Tonight’s NBA DFS Showdown matchup features two of the most tumultuous Western Conference rosters as we near the end of the regular season. The Grizzlies’ strong start has been derailed by the suspension of Ja Morant and the injury to Steven Adams. The Lakers are currently without LeBron James and new addition Mo Bamba as they try to sneak into the playoffs. But even with all of those players missing, there are a number of valuable fantasy pieces for your lineups tonight. Here are the NBA DFS top plays we can invest in for our lineups on FanDuel and DraftKings!
Memphis Injuries:
Ja Morant – OUT
Steven Adams – OUT
Brandon Clarke - OUT
Los Angeles Injuries:
LeBron James – OUT
Mo Bamba - OUT
D’Angelo Russell – QUESTIONABLE
Anthony Davis – PROBABLE
MVP/CAPTAIN
Anthony Davis (C)
We know when LeBron James is out that Anthony Davis is going to shoulder a big load on offense and defense. But just how large is it? When James does not play, Davis has a 32.3% usage rate and 1.67 fantasy points per minute across a 630-minute sample this season. He also sees large spikes in his steal and rebound rates. Without Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke, the Grizzlies have been bad against centers, giving up the most fantasy points per game to the position over the last seven games.
Jaren Jackson, Jr. (PF/C)
Much like Davis, Jackson is going to continue to see a huge spike in his usage and production for as long as Morant and Clarke are out of the lineup. When those two and Adams miss, Jackson’s usage is 30.3% and he scores 1.36 fantasy points per minute. But the best part about Jackson is now is he is basically forced to play 32+ minutes per game and he has been keeping the foul trouble in check (hasn’t fouled out since February 12th).
Desmond Bane (SG)
Bane looks almost like a carbon copy of Jaren Jackson when the same three teammates miss time. His 28.75 usage rate and 1.33 fantasy points per minute are second only to Jackson and we saw just how much usage he will get in his last game without Morant. Bane shot 22 times in 35 minutes played en route to 47.5 fantasy points on Sunday, and the Grizzlies will need that kind of production night in and night out. Guys like Dillon Brooks, Xavier Tillman, and even Jaren Jackson are not shooters, so Memphis needs Bane to fill that role.
UTILITY
Jarred Vanderbilt (PF/C)
Vanderbilt has been a breath of fresh air for this defensively-challenged Lakers’ squad. In his last five games, he averages 27 minutes and 27.4 fantasy points per game in addition to being all over the court on defense and disrupting the other team whenever he is on the floor. We may not get one from Russell, but this is a #revengegame for Vanderbilt after he spent the last three seasons there before being shipped to Utah in the Rudy Gobert trade. The Timberwolves are a bottom-five team against power forwards this season, so this could be a big spot for Vanderbilt. The Grizzlies have really struggled against power forwards in their last 30 games, allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to that spot.
Xavier Tillman (PF/C)
With no Steven Adams or Brandon Clarke to steal minutes, Tillman has had a very solid last two games. He averaged 32 minutes and 29 fantasy points per contest. That ability to get close to 5x of his salary tonight really helps when we want to spend up for Anthony Davis and Jaren Jackson. Only the Hornets and Spurs have allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers this year, and the minutes should not be a problem for Tillman tonight.
Tyus Jones (PG)
As you might expect, when Morant does not play, Jones has big minutes on the court. He is second on the team in minutes played when Morant, Clarke, and Adams are off the floor. And he played 36 minutes in his first game without Morant on Sunday. In that game against the Clippers, Jones erupted for 60.75 fantasy points. And while we won’t expect him to have five steals again, the 14 shots and 12 assists are very much within reach each night and the Lakers are also a bottom-three team against point guards.
DART THROWS
Rui Hachimura (PF)
With the Lakers down both LeBron James and Mo Bamba tonight, it is a guarantee that Hachimura is going to get some run in this game. He already played 20 minutes in his last game, which was his fourth in a row with at least 20 minutes on the floor. Two of those games have been great while two of them have been abysmal, but we know the struggles the Grizzlies have had against the position over the last two weeks. Hachimura already has two games over 18 fantasy points against Memphis this season.
Luke Kennard (SG/SF)
When the team was short-handed on Sunday, they turned to Luke Kennard for the most minutes off the bench. Kennard played 29 minutes in that game and took seven shots, making five of them (all threes). His 26.75 fantasy points were his most since the day after Christmas. Dillon Brooks will be back in this game, so it might dampen Kennard’s minutes somewhat, but, as mentioned above, the Grizzlies are in need of shooters right now, and Kennard is not afraid to chuck it. The Lakers allow the 10th-most made three-pointers this season.