Chicago Bulls & Phoenix Suns

Spread: Suns -5.5

Total: 231.5

Injuries:

Chicago Bulls:

Zach LaVine – Probable (Knee)

Lonzo Ball - Out

Phoenix Suns:

Chris Paul – Out

Jae Crowder – Questionable (Groin)

Cameron Johnson – Out

Frank Kaminsky - Out

*Please note that players not listed below are not necessarily a complete fade and any player listed can certainly be used as the MVP/Captain. These are merely suggestions for players to use when setting Showdown lineups.

 

 

 

MVP/CPT

 

Devin Booker, PG/SG (PHX) – Phoenix is down two key scorers in Chris Paul and Cameron Johnson, and Booker hasn’t been shy about picking up the offensive slack. He enters tonight’s game looking to break the 50 DK point mark for the fifth time in six games after scoring 36 points against Houston on Wednesday. The fact that Booker is shooting 54.5% from the field in his last five games certainly helps here and he also continues to handle playmaking duties to the tune of 7.6 assists per game in that stretch while generally taking about 20 shots per game. 

 

 

DeMar DeRozan, PF (CHI) – Just because DeRozan is no longer breaking the 30-point mark on a nightly basis without any issue, it doesn’t mean we should toss him out with yesterday’s newspaper. Over his last five games, DeRozan is averaging 26 points, seven rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game as not only is he playing at a high level, but he is doing so with consistency. Sharing the offense with LaVine works both ways here as not as much offense is required of DeRozan, but it’s not like he is fading into the background either. 

 

 

Zach LaVine, SG/SF (CHI) – We should all have knee soreness like LaVine does he is coming off a 33-point effort against the Jazz on Wednesday. That’s not to make light of the very real injury LaVine is playing through, but you would never know it. LaVine hasn’t scored less than 24 points in his last five games as he continues to handle the volume without issue.

Util

 

Nikola Vucevic, C (CHI) – Vucevic only needed 29 minutes of playing time on Wednesday against Utah to record his third straight double-double. It’s nothing new for the dependable center, who while he continues to be a solid option (18 points and 11.5 rebounds per game on the season), doesn’t provide much upside beyond that and he isn’t cheap either. 

 

 

Cameron Payne, PG (PHX) – Despite struggling on the offensive end Wednesday (three of 10 from the field), Payne still broke the 30-point mark on DK for the eighth straight game. Payne made up for scoring just six points by handing out 11 assists (his third double-digit game out of his last five) and grabbing seven rebounds. The volume continues to be there for Payne and he does come with some offensive upside. 

 

 

Deandre Ayton, C (PHX) – It’s a favorable matchup from a fantasy perspective for Ayton, and with Phoenix shorthanded, he has taken on a larger role offensively. Over his last five games, Ayton is averaging 20 points and 11.3 rebounds per game and that should continue tonight. 

 

 

Mikal Bridges, SF (PHX) – Bridges should see an increased role offensively tonight with Paul and Johnson out and Jae Crowder dealing with a groin injury. That was the case for Bridges on Wednesday as he played 44 minutes on Houston and took advantage of the situation scoring 26 points on 10 of 17 shooting. 

 

 

Ayo Dosunmu, PG (CHI) – Dosunmu has been locked into about 30 minutes a night in Chicago’s backcourt but his shooting efficiency doesn’t generally share the same consistency. It is clear that Dosunmu is not the main option from a playmaking perspective for the Bulls, but he does benefit from playing with DeRozan and LaVine. 

 

 

Torrey Craig, PF/C (PHX) – Talk about taking advantage of an opportunity. Craig will either be the first man off the bench tonight for the Suns or he will move into the starting lineup if Crowder is limited, and both will benefit him. We can’t expect another 21-point, 14 rebound performance like we got from Craig on Wednesday, but it’s good to see him playing at that level and with that volume. 

Dart Throws

 

Aaron Holiday, PG/SG (PHX) – We don’t have to worry about playing time for Holiday (around 20 minutes a night these days), but he doesn’t consistently take enough shots to be offensively relevant. 

 

 

Tristan Thompson, PF/C (CHI) – Thompson has found himself in a consistent role off the bench for Chicago playing around 15 minutes per game, and at this price, that works. The big man will chip a few points per night along with a handful of rebounds off the bench for Bulls. 

 

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