It might be shocking to hear, but the NBA is more than just jaw-dropping trades, there’s also sometimes games! On tonight’s featured slate, there’s actually seven of them. Wild stuff.
Let’s go game-by-game and break down everything you’ll need to know to set a few lineups this evening on DraftKings.
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Mavericks at 76ers
This game might as well come with a giant asterisk. On the 76ers side of things, Joel Embiid ($9,600; knee) is questionable to suit up for the first time in exactly a month. He’d surely be on a minutes restriction if he does play, but he’d still take away some usage from Tyrese Maxey ($9,900), who is averaging 54.0 FPTS over his last six starts. Then there’s the Mavericks. Anthony Davis (abdominal) is not yet ready to make his debut with the squad, while PJ Washington (personal) was ruled out this morning. Dallas will now also be without Quentin Grimes, as the wing was traded this afternoon. The good news for Mavericks fans that desperately need it? Kyrie Irving ($8,600) will be back in action after missing Sunday’s loss with a shoulder issue.
Knicks at Raptors
RJ Barrett (concussion) has been ruled out for tonight’s tilt against his former team due to a concussion he suffered in the fourth quarter on Sunday’s victory over the Clippers. Coming into Tuesday, Barrett leads Toronto with a 28.6% usage rate and his 21.6 points per game. Needless to say, his absence will create an offensive void — one that only gets larger when you consider that Immanuel Quickley ($5,700) is having his playing time monitored and likely won’t be on the court for more than 18-20 minutes. Ochai Agbaji ($3,400) is dirt cheap and is coming off posting 31.75 FPTS in just 20.2 minutes against Los Angeles. Look for him to start and be viable on this slate. Keep an eye on Gradey Dick ($4,000) and Davion Mitchell ($3,800), as well.
Rockets at Nets
After missing his team’s last three games due to a calf issue, Alperen Sengun ($8,900) is probable to return for this evening’s tilt against the Nets. That should lessen the burden on Jalen Green ($7,400), who has been forced to carry a large workload with Sengun and Fred VanVleet (ankle) sidelined. For 2024-25 as a whole, Green owns a massive 33.6% usage rate with his two teammates off the court. However, Green’s only managed to exceed 40 FPTS once in his past nine starts, validating his status as an inconsistent DFS asset. Amen Thompson ($8,500) should remain viable despite the presence of Sengun, though his salary is now at a season-high mark.
Celtics at Cavaliers
This contest features this slate’s highest implied total — and for good reason. Across their past 10 games, the Cavaliers own the league’s most efficient offensive attack, scoring 124.3 points per 100 possessions. The Celtics also rank in that top 10 in that same time frame, registering 117.7 points per 100 possessions. Both squads enter this matchup with nearly perfect health, so value options might be at a premium. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t trust the household names. Jayson Tatum ($9,800) is of particular interest. The All-Star is back on track after a poor shooting stretch, notching 66.75 FPTS in a comeback victory over the 76ers on Sunday. For the season, Tatum averages 1.38 FPTS per minute.
Heat at Bulls
Neither Zach Collins nor Kevin Huerter will make their Bulls debut on Tuesday, which means Chicago’s rotation should look pretty similar to what we saw in Sunday’s loss to the Pistons. For the season, Coby White ($6,400) leads the Bulls with a 25.9% usage rate when Zach LaVine is off the floor. Against Detroit, that figure rose to 30.3% and White finished with a team-high 22 points. Still, the headliner was Nikola Vucevic ($8,200), who collected 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to wind up with 59.75 FPTS and a triple-double. The Heat aren’t an exceptional opponent, though they do rank 20th in defensive rating across their past 10 games (116.0). Regardless of matchup, Vucevic clearly carries a serious amount of upside for GPPs.
Lakers at Clippers
While Luka Doncic’s introductory press conference is obviously the big news of the day in Los Angeles, the All-Star won’t be making an impact in tonight’s proceedings. In fact, for DFS on Tuesday, Max Christie is the most important name in that shocking trade. Christie had started the Lakers’ last 24 games. He averaged 31.4 minutes per game in January. Someone has to pick up that slack. I’d expected Dorian Finney-Smith ($4,000) to join the Lakers’ starting lineup, while Gabe Vincent ($3,400) should also see an expanded role. On the Clippers side, Norman Powell ($6,900; hip) will return from his one-game absence.
Pacers at Trail Blazers
Both of these teams are on the second leg of a back-to-back set, which means you’ll have to keep a close eye for any injury report weirdness. Indiana played without the services of Myles Turner ($6,500; ankle) in Monday’s narrow win over the Jazz. If Turner’s unable to go on Tuesday, expect Thomas Bryant ($3,200) to make another start. Bryant had a modest stat line against the Jazz in 25.4 minutes — just nine points and six rebounds — yet a salary barely over the minimum makes him an intriguing value option. The Blazers sport the Western Conference’s best defensive rating over their past 10 games (107.5). They’ve also won four in a row.
