Where are all the injuries and player resting? Of course, things can change as the day goes on but as it stands right now Tuesday night’s six-game NBA slate could be the slate with the least injury news all season. This, of course, makes it more difficult to find value options who are coming into additional playing time. While I typically like to deploy more of a “stars and scrubs” lineup construction, this slate does not fit that mold very well. So, look to go with a more “balanced” lineup construction like my sample lineup below.
You will notice that I reference some of my own custom stats in my NBA DFS articles that I use to help determine my favorite plays. I don’t use the common Defense versus Position (DvP) numbers that most use. Instead, I calculate blended percentages for each stat category (points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) that take into account team stats for the season and last five games, as well as a weighted average between similar positions. For example, my shooting guard DvP numbers are a blended between point guard (10%), shooting guard (70%) and small forward (20%) stats for each category.
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Point Guard
Kemba Walker (CHA): $8,200 @ LAL
Walker starts the parade of Hornets’ players crushing the hopes of the Lakers in “La La Land” on Tuesday, much like the Oscars did to the movie over the weekend. Walker has regained his shooting touch over his last five games hitting 54.2% from the field and 51.4% from three-point range while averaging 40.7 FanDuel points during that stretch. All of this and a plus matchup against the Lakers who allow increased production to opposing PG in every relevant fantasy statistic.
Damian Lillard (POR): $8,400 @ DET
Lillard remains an excellent DFS option on FanDuel with his price still in the low $8,000s. He has scored 40-plus FanDuel points in each of his last two games and five of his last seven contests. He should see big minutes as an underdog on the road in Detroit against a Pistons’ defense that has allowed increased production in points (+3.4%) and rebounds (+3.9%) to opposing PG. High floor with upside, sign me up!
Others Options:
- John Wall (WAS): $10,000 vs GS
- Mike Conley (MEM): $8,000 vs PHO
Shooting Guard
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (DET): $5,400 vs POR
Caldwell-Pope can be a streaky player that carries some risk when played in cash games as is evident by his game log where he has scored 31.1, 48.3, 23.5 and 11.1 FanDuel points in his last four games, respectively. However, the best two games during that stretch have been his last two where he has topped 31 FanDuel points each time. While his fantasy production may be a roller coaster ride his minutes are not as he sees around 35 per game. With a price tag of just $5,400 he only needs to get 27 FanDuel points to reach 5x his salary, and he has the upside to hit 8-9x his salary in a good matchup against the Blazers who have allowed increased production to opposing SG in every category this season.
Tony Allen (MEM): $4,600 vs PHO
There is usually one spot when building your lineup where you feel like you are settling. Today, that spot is at my second SG position with Allen. Nobody is ever going to be excited to roster Allen. He doesn’t have a ton of upside but he knows how to fill out a stat sheet chipping in with points, rebounds, assists and steals every night. In his last five games where he played at least 21 minutes, he has averaged 27 FanDuel points per game. He should see 25-plus minutes in a favorable matchup with the Suns and end up with another ho-hum 25-30 FanDuel points to exceed value.
Others Options:
- Dwyane Wade (CHI): $8,000 vs DEN
- Nicolas Batum (CHA): $7,500 @ LAL
Small Forward
Jimmy Butler (CHI): $9,300 vs DEN
Butler is a rock. He is one of the steadiest and consistent players night-in and night-out in the NBA which is great for a cash game DFS lineup. Listen to his FanDuel points in his last four games: 46.0, 44.1, 45.3, 45.4, you can’t get much more consistent than that. Butler could break his consistency Tuesday but in a good way by pushing his FanDuel point’s total into the 50s with an excellent matchup at home against the Nuggets who allow increased production in points (+11.8%), assists (+7.3%) and steals (+14.3%) to opposing SF. As I have said before, high floor with upside, sign me up!
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA): $5,700 @ LAL
The second in my Hornets parade is Kidd-Gilchrist who is reasonably priced at just $5,700. With Cody Zeller and Miles Plumlee out, Kidd-Gilchrist has been pounding the glass with double-digit rebounds in three of his last four games while averaging 9.5 rebounds over his last eight games. He has also recorded two steals in six of his last seven games. While he doesn’t offer much in the scoring column, his high rebounding totals and steals give him a solid floor that could lead to a big game if he falls into some points.
Others Options:
- Kevin Durant (GS): $10,400 @ WAS
- Otto Porter (WAS): $6,200 vs GS
Power Forward
Frank Kaminsky (CHA): $5,900 @ LAL
The Hornets parade comes to an end with Kaminsky who continues to play big minutes with Zeller and Plumlee out, topping 36 minutes in five of his last six games. He has done well with the increased minutes, averaging 35.5 FanDuel points per game during the last six games. Frank the Tank should be able to do some damage again on Tuesday against the Lakers’ defense (or lack thereof) who have allowed more points (+8.9%) and rebounds (+8.3%) to opposing PF.
Nikola Mirotic (CHI): $4,400 vs DEN
Mirotic appears to be back to full health, and with the departure of Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott at the trade deadline he has seen increased minutes and production over the last two games, averaging 17 points and nine rebounds per contest. Now is the time to jump on the Mirotic train before his price increases in a favorable matchup on Tuesday against the Nuggets.
Others Options:
- Draymond Green (GS): $7,200 @ WAS
- Julius Randle (LAL): $5,900 vs CHA
Center
Andre Drummond (DET): $8,100 vs POR
Drummond has had great success against Tuesday’s opponent the Trail Blazers over the last few years. He had 28 points and 14 rebounds in a double-overtime game earlier this season and averaged 21.2 points and 22.5 rebounds against them last season. The Blazers have allowed increased production in points (+3.8%) and rebounds (+3.8%) to opposing C this season. His recent game log should keep his ownership down, but he has the potential for a 50 FanDuel point night making him a great play in both cash and GPP contests.
Others Options:
- Marc Gasol (MEM): $8,200 vs PHO
- Alex Len (PHO): $4,800 @ MEM
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Brad Richter is a correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay and GoingFor2. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.