It’s a loaded eleven-game slate of NBA Cup action on Tuesday. With plenty stars across the association playing, narrowing down a select group of big names to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is no easy task. Here are the three forwards at the top of tonight’s board:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $333K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks at DET ($12,000)
Now that the Bucks have begun to play decent basketball, Giannis Antetokounmpo is making a real push for his third MVP win. Through 17 games, the eight-time All-Star has put up32.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.4 blocks on 60.9% shooting. The Greek Freak has been on another level recently, averaging 69 DK fantasy points over his previous four outings.
The Pistons have shown major improvement on the defensive end this season, but this is still an advantageous matchup. When these two teams last met on November 13th, Antetokounmpo posted a whopping 59-point, 14-rebound, seven-assist stat line. While expecting a repeat performance is wishful thinking, even half of that production could deliver some serious value in your fantasy lineups.
2. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. UTA ($8,800)
Since the loss of big man Chet Holmgren, the Thunder have used Jalen Williams as a versatile chess piece, placing him inside the paint or on the wing during the course of any given game. The results so far have been phenomenal, with the third-year pro putting up 23.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists over his last ten games. Even with Isaiah Hartenstein returning from an injury, J-Dub has remained involved down low, pulling in four or more boards since the center’s season debut on November 20th.
A date with the Jazz is as good as it gets for any player, regardless of position. Utah’s defense is one of the association’s worst, surrendering 117.9 points per game. While Williams will never be the focal point of OKC’s offense, playing number two with all eyes on Shai-Gilgeous Alexander isn’t too shabby. Despite the number of quality forwards available tonight, I’ll gladly back a player riding a hot streak against a vulnerable opponent.
3. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors vs. IND ($8,300)
Since Scottie Barnes made his return from an orbital bone fracture, the Raptors have shown some signs of life, going 3-3 over their last six games. The former Rookie of the Year has been terrific during that stretch, producing 21.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists on the strength of four double-doubles.
Tuesday’s showdown is the perfect spot for the All-Star to stuff the stat sheet. Over his previous four games against the Pacers, Barnes has averaged 23.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists. This season, Indiana is giving up the fourth-most points in basketball (119.0 PPG), so there should be plenty of opportunities for the 23-year-old to score or create for his teammates. As the fifth-most expensive forward on the board, Barnes is excellent value for fantasy managers looking to save a little at the position.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $333K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
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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.
