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Daily Fantasy NBA News and Injury Updates - 12/9/17
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What We Know
Joel Embiid will rest against the Cavaliers in the first game of a back to back.
Embiid will take his standard rest day during a Sixers back to back set on the opening end as the Sixers head to Cleveland tonight. In addition to Embiid, T.J. McConnell, who returned from a three game absence to play the Lakers on Thursday night, aggravated the same shoulder that kept him out for those games and will miss once again tonight. The two may be joined on the bench by Dario Saric who is looking unlikely to play a second straight game. Amir Johnson could see extended run again and we may get our first look at Trevor Booker in a Sixers uniform. Jerryd Bayless will see the most benefit from McConnells absence.
Aaron Gordon suffered a concussion last night against the Nuggets, joining a long list of injured Magic.
Gordon joins Terrence Ross, and Evan Fournier among the inactive Orlando players after suffering a concussion last night. He will join Fournier, who missed last night's game with a sprained ankle, and has no current timetable for return, and Ross who has missed several games with a hyperextended knee. In addition, we are waiting on word for D.J. Augustin who is questionable after injuring his quad last night. As we noted in the picks article, Nikola Vucevic, and Jonathon Simmons will provide tremendous value tonight for the depleted Orlando team. If Augustin is unable to go, then add Shelvin Mack to the list of Orlando value plays as well.
Jeremy Lamb left last night's game with a shin contusion. He has been ruled out while Nicolas Batum is listed as questionable.
Batum is experiencing soreness in the elbow that kept him sidelined through the first 12 games of the season, He's considered a game time decision and may likely be held out as a precaution tonight as the Hornets host the Lakers. If held out, he will join Lamb on the bench, who injured his shin in last night's contest. Dwayne Bacon and Malik Monk would be the beneficiaries if both are unable to play tonight.
Jusuf Nurkic will sit out tonight's game against Houston with a sore ankle.
Nurkic sprained his ankle Tuesday against the Wizards, and is still feeling it, so the Blazers are holding him out tonight as they host Houston. Ed Davis will likely draw the start and becomes an interesting play in Nurkics place.
Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili will be rested tonight against the Suns.
Gasol, Parker, and Ginobili will all sit out tonight's game against the Suns for rest. They join Kyle Anderson, Kawhi Leonard among the inactive Spurs, and leave a hefty workload for the remaining players in a sweet matchup against the defensively lacking Suns team. Dejounte Murray, Patty Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Rudy Gay all become prime options in a pace up game packed with fantasy value.
Rodney Hood has been ruled out for the Jazz tonight.
No surprise, Hood will miss his seventh straight game tonight nursing his left ankle. Alec Burks and Donovan Mitchell will continue to see the benefit of Hoods absence.
Chandler Parsons will rest on the tail end of the Memphis back to back set.
Parsons saw 25 minutes last night against the Raptors, so the Grizzlies will rest him tonight so as not to overwork his knee. Dillon Brooks, James Ennis, and Ben McLemore all stand to see added time on the court in his absence.
Tyson Chandler and Alex Len are both available for the Suns.
I noted in the picks article that Greg Monroe was in consideration at center tonight if these two were ruled out, but both are available making all three undesirable from a fantasy perspective.
What We're Waiting to Know
Paul George is questionable for the Thunder after missing Thursday's game.
George missed Thursday night's game against Brooklyn with a calf bruise which seems to still be a problem for the Thunders small forward, leaving his status for tonight up in the air. Alex Abrines drew the start in his place on Thursday, but the real impact here is on Carmelo Anthony who is a much more attractive play if George misses a second straight game.
Every Lineup Guys
Rudy Gay FD - $5500 DK - $5800
Opponent - PHO
Proj Pts FD - 33.62 DK - 33.42
Dejounte Murray FD - $3600 DK - $3900
Opponent - PHO
Proj Pts FD - 29.63 DK - 30.53
We have a pair of Spurs leading our top lineups tonight. Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili are being rested on the tail end of the San Antonio back to back set as they travel to Phoenix after hosting the Celtics at home last night. The Spurs go into the game extremely shorthanded. I wrote up Rudy Gay in the picks article, and predicted he would be an every lineup guy, and here we are. Kawhi Leonard has missed the start to the season, and Kyle Anderson is out for at least 2-3 weeks with a sprained MCL in his knee, which keeps Gay the starting small forward for a fourth straight game. In the first three starts he's averaging 31 minutes and 33 fantasy points per, and tonight has a chance to crush value against a Suns team that doesn't play defense. Then there's Dejounte Murray. With word that the Spurs are resting Parker, Murray will be the likely candidate to step into the starting point guard spot, following a stellar performance against the Thunder on Sunday when he started for a resting Parker. Murray ended that game with a 17/11/5/1/3 line in 39 minutes and paid a staggering 12X PPD. Phoenix loves to run the boards and will force the Spurs to speed up their conservative game, this game doesn't have a ridiculous projected total, sitting at just 206.5 but when you think of the minutes these guys stand to see, the sky is the limit when looking at their ceiling.
