evans sidelined are Marc Gasol, Andrew Harrison, and Dillon Brooks as each own at least a +5.4% usage rate differential with him, Parsons, Conley, Brandan Wright, and Wayne Selden off the court this season, while Harrison has seen the largest increase in his per minute production, averaging 1.07 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.04 on FanDuel and logged 29 minutes of action when Evans was sidelined for Wednesday’s contest.
As reported by: Grizzlies PR via Twitter Other tagged players: Chandler Parsons Kemba Walker (wrist strain) probable Saturday
Walker has been listed as probable on the Charlotte Hornets’ injury report for tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a strained left wrist he sustained during Friday’s loss. He played through the second half with the aforementioned injury, just further increasing his chances of suiting up this evening. The Hornets as a team have typically struggled on the second leg of back-to-back sets, but Walker and Dwight Howard continue to lead the Hornets in usage rate, roughly 28% apiece, while Howard has averaged 1.18 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.16 on FanDuel with Cody Zeller off the court this season.
As reported by: Charlotte Hornets PR via Twitter Buckets Upon Buckets For This Man
There’s a lot to love about Jimmy Butler on Saturday. He’s playing the Phoenix Suns, who own the worst defensive efficiency in the NBA and are playing at the 2nd fastest pace. This game has a huge total, and even if it blows out, Tom Thibodeau refuses to acknowledge that his bench exists. He continues to run an 8-man rotation, and Butler is averaging 37.2 minutes per game this season, which is 2nd in the NBA.
A Rookie Point Guard To Consider
With Austin Rivers ruled out and Danilo Gallinari looking doubtful, the Clippers will once again rely heavily on Lou Williams, DeAndre Jordan and Milos Teodosic. Teodosic was held out of Friday’s game for rest while Jawun Evans filled in admirably, playing 40 minutes and having a career game. Teodosic is coming back from a foot injury and played a season-high 25 minutes last game, so I’d expect him to play somewhere between 25-30 minutes if I had to guess. The matchup against the Miami Heat isn’t great as they’ve been respectable against opposing point guards and also play at the 8th slowest pace, but through his first four games, Teodosic is averaging a fantasy point per minute.
Ian Mahinmi (knee strain) available to play Friday
Mahinmi has been cleared to play and will be available for tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers after previously being listed as questionable with a sore right knee that had forced him to miss two consecutive games. Meanwhile, Markieff Morris has been cleared to play and will start following a one-game absence due to a sore right hip. His presence will send Mike Scott back to the bench to resume his normal reserve role following a serviceable performance in 27 minutes of action in his spot start. Additionally, John Wall still hasn’t been cleared for a full minute workload as he works his back from a troublesome knee issue and is expected play around 30 minutes in Friday’s contest, just slightly more than the 27 minutes he logged in his first game back from injury.
As reported by: Chris Miller via Twitter Allen Crabbe (sore knee) ruled out Friday
Crabbe has been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Toronto Raptors after previously being listed as questionable on the Brooklyn Nets’ injury report with a sore left knee. He’ll join DeMarre Carroll among the Nets’ inactives for Friday’s contest, who is sitting out for rest purposes on the second night of a back-to-back. Crabbe managed to play through the tag on Thursday night and logged a whopping 35 minutes. Now that he’s unavailable, Joe Harris will enter the starting lineup in his place and has averaged nearly 32 minutes per contest in the previous games Crabbe has been sidelined this season. Isaiah Whitehead was recalled from his most recent G-League assignment and will likely be tasked with absorbing a majority of the backup point guard minutes with Caris LeVert drawing the start at small forward in Carroll’s place. Not only does LeVert possess a solid minute floor with Carroll and Crabbe sidelined, but he owns a +3.3% usage rate differential with them, D’Angelo Russell, and Jeremy Lin off the court this season and has seen his per minute production spike to 1.17 fantasy points, putting him firmly in play for all formats this evening.
As reported by: Anthony Puccio via Twitter Delon Wright (dislocated shoulder) available to play Friday
Wright has been cleared to play and will be available off the bench in tonight’s game against the Brooklyn Nets after previously being listed as questionable on the Toronto Raptors’ injury report with a dislocated right shoulder. He’ll likely be eased back into the rotation as he works his way back from the aforementioned dislocated shoulder, but Wright will definitely eat into Fred Vanvleet’s playing time right away and eventually overtake him in the rotation as the first guard off the bench for this Toronto squad. That said, this offense will continue to run through DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, and DeRozan continues to lead the team by a wide margin with a 31.4% usage rate and has averaged 1.14 fantasy points per minute on the season.
