Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Clippers
Over/Under: 219.5
Spread: DEN -1.5
The Denver Nuggets will take a trip further out West to take on the Los Angeles Clippers in a late-night Western Conference Showdown!
News to Monitor:
*Paul George – PLAYING
*Serge Ibaka – OUT
*Monte Morris – OUT
*Patrick Beverley – OUT
*Rajon Rondo – OUT
Player Breakdown:
CPT/MVP
1.) Nikola Jokic C (DEN) $16,500 –
Sure, Jokic is the highest-priced player on the slate, but he is basically the only one that has north of 60+ fantasy point upside. In the long game Jokic and the Nuggets faced the Clippers, Jokic played 38 minutes, carried a 26.5% usage rate and scored 24 actual, grabbed nine boards, dished 10 dimes, with a steal. One board shy of a triple-double. Jokic has triple-double potential on any given night and if he goes for it here tonight, you likely won’t be able to catch him with any other players on the slate, maybe Kawhi.
2.) Kawhi Leonard SF (LAC) $14,400 –
Can take a small discount on the Clippers highest-usage player in Leonard if you don’t think that Jokic has a stellar game here on the road. Kawhi has topped 45 fantasy points in his last five straight contests and has literally ran a 40+ fantasy point floor for the span. We don’t know if PG will play here tonight, but if he doesn’t obviously Kawhi becomes way more attractive at the CPT/MVP spot. In the lone meeting between these two earlier this season, Kawhi scored 21 points, grabbed five rebounds, recorded seven assists with FOUR steals and a block. Kawhi has 50 fantasy point upside here and the CPT/MVP spot is likely divided between these two guys up top.
3.) Paul George SG (LAC) $13,500 -
Moving OFF Jamal Murray and onto Paul George here as my third CPT/MVP play PG has missed two games witha lingering foot injury but he has progressed into playing tonight and that is great news for the Clippers. Before PG was held out the two games, he had gone for 44 and 58 fantasy points, while scoring 24 actual in both contests and playing well over 30 minutes. He rivals Kawhi for highest fantasy-point total on the Clippers and both he and Jokic for the highest of the slate
MID-TIER:
1.) Michael Porter Jr. SF/PF (DEN) $7,600 –
MPJ continues to play at a very high level and even with the Aaron Gordon addition, this has not impacted his minutes or his fantasy production. We saw that evidently last time out with Porter Jr. going for 55 fantasy points of his own on a 27-point, 12 board, four assist, one block and one steal stat-line against the Sixers in 36 minutes. He has now topped 30 fantasy points in his last 12-straight contests and running.
2.) Ivica Zubac C (LAC) $6,600 –
Zubac may be one main reason that Jokic doesn’t clean up on the glass and he has done a pretty swell job of cleaning the glass lately with 13, 11, 9, and 13 boards in his last four contests. With Ibaka still on the shelf, Zubac will continue to see starts and starter minutes. Zubac has cleared 30 fantasy points in four of his last six starts and could be looking at another 30+ fantasy point effort tonight.
3.) Reggie Jackson PG/SG (LAC) $6,000 –
Reggie has stepped his game up lately as well with PG sitting on the bench. Once again, we aren’t sure if PG will make a return, but I honestly veer to the side of sitting. Nonetheless, Patrick Beverly is still OUT and Jackson will continue to start at the PG spot until he returns. Jackson has played 22, 34, 29, and 39 minutes over his last four contests while putting up 41, 20, 28, and 32 fantasy points as a result. The match up isn’t the greatest, but he has seen a small up-tick in usage lately and with the minutes he is playing, that is a great combination to have!
DARTS:
1.) Terance Mann PG/SG (LAC) $5,600 –
Mann has also been getting quite a bit more run with the Clippers shipping off Lou Williams . Mann has now played 25 or more minutes in his last six-straight games and has flashed the upside going over 28 fantasy points in five of those six games. Mann will continue to be an integral part of this Clipper rotation and as long as Beverly and if PG sits again, he should have a nice role off the bench.
2.) Nicolas Batum SF/PF (LAC) $5,400 –
Batum continues to see solid work off the bench behind starting PF Marcus Morris . He has seen 26+ minutes in his last five games, while also topping 21 fantasy points in all five of those to boot. As long as the Clippers are thin in the frontcourt, Batum will continue to have a solid reserve role. He is doing just enough and contributes in just enough categories to stay relative as a solid value play, especially in showdown.
3.) Luke Kennard SG/SF (LAC) $4,200 –
It just does seem that all the value is on the Clippers, right? Well that’s just how it is tonight. Especially if PG sits. Kennard has also been a beneficiary of extended run, including spot-starts with PG out, and has produced well in those. Kennard has played back-to-back 32- and 33-minute outings and put up 32 and 27 fantasy points as a result. Kennard does mainly have a contingency for a must-play, and that’s only if PG SITS. IF PG plays, we can look to pivot elsewhere.
Player News
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Stephen Curry has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain and is expected to miss at least a week.
Shams notes that Curry has already been ruled out for Game 2 on Thursday, but the week timeline means he’ll miss Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday with a chance to return for Game 5 on Wednesday. This is the first muscle strain of Curry’s career, so how quickly he returns will depend on how he responds to rehab. Fortunately for Golden State, the team came away with a win on the road in Game 1, and two of the next three games will be at home, giving the Warriors a chance to stay alive while their superstar PG is out. Expect Buddy Hield to step into a much larger role on offense while Curry is sidelined. Hield has totaled 57 points across his last two games while stroking a blistering 14-of-18 shots from beyond the arc.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters Stephen Curry is day-to-day with a hamstring injury and will undergo an MRI on Wednesday.
Kerr relayed that Curry was “crushed” after being forced from the game due to injury. While Kerr described Curry as day-to-day, he also mentioned that the 37-year-old point guard will undergo imaging on Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury. There should be an update on his status at some point prior to Thursday’s Game 2 showdown. With the Warriors taking Game 1 on the road Tuesday, Kerr added that it’s hard to imagine Curry being available for Game 2 on Thursday. With Game 3 Saturday at Golden State, Curry could have more time to rest and recover.
Naz Reid had 19 points (8-of-14 FGs), five rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and three three-pointers in Game 1 against the Warriors on Tuesday.
Reid briefly left the floor with an apparent leg injury towards the end of the second quarter before returning in the second half. The 25-year-old center played 34 minutes and was the second leading scorer for the Timberwolves in what turned out to be a lackluster game for Minnesota. Reid appeared healthy in the second half and should continue to be counted on for starter-level minutes despite coming off the bench.
Anthony Edwards had 23 points (9-of-22 FGs), 14 rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block and one three-pointer in Game 1 against the Warriors on Tuesday.
Draymond Green had 18 points (6-of-13 FGs), eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and four three-pointers in Game 1 against the Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Buddy Hield had 24 points (7-of-19 FGs), eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and five three-pointers in Game 1 against the Timberwolves on Tuesday.