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Point Guard
Dion Waiters is going to miss quite a bit of time with an ankle injury and with the Heat in the midst of an intense playoff race, they can’t afford to lose. Goran Dragic should see heavy run down the stretch. He has a very favorable matchup against the Blazers and will be a very popular play.
Ricky Rubio has continued his strong play as of late and he’ll likely keep it going against the Pelicans. The Pelicans have struggled all season long against opposing PGs and Rubio has scored 20-plus points in four straight games. Rubio is the second-best PG option on the slate.
Tyler Johnson is also an option in tournaments. He’s been very inconsistent as of late so he’s a bit hard to trust in cash games. Johnson should see 30 minutes or so against the Blazers and this should be a high-scoring game.
| 3pt | Pts | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | FD | DK | Y! | ||||||||||||
| Player | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | Mpg | FT% | m/g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | FG% | Usage | Pts/g | Pts/g | Pts/g | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Ricky Rubio | MIN | A | NOP | 62 | 32.4 | 87% | 0.8 | 10.2 | 3.9 | 8.9 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 41% | 16.10% | 29.5 | 31.3 | 29.9 | $7,500 | $7,500 | $35 |
| Goran Dragic | MIA | H | POR | 60 | 33.4 | 79% | 1.7 | 20.3 | 3.9 | 6 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.9 | 49% | 26.90% | 33.7 | 36.2 | 34.6 | $7,800 | $7,600 | $33 |
Shooting Guard
It’s a very ugly slate today, so it’s likely going to be shorter than usual. I’m not going to recommend a player that I wouldn’t use myself… Josh Richardson… yes another Heat player, is in play tonight but is far from a must-play. He’s $4,600 and even that is a bit steep. He has yet to score double-digit points over the last 10 games.
E’Twaun Moore is one of the least appealing options on a daily basis. However, he’s a good bet to at least hit value. He’s hit value in three straight games and will look to make it four tonight against the Wolves. Moore is not someone you should be targeting, but if you love the rest of the team, he’s not a bad guy to slip in at the end.
Jordan Clarkson has an unfavorable matchup against the Cavs and there’s a good chance this game is over by the third quarter. Either way, Clarkson should still see near 30 minutes and he’s as hot as he’s been all season long. He’s the new starting PG and he has a vice grip on that position, feel free to throw him in at the SG spot.
| 3pt | Pts | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | FD | DK | Y! | ||||||||||||
| Player | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | Mpg | FT% | m/g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | FG% | Usage | Pts/g | Pts/g | Pts/g | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Jordan Clarkson | LAL | H | CLE | 69 | 28.2 | 80% | 1.3 | 14.6 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 2 | 45% | 23.80% | 22.2 | 24 | 22.9 | $5,700 | $5,900 | $18 |
| Tyler Johnson | MIA | H | POR | 60 | 30.1 | 78% | 1.2 | 13.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 44% | 20.60% | 26.2 | 27.6 | 26.8 | $5,400 | $5,500 | $17 |
| E'Twaun Moore | NOP | H | MIN | 62 | 25.3 | 76% | 1.1 | 9.8 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 46% | 17.60% | 17.1 | 18.2 | 17.7 | $4,000 | $3,900 | $10 |
| Josh Richardson | MIA | H | POR | 40 | 28.7 | 77% | 1.2 | 9.4 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 38% | 17.30% | 18.9 | 20.3 | 19.5 | $4,100 | $4,600 | $10 |
Small Forward
The Raptors are one of the stingiest teams in the league against SFs so Paul George will likely have a tough time tonight. He’s an easy fade in cash games and some would consider him an easy fade in tournaments. However, I think the case can be made for him considering his ownership should be quite low and the rest of the position is filled with likely blowouts (Kawhi vs. Kings and LeBron vs. Lakers).
Kawhi Leonard would be my top play of the day if the Kings were a better basketball team. Unfortunately, they’re not. It’s typically a bad strategy to try and predict blowouts, but with a star like Kawhi and a team as bad as the Kings, it’s all but guaranteed. He should still be able to score 40-45 fantasy points, but that’s not good enough.
