Los Angeles Lakers & Sacramento Kings
Over/Under: 222.5
Spread: LAL -8.5
Andre Drummond and the Lakers take on Buddy Hield and the Kings in a late-night showdown!
Injuries:
*De’aaron Fox – Out
*LeBron James – Questionable (ankle)
*Anthony Davis – Probable (calf)
*Harrison Barnes – Out
*Dennis Schroder – Probable (calf)
*Marvin Bagley III – Probable (hand)
*Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – (ankle)
*Alex Caruso – Questionable (back)
Player Breakdown:
CPT/MVP:
Andre Drummond LAL ($12,900)
The Lakers have limited Drummond’s minutes since his acquisition, but over his last two games that total has dropped a little further to 25 and then 20. It is a situation that bears watching as Los Angeles gets closer to full strength but it’s hard to argue with the production we continue to see from Drummond. He has double-digit rebounds in each of his last four games and is coming off a 17 point, 11 rebound performance on Wednesday.
Anthony Davis LAL ($14,700)
Davis now has four games under his belt since his return, and with 31 minutes in each of last two, I think we can officially consider him to be back. With 26 points and five rebounds on Wednesday, Davis appears to be back on track offensively but we would like to see grab a few more rebounds to really generate some upside.
Buddy Hield SAC ($12,000)
The Kings are playing tonight too even though it is the Lakers that bring the star power. With Fox sidelined, and now Barnes as well, Sacramento really needs Hield to take control offensively if they are going to attempt to keep pace with Los Angeles. Hield does have 30-point upside, he hit 29 a few games ago, but we know that he will be in double digits on shot attempts and he has been contributing across multiple categories.
MID-TIER:
LeBron James LAL ($10,600)
This might be the only time James isn’t listed in the captain tier, and it may prove to be overly cautious, but I’m sticking by it. After a lengthy absence, James is planning to test his ankle prior to tonight’s game, and all signs point to him returning. I would expect there to be some level of a minutes limit for James, and that is especially the case if the game goes in the direction Vegas thinks it will. With that being said, there is no questioning James skills and upside, but I’m not sure he plays long enough to hit 50 fantasy points tonight. However, he can still hit the 30-fantasy point mark with relative ease even in a reduce role.
Tyrese Haliburton SAC ($8,400)
The rookie has had his moments for the Kings this season but now he is guaranteed at least 30 minutes per game as one of Sacramento’s top offensive options. The issue here is always going to be Haliburton’s shooting efficiency but we have to like what we are seeing from him in the assist department.
Dennis Schroder LAL ($7,800)
Schroder has been one of the more consistent members of the Lakers this season. That didn’t change upon Davis’ return and, at least initially, I would expect the same now that James is likely back. Of course, once he is up to speed, James will take control of the Lakers’ offense, but Schroder will still have a secure role. In his last four games, Schroder is averaging just over 10 assists and we should have at least one more game of that as he puts up between 15 and 20 points.
DART THROWS:
Marvin Bagley III SAC ($5,000)
Bagley is slated to return tonight and while the Kings will likely ease him back into action, he still should be good for 20-25 minutes of playing time. That lines up to what we previous were seeing from Bagley who was averaging 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Barnes being out does benefit Bagley as well.
Chimezie Metu SAC ($3,400)
Metu has benefited from Sacramento’s injuries in the front court, and while he could lose some playing time to Bagley, I would expect him to remain in the starting lineup. I’m not sure he will see the 34 minutes of playing time he did on Wednesday, but the workload will be there for Metu. Of greater concern is the fact that he scored just six points against the Jazz, but he did have games of 10 and 16 points not too long ago. Anything more than 20 fantasy points is a bonus here, but the price is right.
Ben McLemore LAL ($2,800)
The main concern here is playing time as McLemore’s minute total has fluctuated on a nightly basis over his last few games. We also have James returning, but his minutes will be limited, so let’s bank on 20 minutes from McLemore in a potential blowout with the chance for a few more. When on the court, we know that he can score as he has 20 and 16 points in two of his last three games.