Aaaand we’re back! Now that you’re fully rested from the All-Star break, it’s time to hit the ground running with roughly one-third of the regular season left to play. Tonight presents a six-game slate that’s light on marquee matchups but should provide plenty of scoring with players so well rested. The extra week off helped Aaron Gordon (hip) and Nikola Vucevic (hand) get healthier as both fully practiced on Tuesday and are likely to play. This means it’ll be prudent to avoid Magic players for now while we see how the rotation shakes out. This is similar to the Bulls’ announcement that David Nwaba and Cristiano Felicio will be entering the starting lineup. Of course, every recommendation below is based on currently available information. As always, make sure to check injury reports before lineups lock so you’re using the most accurate information and avoiding a big fat zero in your lineup.
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Aaaand we’re back! Now that you’re fully rested from the All-Star break, it’s time to hit the ground running with roughly one-third of the regular season left to play. Tonight presents a six-game slate that’s light on marquee matchups but should provide plenty of scoring with players so well rested. The extra week off helped Aaron Gordon (hip) and Nikola Vucevic (hand) get healthier as both fully practiced on Tuesday and are likely to play. This means it’ll be prudent to avoid Magic players for now while we see how the rotation shakes out. This is similar to the Bulls’ announcement that David Nwaba and Cristiano Felicio will be entering the starting lineup. Of course, every recommendation below is based on currently available information. As always, make sure to check injury reports before lineups lock so you’re using the most accurate information and avoiding a big fat zero in your lineup.
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Point Guard
Tomas Satoransky (WAS): $5,900 @ CLE
Nobody has benefitted more from John Wall‘s absence (knee) more than Sato, and he entered the All-Star break playing the best ball of his young career. He’s simply underpriced given he averaged 34.3 minutes per game over his last three, scoring 30.8, 41.6 and 38.3 points respectively. At this price, he feels like a lock to at least hit 4x value, and that’s before we acknowledge the pristine matchup. Although Cleveland’s deadline acquisitions should help, it’s not like it became a defensive juggernaut by adding a few wing players. No team has given up more FanDuel points to point guards on the season, and that number has actually increased over Cleveland’s last ten games.
Austin Rivers (LAC): $5,100 @ GSW
Similar to Satoransky, Rivers is simply priced too low given his projected minutes. Since returning from injury, Rivers has played 31, 33, 35 and 35 minutes in his four games back, hitting 5x value in three of the four games. With both the Warriors and Clippers ranking top-eight in pace, this game projects as a high-scoring affair, and Vegas agrees given the massive 233-point implied total. Rivers has poured in at least 10 points and four assists in each of his last four games and should get elevated scoring opportunities given the up-tempo nature of this game.
Shooting Guard
Lou Williams (LAC): $7,000 @ GSW
Similar to the Rivers recommendation above, Lou Will gets a boost in this projected high-scoring affair. Even with Rivers and Milos Teodisic back in the fold, Williams was still playing just north of 30 minutes per game prior to the break. The Clips are going to need his offensive firepower if they want a chance at keeping up with the Warriors, the same team Sweet Lou dropped 58.9 FanDuel points on back in January. Despite Klay Thompson‘s stellar defense, the Dubs have been the third-most forgiving team to shooting guards on the season. With easily the highest implied total on the slate (233), you’ll want to load up on players from both teams.
Bogdan Bogdanovic (SAC): $6,000 vs OKC
The MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge, Bogdanovic played at least 30 minutes in all five games leading into the All-Star break, impressively hitting 5x value in four of five chances. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but perhaps he can build on his stellar play over the All-Star weekend. The Thunder have an identity crisis at shooting guard and have subsequently given up the eighth-most FanDuel points to shooting guards on the year. That number jumps to third-most over the Thunder’s last ten games.
Small Forward
Michael Beasley (NYK): $7,000 @ ORL
It’s unfortunate that Beasley’s price has crept up to $7,000 with Kristaps Porzingis (knee) out, but at the same time, it offers a way to differentiate lineups as the higher price tag will likely scare off other roster builders. Beasley has scored at least 32.7 FanDuel points and played at least 29 minutes in each game since Kristaps went down, giving him a tidy floor to pair with his 50-point ceiling. The Magic conveniently rank seventh in pace which should afford Beas more opportunities to score, and Orlando has also been the sixth-most forgiving team to small forwards this season. Otto Porter Jr. and LeBron James also have good matchups if you have the room to pay up.
DeMarre Carroll (BKN): $6,100 @ CHA
Carroll has been one of the few reliable mainstays in the Brooklyn rotation this season and rewarded owners with 43 FanDuel points in the last game prior to the break. The matchup isn’t intimidating as Charlotte has allowed the eighth-most FanDuel points to small forwards this year, while there’s a real possibility this game hits the over on its 215 implied total, the third-highest of the slate. The reason? The Nets clock in with the sixth-fastest pace in the league, while the Hornets rank 11th. Faster pace means more fantasy points, so this is a sneaky game to target when looking for value in your lineups.
Power Forward
Draymond Green (GSW): $8,600 vs LAC
As mentioned above, this is clearly the game to target given the huge implied point total (233) and considering both teams rank top-eight in pace. So you need to get creative and fit several players from this game into your lineup. Draymond was playing well before the break, posting 43, 46.1 and 58.9 FanDuel points over his last three games, and he usually provides a decent floor in the 33-point range. But he gets to dance with the Clippers, who’ve allowed the third-most FanDuel points to power forwards this season, and the most over the last ten games.
Dario Saric (PHI): $6,700 @ CHI
Saric is always a super safe bet which makes him enticing in both tournament and cash lineups. He’s played at least 29 minutes and scored at least 29.3 FanDuel points in eight of his last nine games. That consistency is a great reason to get him in your lineup, and that’s before looking at the matchup. Chicago has allowed the eighth-most FanDuel points to power forwards this year and the defense may slip a bit given the two new additions to the starting lineup. Similar to the Nets/Hornets game, the potential pace is a sneaky reason for optimism. The Sixers rank 5th in tempo while the Bulls rank 12th, so this is another sly game to attack.
Center
Dwight Howard (CHA): $9,000 vs BKN
All in on Howard tonight as the Nets have been torched by opposing centers throughout the year. In fact, no team has allowed more FanDuel points to centers than Brooklyn has this year. You may be scared off by Dwight’s price tag, though it’s that same price that should ensure he’s under-owned. With everyone flocking to use Embiid, Howard presents the better value and is $1,200 cheaper. This is more of a tournament play than a cash one given Howard’s up-and-down nature, but here’s betting he smashes against Brooklyn’s weak frontcourt tonight. As a reminder, both teams rank top-11 in the league in pace.
Eli Weiner is a FantasyPros Correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter @eweiner_bball.