Shabazz Muhammad scored 15 actual points in his last game but somehow only managed to score 18.75 fantasy points. That’s his game. Scoring. If his shot is off, he can kill your lineup, but it’s a risk potentially worth taking for a guy who’s only $4,000.
| 3pt | Pts | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | FD | DK | Y! | ||||||||||||
| Player | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | Mpg | FT% | m/g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | FG% | Usage | Pts/g | Pts/g | Pts/g | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Kawhi Leonard | SAS | H | SAC | 61 | 33.8 | 89% | 2 | 26.3 | 6 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 49% | 31.40% | 41.7 | 44 | 42.7 | $9,900 | $10,000 | $50 |
| Shabazz Muhammad | MIN | A | NOP | 64 | 19.8 | 79% | 0.7 | 9.6 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 48% | 20.50% | 13.8 | 14.6 | 14.1 | $3,700 | $4,000 | $10 |
| Paul George | IND | A | TOR | 61 | 35.4 | 92% | 2.4 | 22.4 | 6.4 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 3 | 45% | 28.50% | 35.6 | 38.6 | 36.8 | $8,400 | $8,800 | $38 |
Power Forward
Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the top studs of the night as he has a favorable matchup against the Pelicans. This game should remain close for the entirety of the game and is arguably as targetable as the Heat and Blazers game. KAT is arguably the top cash play because he hasn’t scored below 40 fantasy points in 10-plus games.
Julius Randle is an interesting spot against the Cavs but as stated previously, the blowout potential is real. He’s more of a tournament play today at $7,000. Give him a long look.
Anthony Davis has really had the Wolves’ number this season. Through two games he’s averaging 67 fantasy points per game. Obviously, DeMarcus Cousins being in the picture changes quite a bit. If DMC misses tonight’s game, Davis becomes the top cash play of the night and it’s not very close.
Larry Nance is coming off one of his best games in quite some time. He only scored 28 fantasy points, but his season has been riddled with injuries. He saw 28 minutes and basically anytime he does that, he’ll at least hit value. Give him a look as a value forward.
| 3pt | Pts | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | FD | DK | Y! | ||||||||||||
| Player | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | Mpg | FT% | m/g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | FG% | Usage | Pts/g | Pts/g | Pts/g | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Anthony Davis | NOP | H | MIN | 65 | 36.1 | 80% | 0.5 | 27.8 | 11.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 50% | 32.60% | 49.8 | 51.9 | 50 | $11,400 | $10,800 | $54 |
| Julius Randle | LAL | H | CLE | 61 | 28.8 | 71% | 0.1 | 13 | 8.7 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 48% | 21.60% | 29 | 30.7 | 29.1 | $6,700 | $7,000 | $30 |
| Larry Nance | LAL | H | CLE | 50 | 21.9 | 75% | 0.1 | 6.8 | 5.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 55% | 13% | 18.4 | 19.2 | 18.4 | $4,200 | $4,000 | $10 |
Center
Hassan Whiteside is a staple in nearly all of my lineups. He sees a slight usage bump with Waiters out plus he has a decent matchup against the Blazers. Since Nurkic has joined the team, the Blazers defense has picked up against opposing big men. Either way, he’s all but a lock to notch another double-double.
On the other side of the ball, Jusuf Nurkic is in play as a tournament option. The Heat used to be very vulnerable against big men but as of late (last four weeks), they’ve given up the third-least amount of fantasy points to opposing bigs. Nurkic is a decent tournament option, though.
Kosta Koufos has been flying under the radar as of late. The Kings are a dumpster fire and the young players are getting all of the attention. Koufos has hit 5x value or more in seven straight games. He’s not going to score over 30 fantasy points, but at just $3,800, we don’t need that.
| 3pt | Pts | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | FD | DK | Y! | ||||||||||||
| Player | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | Mpg | FT% | m/g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | /g | FG% | Usage | Pts/g | Pts/g | Pts/g | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Hassan Whiteside | MIA | H | POR | 64 | 32.9 | 61% | 0 | 16.7 | 14.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 56% | 22.30% | 38.5 | 40.2 | 38.5 | $8,800 | $8,500 | $37 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | MIN | A | NOP | 68 | 36.8 | 82% | 1.2 | 24.4 | 12.3 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 54% | 27.40% | 44.7 | 47.2 | 45.3 | $10,500 | $10,300 | $50 |
| Kosta Koufos | SAC | A | SAS | 68 | 20 | 60% | 0 | 6.6 | 5.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 56% | 15.20% | 16 | 16.7 | 16 | $4,500 | $3,800 | $10 |
| Jusuf Nurkic | POR | A | MIA | 45 | 17.9 | 50% | 0 | 8 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 51% | 23.30% | 17.7 | 18.9 | 17.7 | $6,300 | $6,700 | $27 |
Player News
Max Strus shot 0-of-9 from the field in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, going scoreless with seven rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes.
