On Tuesday night, the NBA keeps a busy week rolling with a solid seven-game slate that sets up plenty of options for your DFS fantasy basketball lineups. The big matchups are the Knicks hosting the Sixers in the Eastern Conference and the Clippers and Timberwolves meeting in Los Angeles in the Western Conference. The Spurs and Celtics will be taking the floor for the second night in a row while the Pacers, Grizzlies, and Kings are on the front half of their back-to-back sets.
At this point in the season, multiple key players are dealing with injuries that could keep them sidelined on Tuesday. As news breaks throughout the day, refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates and adjustments to see how rotations will look with or without certain players.
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
Point guard is full of strong options this Tuesday, but one of the best stud options, according to our projections, is Fred VanVleet. FVV has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on DraftKings and the second-highest on FanDuel. He has the third-highest median projection at the position but only the seventh-highest salary on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
VanVleet has a favorable matchup against the Spurs and comes in with great momentum after producing above salary-based expectations in six straight contests. In those six games, he averaged 20.2 points, 8.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals for a production rate of 1.15 DraftKings points and 1.10 FanDuel points per minute in 38.0 minutes per game.
The Rockets’ rotation will have a different look on Tuesday since Alperen Sengun (leg) is out. VanVleet has a 23.7% usage rate with Sengun off the floor, which is a boost of over four percentage points from his season average. He has produced 1.16 DraftKings points and 1.17 FanDuel points per minute without Sengun and will have to shoulder more of the workload while the big man is out.
Value
Taking on his former team as the Wizards visit Memphis, Tyus Jones has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on DraftKings and the sixth-highest on FanDuel. He also has an 84% Bargain Rating on DraftKings.
It has been a rough year for the Wizards and Jones has definitely had his ups and downs. Washington has won two straight, though, and Jones is coming off a great game on Sunday against Miami. He had 12 points and 16 assists in that victory, turning in double-digit assists for the seventh time in his last 12 games. He averaged 1.04 DraftKings points and 1.00 FanDuel points per minute over those 12 contests while playing 31.2 minutes per game.
During that 12-game stretch, he only has a 13.2% usage rate, so he isn’t typically a high-volume scorer. He has proven, though, that he can produce enough in other categories to be a nice midrange target on Tuesday. In a possible revenge game narrative, Jones has a good ceiling and high floor on Tuesday.
Fast Break
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at point guard on Tuesday night, and his Thunder have the highest implied team total on the slate as they host the up-tempo Pacers in what should be a fun matchup. SGA always has an extremely high ceiling and is a pay-up play to consider, although his value projections on Tuesday are a little low since he’s so expensive. He has scored 30+ points in 10 of his last 12 games and should be fresh after playing just 27 minutes in a comfortable win against the Grizzlies on Sunday.
For the Bucks, Damian Lillard has posted back-to-back monster games with double-doubles against the Lakers and Clippers. He averaged 1.20 DraftKings points and 1.19 FanDuel points per minute in his five games in March while playing 36.8 minutes per game. He will likely continue to carry a heavy workload as the Bucks roll into Sacramento, although Khris Middleton (ankle) is questionable, so the Bucks may be back to full strength soon.
With more small ball potentially on the horizon for Houston, Amen Thompson has the potential to step into a bigger role. He is still priced way up on FanDuel but has a 99% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, where his salary is under $5,000. He has the best Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards in that salary range on DraftKings and has been productive when he gets extra run.
Don’t forget to check out our SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
The Celtics listed their whole lineup on Monday’s injury report, but only Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) and Jrue Holiday (knee) actually ended up sitting out their win over the Blazers. Depending on who is available for the second night of their back-to-back as they take on the Jazz, Jaylen Brown (pelvis) and Derrick White (hand) should be good plays.
Brown has regularly been playing through a questionable tag lately and has been putting up great numbers. He has dropped at least 25 points in seven of his last eight games and has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his nine games since the All-Star Break. Over those nine games, he averaged 1.33 DraftKings points and 1.29 FanDuel points per minute in 33.3 minutes per game with a team-high 33.2% usage rate.
On Tuesday’s slate, before we have any injury updates from Boston, Brown ranks in the top six in median, ceiling and floor projections at both shooting guard and small forward on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Value
The Grizzlies have been absolutely wiped out by injuries this season, but the players who have been able to get on the floor have often brought strong value in expanded roles. On Tuesday, Luke Kennard ranks in the top six at both point guard and shooting guard in Projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings. On FanDuel, he has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at each guard spot.
