The NBA features six games on Tuesday’s main slate as we continue the short week before the All-Star break this coming weekend. Playoff races are heating up, and every slate seems stuffed with drama. Of the 12 teams in action Tuesday, only the Bucks and Timberwolves are finishing up back-to-back sets, but eight teams will turn around and play again on Wednesday’s 13-game schedule before heading into the break.
Be sure to keep a close eye on the injury report to see who’s in and who’s out this Tuesday. As news breaks throughout the day, refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates and adjustments to include the latest info and make sure your squad is ready to roll.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Tuesday’s slate is stacked with big-name big men who lead the overall projections, but in the backcourt, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to put up great numbers for the Thunder. He has the highest ceiling, median, and ceiling projection at the position on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has a 95% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, where his salary is barely over $10,000.
SGA has been regularly delivering on his high salary lately, producing 1.62 DraftKings points and 1.63 FanDuel points per minute over his last 11 games while logging a 34.5% usage rate in 34.5 minutes per game. He has scored 25+ points in 12 of his last 13 games and lit up the Kings for 38 points while handing out seven assists on Sunday afternoon.
If you have the salary to pay up at the position, SGA is one of the most reliable producers on a daily basis in DFS, and he should be ready to roll for another big inter-conference matchup as he leads his Thunder into Orlando in their final game before the All-Star break.
Value
With Jimmy Butler (personal) away from the team and Josh Richardson (shoulder) and Terry Rozier (knee) out, Tyler Herro will have to step up and carry the load for the Heat as they visit the Bucks on Tuesday night. As a result, Herro has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on DraftKings and the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards on FanDuel. Herro has a 91% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, where he checks in with a salary of just under $7,000.
Herro had 24 points in each of his last two games, exceeding salary-based expectations in a win over the Spurs and a loss to the Celtics. With Butler, Richardson, and Rozier, his usage hasn’t been as high over his last few games, but with that trio off the floor, he has had a 27.5% usage rate over the last month. During that span, he has produced 1.04 DraftKings points and 0.97 FanDuel points per minute with Butler off the floor.
The Bucks have been a favorable matchup for point guards, and Herro has a 26.3% usage projection in 36 minutes, which should set him up to return great value, especially on DraftKings. He has the third-highest ceiling projection of all point guards on DraftKings, even though he only has the 10th-highest salary at the position.
Fast Break
The Lakers have the highest implied team total on the slate in a favorable spot at home against the Pistons. D’Angelo Russell has a top-five Projected Plus/Minus at point guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel and comes into the matchup on a nice roll, having exceeded salary-based expectations on DraftKings in 10 of his last 12 games while producing 1.10 DraftKings points and 1.04 FanDuel points per minute with a 24.9% usage rate. He’ll be an even better play if either LeBron James (ankle) or Anthony Davis (Achilles) opts to take the game off.
With the Timberwolves facing the Trail Blazers, Mike Conley has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Conley has been very steady for Minnesota, and he has out-produced salary-based expectations on FanDuel in eight of his last 10 games. In those 10 games, he averaged 0.96 DraftKings points and 0.95 FanDuel points per minute in 28.9 minutes per game. As long as he plays the second game of this back-to-back, he’ll be a solid value option.
Dennis Schroder made his Nets debut on Saturday and had 15 points, 12 assists, and three rebounds in 27 minutes. He’s still under $5,000 on DraftKings, where he has a 98% Bargain Rating coming into Tuesday’s matchup against his former team, the Celtics.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
The Suns host the Kings in the game with the highest point total on Tuesday’s slate, and Bradey Beal brings especially strong projections to the favorable matchup. Beal has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at both point guard and shooting guard on FanDuel and the fourth-highest at each position on FanDuel.
Beal seems to have finally been able to settle into his new home in Phoenix. He had three straight games with 25+ points before slowing down in Saturday’s loss to the Warriors, but over his last 10 games, he has produced 1.03 DraftKings points and 0.98 FanDuel points per minute while logging a hefty workload of 36.0 minutes per game.
Even with his recent success, Beal comes much cheaper than his superstar teammates and is a good way to get a very high ceiling from under $8,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Value
On the flip side of that matchup, Malik Monk is also surging into the All-Star break as a key contributor off the bench for the Kings. Monk has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last six games on both DraftKings and FanDuel, with 22+ points in each of those five contests.