As reported by: Eric Koreen via Twitter Avery Bradley (adductor strain) ruled out Friday
Bradley is a surprise late addition to the Detroit Pistons’ injury report and has been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Indiana Pacers due to a strained right adductor, despite never receiving an injury designation at any point throughout the day. In his absence, Luke Kennard will draw the start at the shooting guard spot alongside Reggie Jackson in the backcourt. Kennard has typically been seeing minutes in the mid-teens with Bradley active, putting him in play as a punt option in tournaments if he can get up above the 25-minute mark this evening. The main beneficiary from Bradley’s absence from a usage standpoint looks to be Jackson, as he owns a +4.4% usage rate differential and leads the Pistons with a 32.2% usage rate with Bradley and Jon Leuer off the court this season.
As reported by: James Edwards III via Twitter Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) will start Friday, but have minute restriction
Nurkic has been cleared to play and will start in tonight’s game against the Orlando Magic after previously being listed as questionable on the Portland Trail Blazers’ injury report with a sprained right ankle that had forced him to miss three consecutive games. His return to the lineup will send Zach Collins back to the bench to resume a reserve role, but Nurkic will be subject to a minute restriction in his first game back, leaving some room for Collins to keep seeing some minutes in the frontcourt. Meyers Leonard is no longer on the injury report after missing Wednesday’s win due to an illness and drew the start at center in two of the three games Nurkic was been sidelined. However, Leonard has been inconsistent in just 19 minutes per game on average in his starts, while Collins and Ed Davis combined to average nearly 33 minutes of the bench. Collins was actually the better fantasy option when all three big men were available and logged 25 minutes and easily exceeded salary-based expectations off the bench in Monday’s contest, possibly earning him a spot in the rotation in front of Leonard going forward.
As reported by: Casey Holdahl via Twitter Lauri Markkanen (back spasms) listed out Friday
Markken as been listed as out on the Chicago Bulls’ latest injury report for tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks after previously being listed as questionable with back spasms that have now forced him to miss three consecutive games. Markkanen was initially cleared to play and was even confirmed in the Bulls starting lineup for Wednesday’s win but ended up being a late scratch after he experienced some discomfort following pregame warmups. Now that he’s officially unavailable, Nikola Mirotic will draw the start at power forward for the third time in as many games and has averaged 33 minutes per game in his two previous spot starts while easily exceeding salary-based expectations on both occasions. Not only that, but Mirotic trails only Kris Dunn for the team lead with a 27.3% usage rate and is firmly in play for all formats on Friday’s slate.
As reported by: Sam Smith via Twitter Joel Embiid (back tightness) will play Friday
Embiid has been cleared to play and will suit up for tonight’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder after previously being listed as questionable on the Philadelphia 76ers’ injury report with a tight back that had forced him to land on the injury report a few times over the past week. He was at the team’s morning shootaround and was able to log a season-high 39 minutes in Tuesday’s win, so Embiid always appeared likelier to play than not, despite the questionable tag. Meanwhile, Robert Covington will make his return from a two-game absence due to a low back contusion, and head coach Brett Brown opted to alternate starts between Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Richaun Holmes with Covington unavailable, both of whom will now head back to the bench to resume their normal reserve roles. Covington has been much more consistent this season than in years past now that he’s playing with an elite ball distributor like Ben Simmons at point guard. Not only that, but he owns a 19.9% usage rate thus far en route to averaging a fantasy point per minute with a solid mid-30s minute floor.
As reported by: Keith Pompey via Twitter Markieff Morris (sore hip) will play Friday
Morris has been cleared to play and will start in tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers after missing one game due to a sore right hip and previously being expected to play, while Ian Mahinmi is shaping up to be a game-time decision and has already missed two consecutive games with a strained right knee. His presence will send Mike Scott back to the bench to resume his normal reserve role following a serviceable performance in 27 minutes of action in his spot start. Additionally, John Wall still hasn’t been cleared for a full minute workload as he works his back from a troublesome knee issue and is expected play around 30 minutes in Friday’s contest, just slightly more than the 27 minutes he logged in his first game back from injury.
As reported by: Ben Standig via Twitter Kristaps Porzingis (sore knee) questionable for Saturday
Porzingis is officially considered day-to-day and has been listed as questionable on the New York Knicks’ injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a sore left knee that he reaggravated during the third quarter of Thursday’s win. Michael Beasley has started at power forward in the most recent games that Porzingis has missed and posted a massive fantasy performance in 36 minutes of action in his previous spot start. If Porzingis is unable to suit up, Beasley and Ees Kanter are poised to be in the best positions among the projected starters to take advantage of his absence, as Beasley leads the Knicks with a 32.1% usage rate with Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. off the court this season, and Kanter has averaged 1.16 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.11 on FanDuel in this scenario as well.
As reported by: Steve Popper via Twitter