A five-game NBA slate is on tap for Tuesday, with ten teams set to tip off across the association. Plenty of big names are expected to take the floor, including Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Nikola Jokic. With so many stars in action, narrowing down who to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is a difficult task. Here are the three centers at the top of tonight’s fantasy basketball rankings:
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1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets vs. PHI ($12,000)
Nikola Jokic’s stellar season continued on Sunday, as he recorded 20 points, 14 rebounds and ten assists vs. Orlando (68.0 FPTS). The performance marked the big man’s league-leading 18th triple-double of the season. These days, even the most ridiculous stat lines aren’t much of a surprise for The Joker. The three-time MVP has averaged 30.1 points, 13.2 rebounds and 9.9 assists through 36 games, while shooting 56.1% from the field (47.1 3PT%).
If the 76ers had Joel Embiid healthy, tonight’s game would be appointment viewing. Unfortunately, with the former MVP inactive, there doesn’t appear to be anyone capable of going toe-to-toe with Jokic. Over the center’s last five outings vs. Philadelphia, he’s produced 24.4 points, 14.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists. The Serbian superstar is easily the top option at any position on Tuesday’s fantasy basketball rankings.
2. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers vs. WAS ($10,300)
The Lakers are a constant roller coaster ride, fluctuating winning and losing streaks all season. One constant for Los Angeles? The continued excellence of Anthony Davis. The nine-time All-Star has been an absolute force this season, putting up 25.6 points and 11.8 rebounds. On the other end of the floor, he’s tallied 2.2 blocks and 1.3 steals.
Against a miserable Wizards squad, those season-long numbers should be viewed as AD’s floor. Washington has allowed the most points (122.4) and rebounds (57.1) to opponents while giving up the second-most DK fantasy points to centers. The only thing that might stop Davis is the score; there’s a real scenario where the Lakers have this game won by the fourth quarter. Assuming this game stays semi-competitive, the big man is well-positioned to dominate on Tuesday.
*Davis (calf) is questionable to play tonight vs. Washington.
3. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks at BKN ($9,700)
Karl-Anthony Towns has been better than advertised in New York. This season, the big man has posted 25.1 points and a league-leading 13.8 rebounds for the Knicks, often sharing the scoring load with Jalen Brunson. While the four-time All-Star doesn’t offer much on defense, his efficient 54.3/44.0/83.8 shooting splits are DFS gold.
Tuesday’s rivalry matchup with the Nets looks advantageous on paper; Brooklyn has given up the eighth-most DK fantasy points to centers. However, a recent thumb injury has cast some doubt. While the Knicks have announced that KAT won’t need surgery, he went 5-of-18 from the field on Monday vs. the Hawks. The subpar performance might be an outlier, but it’s certainly something fantasy managers need to consider. Towns is still a superstar, but a safer alternative down low might make sense.
