MLB DFS Playbook
Player News
LeBron James tallied 10 points (3-of-10 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), three assists and one three-pointer in the loss to the Suns on Monday.
James was one of several key Lakers who couldn’t get going on the offensive end on Monday. He took only 10 shots, had his most inefficient shooting performance thus far, and recorded a season-low in points as a result. The versatile forward had little impact in another area of the game — he failed to grab a rebound, only produced a few assists, and didn’t register any stocks for the game. Overall, it was a forgettable performance from both the Lakers and James. He’ll look to turn the page and bounce back against the Raptors on Thursday.
Luka Dončić amassed 38 points (15-of-26 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), 11 rebounds, five assists, and three three-pointers in the loss to the Suns on Monday.
Dončić was the only Laker to score north of 20 points on Monday, as he more than doubled the next highest-scoring teammate, Austin Reaves, who finished with 16 points. He also led the Lakers in rebounding and finished the game one turnover shy of double digits. The extreme positives surely outweigh the negatives from a fantasy standpoint, as the superstar guard continues to put up the best statistical season of his young career. He’ll have a chance to log his eighth 30-point game in a row against the Raptors on Thursday.
Devin Booker finished Monday’s game against the Lakers with 11 points (4-of-7 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), two rebounds, three assists and one three-pointer in 10 minutes.
Booker was enjoying a nice opening quarter against the Lakers before a groin injury forced him to exit before the period’s end, and ultimately kept him out the remainder of the game. The severity of his injury is unknown to this point, but should the superstar guard be sidelined for any amount of time, Jordan Goodwin would likely fill in as the fifth starter. Phoenix has just one more game this week, which isn’t until Friday, leaving Booker time to recover and miss little, if any, action.
Collin Gillespie totaled 28 points (10-of-19 FGs), four rebounds, five assists, two steals and eight three-pointers in the win over the Lakers on Monday.
With Devin Booker exiting after just 10 minutes due to a groin injury, Gillespie joined Dillon Brooks in carrying the Suns to another impressive victory. The former Villanova Wildcat served the Lakers a season high in points and three-pointers, while matching his season average in assists along the way. Gillespie has been one of several Suns players to outperform expectations thus far, and should remain productive as Phoenix’s current starting point guard. He’s worthy of a roster spot in fantasy leagues.
Dillon Brooks amassed 33 points (15-of-26 FGs, 1-of-3 FTs), two rebounds, two assists, one steal and two three-pointers in the win over the Lakers on Monday.
Brooks carried the scoring load for the Suns on Monday, with Devin Booker (groin) being limited to 10 minutes of game action. He was aggressive in his approach, generating a season-high in field goal attempts along the way, but shot efficiently enough to log his third 30-point game as a member of the Suns. Brooks has brought both production and intangibles to Phoenix on both ends of the floor, which has the team playing far better than most predicted. He could be even more productive going forward, depending on the significance of Booker’s injury.
Amen Thompson amassed 23 points (8-of-16 FGs, 7-of-89 FTs), eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the loss to the Jaz on Monday.
Thompson finished with at least 20 points for the third time in the last five games, with his production inside the arc being key on Monday. Despite the loss, his scoring was significantly higher than the five points he posted the night prior against the Jazz. Yet, Thompson didn’t have nearly the same level of success as a facilitator this time around. Nonetheless, the third-year guard had a solid performance overall and should be able to secure another against the Kings on Wednesday.