Sorare NBA | Game Week 28 Primer
Welcome to the Sorare NBA Game Week 28 Primer! Ghost here — I'm back from my honeymoon refreshed and ready to dive back onto the hardwood!
The next round of action kicks off today, and we're here to break down all the relevant information for the upcoming slate. Lineups lock at 6:50 p.m. EST — with the upcoming contests running Monday-Thursday
If you haven't already, hop in our Lucky Trader League and compete against our staff and community! We'll be adding some fun prize elements soon, so get ready for some stiff competition:
Let's get into all the action for this week of hoops:
Game Week Rewind ⏮
Kyrie Irving is on FIRE.
Kyrie Irving over his last three games:
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) January 23, 2023
38 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds
48 points, 6 assists, 11 rebounds
30 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds
Made play after play down the stretch tonight in a huge Nets comeback win on the road over the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/utX7GkQ9vt
With Kevin Durant still out with a knee injury, Irving has taken the reigns in Brooklyn — and is on an absolute tear over the last three games (63, 89 and 67 Sorare Points).
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was also cooking this weekend, with a massive 73-Sorare Point performance that included two poster-worthy dunks for good measure.
Some other notable players that provided significant value included:
- Josh Okogie (57 Sorare Points, +45)
- Bismack Biyombo (42 Sorare Points, +30)
- Precious Achiuwa (45 Sorare Points, +30)
- T.J. McConnell (49 Sorare Points, +29)
- Nathan Knight (35 Sorare Points, +28)
Multi-Game Monitor 🗓
In Sorare NBA, having a player with several games during a competition can be a big advantage — with an extra chance at a ceiling performance.
We've got a busy one this Game Week, with several teams clocking in with three contests over the next four days:
3 games: Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs
2 games: Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards
Injury & Roster Info 🏥
Here are some notable (not all-inclusive) injury/lineup situations to monitor and plan for ahead of this week's games:
- Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is expected to make his season debut tonight, his first game action since 2020. His insertion into the rotation could muddy things for a team already with a glut of forwards.
- Khris Middleton is probable to return for the Bucks on Monday after missing most of the season with a knee injury. With Giannis Antetokoumnpo also expected back after a 5-game absence, Milwaukee will have its core trio playing together for just the fifth time this season.
- Trade Alert! The Wizards sent forward Rui Hachimura to the Lakers today, in exchange for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks. Hachimura has had a down year so far, but could benefit from a change of scenery in LA. Nunn has been a value play in Sorare over the last few weeks, and his minutes will be interesting to monitor on the new squad.
- Kristaps Porzingis injured his ankle this weekend and while the team said the sprain isn't serious, the talented big is ruled "week-to-week" — meaning he will likely be out at least the next few Game Weeks.
The info below is for Monday, Jan. 23 — but also gives insight into future availability for the rest of the Game Week:
Ruled Out ❌
- Malcolm Brogdon, BOS (personal), Marcus Smart, BOS (ankle), Isaiah Stewart, DET (shoulder)
Questionable ❓
- LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle, wrist), Jabari Smith Jr., HOU (ankle), Killian Hayes, DET (shoulder), Rudy Gobert, MIN (groin), Robert Williams, BOS (knee), Jonathan Isaac, ORL (knee), Andrew Nembhard, IND (illness)
The designations above are as of Monday at 1:00 p.m. EST. As injury information is breaking at all hours prior to lineups locking, an excellent resource for up-to-date news is the Underdog NBA Twitter account.
Value Plays 🤑
Last Game Week's Value Pick Performances:
Since I've been gone for the last two Game Weeks, I get the pleasure of grading my colleague Logan's picks from GW27. And cheers for filling in while I hibernated on a beach for seven days straight!
Player | L10 | GW 27 Performance
- Isaiah Hartenstein, 10 L10, 19 Sorare Points (+9) 🆗
- Richaun Holmes, 7 L10, 11 Sorare Points (+4) 😒
- Dwight Powell, 15 L10, 17 Sorare Points (+2) 😒
To pull a quote from Logan's GW27 Primer: "I vow to turn it around this week with the value picks below."
Narrator: He did not turn it around.
Game Week 28 Value Picks:
*Note — these selections are based purely on L10 value in lineups — and do not consider the auction or market prices of the players listed.
Payton Pritchard | 7 L10 — We've got a perfect storm in the Boston backcourt this week: Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon both already ruled out for Monday's contest, and a loaded three-game week for the Celtics. The situation is ripe for Payton Pritchard, who has shown the ability to put up numbers when given minutes. While his role in the rotation has been tenuous this season, Pritchard is already coming off a 22 Sorare Point performance in 25 minutes, and should again factor heavily into the gameplan with Smart and Brogdon out. At just a 7 L10, he is a smash play.
Also Consider: Derrick White (23 L10), Grant Williams (18 L10)
Jericho Sims | 9 L10 — As I've said before, players that have a combination of low cap / high minutes are always great targets. Knicks forward Jericho Sims fits the bill well, with a lagging L10 at just 9 while seeing 33 and 28 minutes over the last two games (24 and 26 Sorare Points). Sims seems to have solidified his spot in the rotation in the absence of Mitchell Robinson, who underwent surgery for his fractured thumb and is out for at least the next three weeks — and should provide some sneaky value while his cap is so low.
Also Consider: Isaiah Hartenstein (10 L10), Obi Toppin (9 L10) — both risky dart throws with a lack of stable minutes
T.J. McConnell | 26 L10 — Until Tyrese Haliburton (elbow) returns to action, TJ McConnell is virtually a must-start. The guard has now gone over 35 Sorare Points in five of his last seven, and performances of 49 and 60 Sorare Points show how big his ceiling is on any given night when he sees starter minutes. While his cap has risen higher than his basement bargain prices from the past few weeks, McConnell should still be able to outpace a 26 L10 — especially with guard Andrew Nembhard also potentially out with an illness Tuesday.
Also Consider: Bennedict Mathurin (21 L10)
Precious Achiuwa | 16 L10 — After missing two months with an ankle injury and slowly working his way back, Precious Achiuwa has been a force of late — with over 20 Sorare Points in each of his last four games. The big has also seen 35 and 37 minutes in the last two — and with OG Anunoby nursing an ankle injury, Achiuwa could continue to see heavy minutes this week. The Raptors are also expected to be sellers as the trade deadline nears — meaning Achiuwa could either find himself with an expanded role or on a new team depending on how things shake out.
Also Consider: Chris Boucher (15 L10)
Follow Ghost on Twitter @Ghost_Z12
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