The NBA Cup is back, which means there’s plenty of star players taking the floor on Tuesday. With eight games in action, figuring out which big names to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is no easy task. Here are three forwards at the top of tonight’s slate:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks vs. TOR ($11,300)
The Bucks may be bad, but at least they have Giannis Antetokounmpo (for now). The Greek Freak has been dominant to start the year, putting up 31.6 points, 12.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists through nine games. That all adds up to a monstrous 58.4 DK fantasy points per game.
Milwaukee will get a favorable matchup at home when they welcome the 2-9 Raptors. Toronto has given up 122.7 points to opposing teams, the highest mark in the NBA. It’s hard to imagine the league’s worst defense locking up one of the best players on Earth. With that in mind, it makes sense to pay up a bit for Antetokounmpo, even with several big names taking the floor tonight.
2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics vs. ATL ($10,200)
Jayson Tatum has been on fire to start the season, leading the 9-2 Celtics with 30.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists. In eleven games this year, the former Duke Blue Devil has gone under 40 DK fantasy points just once. That’s especially promising heading into a game with the Hawks, who Tatum has averaged over 25 points against in his career.
The biggest issue for tonight is that the defending champions are simply too good. Atlanta will be without star point guard Trae Young on Tuesday, making it hard to imagine they’ll have the firepower to keep up with Boston. If it wasn’t for the possibility that this one could end quickly, Tatum would earn stronger consideration as the top forward on the board.
3. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic vs. CHA ($8,400)
There are plenty of good options to round out the list, but Wagner has been on fire as of late. The two-way wing has put up 20 points or more in four straight games, stepping up as Orlando’s top option with Paolo Banchero sidelined due to an oblique injury.
A game with the Hornets, who are giving up the fifth-most DK fantasy points to opposing forwards, sets the German up for another big performance. Wagner has only put up a modest 16.4 points against Charlotte throughout his career, but he’s never been given a workload of this magnitude. The role plus matchup here makes for an enticing lower-cost play.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is barmy) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
