My Core
LeBron James- We start tonight’s core off with a spend-up, and one that seems to be pretty obvious. It’s tough to gauge how players will react to tragedy considering we don’t know them personally, but LeBron himself said he fully expects to put the city on his back in the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death (RIP again). He has continued to lead the Lakers in points per minute and usage rate even alongside Anthony Davis, and this will be their first game since Sunday. I jokingly write up narratives from time-to-time, but rarely take much stock in them in my DFS process. This one, however, is unlike most that have come before it. I think the Clippers are the best team in basketball right now when healthy, but it’s going to be hard to argue against this Lakers team the rest of the season playing for Kobe…starting tonight.
Jonas Valanciunas- I fully expect King James to see heavy-ownership tonight, but there’s a legitimate case for Val as the highest-owned player on the slate. De’Anthony Melton is questionable for the Grizzlies tonight, while Jaren Jackson and Brandon Clarke are expected out. Val sees usage rate and per minute spikes in both scenarios, and is priced at just $6,300. Not only is his price tag too cheap, he also is in the tastiest game of the night against the New Orleans Pelicans. The 242.5 O/U in this contest is over 6 points higher than any other game on the slate, and I’m expecting tons of fantasy points to be scored.
Zion Williamson- I was all over Zion on Tuesday night, and while that didn’t exactly work out the game was also well out of hand by the fourth quarter. Although it’s a small sample size, he still leads the team in fantasy points per minute at over 1.3 while staying neck-and-neck with Brandon Ingram in usage rate at 29%. This is another time to jump on him for leverage, he is $200 more expensive than Kristaps Porzingis who is projected for much higher-ownership due to Luka Doncic being sidelined. The problem with Porzingis for me is he hasn’t topped 28 minutes since returning from injury, while Zion was able to hit 30 against the Cavaliers. This type of game against the Grizzlies certainly fits Williamson’s playing style, and I think this is another spot where we could see a big double-double from the Pels youngster.
Value Plays
Jalen Brunson- The top value play on the slate today is clear, and his name is Jalen Brunson. The last time Luka Doncic missed extended time, Brunson entered the starting lineup in his place and posted over 30 fantasy points per game. He is priced below $4,000, and will be no secret tonight. Just play him in cash games and move on.
Outside of Brunson there are a number of ways to go, namely with the Grizzlies and potentially the Rockets as well. Be sure to check my Final Thoughts cheat sheet and premium player pool (free this week) for my updated thoughts pre-lock!
Written by Ben Hossler (Follow @BenHossler on Twitter)
