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December 27, 2024, 11:42 am
Injury Report
New York Knicks @ Orlando Magic
Game Time: 07:00 pm ET
DraftKings Lines
NY -7 (-265) , ORL +7 (+215)
Game Total 213Key Storylines
Bounce Back: Karl Anthony-Towns was outclassed by Victor Wembanyama on Christmas Day. Towns struggled to guard Wemby and found himself in foul trouble for most of the second half. The Knicks got back into the game during the fourth quarter after trailing earlier in the game and head coach Tom Thibodeau decided to roll with the lineup that got his team back into the game to close out the contest, which resulted in Towns playing “only” 29 minutes on the night. Towns has been great all season and I would expect him to have a bounce-back performance against a short-handed Magic squad on Friday.
Worth Watching: With Mo Wagner out for the season, the Magic had to once again make changes to their rotation. Wendell Carter Jr. moved to the bench after having started at the four as of late, and Trevelin Queen got the start instead. Queen performed well, and is someone to monitor closely in standard formats to see if his role and usage remain strong on Friday. Tristan da Silva is also worth monitoring, as he continues to start and is shooting the ball well at the moment.
Stream of the Game
The previously mentioned Trevelin Queen and Tristan da Silva are the priorities for this game, with the potential of being players worth holding for now until the Magic start getting healthier again.
Alternatives: Miles McBride, Precious Achiuwa, Anthony Black (deeper formats).
San Antonio Spurs @ Brooklyn Nets
Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
DraftKings Lines
SA -7 (-278), BKN +7 (+225)
Game Total 214Key Storylines
Sochan: Jeremy Sochan is producing top-70 numbers in per-game value in 9-cat formats over the last three weeks. Sochan is showing great chemistry with Victor Wembanyama on the court, opening up easy looks at the rim for him off passes from Wemby. His shooting from beyond the arc continues to be his biggest weakness, but Sochan should be viewed as a must-roster player in all formats at the moment.
Eyes on Clowney: Noah Clowney has started the last few games at the four in place of the injured Dorian Finney-Smith and has been able to produce at a good level. Clowney is a versatile player that can play in all three frontcourt positions. He is worth watch-listing in standard formats for now, and can be added in deeper formats whenever Finney-Smith is unavailable. Once Brooklyn goes into “full tank mode” later in the year, Clowney could become a strong asset in standard formats.
Stream of the Game
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