After a fantastic start to the play-in tournament on Tuesday, we’re getting into the good stuff! This is where the eliminations start, and it’ll be fascinating to see how things play out.

We have only two games in action here, but both are critical matchups. Two teams will be eliminated after tonight, and it will leave the rotations extremely thin. Expect the regular starters to play 40 minutes in this spot and leave everything on the line!

Schedule and Odds

CHA at ATL (ATL -4.5) O/U: 238.5

This is our first elimination game of the season! Whoever wins this game will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. The winner of that game will be the eight-seed in the Eastern Conference and play the Miami Heat, while the other will go home.

SAS at NOP (NOP -5.5) O/U: 229.5

Whoever wins this game will face the Los Angeles Clippers. The loser of that game will be officially eliminated, while the winner will face the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs.

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Gordon Hayward (ankle) OUT
• John Collins (foot) OUT
• Zion Williamson (foot) OUT
• Brandon Ingram (hamstring) Probable

Core Plays

Trae Young (PG – ATL): $10,600 DraftKings, $10,100 FanDuel
Trae is the best play on the board. Young enters this matchup scoring at least 47 DK points in his final nine regular-season games. That’s bad news for Charlotte: the Hornets ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency, 28th in points allowed, and third in pace. Trae has struggled with his shot against them, but he’s still got a 45-point average in their last three meetings. We believe that’s his floor here!

LaMelo Ball (PG – CHA): $9,700 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
This 20-year-old has struggled at times this season, but he’s rolling heading into the playoffs. He scored at least 38 DraftKings points in 14 of his last 15 games, generating a 47-point average. We love that against Atlanta, with the Hawks ranked 26th in defensive efficiency ratings. He’s scored at least 54 DK points in two of their three matchups this year!

Cash Game Considerations

Dejounte Murray (PG – SAS): $10,800 DraftKings, $10,600 FanDuel
Murray is one of the top cash game plays on a 13-game slate, making him impossible to avoid with just two games on this docket. The stat-stuffing guard has at least 31 DraftKings points in 65 of 68 games this season, averaging 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. In his four matchups with the Pelicans, Dejounte averages 18.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Just take the guaranteed 50 fantasy points and build from there!

C.J. McCollum (SG – NOP): $9,000 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
McCollum has always been a stud, but he’s taken his game to another level since joining New Orleans. Before sitting most of the finale, McCollum had at least 33 fantasy points in 24 of his previous 25 games, providing a 43-point average. We love that here, with CJ averaging 48 fantasy points per game in his last three meetings with the Spurs. That’s far from surprising, with San Antonio sitting 23rd in points allowed and third in pace.

GPP Targets

Clint Capela (C – ATL): $6,900 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
Capela has been frustrating at times this season, but he’s been amazing whenever Collins is out of the lineup. That led to him scoring at least 32 DK points in eight of his final nine games, averaging nearly 40 fantasy points per game. That’s all you can ask for from a player in this price range, especially since this guy has a legitimate 20-20 upside. That’s more likely in this sensational matchup, with Charlotte surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers,

P.J. Washington (PF/C – CHA): $5,100 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
Washington has always shown massive potential, and it looks like he’s usurped Mason Plumlee (C – CHA) as the go-to big man in Charlotte. Over the final 24 games of the season, PJ averaged 26 DK points per game across 32 minutes a night. The matchup with Atlanta is the best part of this, though, with Washington scoring at least 30 DK points in all three of their matchups this season,

Value Plays

Jakob Poeltl (C – SAS): $6,600 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
Poeltl is too good to be in this section, but he’s just too cheap. The big man has established a 30-point floor for most of the season, averaging nearly 35 fantasy points per game. His elite rebounding is a primary reason why and it looks even better with New Orleans ranked 18th in total defense this season. Poeltl has shown that, scoring at least 36 DK points in three of their four matchups this year.

Kevin Huerter (SG/SF – ATL): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel
Don’t look now, but Red Velvet is starting to get hot at the right time. The Atlanta wing has scored at least 26 DK points in seven of his last nine games, dropping 34 or more in seven of his previous 14 games. That’s amazing from such an affordable player, and that success should continue against one of the worst defenses in the NBA. The Hornets own a 26th OPRK against opposing wings, with Huerter scoring at least 34 DK points in two of their last three matchups.

Advantageous Pricing

LaMelo Ball (PG – CHA): $9,700 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel

Bogdan Bogdanovic (SG/SF – ATL): $5,700 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel

Keldon Johnson (SF/PF – SAS): $7,000 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel

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