Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Spread: PHX -2.5

Total: 228.5

Injuries:

Phoenix

Frank Kaminsky OUT

Dario Saric OUT

Los Angeles

Norman Powell QUEST

Kawhi Leonard OUT

Jason Preston OUT

 

 

MVP/Captain

 

Paul George, SG – Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. Writing up DFS plays in this game may be a futile effort. Neither team will have anything to play for by the time this game tips. The Suns have secured the league’s best record and the Clippers can not move up or down in the play-in tournament. There is a solid chance none of these eight players end up playing on Wednesday. But if they do, George is the best of the bunch. While still rounding into form after a long injury layoff, all he has done is average 44 DK points in 30 minutes per game since his return. George may get minutes here just to get his conditioning up for the playoffs, and he has shown he can be a 1.25 fantasy points per minute producer. 

 

 

Devin Booker, PG/SG – The Booker MVP-conversation-snub tour could continue on Wednesday with his second night in Los Angeles. Booker has over 40 fantasy points per game in five of his last six including a 52-spot against Memphis on Sunday. The Clippers are bottom-10 against shooting guards in their last seven games. At $1,200 below George in the MVP salary, we should give serious consideration here if he plays. 

 

 

Chris Paul, PG – The Point God has also been on a mission since returning from his own injury in late March. In his last five games, he averages 38 DK points and is shooting almost 55% from the floor. He has actually been even better against the Clippers this year, averaging 43.8 fantasy points in his three games against them. 

Utility

 

Reggie Jackson, PG – Ever since it was announced that Reggie Jackson and others on the Clippers would have their minutes capped at 32 minutes per night he has played more than 33 minutes in three of four games. Will that continue with the Clippers locked in? Perhaps not, but he is going right up to the number of 32 each game no matter what. That’s resulted in 33.3 fantasy points per game in his last four and he could smash if the Suns roll out the B-team on Wednesday. 

 

 

Isaiah Hartenstein, C – I-Hart is now more expensive than his center counterpart Ivica Zubac, and for good measure. He has more than 28 fantasy points in six of his last seven games and is shooting over 60% from the floor. Hartenstein – typically a backup – has some job security tomorrow even if Los Angeles rests guys. I would imagine Hartenstein would start and play about 24 minutes in that scenario. 

 

 

Mikal Bridges, SF – The most valuable part of Bridges’ game is his minutes, and he is playing at least 30 in every game, even blowouts. That has led to an unbelievable level of consistency that we value in DFS. He has at least 22.5 fantasy points in 17 straight games and averages more than 36 minutes per night over the last two weeks. 

 

 

Value Tier

 

Luke Kennard, SG/SF – Kennard is another sub who will get minutes regardless of what Los Angeles does against Phoenix. Consider: in the Clippers’ last game when they were fully healthy, he played 24 minutes. In the previous game against the Bucks when they rested the starters, Kennard played 32 minutes and scored over 40 fantasy points. That’s the kind of upside he has when he gets minutes in the mid-30s and gets to fire it up at will. 

 

 

Cameron Johnson, SF/PF – Cam Johnson went back to the bench with Jae Crowder’s return recently, but he is still getting the job done. He now has more than 27 fantasy points in six of eight games and got a salary drop down below $5,000 after being relegated to the bench. He would also play bigger minutes if any of Bridges, Ayton, or Crowder sit today.