Game 5 was brutal for Strus, who missed all six of his three-point attempts and could not make a shot from the field overall. While he did grab seven rebounds, three more than fellow starter Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers needed more offensive production from Strus. Due to offseason ankle surgery, Strus did not make his first appearance until just before Christmas, which put him in a difficult spot regarding fantasy value. While many managers did not expect much from Strus beyond offering late-round value, he finished outside the top-175 in eight- and nine-cat formats. Look for him again to be a late-round pick in most fantasy leagues.
Jarrett Allen accumulated nine points (4-of-6 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), four rebounds and one steal in 30 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers.
After scoring 12 points or more in the first three games of this series, Allen was a shell of himself in Games 4 and 5. While more effective as a scorer in Game 5, the Cavaliers’ center’s impact was once again muted as the East’s top seed watched its season end. That’s an unfortunate conclusion for Allen, who matched his Yahoo! ADP (53) in nine-cat formats during the regular season, according to Basketball Monster. While he was a sixth-round player in eight-cat formats, Allen’s value taking a hit due to Evan Mobley’s emergence was unsurprising. He may not come off the board within the first 50 picks in most drafts next fall, but Allen should remain a dependable option for fantasy managers needing a center.
Evan Mobley logged 37 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, scoring 24 points (8-of-12 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs) with 11 rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one three-pointer.
Recording his third double-double in four games, Mobley had his best performance of the series in Game 5. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t good enough to force a Game 6, as Cleveland combined to shoot 9-of-35 from beyond the arc. A sprained ankle sidelined Mobley for Game 2, and the blown lead in that contest set the tone for the Cavaliers. Regarding fantasy basketball, the Cavaliers forward exceeded his Yahoo! ADP (38) in eight- and nine-cat formats, providing top-25 value in the latter. Mobley’s ADP should be considerably higher next fall as he continues establishing himself as one of the NBA’s top frontcourt players.
Darius Garland shot 4-of-16 from the field and 3-of-4 from the foul line in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, scoring 11 points with four rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes.
On a night when the Cavaliers needed Garland to be his best, the point guard could not rise to the challenge. Not only did he miss all six of his three-point attempts, but Garland was also responsible for five turnovers. His toe injury suffered during the first round did Garland no favors, but this was a disappointing way for him to end the 2024-25 season. While having a Yahoo! ADP outside the top-50, the Cavaliers’ point guard finished within that threshold in eight- and nine-cat formats. Playing alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley may limit his ceiling, but Garland’s fantasy floor is relatively safe.
Donovan Mitchell accumulated 35 points (8-of-25 FGs, 15-of-21 FTs), nine rebounds, one assist, four steals, one block and four three-pointers in 37 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers.
Mitchell scored at least 33 points in four of the series’ five games, but efficiency was an issue in Tuesday’s series finale. He shot just 32 percent from the field, boosting his point total with frequent trips to the foul line. Sometimes, Mitchell appeared to be impacted by his injured left ankle, but many players are dealing with an injury at this stage in the season. While he did not live up to his Yahoo! ADP of 17, the Cavaliers’ star offered third-round value in nine-cat formats during the regular season. Mitchell won’t be worth selecting with a first-round pick in 12-team drafts next fall, but he should not drop out of the second round.
Aaron Nesmith finished Tuesday’s Game 5 win over the Cavaliers with 13 points (5-of-14 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one three-pointer in 37 minutes.
Nesmith didn’t have the best night as a three-point shooter, making one of his seven attempts. However, he finished the series 13-of-29 from deep and recorded his first double-double in Tuesday’s clincher. While he had a limited defensive impact on Donovan Mitchell (he shot well over 50 percent when Nesmith was his primary defender), the Pacers’ wing has been a valuable contributor on both ends of the floor. Next up for Indiana is New York or Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.