Brooklyn Nets & Los Angeles Clippers
Spread: Nets -4
Total: 213
Injuries:
Brooklyn Nets:
Kevin Durant – Out
Kyrie Irving – Out
LaMarcus Aldridge – Out
Kessler Edwards – Out
Cam Thomas – Out
David Duke – Out
Joe Harris – Out
Day’ron Sharpe - Out
Los Angeles Clippers:
Paul George – Out
Reggie Jackson – Out
Marcus Morris – Questionable (conditioning)
Isaiah Hartenstein – Out
Nicolas Batum - 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
James Harden, PG (BKN) – From a star perspective, there really is Harden and everyone else tonight. He is the last man standing for the Nets and is clearly the best player that will be taking the floor tonight. That also means he is the most expensive though, but given those who will be sidelined, there is also some value to be found tonight. The problem though, is that you aren’t going to the be only one following this logic as Harden comes off a triple-double against the Lakers on Christmas (36 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists). But no one else will bring this level of upside or performance.
Eric Bledsoe, PG (LAC) – Nothing personal against Bledsoe, but with George and Jackson sidelined, he lands here by default. Someone has to have the ball in their hands for the Clippers, and thanks to a war of attrition, that seemingly has defaulted to Bledsoe. When given the chance, and he currently has the opportunity, Bledsoe can be a 20-point scorer and if you mix that with the 8.5 assists he is averaging in the last two games with Jackson sidelined, then we have 40 to 50 fantasy point upside and the ability to essentially roster whoever else you want.
Patty Mills, PG/SG, (BKN) – Let’s be honest, I’m pretty sure none of you had Mills as being the second most expensive player at any point this season on a slate. But here we are, and in fairness to Mills, he is deserving of the honor. With Brooklyn in need of offensive production, Mills has stepped up to the plate and he is averaging 23.7 points in his last three games as he comes off a 34 point, seven assist performance against the Lakers. Mills has been locked in from downtown, and the opportunities aren’t going away anytime soon.
Util
Marcus Morris, SF/PF (LAC) – Since Morris has been out the last few games, we get a little bit of a discount here. With that discount does come a little bit of risk as we do need to monitor his status to make sure that he is in fact in the lineup. The fact that Morris was cleared to play on Sunday (he was held back for conditioning purposes) is a good sign and I would expect to see him tonight. Morris had been previously playing around 30-minutes a night and had scored 24 points in each of his last two games while averaging 9.5 rebounds.
Ivica Zubac, C (LAC) – If only Zubac could find a little more consistency with his double-double performances. On the season he is just shy on average (9.9 points and eight rebounds per game) but it’s hard not to chase games like we saw on Sunday; 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Terance Mann, PG/SF (LAC) – With all of the pieces that the Clippers are missing, I’m not especially concerned about the impact Morris’ return will have on Mann. The swingman has been getting all of the playing time he can handle as of late and Mann is averaging a solid 13.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his last three games. I would like to see more offensive upside, but we aren’t in the position to be all that picky here as Mann comes off an 11 point, eight assist, seven rebound performance last night.
Bruce Brown, SG/SF (BKN) – You could make the argument that Brown has become the third option for Brooklyn. The versatile guard gets plenty of playing time based on his defense and he is usually good for five or six rebounds a game which gives a decent floor. Now only if he would score 16 points on a nightly basis like he did on Saturday.
Nicolas Claxton, C (BKN) – There isn’t much offensively that is game-planned specifically for Claxton, but he’s in the starting lineup and will play about 30-minutes tonight. Maybe Claxton won’t block five shots like he did on Saturday against the Lakers, but that is a large part of his game and the center is averaging 14 points per game in his last three (almost by default). The price is right for the minutes and Claxton should grab five or six rebounds as well.
Dart Throws
Brandon Boston Jr, SG/SF (LAC) – And just like that, Boston is the first player off the bench for the Clippers. Boston took 15 shots last night so there is enough opportunity and volume present, even with Morris’s return, as he scored 18 points in 33 minutes. That is a good sign, as that is where the majority of Boston’s production comes from.
Deandre’ Bembry, SG/SF (BKN) – Bembry is a solid role player for Brooklyn who is currently being asked to do a little bit more these days. He came through on Saturday scoring 15 points in 27 minutes while grabbing five rebounds, and the opportunity to do the same is there once again tonight.
Serge Ibaka, PF/C (LAC) – Ibaka is the main big man in reserve for the Clippers so we don’t have to worry about his role here. In his last two games, Ibaka has averaged 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds over 19.5 minutes, and a repeat of that is exactly what we are looking for.
James Johnson, PF (BKN) – Johnson isn’t going to be a prolific scorer, but he’ll play 20 to 25 minutes and fill up the box score, so there certainly is value in that.