Kennard got the start at point guard on Sunday but struggled to shake off the rust in his return from a knee injury. He shot just 1-for-6 from the field as the Grizzlies lost by over 30 points. Our projections think he’ll be able to bounce back with a much better performance in this matchup against the Wizards. He has a 17% usage projection in 31.8 projected minutes, which would give him plenty of chances to return excellent value. He has a high ceiling since he’ll have to do so much work with Jaren Jackson Jr. (quad) and Vince Williams Jr. (knee) already ruled out.
Fast Break
In his matchup with the Spurs, Jalen Green has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate on FanDuel, where he has a 96% Bargain Rating. On DraftKings, he’s more expensive but still brings the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard. Green usually becomes more the focus of the offense when the Rockets go small, so he and Dillon Brooks both show up as some of the strongest wing values in our projections.
Devin Vassell was back in action for the Spurs on Monday and had 17 points in 37 minutes. While he fell short of salary-based expectations in that contest, he exceeded those expectations on FanDuel in nine of his previous 10 contests. On Tuesday, he has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard on DraftKings and the third-highest at the position on FanDuel.
As a cheap play to consider, Cason Wallace is worth a look if Jalen Williams (ankle) is unable to play through his questionable tag against the Pacers. Wallace started the second half after Williams left Sunday’s game and finished with a career-high 22 points in 27 minutes. If he’s lined up for a big role on Tuesday, he’ll be a great bargain play.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Anthony Edwards is officially questionable for the Timberwolves in their matchup with the Clippers on Tuesday night, but Ant has consistently been able to play through injuries and put up monster numbers. He was also questionable against the Lakers on Sunday but played 40 minutes and produced 25 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds in an 11-point loss. He’s usually one of the most reliable players in the NBA to play if at all possible, and he should be ready to rise to the occasion against the Clippers in this contest.
On Tuesday’s slate, Edwards has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at shooting guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel as well as the second-highest of each of those projections at small forward, behind only Jayson Tatum. Edwards comes with a high salary but also has a 36.2% usage projection, which is the highest of any player on the entire slate. He has to carry so much of the load since Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is out, and Rudy Gobert (hamstring) and Kyle Anderson (shoulder) are questionable.
Value
As the Jazz give their young players expanded playing time down the stretch, one good value that is emerging is rookie Brice Sensabaugh. Sensabaugh is an affordable play under $5,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel and has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of small forwards in that price range on DraftKings and the fifth-highest on FanDuel.
Sensabaugh has only entered the rotation for Utah since the All-Star Break, but he has gotten the starting nod in each of Utah’s last two games. He exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those outings, producing 0.98 DraftKings points and 0.92 FanDuel points per minute in 30.5 minutes per game. Sensabaugh had 15 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double in a loss to the Bulls and followed that up with a new career-high 16 points in Saturday’s loss to the Nuggets.
He’s getting plenty of work regardless of the game situation, so whether the Jazz can keep this game close with the Celtics or not, he should be a good value on Tuesday.
Fast Break
For the second straight day, Jayson Tatum has the highest ceiling projection of all small forwards on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He played through a questionable tag on Monday and produced 26 points, eight assists and five rebounds against the Trail Blazers. Depending on who the Celtics have available on Tuesday, he could be in for even more work. He also could get the night off, though, so be sure to have a good fall-back plan if you build around his high ceiling on this slate.
The Wizards have been getting good production from Deni Avdija over the past few weeks, and he remains a strong midrange option. Avdija has exceeded salary-based expectations on FanDuel in eight of his 10 games over the last month and in seven of those contests on DraftKings. During that span, he averaged 1.10 DraftKings points and 1.03 FanDuel points per minute while averaging 35 minutes per game and posting six double-doubles.
As mentioned above, Dillon Brooks stands out in our projections as one of the best wing bargains, and it’s also worth noting that Jeff Green (discussed further below) is only eligible at small forward on FanDuel but as power forward and center on DraftKings.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
At power forward on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Giannis Antetkounmpo has the highest median and ceiling projection, edging out Victor Wembanyama and Domantas Sabonis on FanDuel, where those big men can slide to power forward. Giannis is officially listed as probable due to right knee tendinitis, but he should be able to give it a go against Sabonis and the Kings.
