For the moment, we have a five-game NBA slate on deck this Tuesday. It seems like perhaps the health protocol issues and postponements have stabilized a bit, but we will see. Hopefully, most of this still applies come game-time for the slate, and we don’t get too many crazy shenanigans.
DET (98.5) @ NY (108)
Detroit has a meager total in this road match-up with New York, and the team is healthy with only Jerami Grant on the injury report. Because there aren’t many points to go around, this isn’t an excellent spot for DFS. Trey Lyles, Isaiah Stewart, and Cory Joseph project pretty well on DraftKings from a points-per-dollar perspective, but none project for many raw points. The best ceiling play is Cade Cunningham, but he is too expensive to be a good option in this game environment. Saddiq Bey is a good play on FanDuel, and Isaiah Stewart is also in consideration.
Evan Fournier, Kemba Walker, Nerlens Noel, and Mitchell Robinson are solid DraftKings values for the Knicks. You’d be looking at Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, and Julius Randle in terms of raw points, but none offer much in the value department. On the other hand, Burks and Rose are very nice points-per-dollar options on FanDuel. Fournier, Robinson, Randle, and Walker are also in play.
IND (N/A) @ MIA (N.A)
We don’t have a spread yet at the time of this writing, but we have a pretty low 208.5 total. On DraftKings, Oshae Brissett is a solid punt savings play, and no one else is grading out too well for their points-per-dollar projection. Myles Turner would be the best option. You can always play Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, or Caris LeVert for their tournament upside potential despite lack of value. Turner and Levert are the best FanDuel plays at their respective prices.
With Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and P.J. Tucker out, Miami is a good team for DFS at the moment. Omer Yurtseven, DeWayne Dedmon, and Duncan Robinson are the best values on DraftKings. Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry are the ceiling plays, but they are priced above value contention. Yurtseven is a great play on FanDuel. The other four mentioned above hover just below being great points-per-dollar plays on this slate.
POR (110.25) @ NO (108.75)
We’ve got a little bit of meat on the bone with Portland as long as C.J. McCollum remains out. Damian Lillard is questionable, and if he does sit, Anfernee Simons, Norman Powell, and Jusuf Nurkic stand to benefit. With Lillard projected in, our best DraftKings plays are Larry Nance Jr., Nassir Little, and Norman Powell. Nurkic always has upside, but his minutes are just not there. He is still in contention as a tournament play at $6,900. Nurkic (just $6,300), Nance, Powell, and Lillard are the plays on FanDuel.
The Pelicans are all but entirely healthy, making them less than ideal from a DFS perspective. We still have some good plays on DraftKings, namely Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Josh Hart. Devonte Graham and Jonas Valanciunas are right on the edge of offering some decent DraftKings value. Valanciunas and Alexander-Walker are the best FanDuel plays from a points-per-dollar perspective. You can always play Brandon Ingram in tournaments, but he isn’t a great play here.
MIN (106.75) @ DAL (105.75)
With several Timberwolves out due to the health protocols, there is some value there for us in DFS. On DraftKings, Jaylen Nowell, Malik Beasley, Jaden McDaniels, and Jarred Vanderbilt all fit the bill. While offering less points-per-dollar savings, D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns offer significant ceiling upside. Pricing is a bit different on FanDuel, and the only really standout play is Jaylen Nowell. Of course, Russell and KAT are always tournament options.
For Dallas, Luka Doncic remains out, and several ancillary pieces will miss due to the health protocols. Kristaps Porzingis is questionable, and tons of value opens up if he sits. As it stands right now, Dorian Finney-Smith is our best DraftKings value. At the same time, we can also consider Sterling Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dwight Powell. Porzingis has huge tournament upside, especially with Luka off the court but is priced out of value territory on DK. The pricing on the Mavericks is worse on FanDuel, and Porzingis and Brunson are the best options there, although neither pops off the screen.
PHO (113) @ LAL (106.5)
Oh, how the mighty have fallen with the Lakers being sizable underdogs at home to the Phoenix Suns. They will now be without Anthony Davis for the foreseeable future. Many ancillary pieces are out due to the health protocols. Isaiah Thomas, DeAndre Jordan, Rajon Rondo, and Carmelo Anthony offer us some value on DraftKings for this depleted Lakers squad. DeAndre Jordan and perhaps Rajon Rondo could warrant a look for value on FanDuel, but neither are fantastic plays. You’d undoubtedly consider playing LeBron James on either DFS site, as he will have to shoulder the load with AD out. I’d like to say Russell Westbrook could be in consideration, but Westy has not been playing up to the level of his price tag this season. He could still be a deep tournament play with AD off the court. Phoenix is a tough match-up, and this is not the best spot for the Lakers.
Phoenix is mainly healthy with Devin Booker back, and no one is standing out for DFS on DraftKings. Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, and Booker are always upside options in tournaments. Still, they cap each other’s respective ceilings with all on the court. Ayton is the best option of the three at his DraftKings price. Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder are reasonably okay points-per-dollar options but nothing outstanding. Bridges is an excellent play on FanDuel at just $4,900. Booker and Paul are slightly better value considerations on FanDuel than DraftKings.
I'm a DFS player (JackG1111), DFS content provider, and musician.
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