Ouch. Injuries continue to affect every team in the NBA and frustrate those of us who play in traditional and/or daily fantasy leagues. The Mavericks lost two starters (and what looked like a winnable game) early in the first quarter last night. Tyson Chandler (ankle) lasted about 40 seconds, Monta Ellis (hip) four minutes. Condolences if you used them; I had Ellis in every lineup. Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points in 32 minutes before leaving early with knee soreness that does not bode well for him finishing a lost season for the Knicks.
Tonight, the Rockets are 2-point underdogs in Phoenix. I don’t understand. The Suns have lost four of five, scoring less than 90 points three times. The nadir came on Sunday in Sacramento, when Eric Bledsoe $7700 (personal) didn’t play and the Morris twins shot a combined 5-28. Proud papa Bledsoe should be back to defend James Harden $10300, and Houston doesn’t really have another big gun, though Trevor Ariza $5700 and Josh Smith $6400 are playable. Dwight Howard (knee) will miss the next 6-8 weeks, so Donatas Motiejunas $5800 continues to be important. Isaiah Thomas $5400 started and played 38 minutes in Bledsoe’s absence; he is unlikely to repeat that 26-point, 5-assist line off the bench.
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The second-highest score of a 5-game Tuesday could be the lowly Lakers hosting the tarnished Nuggets — both teams have won exactly once in their last 14 attempts. Last night at home, Denver did manage 114 points in defeat, with double-doubles from Kenneth Faried $5900 and Jusuf Nurkic $4500, who match up well against the weak L.A. frontcourt. Ty Lawson $8000 is better than Jordan Clarkson $5100, but talent isn’t the issue. It’s a matter of motivation for the visitors, who are not big fans of their own coach or front office. I’m taking a chance on Clarkson, and Ed Davis $4900 looked pretty good on the road trip.
Al Jefferson $7700 has the edge in experience over Andre Drummond $8000 and Gerald Henderson $5100 is handling the ball more since Kemba Walker (knee) got hurt, but I’m leaning to the Pistons in a game that actually has playoff implications in the East for both teams. Charlotte sits seventh, Detroit tenth, with just 2.5 games between them. D. J. Augustin $7300 can beat Brian Roberts $4600 and Greg Monroe $8500 might dominate Cody Zeller $4800. With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (hamstring) out, the Hornets are starting Jeffrey Taylor $3000 but we may see more of Marvin Williams $3500. Don’t expect a high score.
Kings at Bulls is a forgone conclusion. DeMarcus Cousins $10500 might get his numbers although the off-court stuff — like a revolving door of coaches — may be a distraction. His two main sidekicks Rudy Gay $7300 (foot) and Darren Collison $6300 (hip) are questionable; you can’t blame them for being in no hurry to return. Chicago can exploit a PG mismatch of Derrick Rose $7500 against Ramon Sessions $4000, and Sacramento has nobody who can defend Pau Gasol $9400 or Jimmy Butler $7800. There are two caution flags for the home team — the likelihood of early garbage time and possibly looking ahead to a much bigger game against Cleveland on Thursday.
The Nets lost in Milwaukee last night to slide into ninth place and must regroup in Memphis. Good luck with that. The Grizzlies just beat Atlanta and their defense-first philosophy never wavers. Expect double-doubles from Marc Gasol $7600 and Zach Randolph $8300 plus a solid two-way effort by Mike Conley $6900, just be wary about the possibility that Brooklyn will simply give up — the Grizzlies bench is quite capable of finishing if it gets out of hand.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Ty Lawson $8000 | Derrick Rose $7500 | Ramon Sessions $4000 |
| SG | James Harden $10300 | Eric Bledsoe $7700 | G. Henderson $5100 |
| SF | Josh Smith $6400 | Trevor Ariza $5700 | Wesley Johnson $4200 |
| PF | Pau Gasol $9400 | Kenneth Faried $5900 | Ed Davis $4900 |
| C | DeMarcus Cousins $10500 | Al Jefferson $7700 | Jusuf Nurkic $4500 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.