We had a small slate on Monday, and it was to get us ready for this massive Tuesday card. Having this many games on a Tuesday is rare, but we’re treated to some NBA In-Season Tournament action here. It’s been exciting watching the teams battle out in the inaugural tourney, and it’ll be fun to see who’s crowned at the end of it. With that in mind, let’s look at these games!
Core Plays
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG/SG – OKC): $10,300 DraftKings, $11,100 FanDuel
This is a spot where you can’t fade SGA. The matchup is the best in the NBA, with San Antonio ranked last in defensive efficiency while surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing guards. That means we want to use the opposing team’s best player against them, and that’s definitely SGA. Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 52 DraftKings points in all but two games this season, scoring at least 54 DK points in both of his matchups with the Spurs last year!
Bam Adebayo (C – MIA): $9,000 DraftKings, $9,700 FanDuel
With Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro both nicked up this season, Bam has become the primary playmaker in Miami. Adebayo leads the team with a 30% usage rate, scoring at least 51 fantasy points in four of his last five outings. He’s also got a 60-point average across his previous four fixtures and shouldn’t be overlooked against Charlotte. The Hornets allowed the most fantasy points to opposing centers last season!
Skylar Mays (PG – POR): $6,700 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
This Portland team has been dismantled by injuries, losing Malcolm Brogdon, Anfernee Simons, and Scoot Henderson. Those were all ball-handlers, and it’s left Mays as the only point guard on the roster. This expanded role has led to Skylar scoring 39 and 41 DK points in two games since taking over this job. He needs a price bump with this sort of opportunity, especially against a Utah team allowing the second-most fantasy points in the NBA.
Cash Game Considerations
Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $12,200 DraftKings, $12,800 FanDuel
The Joker is playing a different game than everyone else right now. He’s averaging over 60 DraftKings points per game over the last four years and is playing ridiculous with Jamal Murray sidelined. The point guard’s absence has put more on Joker’s shoulders, scoring at least 67 fantasy points in all five games since then. We can’t fade Jokic when he’s playing like that, especially since he dropped 86 fantasy points in his last matchup with LA.
Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $11,800 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
Luka and Jokic are the two best options in DFS right now. Doncic is second in the NBA with nearly 60 DraftKings points per game. That absurd production will continue because he’s locked into 35 minutes, 25 shots, and a 35% usage rate. That’s why his floor is 50 fantasy points, and we don’t want to fade him against the Pelicans. Luka is averaging 55 fantasy points per game against them over the last two years.
Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $11,500 DraftKings, $12,300 FanDuel
It’s wild that we have Luka, Jokic, and Embiid all on this slate. These three look like the frontrunners for MVP, with Embiid taking down the award last season. He’s playing even better than he did then, averaging 62 DK points per game since the opener. He’s also got at least 55 DK points in seven of his last eight outings and is thriving with James Harden out of town. The matchup with Indiana is incredible, too, ranked 26th in total defense.
GPP Targets
Bismack Biyombo (C – MEM): $6,000 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
Injuries have mauled Memphis, but it’s forced Biyombo into fantasy relevance. He was signed a week ago, but the big man is the starting center without Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman. We’ve seen Biz score at least 33 DraftKings points in three of his four starts, and he will provide that value as long as he plays 30 minutes a night.
De’Anthony Melton (PG/SG – PHI): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
Melton has gotten off to a rough start, but this stat-stuffing guard is about to go on a huge run. What we love is his role because Melton needs to play 25-30 minutes with Harden out of town and Kelly Oubre injured. When he’s played 30 minutes in the past, Melton has averaged over 30 DK points per game. That makes him a good value in this price range, particularly against this putrid Pacers defense.
Duncan Robinson (SG/SF – MIA): $5,400 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
This sharpshooter has been playing much more in the absence of Herro, playing 35 minutes a night over his last three outings. He’s also got a 26-point average across his last five fixtures and has done that damage despite some shooting struggles. If this guy plays 35 minutes and continues to take 10-15 shots a game, D-Rob will have some monster nights and need a price bump! Not to mention, Charlotte is surrendering the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wings.
Value Plays
Jerami Grant (SF/PF – POR): $7,500 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
We talked about how Mays has taken over as the starting point guard, but all of the injuries in Portland have made Grant the primary playmaker. He’s flirting with a 35% usage rate with all of these guards out of the lineup, scoring at least 33 fantasy points in five of his last six games. He also showcased a 63-point ceiling over the weekend, and lines like that could be in play since he’s looking at 40 minutes, 20 shots, and this career-high usage rate.
Dyson Daniels (PG – NOP): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
New Orleans has been trying to fill the void left behind when CJ McCollum got injured, and it looks like Daniels is the guy. He’s played at least 31 minutes in three straight games, posting a 29-point average across 34 minutes a night in that span. That’s all you can ask for from such an affordable player, and this could be the worst defensive backcourt in the NBA with Luka and Kyrie Irving back there.
Reggie Jackson (PG – DEN): $5,300 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
Reggie has always been productive when given an opportunity in the past, and that is what he has in Denver right now. Jamal Murray is out for the next month, and that’s moved R-Jax into the starting point guard gig. This promotion has led to Jackson scoring at least 23 fantasy points in three of his last four games while playing nearly 30 minutes a night. He shouldn’t be this cheap with that sort of role, and you know he’ll be motivated in a revenge game against his former team.
Advantageous Pricing
- Bismack Biyombo (C – MEM): $6,000 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
- Jaime Jaquez (SF – MIA): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
- Tyrese Maxey (PG – PHI): $8,900 DraftKings, $10,100 FanDuel
- Buddy Hield (SG – IND): $6,400 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel
- Onyeka Okongwu (C – ATL): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
- Nic Claxton (C – BKN): $6,200 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel
- Shaedon Sharpe (SG/SF – POR): $7,900 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
- Stephen Curry (PG – GSW): $10,000 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
- Klay Thompson (SG – GSW): $6,500 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
- Anthony Davis(PF/C – GSW): $10,100 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel