The Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets will be featured in a slightly above average paced game tonight. These two teams rank 13th and 15th in the NBA in pace, respectively. Denver has struggled defensively, ranking 25th in the league in defensive rating this season. Toronto currently ranks third in offensive rating, and they are -8.5 point favorites in a game set at 225.5 points. They have the highest implied team total on the slate at 117 points.
Kyle Lowry does not come with an elite usage rating, but he has been playing at a high level recently. Over his last five games, he is averaging 21.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 9.0 assists in 34.1 minutes per game. He has scored 40+ DK points in four of his last fives, including a 62 DK point performance against the Brooklyn Nets. Lowry has also been playing minutes in the high-30s, and he was able to score 0.96 DK points per minute against Denver in their only matchup this season. Fred VanVleet has been playing extended minutes recently, as he is averaging 28.5 minutes per game over his last four games. He is also averaging a 15.5/2.8/4.0/0.5/1.0 line per game over that span. VanVleet should continue to see minutes in the high-20s, and he comes with a relatively low price tag. Pascal Siakam is another player that brings a low price tag to this stack. His minutes have been a bit inconsistent, but he has scored 20+ DK points in each of his last four games. He was also able to post a 10/8/1/1 line in only 19.6 minutes of action against Denver this season. Toronto is a fairly consistent stack that can be had for a low salary.
Austin Rivers/Lou Williams/DeAndre Jordan
The Los Angeles Clippers have been pushing the pace in game this season, ranking sixth in the NBA in pace through 73 games. They get a matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, who currently rank 24th in the league in pace this season, but have been playing at a faster pace since the All Star Break. More importantly, Milwaukee has featured a below average defense, while Los Angeles ranks in the top-10 in the NBA in offensive rating. The Clippers are -3.5 point favorites in a game set at 225 points, giving them an implied team total of 114.3 points.
Lou Williams is the focal point of the Clippers offense, sporting a usage rating around 30%. His price tag has dropped a bit because of recent struggles, but he has now scored 43.5 and 55.5 DK points in his last two games. He was also able to score 36.75 DK points, while taking only 11 shots against the Bucks earlier this season. He’s a double double threat, although he focuses heavily on scoring, as he has scored 20+ points in five of his last 10 games. Austin Rivers has been a bit of a boom or bust option recently, but he is averaging 15.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals in 36.5 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He performed extremely well against the Bucks in their only matchup this season, posting a 22/3/4/1/2 line against them in 38.2 minutes of action. DeAndre Jordan is in a similar situation as Rivers tonight. He has struggled at times recently, but he has also scored 50+ DK points in three of his last 10 games. Jordan also found plenty of success against the Bucks in their only matchup, scoring 25 points with 22 rebounds and four assists. Los Angeles is not a safe stacking option on this slate, but they come with tremendous upside.
Chris Paul/Gerald Green/Joe Johnson
The Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls have been playing at a similar pace this season, ranking 14th and 12th in the NBA in pace thus far. Chicago has utilized a young lineup, which has caused them to struggle defensively, ranking in the bottom-five of the NBA in defensive rating this season. Houston currently leads the NBA in offensive rating, but they will be without James Harden tonight. Still, Houston is a -13.5 point favorite in a game set at 214 points, giving them an implied team total of 113.8 points.
The Rockets will be without James Harden and Clint Capela tonight, which opens the door for other players to step up. Chris Paul is the most obvious option, as his usage rating is supposed to increase to nearly 30% tonight. He’s returning from injury, but he was able to score 40+ DK points in each of his last three healthy games. He also is not supposed to see a minute’s restriction tonight, meaning he is a must start in a Houston stack. Gerald Green is expected to see 30+ minutes tonight, and he is a high upside option. He is coming off a 40.75 DK point performance against the Atlanta Hawks, and he should be in a similar situation tonight. He’s averaging over 1.04 DK points per minute against Chicago this season, and Green still comes with a surprisingly low price tag. Joe Johnson is another player that is a bit too cheap. He has played 29, 28, and 30 minutes in his last three games, scoring 20.5, 19.25, and 19.75 DK points in those games. Johnson is not an elite fantasy option, but he is consistent and will see guaranteed minutes tonight. The Rockets are a relatively cheap stack for their upside, and they can be considered in cash games and tournaments tonight.
By: Justin Bales (Twitter)
