After a busy holiday Monday, the NBA has a focused three-game slate on Tuesday night. Most of the action is out West, as the 76ers join five teams from the Western Conference to make up the player pool. The 76ers and Thunder are playing for the second night in a row, but none of these teams appears on Wednesday’s 10-game slate.
Even with a smaller player pool, multiple key players are dealing with injuries. Watch carefully for injury updates throughout the day, especially from the teams playing for the second day in a row. Be sure to refresh the NBA Models throughout the day for the latest adjustments and monitor the news hub for status updates.
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
The Clippers host the Thunder in the last game of the night, and James Harden stands out in our projections as one of the best plays on the board at the start-studded position. He has the highest Pts/Sal and Projected Plus/Minus at point guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He is relatively affordable, around $8,000, and brings a very high ceiling.
His matchup with the Thunder is a good spot for Harden since the Clippers have the highest pace differential on the board and the second-highest implied team total. Harden and the Clippers also catch the Thunder coming off a loss to the Lakers on Monday night.
Harden has come up just short of a double-double in his last two games and has at least eight assists in 11 straight games. In those 11 games, he has averaged a team-high 10.1 assists and 16.1 points per game while producing 1.17 DraftKings points and 1.10 FanDuel points per minute.
Value
The Suns have the highest implied team total on the slate in the game, with the highest over/under as they host the Kings. Both teams play fast, so it’s definitely a game environment to make sure to get exposure to. Bradley Beal is a great way to do that without paying all the way up for a superstar salary. He is still under $8,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel and has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last eight games on both sites.
Beal exploded for 37 points last Thursday against the Lakers and followed that up with a well-balanced 23 points against the Blazers on Sunday. He has averaged 1.02 DraftKings points and 0.99 FanDuel points per minute, with a 24.6% usage rate over his last eight games. He has 20+ points in six of those eight contests and continues to grow into a more significant role in the Suns’ “big three.”
In this environment against the Kings, Beal brings a high ceiling at a slightly lower salary. He ranks in the top five in Projected Plus/Minus at both point guard and shooting guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Fast Break
The Thunder-Clippers matchup is a revenge game for multiple big names, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection at the position. He was able to play through his knee sprain on Monday and finished with 24 points and six assists in a loss to the Lakers. As long as he’s able to play for the second night in a row, he has a high ceiling due to his production rates of 1.58 DraftKings points and 1.60 FanDuel points per minute on the season.
Jamal Murray matches more Pro Trends than any other point guard on Tuesday’s slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has an 89% Bargain Rating on FanDuel as well. Murray has 20+ points in eight of his 10 games dating back to Christmas Day and has produced 1.33 DraftKings points and 1.28 FanDuel points per minute during that span with a team-high 30.3% usage rate. He is questionable, along with the rest of the Nuggets’ starters, so keep an eye on the team’s injury report for more clarity on his usage as we approach game time.
If Murray sits, Reggie Jackson would be in a great spot, especially on DraftKings, where he has a 95% Bargain Rating and the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position. If SGA ends up sitting, Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace would be great bargain plays. Patrick Beverley and Terance Mann are other cheap options who are viable even if all the stars play.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
The Clippers’ favorable pace-up spot against the Thunder also boosts Paul George to the top spot at shooting guard. George has the highest Pts/Sal and Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards on both DraftKings and FanDuel and the second-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections behind only Devin Booker, who comes with a much higher salary.
George will be looking to bounce back after shooting just 5-for-19 in the Clippers’ loss on Sunday in Minnesota. Before that letdown, though, he had been rolling with 21 points or more in 13 straight games. During that run, he averaged 1.24 DraftKings points and 1.20 FanDuel points per minute. He had also exceeded salary-based expectations in four of six contests coming into that matchup on Sunday.
He has shown a high ceiling and should be one of the keys to helping the Clippers get back on track this Tuesday.
Value
For the Kings, Malik Monk continues to make a big impact in the second unit and is a strong midrange option on Tuesday’s slate. Monk has exceeded salary-based expectations on FanDuel in seven of his last 10 contests with an Average Plus/Minus of +8.67 FanDuel points. During that span, he has exceeded salary-based expectations six times on DraftKings with an Average Plus/Minus of +5.06 DraftKings points. He also has four ceiling games during that stretch on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Monk has produced 1.23 DraftKings points and 1.21 FanDuel points per minute over his last 10 contests and brings a high ceiling to this favorable game environment against the Suns. Coming off the bench makes him a little more volatile, but he has proven he still brings excellent value upside.
Fast Break
Devin Booker has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus and Pts/Sal at shooting guard on DraftKings and is the pay-up pivot to PG. He scored over 30 points in each of the Suns’ last two games and seems to be meshing just fine with Beal. His salary is still a little high with his lower usage rate, but there’s no denying his ceiling.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is another one of the Nuggets who is questionable, but he has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards under $5,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He could end up with more work than usual depending on who is in and who is out, but he has been producing strong numbers in every situation lately with double-digit points in four straight contests.
If KCP or other Nuggets end up being ruled out, Christian Braun could be a great bargain value under $4,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Jalen Williams continues to emerge as a top option whenever the Thunder are in action, and he would be an even stronger option if SGA ends up resting his knee on the second night of the back-to-back. Williams has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward on DraftKings and the sixth-highest on FanDuel. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in four of his last five games on both DraftKings and FanDuel coming into Tuesday’s matchup.
Williams had 25 points and six assists for another big game on Monday night and has stepped up for the Thunder lately, while Chet Holmgren has faded a bit. Williams has averaged an impressive 1.37 DraftKings points and 1.34 FanDuel points per minute over his last five games and has a 23.5% usage rate during that span that is second on the team behind only SGA.
