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Squad Up Daily NBA Fantasy Dose: Grizzlies stretched too thin in tilt with 76ers

John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NBA fantasy picture for Tuesday, December 6:

Dynamic Duos

  • PG Sergio Rodriguez (48K) & SG Gerald Henderson (47K), 76ers (at Grizzlies): Memphis is coming off a grueling double-overtime win over the Pelicans - one that saw five players log more than 40 minutes. Meanwhile, a third of the 76ers' rotation is out with injuries, necessitating big minutes for the backcourt duo of Rodriguez and Henderson. It's not pretty, but there's tournament value here at a low price.
  • C Karl-Anthony Towns (88K) & PG Ricky Rubio (50K), Timberwolves (vs. Spurs): The Spurs are playing their second game in as many nights and their defense is only middle-of-the-pack to begin with. Rubio averages 2.6 assists per game to Towns alone; the Spanish point guard serves not only to counter-balance Towns' salary but can also be the catalyst to a big game.
  • C Hassan Whiteside (99K) & PG Goran Dragic (76K), Heat (vs. Knicks): Remember six seasons ago when the concern in Miami was that their two best players were too similar? That's not the case today. Whiteside's rebounding and defense doesn't take away from Dragic's play-making or outside shooting, and Dragic knows how to set up his big man with high-efficiency scoring opportunities.

Bargain Plays

  • PG Reggie Jackson (40K), Pistons (vs. Bulls): This will likely be the cheapest Jackson can be had this season. In his season debut on Sunday, the Pistons point guard scored 18 points, adding four assists and a rebound. He can only build upon his 23-minute outing. There's an opportunity for tournament value here.
  • PF Dario Saric (45K), 76ers (at Grizzlies): With Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor and Robert Covington all out Tuesday, somebody is going to have to soak up big minutes in the frontcourt. The Croatian Sensation is coming into his own, totaling 38 points and 20 rebounds over his past two games. He'll split time with Ersan Ilyasova, but expect Saric to top 30 minutes.
  • SG Rodney McGruder (40K), Heat (vs. Knicks): McGruder has started the Heat's last six games, clocking in nearly 34 minutes per night. He's only scoring 8.5 points, adding 4.7 rebounds, but the opportunity for a big line is there. The Knicks can claim the fourth-worst Defensive Efficiency in the NBA, allowing 107.1 points per 100 possessions.

Top Fades

  • C Marc Gasol (92K), Grizzlies (vs. 76ers): The Grizzlies' backbone played a whopping 45 minutes in their double-overtime win in New Orleans last night. Meanwhile, the 76ers' frontcourt is reeling, leaving them too thin up front to compete. If Memphis gets an early lead, Gasol's night might reach a premature end.
  • C Andre Drummond (84K), Pistons (vs. Bulls): So much of Drummond's ceiling is tied to his ability to crash the boards with authority. As it stands, Chicago has the second-highest team rebound rate in the league, snatching 53.1% of missed shots. Only Russell Westbrook gets more uncontested rebounds than Drummond, who will be hard-pressed to put up a big total against the likes of Robin Lopez and Taj Gibson.
  • SF Aaron Gordon (38K), Magic (at Wizards): Gordon scored a season-high 20 points two games ago (in a minor blowout of Philly). He still can't get buy any traction on the glass, however, averaging fewer than three rebounds over his past four games. Markieff Morris and Otto Porter are two of the brighter spots in a lackluster Wizards defense. Both will see time guarding Gordon.

Contrarian Options

  • C Rudy Gobert (71K), Jazz (vs. Suns): Just 26% of Phoenix's shots come from beyond the arc, the fifth-lowest rate in the NBA - and no one in their backcourt trio of Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker and Brandon Knight has shot better than 33.3% from deep. That should force shooters in towards one of the league's premier shot-blockers in Gobert.
  • PG Shelvin Mack (40K), Jazz (vs. Suns): Dante Exum has been the starter with George Hill hurt, but Mack has had far more opportunity to produce. In three starts, Exum has played just over 58 minutes while Mack has logged nearly 90 off the bench while boasting the better numbers across the board. He'll have a chance to log heavy minutes against the Suns.
  • SF Otto Porter (73K), Wizards (vs. Magic): The Magic have the third-best Defensive Efficiency in the league. Aaron Gordon probably has the best tools for defending Porter on the perimeter but it's still a mismatch, and the Magic have actually been better defensively with the forward on the bench. Porter has been a consistent producer, averaging 15.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game over his past six games.

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