In his six games this month, Monk averaged an impressive 1.37 DraftKings points and 1.32 FanDuel points per minute while playing 27.8 minutes per game with a 29.1% usage rate. Monk has been streaky throughout his NBA career, and he’s on an impressive heater headed into the break. In what should be an up-tempo, high-scoring game in Phoenix, Monk should be a great value.
On DraftKings, Monk has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at both point guard and shooting guard, along with a 94% Bargain Rating.
Fast Break
If you have the salary available, Anthony Edwards is a strong pay-up option to consider in his matchup with the Blazers. He has scored 22+ points in nine of his last 10 games, with one double-double during that span and near misses in his last two games while leading his team to huge wins over the Bucks and Clippers. If he gets his usual workload, he’s a strong, reliable pay-up option.
Cam Thomas has stepped up into a huge role for the Nets and outproduced salary-based expectations on FanDuel in eight of his last nine games while averaging 1.08 DraftKings points and 1.09 FanDuel points per minute in 34.4 minutes per game. He has a tough matchup against the Celtics but brings a top-five Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Duncan Robinson (shoulder/elbow) is questionable for Tuesday’s matchup in Milwaukee, but he has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate on DraftKings. With Richardson, Rozier, and Butler out, he has a 19.6% usage projection in 31.8 minutes, which would be enough of a workload to make him a good cheap play at either shooting guard or small forward.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
On the entire slate, Franz Wagner is the only player who matches 12 Pro Trends on DraftKings. He has a top-six median, ceiling, and floor projection at small forward on FanDuel and ranks in the top four of those three projections at the position on DraftKings. On DraftKings, Wagner also has the third-best Projected Plus/Minus at small forward and a 94% Bargain Rating.
In three of his last four games, Wagner has scored over 33 points and led the Magic to wins over the Bulls, Spurs, and Pistons. He exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those three games and six of his last seven overall. In those seven games, he averaged 1.23 DraftKings points and 1.19 FanDuel points per minute while playing over 34 minutes per game with a 28.9% usage rate.
Wagner isn’t one of the most expensive small forwards, but he has shown that he has a very high ceiling. He’ll try to keep the Magic competitive with the Thunder by posting another big game on Tuesday.
Value
Another value from the Heat who should be a strong value play is rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. Jaquez has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward on DraftKings, and he could get even more work if Robinson ends up sitting as well.
Jaquez has settled down over the last month after a strong showing when Butler was out earlier this year. He has averaged 0.81 DraftKings points and 0.80 FanDuel points per minute on the season while playing 29.3 minutes per game.
In the 16 games he has played without Butler, though, he has averaged 33.5 minutes per game and produced 28.0 DraftKings points and 27.7 FanDuel points per contest. If he’s around that total again on Tuesday, he’ll be a steal at just $4,500 on DraftKings.
Fast Break
The Celtics have a back-to-back home-and-home against Brooklyn the next two days. Jayson Tatum has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at small forward on DraftKings and the second-highest on FanDuel behind only Kevin Durant (discussed below). Tatum has 20+ points in 10 straight games and has produced an impressive 1.50 DraftKings points and 1.46 FanDuel points per minute over that span.
After the Pistons’ moves at the trade deadline, Ausar Thompson should be set up for a big role going forward. The rookie has averaged 0.95 DraftKings points and 0.98 FanDuel points per minute on the season and has exceeded salary-based expectations with double-digit points in three of his last four contests. Like his twin playing for the Rockets, he typically stuffs the stat sheet in multiple categories and brings good value when getting meaningful minutes.
If you’re looking for a non-Miami bargain play, Jaden McDaniels has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward of the players with a salary under $5,000. On DraftKings, Pistons forward Troy Brown Jr. has the fifth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position and is available at the minimum salary of only $3,000.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
In that juicy Western Conference matchup between the Suns and Kings, Kevin Durant has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of any player on the slate on FanDuel, where he brings a 72% Bargain Rating. He has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection at small forward on FanDuel and the highest ceiling projection at a stacked power forward position on DraftKings.
