New York Knicks & Los Angeles Lakers 

Over/Under: 211.5

Spread: LAL -3

Julius Randle and the Knicks take on Anthony Davis and the Lakers in a late-night showdown!

Injuries

*LeBron James – Out

*Anthony Davis – Probable (calf)

*Dennis Schroder – Out

*Kyle Kuzma – Probable (back)

*Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – Probable (ankle)

*Talen Horton-Tucker – Probable (calf)

*Immanuel Quickley - Doubtful (ankle)

*Alec Burks - Questionable (knee)

Player Breakdown

CPT/MVP

Julius Randle NYK ($16,500)

Randle wasn’t great on Sunday against the Clippers but he still managed to make a few big shots in the fourth quarter of an impressive Knicks victory. That being said, he still finished with 38 DK points as he scored 14 points while grabbing 14 rebounds and adding five assists. We know that the shot volume will be there, and I would expect him to be motivated against his former team. 

Anthony Davis LAL ($18,600)

There is nothing really wrong with Davis, but the price difference between him and Randle could be substantial tonight depending on the direction of your lineup. However, Davis certainly is worth it though as he is coming off a 42 point, 12 rebound, five assist performance while also blocking three shots and picking up three steals. That was good for 77 points, and while it would be nice to chase a repeat tonight (he had a similar performance in his previous game but with 36 points), it is clearly the high end of his upside. This is likely his last game without James, so we know Davis will be heavily featured on offense, but Kuzma does appear to be returning tonight so maybe he won’t be taking 20-plus shots again?

Derrick Rose NYK ($10,800)

Rose has been turning back the clock these days for the Knicks. Not only is he taking playing time away from Elfrid Payton , but he is also picking up some of the slack with Quickley and Burks banged up. In his last five games, Rose is averaging 21 points and on Sunday he scored 25 while making 11 of his 17 shots and handing out eight assists. 

MID-TIER

RJ Barrett NYK ($8,200)

It’s clear that the Knicks are going to heavily rely on Barrett, but he does struggle with efficiency shooting 39% from the field in his last five games. The good news is that the shot volume is there and he is averaging 37 minutes and 18 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in that stretch. 

Kyle Kuzma LAL ($6,800)

Kuzma comes back just in time to cede back some volume to James, but we can still look at him as strictly a GPP option based on the volatility. Over Kuzma’s last four games, he scored 24, six, 25, and four points respectively. That is frustrating to say the least as his shot volume wildly fluctuates, but we know what he is capable of and the price is reasonable tonight.

Alex Caruso LAL ($5,400)

Not only is Caruso benefitting from James being out, but he also stepped into the starting lineup for Schroder and is producing at a pretty high level, at least for the price. Caruso is playing about 30 minutes per game on a consistent basis and he is also getting a chance to show off his offensive abilities with 18 and 17 points in his last two games. We won’t get 38 DK points every night, but 25 to 30 is still a reasonable floor and expectation. 

DART THROWS

Reggie Bullock NYK ($5,800)

From a DFS perspective, Bullock is really just known for his offense as his defensive ability doesn’t translate into points. With Quickley and Burks both out, or limited at best, New York will lean on Bullock offensively in a manner similar to Sunday when he put up 24 points against the Clippers. I wouldn’t count on him playing 45 minutes again, but he should land somewhere around 30 to 35. 

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope LAL ($4,600)

Pope is essentially Bullock’s counterpart with just a slightly lower shot volume. There are games in which Pope is more active on the boards than others, and that is where his true value comes from. Things would be different though if he put up 17 points for the third straight game. 

Elfrid Payton NYK ($3,600)

For as much as Rose is taking advantage of Payton’s struggles, the latter is still the starting point guard for the Knicks. Payton has had DFS relevancy this season, so it wouldn’t come as a surprise should he have success again despite the fact that he has settled into about just 15 or 20 minutes of playing time a game. All Payton needs to hit value tonight, is to get off to a hot start, and he is averaging 10.8 points per game this season with about four rebounds and three assists.