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Toronto Raptors @ Los Angeles Clippers
O/U: 219.5
Spread: LAC -9.5
Injuries
Raptors
Fred VanVleet - QUEST
OG Anunoby - DOUBT
Gary Trent Jr. - DOUBT
Chris Boucher - OUT
Paul Watson - OUT
Clippers
Serge Ibaka - OUT
Patrick Beverley - QUEST
Jay Scrubb - OUT
Amir Coffey - OUT
MVP/CPT
With Fred VanVleet questionable and OG Anunoby doubtful, it’s going to be the Siakam show like it was last time out. He scored 39 actual and 70.8 DKP against the Lakers and now gets the Clippers. With VanVleet, Boucher and Anunoby off the floor this year, Siakam leads the team in USG (33.3%) and FP/min (1.38). Hard numbers to ignore. He’s still elite if VanVleet plays.
We shouldn’t expect Lowry to go for 37 actual again, but he’s now put up 20+ actual in three straight and has topped 38 DKP in each of those games. Lowry’s back court looks a lot different with Reggie Jackson compared to Patrick Beverley . Lowy, like Siakam, has a nice USG rate at 23.8% with a 1.2 FP/min average as well. Lowry is in play whether or not VanVleet plays.
Look, I don’t love using George and Leonard when they’re both playing, but PG13 has been in his best form over the last month or so. George has put up 50+ DKP in seven of his last 10 games. The Raptors rank 20th in DvP against shooting-guards this season. I actually prefer the Toronto guys at CPT, but PG13 makes for a nice pivot.
Mid-Tier
This is slightly risky now that Patrick Beverley could possibly return, but Jackson has been consistent. He’s put up 25+ DKP in six-of-eight games and has consistently played 30+ minutes a night when games have been close. TOR is exploitable at every position.
Even with a big last outing in which he only put up 18 DKP, he has still averaged 32.3 DKP/game over his last six outings. Birch has been great for TOR as he is a nightly double-double threat and plays 30+ minutes per. Birch has two double-doubles over his last four contests.
Value Tier
If FVV sits, I could see Flynn starting alongside Lowry. Every time he’s gotten extended run, he’s smashed. He has put up 27 DKP or more each time he’s played 30 minutes the last five times he’s hit that mark. The price is insane if FVV sits.
We must monitor the status of Patrick Beverley as we approach game time. He’s been upgraded to QUEST from OUT. If he sits again, Rondo is a lock. He played 30 minutes last time out and put up 37 DKP. He’s now topped 22 minutes in four straight games and in three of them he’s gone for 26 DKP or more.
Crazy, right? But hold on, look at what Cousins has been able to do recently. He’s put up 26 DKP in three straight games despite playing really nothing more than 15 minutes. He had a 25 minute outing in a blowout loss, so if this game blows out, Cousins could be the best value of the slate. Regardless, when Cousins is on the floor, he’s productive. Straight up.