Durant has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last seven games, with at least 20 points in each of those six games and an average of 1.40 DraftKings points and 1.39 FanDuel points per minute over that span. Durant has played 36.7 minutes per game over that stretch with a 28.3% usage rate.
Over those recent games, Durant has been doing a little more work on the glass as well, posting at least eight rebounds in five of those seven games and turning in double-doubles in two of his last three contests. Building around Durant against the Kings is a good way to have a big star in a favorable matchup late on Tuesday’s slate.
Value
After injury detoured his career, Jonathan Isaac has been working his way back into a meaningful role for the Magic, and he’s a strong value that brings significant salary savings Tuesday. On DraftKings, Isaac’s salary is still just $3,400, giving him a 95% Bargain Rating. He has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at both power forward and center on DraftKings. On FanDuel, he can fit at either forward position and ranks in the top three in Projected Plus/Minus of the options with salaries under $5,000.
Over his last nine games, Isaac has averaged 0.93 DraftKings points and 1.00 FanDuel points per minute while playing 18.4 minutes per game. He exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last nine games, and one of the two games he fell short was due to reduced minutes on the second game of a back-to-back.
Isaac played a season-high 25 minutes on Friday, producing seven points, three blocks, and 12 boards. He should be a good value again Tuesday against the Thunder, although he may play a reduced role Wednesday against the Knicks.
Fast Break
If LeBron James plays through his questionable tag, he will be in a good spot against the Pistons. He had 21 points and 14 assists against the Pelicans on Friday in the second game of a back-to-back, and the Lakers have another back-to-back against Detroit and Utah before the All-Star break. James has scored 20+ points in each of his last 12 games, producing 1.35 DraftKings points and 1.29 Fanduel points per minute.
Since he’s playing for the Trail Blazers, Jerami Grant has stayed off the radar even though he has been putting up monster numbers. Grant had 49 points last Thursday against the Pistons and has scored at least 24 points in four of his last five, averaging 1.10 DraftKings points and 1.05 FanDuel points per minute with a 30.8% usage rate.
Jae Crowder has started four of the last five games for the Bucks and is a good midrange value, even in a low-usage role. In those five games, he has only produced 0.63 DraftKings points and 0.64 FanDuel points per minute but has played a team-high 33.8 minutes per game over that stretch. Getting so many minutes gives him a high floor against his former team, the Heat.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
All-Star snub Domantas Sabonis keeps posting impressive numbers for the Kings. He has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at the center on FanDuel and the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus. On DraftKings, Sabonis has the second-highest ceiling projection and the third-highest ceiling and floor projection along with the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position.
On both DraftKings and FanDuel, Sabonis has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his past eight games. In those eight games, he posted five triple-doubles and averaged 1.59 DraftKings and 1.45 FanDuel points per minute. He only has a 20.6% usage rate in 37.0 minutes per game, but his non-scoring production has kept him an elite option.
Tuesday will be the fourth meeting of the Suns and Kings this season, and Sabonis has had good games in each of the previous three. He posted over 20 points and a triple-double in each of the last two head-to-head matchups.
Value
If you don’t have the salary to spend up to the top of the center options, the Pistons Jalen Duren is a good option in the next tier down. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all the center options priced under $9,000 on FanDuel and the third-highest of the options under $8,000 on DraftKings.
On Detroit’s current trip, Duren has three straight double-doubles with at least 15 boards in each game against the Kings, Blazers, and Clippers. The second-year center has shown an extremely high ceiling while producing 1.36 DraftKings points and 1.31 FanDuel points per minute in 36.3 minutes per game over those three contests.
Fast Break
Anthony Davis is in a great matchup against Duren and the Pistons. He has the highest ceiling projection at center on both DraftKings and FanDuel, and he also has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position on FanDuel. On DraftKings, he has a 95% Bargain Rating since his salary is barely over $10,000.
With the Heat short-handed, Bam Adebayo is another Heat player who is set up for more work on Tuesday. He had 22 points and 13 boards in Sunday’s loss to the Celtics and usually gets more usage and production with Butler out of the lineup.
Kevin Love is also worth a look as a punt play on DraftKings, where he has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers. He also has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers under $5,000 on FanDuel, but if you need a cheaper play Jaylin Williams of the Thunder is another bargain you can consider.
