There were a lot of NBA games on the docket each night last week but that has to play itself out with a couple light duty cards this week. There's just 2 games scheduled for Thursday and a smaller 4-game slate tonight.

What's interesting about tonight's schedule is that 3 of the 4 games feature a team that is on leg two of the back-to-back. Does that make a minimal player pool even minimal-er? It definitely puts less volatility in cash games and makes us dig a bit deeper in GPP contests...so let's get out the shovels:

Tonight's DFS Headlines

Portland is in a tough spot playing not only on consecutive nights, but against 2 of the top 5 up-tempo teams in the league. Last night was a 108-132 loss to Houston in which Damian Lillard (out today) and CJ McCollum ($7.8k) both logged 34+ minutes. The Trail Blazers hit New Orleans tonight.

Sacramento doesn't run the pace they did last season (29th) which does help Phoenix, who are on 0 days rest but after a very prodding 85-99 loss to Boston last night. Ricky Rubio ($6.9k) missed Monday's game for the Suns with back spasms.

The third team playing on leg two of the back-to-back tonight is Oklahoma City. The good thing for the Thunder is that they don't even have to switch hotels or even clean out their lockers, playing the Clippers last night and the Lakers tonight.

Draymond Green ($6.2k) offers some lineup versatility as he is now running the point for Golden State. Then again, the Warriors have been held to 100 points or less in three straight and the best way to describe their matchup with Memphis would be 'awkward.'

Guards

Jrue Holiday (DK: $8800 FD: $9000 Y! $36)

It would be nice if Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Frank Jackson continue to sit tonight, as it would give even more value to Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans are at home against not only a struggling Portland back court defense - but one that played 34+ minutes last night. The Blazers have allowed 60+ fantasy nights to Russ Westbrook and Trae Young in the last 10 days and 52 to Fred VanVleet over that span. Holiday took 23 shots last game, and also added 8 rebounds and 9 assists, so he has value in multiple parts of this tilt.

Kent Bazemore (DK: $3,600 FD: $4,100 Y! $10)

Kent Bazemore has value - when he can get the minutes. The Trail Blazers G/F had 32 fp in 34 minutes on November 10th and followed that up with 26 fp in 33 minutes on November 12th. The minutes should be there tonight with Portland on 0 days rest with Lillard and McCollum both playing 34 in an up-paced game against Houston. New Orleans is the opponent tonight and they run a similar up-tempo style with 109.9 possessions per game. The Pelicans also have a bottom 6 team in defensive efficiency. Bazemore had 14 shots vs. Houston, but he also played just 21 minutes, so he should be fresh and ready to launch again tonight.

Dillon Brooks (DK: $4,500 FD: $5300 Y! $12)

Dillon Brooks hopefully has his Eric Cartman, "screw you guys" game out of the way after going 0-5 from the field with just 6 fantasy points Sunday vs. Denver. Brooks had posted at least 13 field goal attempts in the three games prior, going for 30fp in each. There's arguably no better team to get your groove back than against the current version of the Golden State Warriors, who just allowed a fantasy point per minute to JJ Redick (36.75) on Sunday. Memphis runs the #6 pace in the league up against the Warriors' 30th ranked defensive efficiency squad. The Grizzlies have 114.5 implied points tonight as well.

🏀👍 Other Likes  / Dislikes 👍🏀

Chris Paul ($7k) is up against his road dog LeBron tonight and could be putting on a tryout for the Buss family at the Staples Center. Paul has back-to-back 40+ fp games and/but played in LA last night. Bogdan Bogdanovic's ($7.1k) price has climbed, but he's been in a perfect lineup 3 straight games since the De'Aaron Fox injury and is up against the Suns who are on 0 days rest.

Forwards

Brandon Clarke (DK: $4,700 FD: $5,500 Y!: $16)

Brandon Clarke had 19 points and 5 rebounds in 24 minutes last game for Memphis. It was his sixth straight game in double figures and he has posted at least 5 rebounds in all but one of those contests. The Grizzlies are a 6 point favorite vs. the Warriors tonight - a Golden State squad that has the worst defense in the league. The Warriors are basically playing everybody out of position right now which should bode well for Clarke in multiple facets of the game.

Dario Saric (DK: $5,500 FD: $5,300 Y!: $14)

Doing some tinkering with the LineStar Usage Matrix and taking out Ricky Rubio (back spasm), Devin Booker & Kelly Oubre, Jr. (33+ minutes last night) gives a big boost to Dario Saric tonight vs. Sacramento. Sure, Saric is in the B2B as well, but he played a more manageable 28 last night vs. Boston. Saric has hit for 30+ fantasy points in three straight games. Sacramento has given up a 42 point night to Jabari Parker and 50 to Pascal Siakam at the PF spot over their past 5 games. The betting total in this one is a respectable 220.5 as well.

...or maybe go with Frank Kaminsky (DK: $5000 FD: $5100 Y!13) in the same spot here based on the reactions from the Suns faithful:

Kyle Kuzma (DK: $5300 FD: $5400 Y! $21)

Kyle Kuzma has seen his production wane to 21 and 28 fantasy points the last two games but he's in a great spot tonight. Kuzma should, theoretically, get as many shots as he wants with the Lakers being 10 point favorites vs. an OKC team on the back-to-back. Kuzma did get 14 field goal attempts on Sunday as the Lakers beat Atlanta by 21 points for his 5th straight game in double figures. Anthony Davis (shoulder) could sit tonight - especially with the Lakers a big favorite and having the next 2 nights off - giving Kuzma even more potential for a ceiling game.

🏀👍👍 Other Likes / Dislikes 👍👍🏀

LeBron James should be your building block tonight with Anthony Davis being a game time decision. The Lakers are also -10 favorites vs. a tired OKC team, so James' could easily see his minutes limited.

Center

Jonas Valanciunas (DK: $6,800, FD; $7,800 Y!:$22 )

It would be nice if his minutes were higher (27 or fewer in 4 of 5) but on a 4-game slate there aren't a lot of options at the C position. It never hurts to exploit the Warriors defense this season with Jonas Valanciunas matched up against Willie Cauley-Stein tonight. The Grizzlies C has gone for 30+ in 3 of the last 4 including 16 points and 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes as Memphis got blown out on Sunday. The Warriors have allowed 4 C's in a perfect lineup, and Valanciunas has the potential to add to that in a smaller card.

🏀👍 Other Likes / Dislikes 👍🏀

Anthony Davis ($9.8k) would be the play here but he's chalk city and might be a late scratch with a 10:30 PM EST start- or on limited minutes - with his shoulder injury. Hassan Whiteside ($6.3k) is the other big name on tonight's slate, but he's on the back-to-back while playing 27 minutes.

With just a 4-game slate tonight, you can bet tomorrow's card will be loaded and it is with 11 tilts upcoming. That's a lot of angles to explore so the LineStar chat room will be working overtime. You can also follow me, Carl Taylor (@dailydogsports), on Twitter for more daily fantasy and sports betting talk.

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🔥 SuperDraft Multiplier Must-Play

Today's SuperDraft multiplier must-play is Jrue Holiday. Took 23 shots on Sunday and added 8 rebounds and 9 assists. Up against a Portland team on 0 days rest and who played up-tempo Houston last night.

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