The injury bug continues to have a negative affect on the NBA, in real life and fantasy. Last night All-Stars Stephen Curry (ankle) and LaMarcus Aldridge (thumb) were scratched, and both their teams lost. New Orleans will be without the incomparable Anthony Davis (shoulder) for at least the next week, and Ryan Anderson (knee) will be sidelined 2-4 weeks.
That leaves the Pelicans with Tyreke Evans $8000 and Eric Gordon $5800 as the main offensive threats. Recently acquired Norris Cole $3300 and backup big man Alexis Ajinca $4000 will take on larger roles. It’s not unusual for teams to dig deep in such dire circumstances — until that extra effort wears them out. The Raptors, though healthy, are playing their third road game in four nights and have another one tomorrow. Other games should be much higher-scoring.
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The Timberwolves are in Houston, where rookie Andrew Wiggins $6200 may be busy trying to defend MVP candidate James Harden $10500. It will be strange to see Kevin Garnett $3300 back in a Minnesota uniform as his Hall-of-Fame career comes full circle. KG is more inspirational leader than fantasy asset; Nikola Pekovic $5600 and Kevin Martin $6600 might do the bulk of the scoring. Corey Brewer $3900 got hot off the bench in the Rockets’ latest win.
Isaiah Thomas $5500 has scored plenty of points in Phoenix, making his return as an opponent interesting. He had 21 on an overtime loss in L.A. last night but the Celtics are shorthanded, so the Suns should prevail in a wide-open affair. Brandon Knight $6500 and Eric Bledsoe $7800 form a potent backcourt, Markieff Morris $6400 is a bounce-back candidate after a 3-for-15 game, jack-of-all-trades P.J. Tucker $4900 has stepped up lately and Alex Len $4000 is healthy again.
The nightcap has the Grizzlies visiting the Clippers. Chris Paul $10000 and DeAndre Jordan $8800 have been superb since Blake Griffin (elbow) had surgery, Jamal Crawford $6100 is hot off the bench and L.A. has scored 110 or more in four straight wins. Memphis will attempt to stop that trend; all five starters hit double figures last night with Marc Gasol $7400 (21 PTS, 6 REB, 3 BLK) leading the way.
It was surprising that the Nets made no moves at the trade deadline, despite rumors about Brook Lopez $6800 and Joe Johnson $5800. They have enjoyed a weekend off since beating the Lakers and are still in the playoff hunt, so I like their chances against the tired, dispirited Nuggets. Deron Williams $5800 played 40 minutes on Friday and double-doubled (12 PTS, 15 AST), so they don’t have to rush Jarrett Jack (hamstring).
Milwaukee traded away their best player (Knight) and his replacement Michael Carter-Williams is hurt. They will be no match for the Bulls in Chicago. Pau Gasol $9700, Jimmy Butler $7800 and Derrick Rose $7800 are all recommended, though a low-scoring game is a possibility.
The Florida back-to-back is never easy for any team, and the 76ers are unlikely to mount a serious challenge in Miami. Goran Dragic $6200 is more familiar with his new teammates and this is an easy matchup. Hassan Whiteside $7800 has been a revelation and Dwyane Wade $7200 looks healthy again; he had 19 points in 30 minutes of a back-to-back on Saturday.
It’s been a disappointing season for the defending champion Spurs. Two losses since the break have dropped them to .500 on the road, and Kawhi Leonard $6900 is mired in a shooting slump. Their depth will probably be enough to beat the Jazz, but it may not be artistic. Rudy Gobert $5200 has the starting job now, but foul trouble held him back last game; Gordon Hayward $7800 led Friday’s upset over the Blazers.
In today’s sample lineup (above left) I’ve keyed on CP3 and Harden, which means scrimping and saving at the other positions. As always, bold names in the Short List indicate the players I like best. Breaking news can affect player values dramatically, and entering multiple lineups with slight variations can pay off.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Chris Paul $10000 | Goran Dragic $6200 | Norris Cole $3300 |
| SG | James Harden $10500 | Kevin Martin $6600 | Corey Brewer $3900 |
| SF | Gordon Hayward $7800 | P.J. Tucker $4900 | D. Cunningham $3000 |
| PF | Pau Gasol $9700 | Markieff Morris $6400 | Terrence Jones $4600 |
| C | DeAndre Jordan $8800 | Nikola Pekovic $5600 | Alex Len $4000 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.