Since the All-Star Break, he has posted 31.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in 35.3 minutes per game. He did miss one game due to Achilles soreness but has posted an elite 1.64 DraftKings points and 1.56 FanDuel points per minute when available.
Giannis had 30+ points and at least a double-double in three of his last four games and showed his dominant ceiling with 34 points, 14 boards, and 12 assists last week against the Lakers. He has that kind of ceiling again in Tuesday’s matchup with the Kings.
Value
There is plenty of value on the board at power forward from the Grizzlies. Lamar Stevens has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards on FanDuel, where he has an 89% Bargain Rating. Stevens is questionable, though, with adductor soreness after appearing in 12 straight games since joining Memphis at the Trade Deadline. He has averaged 0.98 DraftKings points and 0.99 FanDuel points per minute since arriving.
Stevens’ teammate GG Jackson actually has a better Projected Plus/Minus than him on DraftKings, where Jackson has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards on the slate. Jackson had 30 points on Sunday against the Thunder and brings a high ceiling with Jaren Jackson (no relation) out.
Stacking up even more value forwards from Memphis, Jake LaRavia and Santi Aldama have good projections on this slate as well. LaRavia is only a small forward on DraftKings and only a power forward on FanDuel, but he has produced 1.05 DraftKings points and 1.05 FanDuel points per minute over his last nine games while exceeding salary-based expectations in seven of those nine contests on both sites.
Fast Break
On FanDuel, Deni Avdija can slide to power forward, where he represents good value against the Grizzlies. His teammate Kyle Kuzma has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards on DraftKings after exceeding salary-based expectations in eight straight games on that site and producing 1.33 DraftKings points and 1.29 FanDuel points per minute over that span.
Jabari Smith has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward on DraftKings, where he has an 88% Bargain Rating. Smith should get plenty of time as a small-ball center with Sengun unavailable and brings a high ceiling in his expanded role.
As cheap plays at power forward, Jalen Smith and Harrison Barnes have good Projected Plus/Minus and can be considered as punt plays if you want to avoid trying to figure out the Grizzlies forward rotation.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Domantas Sabonis has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on DraftKings and the fifth-highest at the position on FanDuel. He has an 84% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, where he matches a slate-high 13 Pro Trends. He also matches more Pro Trends than any other player on FanDuel, but he is a little more expensive.
Through all the ups and downs of the Kings’ roller-coaster season, Sabonis has been impressively consistent. He has posted an amazing 46 straight double-doubles and also has put up 22 triple-doubles on the season. In his five games this month, he has produced 1.65 DraftKings points and 1.59 FanDuel points per minute while playing a massive 37.6 minutes per game.
Sabonis has exceeded salary-based expectations on FanDuel in eight of his last 10 games. He should be set up for another monster stat line as he and the Kings try to take down Giannis and the Bucks.
Value
With so many injured Grizzlies, Trey Jemison has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on FanDuel, where he has a 92% Bargain Rating and a salary under $4,000. On DraftKings, he’s also projected to be a good value even though his salary is $4,100. He ranks fourth at center in Projected Plus/Minus on that site but has the best of any option under $7,500.
Jemison has split time this season between the Grizzlies and the Memphis Hustle in the G League, but with Jackson out, he could enter the starting lineup on Tuesday against Washington. He has played 10 games for the Grizz since the start of February, making five starts and averaging 21.3 minutes per game. During that stretch, he averaged 0.72 DraftKings points and 0.75 FanDuel points per minute. He’s projected for 25.5 minutes on Tuesday, which should be enough to make him a strong value play at center, especially on FanDuel.
Fast Break
After missing two games with an ankle injury, Victor Wembanyama played 31 minutes and had 27 points and 14 rebounds against the Warriors. He may not play in the second game of the back-to-back, but if he does he brings a very high ceiling. If he ends up sitting out, Zach Collins would be a good value starting in his place and Devin Vassell would also get a significant boost to his ceiling against the Rockets.
Without Sengun, Jeff Green could move into the starting five for the Rockets on the other side of that Rockets-Spurs matchup. Green has the fifth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at both power forward and center on DraftKings and the highest of all small forwards on FanDuel. Uncle Jeff flashed a high ceiling in his last start, producing 19 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes against the Hawks just before the All-Star Break.
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