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POINT GUARDS:
* ALL FORMATS
Jeff Teague (MIN vs BKN)
BKN: Best aDvP matchup for point guards this season – The T-Wolves take on a Nets team on the back-end of a B2B, so a group that already doesn’t offer much defensive resistance will be merely going through the motions tonight.
Darren Collison (IND vs ORL)
ORL: 2nd-best aDvP matchup for point guards this season – Collison was a favorite of nearly everyone in the group last night, and he rewarded us with 46.5 DKP/50.9 FDP. Expectations should be somewhat tempered tonight (meaning, not another burger), considering most of those points came via six steals and the Pacers are on the back-end of a B2B. Reaching 5x value, though, is certainly something I expect out of Collison tonight.
* CASH
Terry Rozier (BOS @ GS)
I think it’s VERY IMPORTANT to note that Rozier’s role WILL NOT CHANGE! He is the backup point guard for the Celtics and his usage rate even stays the same without Marcus Smart on the court. However, Rozier is so damn cheap and will be highly-owned that you might as well have him in cash games. I do think there’s plenty of merit to fading him in GPPs since he could draw a capable defender in Shaun Livingston for most of his time on the court.
* GPP
Stephen Curry (GS vs BOS)
Curry is one of the best in the game… it’d be a travesty not to mention him on this list. However, it’s worth noting that he has only posted 50+ once on FD and twice on DK in his last 10 meetings against the Celtics.
Jamal Murray (DEN vs DAL)
DAL: 3rd-best aDvP matchup for point guards on this slate – In the two games prior to last, Murray scored a combined 68 (real) points and the Mavs are on the back-end of a B2B… don’t expect there to be much defense coming in his way. I list him as a “GPP Only” play since it’s likely that we’ll see Nikola Jokic be the star of the show once again, and that could certainly eat into Murray’s production. If the Mavs finally figure out that Jokic should be quadruple-teamed, then Murray would benefit.
Spencer Dinwiddie (BKN @ MIN)
It has only been a few games since we have seen Dinwiddie without D’Angelo Russell in the lineup, but those were some of his best days. Normally, I’d say this is a smash spot, but the Nets are on the back-end of a B2B and did call up three new bodies from their G-League team.
SHOOTING GUARDS:
* ALL FORMATS
Bradley Beal (WSH @ ATL)
No John Wall for the Wizards tonight, so Beal will get a chance to take control of the offense once again. We know we’re going to get an inflated-ownership, that’s a given. We have even heard the idea that Kent Bazemore could potentially shut down Beal. However, I can’t place a ton of emphasis on that since ATL is on the back-end of a B2B, where most teams’ defense takes a hit in that situation. Beal did have an incredibly rocky stretch in some of these games that Wall missed recently but remember that most of them were against tough opponents. I have a hard time imagining the Hawks shutting Beal down tonight, especially after seeing how hot he was on Thursday night in OKC.
Victor Oladipo (IND vs ORL)
I’m not really buying into the “revenge” narrative since this game is in Indy… what I am buying into is that the Magic suck everywhere on defense. Oladipo has dropped 50+ (on both sites) in both meetings against the Magic this season.
Andrew Wiggins (MIN vs BKN)
This play will certainly be much better without Jimmy Butler in the lineup, but Wiggins has been in such a groove lately that you have to think he’ll continue on this path against the Nets in any scenario.
* GPP
Klay Thompson (GS vs BOS)
Klay finally shed his mini-slump in that last game against the T-Wolves, and this is actually a favorable aDvP matchup for him tonight. The Celtics will be without one of their better defenders in Marcus Smart, and Klay has averaged just over 30 fantasy points (on both sites) per game in his last 10 against them.
Evan Fournier (ORL @ IND)
OK, let’s see if there’s something here. JR Smith (J… R… SMITH!!!) went nuts against this same Pacers team last night. If he can do it, Frenchy Fournier is certainly capable. Fournier has posted at least 29 FDP/31 DKP in five of his last six games.
Caris LeVert (BKN @ MIN)
LeVert’s price ($4600 DK/$4800 FD) is quite appealing on both sites, and the absence of D’Angelo Russell will give him some extra minutes to hit that 5x value mark.
SMALL FORWARDS:
* ALL FORMATS
Otto Porter / Kelly Oubre Jr (WSH @ ATL)
While they don’t necessarily see a huge boost in usage rate with John Wall off the floor, Porter and Oubre will certainly be more involved in the game. In fact, Oubre actually sees the highest boost in minutes on the Wizards roster with Wall off the court. I think both guys are safe enough to play in all formats, especially against a Hawks team that is on the back-end of a B2B. If you really wanna get crazy, I could see playing both of them on FanDuel.
Jaylen Brown (BOS @ GS)
Marcus Smart is an idiot, so he’ll miss some time. Brown sees the third-most minutes with Smart off the court and should also miss most of the Warriors’ better defenders… he’ll likely draw Klay Thompson, who we usually view as a solid defender, but the statistics haven’t told that story this season.
POWER FORWARDS:
* ALL FORMATS
Markieff Morris (WSH @ ATL)
Things are going to shift somewhat in the Wizards rotation tonight with John Wall inactive, but we’re starting to see Marcin Gortat’s role get smaller and smaller as the season goes on. This is good for news for Markieff, who has now posted at least 30 fantasy points in two of the last three games.
Marcus Morris (BOS @ GS)
Hey, brotherly love! The Celtics have to get somewhat creative (and smaller) with their lineup tonight so I expect Marcus to get a solid amount of run in this game. In fact, I expect him to be the one that gets the oh-so-joyous assignment of dealing with Kevin Durant… sure, it could put him in harm’s way of foul trouble, but ultimately I think it makes him more vital to the Celtics.
Thad Young (IND vs ORL)
Luckily, I’m a forgiving person (only in DFS)… and I’ll give Thad another chance, even though he screwed me and the people big time last night. Tonight, however, he gets one of the best matchups in the NBA against Aaron Gordon who has never been mistaken as a good defender. This is also a nice pace-up matchup for the Pacers, which Thad loves.
* GPP
Draymond Green (GS vs BOS)
Dray should always be reserved for GPPs… he not a scorer, he’s a peripheral guy. Even with this history against the Celtics, that’s still the kind of guy he is.
CENTERS:
Nikola Jokic (DEN vs DAL)
The last time Jokic faced the Mavs, he tore them a new asshole… like, a 67 DKP/65.1 FDP-kinda new asshole. Don’t forget, the Mavs are the worst rebounding team in the NBA while the Nuggets are the 2nd-best. This matchup has been very good to Jokic in three of the last five meetings.
Bismack Biyombo (ORL @ IND)
I really like Jokic above anyone else at the position tonight, but Tristan Thompson just crushed this same matchup last night… no reason Biyombo can’t do the same. IND, by the way, is the 2nd-best aDvP matchup for centers this season.