He gets a boost of 6.7 percentage points to his usage when Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor to a team-high 28.3%. If SGA sits, Williams will be a cornerstone to build around, but even if the superstars are in place, he is a strong option against the Clippers in the late game.
Value
With the Suns getting their stars back, Grayson Allen has been able to slide into a lower-usage role. However, he is still bringing fantasy value and upside. He has a top-five Projected Plus/Minus at both shooting guard and small forward on FanDuel, where he has a 94% Bargain Rating. Since he isn’t quite as cheap on DraftKings, he doesn’t rank as highly overall but still shows well in his price range.
Allen is coming off a 20-point performance on Sunday against Portland, and he also dropped 31 points against the Heat early in 2024. He has the potential for some spike games if he gets his long-range shot dropping, and his non-scoring numbers are good enough to make him worth a look as long as he keeps playing 30+ minutes every game for Phoenix.
Fast Break
Kawhi Leonard has been very steady over the past few weeks, finishing right around salary-based expectations in almost every game since returning from injury on Jan. 1. In his eight games since then, he has produced a team-high 1.30 DraftKings points and 1.34 FanDuel points per minute. While Harden and George have better projections on Tuesday, Kawhi is still the centerpiece of the Clippers and always a play worth considering.
Off the bench for the Clippers, Norman Powell has scored double-digit points in nine straight games, culminating in a 24-point performance on Sunday. He has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards on DraftKings and the highest of the options priced under $7,000 on that site.
The best value options at small forward will likely open up as we get injury news throughout the day, but for now, Terance Mann, Kenrich Williams, and Christian Braun stand out as strong bargain options in our projections.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
On all of Tuesday’s slate, Kevin Durant has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He also has a 77% Bargain Rating on DraftKings while bringing extra eligibility at small forward on FanDuel.
Durant’s numbers and salary have trended slightly down the last few games since more of the usage is going to Beal, but Durant has still been productive. Since returning from injury, he has averaged 1.18 DraftKings points and 1.15 FanDuel points while playing 35 minutes per game over his last four contests.
He had 28 points and seven rebounds in the first matchup between these teams this season, but he always brings a high ceiling with potential production in multiple categories. Tuesday seems like a good chance to buy the dip and get Durant just in time for a big game against Sacramento.
Value
Aaron Gordon has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forwards on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus and Pts/Sal of all the power forwards under $8,500 on FanDuel and the second-highest in that price bracket on DraftKings, where he only trails his teammate Peyton Watson.
Gordon is another member of the Nuggets lineup listed as questionable, but he is coming off a big 20-point, 10-rebound double-double on Sunday against the Pacers in his best performance since returning from his face and hand injuries sustained on Christmas Day. In his seven games back, he has averaged 0.90 DraftKings points and 0.89 FanDuel points per minute.
He has scored 15+ points in four of his last six games and could actually end up carrying more of the workload if he plays and other starters sit.
Fast Break
Keegan Murray has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last seven games and is a viable midrange pivot from Gordon. He had an ugly game against the Bucks on Sunday with just four points but had 15+ while exceeding salary-based expectations in five of his previous six games.
The 76ers are playing a little bigger without De’Anthony Melton (back), which has led to more minutes for veteran Nicolas Batum. Batum has played over 25 minutes in four straight games and exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those contests.
With Bol Bol (foot) ruled out, Chimezie Metu is a value play worth considering for the Suns. He played three seasons in Sacramento before heading to Phoenix this year. Metu had eight points and three rebounds while playing 17 minutes on Sunday and should be set up for a similar workload on Tuesday.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The big head-to-head battle in the spotlight on Tuesday is in the early game between Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. Jokic is questionable with a left hip strain, and Embiid just returned from a three-game absence due to swelling in his left knee. With the Sixers on the second night of a back-to-back, it will be interesting to see if Embiid is ready to go for this massive big-man matchup. Either one will be in a favorable spot if he plays while the other superstar sits, but if both play, our projections give the edge to Embiid.
In his return on Monday, he only needed to play 31 minutes to rack up 41 points and 10 rebounds. This season, he’s producing an incredible 1.91 DraftKings points and 1.86 FanDuel points per minute. Those numbers are already sky-high but have actually been trending even higher over the last few weeks. If he’s ready for a regular workload, he has the highest ceiling on the slate.
On DraftKings, he’s actually priced below Jokic and brings the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus on the whole slate, along with a 90% Bargain Rating. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in 15 of his last 16 games on DraftKings, with at least a double-double in all 16 of those contests.
Value
If you’re going contrarian and passing on both of the big-name big-men, Daniel Theis is an interesting bargain solution. He has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at center on FanDuel and the fifth-highest on DraftKings. He’s expected to get a second straight start in place of Ivica Zubac (calf), who has been ruled out with a calf strain.
Theis had a ceiling game against the Grizzlies last Friday, stuffing the stat sheet in every category. He settled down a little bit on Sunday against Minnesota, but he has played over 21 minutes in each of the last two games. With Zubac out, he is projected for 23.8 minutes in the Clippers’ favorable matchup against the Thunder on Tuesday. He’s a solid low-cost option at center on both sites.
Fast Break
If you want a high-cost alternative to Jokic and Embiid or both end up sitting, Domantas Sabonis will be a nice pivot. Sabonis is coming off another big triple-double and has a double-double in 22 straight contests. In that stretch, he is producing 1.55 DraftKings points and 1.43 FanDuel points per minute and has often been a truly elite anchor to build around.
If Jokic sits, DeAndre Jordan would be a big-time value play, and if Embiid sits, Paul Reed would have good upside as a midrange play.
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