UTA @ WAS: The winless Wizards have a chance tonight. The Jazz are 1-6 on the road after last night’s loss in Philly and might be victims of fatigue. On paper, Utah should completely dominate up front, as unheralded Kevin Seraphin is Washington’s best big man. Their guards are struggling; hence the bargain prices in daily leagues. Bradley Beal is 4-for-25 in his last two games and A.J. Price, no John Wall (leg) at the best of times, has a sore ankle but is hoping to play. They picked up free agent Shaun Livingston just in case.
DAL @ CLE: The wheels may be coming off the Mavericks. They did not look good against the Pacers last night and are meeting a rested Cleveland team glad to be back home after six road games in 11 days. Kyrie Irving could go crazy, Anderson Varejao is coming off a sensational 35-point, 18-rebound game and rookie Tyler Zeller (fractured cheekbone, mild concussion) will be back, wearing a protective face mask. Dion Waiters will have his hands full with O.J. Mayo, but it’s hard to recommend any other Dallas players tonight.
MEM @ CHA: An emotional letdown is a possibility, as the Grizzlies can’t be blamed for taking the Bobcats lightly after thumping three straight playoff-calibre opponents. Kemba Walker and Ramon Sessions have been hot of late for Charlotte, especially with Ben Gordon (personal leave) absent the last two games. If Gordon does not return, that trend may continue. Byron Mullens is also a decent play in daily leagues; he grabs a few rebounds and is hitting a career-high 1.6 three-pointers per game. I’ll say Memphis wins, and it’s dull to watch.
DEN @ SAS: The Spurs aren’t likely to lose two in a row at home, and they will be smarting from that 4th-quarter breakdown on Thursday against the Knicks. However, the Nuggets are angry too, after dropping a close one to Miami, so this could be very entertaining. Ty Lawson must bounce back from a scoreless outing if Denver has any hope, but Tony Parker is a tough matchup. Kenneth Faried has double-doubled in five straight games after a slow start to the season and the second unit combo of Andre Miller and JaVale McGee combined for 37 points last game. Kawhi Leonard (knee) will miss a couple of weeks, making Danny Green and Stephen Jackson more important than usual; Manu Ginobili may also step it up if his various nagging injuries permit.
NOH @ MIL: 24 hours after getting blown out at home, the Hornets are unlikely to regroup. Milwaukee looked very good against a lethargic Indiana team in their latest, but it built momentum and leaves them as division leaders. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are poised for big scoring nights, but it would sure be nice for Ersan Ilyasova owners if he shook off a horrendous slump.
CHI @ LAC: This would be a fantastic game if Derrick Rose (knee) was around, but the matchup between Kirk Hinrich and Chris Paul isn’t nearly as exciting. As always, the Bulls must rely on Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, who face formidable opponents in the improved DeAndre Jordan and high-flying Blake Griffin. The Clippers not-so-secret weapon has been Jamal Crawford, who has hit an incredible 51.4% from the floor while averaging over 20 points per game.
MIA @ PHO: Much depends on the health of Dwyane Wade (foot) who sat out the Heat’s last game. If he can’t go, LeBron James will be a superhero again and Chris Bosh will need to score. Mario Chalmers (triceps) hopes to play, but Norris Cole might start at PG and Mike Miller is the likely replacement for Wade. Though the Suns lost in L.A. last night, they are a much better team at home, and Marcin Gortat might be hard to stop, as Miami lacks a true center.
The Fantasy Spin is here seven mornings a week, all season long, by 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Follow us on Twitter — @SheridanFantasy — for updates. My colleague Jeff Nichols, whose weekly column comes your way this afternoon, is there often with some great roster advice. My FanDuel Diary now has its own page; check it out for the latest on daily fantasy leagues.
Ty Corbin might be the worst coach in the league right now. Worse than Keith Smart is very ‘worse’ indeed. His rotations make no sense and clearly the team is lost….clueless about what is expected of them. Al Jefferson has become an embarrasement…..its disgusting (not too strong a word) to watch him STAND, arms at his side, as player
after player dribble drive past him for easy lay ups. WHY DOESNT CORBIN SAY SOMETHING, or bench him, or something..!? Favors should start….and just live with his errors for now. Kanter should start, and same. Kanter was good last night….he at least tries on defense and his strength is a big plus. Hayward is misused and looks frustrated. And where is Alec Burks? Why so much Foye? Foye is a guy you give five minutes to. Burks is a future starter. Its pathetic./// The problem in indiana is Vogel. Hibbert was exposed last post season and the league woke up. Body him !!! Milwaukee might be a serious contender in the east. Larry Sanders for most improved.
I watched Jazz for first time last night and could not believe how they refused to adjust to Philly’s pick and roll. Holiday got wherever and whatever he wanted. On the other end, they didn’t force-feed the post against a team outrebounded by 37 on its home floor in its last two games. It was pretty bad.