Portland Trailblazers @ Denver Nuggets

Total: 215

Spread: DEN -9

 

Injuries

POR

Damian Lillard - OUT

CJ McCollum - OUT

Anfernee Simons - OUT

Norman Powell - OUT

Larry Nance Jr. - OUT

Cody Zeller - DOUBT

 

DEN

Will Barton - PROB

Markus Howard - QUEST

Vlatko Cancar - OUT

Jamal Muray - OUT

PJ Dozier - OUT

Michael Porter Jr. - OUT

 

CPT

Nikola Jokic, DEN

When you look at the landscape of this slate, I’m not sure anyone else in this game has 50 FP upside. Nobody has 60 or 70 like Jokic does and at a 1.5x multiplier, you’d be hard pressed to catch the large majority that used him in the captain's chair. This is an easy plug and play.

Dennis Smith Jr., POR

With Damian Lillard on the shelf for the next 6-to-8 weeks and Anfernee Simons missing this game due to personal reasons, Dennis Smith Jr. is next man up. He’s been solid when his number has been called on and with Lillard, McCollum, Powell and Simons off the floor this year, Smith has a 25.9% USG rate and averages over one FP/min. He’s a solid secondary captain option.

 

UTIL

Jusuf Nurkic, POR

By default, a lot of the Blazers offense is going to run through their big man in the middle. Nurkic has been great lately with the exception being last game. He’s notched four double-doubles in five games and has averaged 42 DKP/game. There is a clear need for scoring here with four of the top five scorers on the team being out and Nurkic is someone who can provide Portland with just that.

Will Barton, DEN

Barton is expected to make his return tonight after missing just one game in the health and safety protocols. He’s been pretty solid of late averaging 27.4 DKP/game over his last four and has topped 30 DKP in five of his last eight games. When you remove Michael Porter Jr. and P.J. Dozier off the floor this year, Barton has a 21.8% USG rate and averages .92 FP/min.

Robert Covington, POR

Even without Portland’s top scorers healthy, Covington isn’t shooting much, but he does a little of everything to contribute to a basketball game. He’s elite on the defensive end of the ball notching two straight games of three steals and three blocks each. That said, he’s been efficient his last two games scoring 17+ actual points, so if he can continue on that path, he’s an elite option. He does have a very low floor, however.

Nassir Little, POR

Much like Bob Cov, Little has a low floor but man…Portland just doesn’t have many other options right now. Little’s put up 20+ DKP in four of five games and twice over that span he’s put up 30. He’s loved facing the Nuggets this year averaging north of one FP/min at 27.5 per contest.

Monte Morris, DEN

I don’t love Morris as much as I did with Will Barton out, but anytime you get to face Dennis Smith Jr. on the defensive end it’ll pique my interest. Smith Jr. has a career 111 DRtg and has never had better than a 110 in any one of his professional seasons. Insert Morris who has flashed a very safe floor putting up 20+ DKP in five straight and nine of 10. Not the sexy play, but a viable one.

Ben McLemore, POR

This is something I’d consider as a very low owned captain play. McLemore is lightning in a bottle and he’s never seen a shot he doesn’t like. When he gets hot, he can be a GPP winner. He scored 20 actual last game and with Powell, Lillard, Simons and McCollum off the floor, he has a robust 24.3% USG rate.

Jeff Green, DEN

I think either J. Green, Jeff Green or JaMychal Green work here. The latter has moved into the starting lineup, but the former has arguably been better. Jeff Green has scored 12+ actual points in three straight games since moving to the bench and in two of three he’s put up 20+ DKP. At his price, that’s a great return on investment.

 

Game Theory Plays

CJ Elleby, POR

It’s really been out of necessity, but Elleby has been pretty good when on the floor. He’s played 17+ minutes in two straight games and 18+ in five of his last seven. Portland is down a LOT of key guys and this game could definitely get out of hand as it’s a nine-point spread as of this being posted. If this game blows out, Elleby will see 20+ minutes. It’s a GPP play only.

Markus Howard, DEN

We need to see if Howard even plays first, but if this game blows out they’ll be looking to get him back into the rhythm he was in prior to his injury. In the final three games before he was hurt, he scored nine or more actual points, twice topping 14 and TWICE putting up over 20 FP. This isn’t a play for someone with a weak stomach. Large field GPPs only.