Well, this is one of those slates.
I should probably get a trademark on that phrase. I tend to use it a lot. There are eight games on tonight’s featured NBA slate — maybe seven if the Bucks can’t leave New Orleans — and seven of the 16 teams are on the second night of a back-to-back set. Get ready for a wacky and wild injury report, people.
Let’s dive into the madness and find some studs to build your lineups around.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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PG/SF Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors at Atlanta Hawks, $8,700
It sounds odd to say about an asset that produces fewer than 20 points per game, but Scottie Barnes has one of the sturdiest floors of any player in the league at the moment. This is what can happen when you know how to absolutely stuff a box score. Barnes is currently riding a streak of seven straight starts with at least 40 FPTS. In that span, he’s averaging 18.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.7 steals. Find you a man that can do it all, as the kids say. As a fantasy contributor, Barnes has been at his best in 2024-25 when getting to fully embrace his point-forward role, something he’s able to do when Immanuel Quickley (hip) is sidelined. In fact, Barnes owns a 27.0% usage rate with his teammate off the court and he registers 1.26 FPTS per minute. Look for the former Rookie of the Year to do big things against an uptempo Hawks team. Atlanta is surrendering the second-most FPTS per game to opposing small forwards this season and the fourth-most FPTS to opposing point guards.
PF Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic vs. Portland Trail Blazers, $8,400
There are a lot of variables for the Magic heading into tonight’s tilt with the Blazers. First and foremost, Franz Wagner ($8,300; oblique) is listed as questionable, which gives the former lottery pick his first chance at playing since all the way back on December 6. Cole Anthony ($6,500; illness) is also questionable. Still, even if Wagner does make his comeback on Thursday, the forward will obviously be limited by rust and a minutes restriction. That should clear the way for Banchero to have another massive performance. For the first time since his return from his own oblique injury, Banchero logged over 30 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to Toronto, registering a 26-point, 12-rebound double-double with an eye-popping 38.0% usage rate. The All-Star is producing 1.36 FPTS per minute in his six starts in January and, now that he’s seemingly back up to a full minute allotment, he’s viable every single time he takes the floor. That’s especially true when he’s listed at the cheapest salary he’s been in 2024-25 and he’s opposed by a Portland squad that owns the league’s fifth-worst defensive rating (117.0).
C Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks, $5,700
Seems far-fetched, but this could be the last chance we get to put Ware in a few lineups with a price tag below $6,000. That’s how well the rookie has been playing as of late. Ware logged 33.8 minutes in Sunday’s win over the Spurs, finishing that contest with 25 points and eight rebounds. He followed that up with the first start of his career against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, registering a massive 20-point, 15-rebound double-double in a team-high 38.5 minutes. Though, it should be noted that the Heat trailed Portland by 20 points entering the fourth quarter of that tilt and Erik Spoelstra essentially benched his veterans down the stretch. No matter. Ware has exceeded 40 FPTS in three of his last five games and he might be in for slightly more responsibility with Jimmy Butler once again suspended. Nikola Jovic ($5,300) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. ($5,000) are other names to consider in this spot.
