In daily fantasy basketball, every edge matters.
One of the easiest ways to find an edge is to understand what happens to a team when injuries occur. Who stands to benefit? Who might struggle as a result? That's all vital information during the lineup-building process.
What should you know about tonight's slate of games? Let's break it down.
As always, you should make sure to double-check our NBA Player News page before finalizing your lineup.
The Definites
No significant players have been ruled out for tonight. Both Reggie Jackson and Brandon Bass are expected to play tonight for their teams, though.
The To-Be-Determined List
Rajon Rondo is questionable tonight while he continues to deal with a toe injury. He sat out last game against the Pelicans, and Darren Collison started in his place. Collison is one of the more chalk (i.e. popular) players in basketball when Rondo is sidelined. Collison is priced at just $5,700 and will have another great opportunity to give you great value. The only downside to him is that he will be likely be highly owned, and rightfully so.
Rondo was just upgraded to probable, so it looks like he will play. Keep an eye on this as it gets closer, though, in case he does actually sit.
Jonas Valanciunas has missed the last two games, and Bismack Biyombo has been nothing short of incredible while filling in. Biyombo isn't terrible when Valanciunas does play, but he is a lock when he is the starter. He scored 50 fantasy points last night and paid 12 times his salary. I'm not opposed to playing him even if Valanciunas plays -- I'm not certain how many minutes Valanciunas will play -- but if Biyombo is the starter again, he is pretty close to a must play.
Elfrid Payton has sat out of the last four games, and in his absence, Brandon Jennings has looked very good the last two games. Jennings is averaging 14 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists over his last two contests, all for just a $4,700 price tag. If Jennings draws the start again tonight, he is a strong option to save money on. However, if Payton returns, he will all but destroy Jennings' value.
As always, make sure to check our player news section for the latest notes and updates from around the league. Good luck tonight!