Star guard Fred VanVleet hurt his back on Tuesday. The latest VanVleet injury update is that he is questionable for Thursday’s game against the Grizzlies. Bettors must carefully consider whether VanVleet is playing tonight before backing the Raptors.
VanVleet’s absence would carry significant consequences for the NBA betting markets, and bettors looking for an edge should heed this advice or check out the OddsShopper tools for sharp NBA bets. Although Bam Adebayo‘s status is up in the air, bettors should try out a free three-day trial of NBA Bet Pro for cutting-edge betting projections that will update once VanVleet’s final status gets announced.
Fred VanVleet Injury Update – NBA Betting Impact
After Kyle Lowry‘s departure, the Toronto Raptors remain pressed for depth at guard. Fred VanVleet slid over to point guard, and backup Malachi Flynn now owns a sizeable role in the rotation, but the Raptors have other embraced the shift toward position-less basketball. That can cause some problems when VanVleet sits, although Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes are both capable ball-handlers who can compensate for the lack of a true point guard.
VanVleet exited the second half of Toronto’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday with lower back tightness. He did not return to the matchup and was quickly ruled questionable on the Raptors’ injury report for tonight’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. VanVleet dealt with a back injury earlier this season that caused him to miss three-straight games.
If VanVleet’s back injury causes him to miss time, as his most recent back injury did, bettors should expect Gary Trent Jr. to enter the starting lineup. Although Trent Jr. isn’t a traditional point guard, he operated as one when VanVleet missed time earlier this year. The shift didn’t affect Trent’s role much — he still averaged 1.5 assists per game, right at his season average of 1.4. Flynn could see an uptick in minutes off the bench, but Siakam and Barnes should operate as the primary ball-handlers.
Trent is currently projected for 20.8 fantasy points and 27.7 minutes, per Stokastic’s expert DFS projections. That number should tick up significantly should VanVleet — projected for 35.7 fantasy points and 36.5 minutes — get ruled out. Sign up for Stokastic+ to get the most up-to-date NBA DFS and NBA prop data.
Grizzlies-Raptors NBA Betting & DFS Advice
Trent Jr. isn’t a true bargain-bin find at FanDuel, where his salary sits at $6,400, or at DraftKings, where it sits at $4,900. Although he won’t crack the DFS slate wide open, Trent would easily become a value play at that price point should VanVleet sit. Trent is averaging 19 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game without VanVleet this year.
The Raptors are 3-point home underdogs at DraftKings and 3.5-point dogs at BetMGM. While not having VanVleet would hurt the Raptors’ depth, they are 2-2 in games without him this year and have played just as efficiently with him on the floor as with him off it. However, the Grizzlies will likely see their advantage grow should VanVleet sit.
Bettors who are skeptical about VanVleet’s status should head to DraftKings for the best odds on the Grizzlies. Getting the -3 will likely ensure bettors lock in some closing-line value (CLV). Those new to DraftKings Sportsbook can wager just $5 on the moneyline to secure $150 in free bets if your team wins!
