Sometimes, on smaller slates like the one we have this evening on DraftKings, it’s the guys that aren’t playing that define the night. Well, on Tuesday, it appears that that will once again be the case, as we already find ourselves without the likes of Anthony Davis (calf), Kevin Durant (calf) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee).
What else do you need to know about tonight’s six-game schedule? Let’s break it all down position-by-position.
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POINT GUARD
Stud
James Harden, Brooklyn Nets at Phoenix Suns, $10,800 - While you’re not going to get far by simply inserting the most expensive player at each position into your lineup, Harden remains too inexpensive to ignore. For the season as a whole, the All-Star is averaging 1.47 DKFP per minute with the aforementioned Durant off the court, and Harden really seems to have recently found a groove with his new teammates. In fact, across Harden’s past nine starts, the guard is averaging 23.7 points per game with team-high marks in defensive rebounding rate (23.9%) and assist rate (43.1%). It’s the reason he’s topped 60.0 DKFP six times within that span.
Value
Donte DiVincenzo, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Toronto Raptors, $5,400 - Jrue Holiday (health protocols) has now missed Milwaukee’s past four games and, in that time, DiVincenzo has taken advantage of an increased workload. Putting aside a rough shooting performance against a red-hot Jazz squad, DiVincenzo has averaged 13.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 31.9 DKFP with Holiday sidelined. Really, the most important factor here is volume. DiVincenzo projects to play at least 30 minutes this evening, which is always good news when facing a Raptors defense that’s allowed 116.8 opponent points per 100 possessions over its last 11 contests.
SHOOTING GUARD
Stud
Editor’s Note: Thunder PG Theo Maledon (health protocols) will be available to play tonight vs. the Trail Blazers.
Hamidou Diallo, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Portland Trail Blazers, $6,700 - In Diallo’s past six games, the 22-year-old is producing 35.3 DKFP despite shooting just 39.1% from the field. That my friends, is a perfect example of how an asset can simply volume their way to viability. So, how did Diallo fall into this much opportunity? Well, Gilgeous-Alexander has been out, George Hill (thumb) has been out and Theo Maledon (health protocols) has been out. There’s basically no one aside from Diallo left standing in Oklahoma City’s backcourt. Combine that with above-average rebounding ability and you’ve got yourself another slate where Diallo has to be strongly considered.
Value
Grayson Allen, Memphis Grizzlies vs. New Orleans Pelicans, $4,700 - There’s really no sugarcoating it anymore, the Pelicans are just a bad defensive team. New Orleans has conceded 121.0 points per 100 possessions across it’s past 10 games, while opponents have managed to shoot an eye-popping 44.5% from three-point range in the Pelicans past five contests. It’s the main reason the implied total is so high for Tuesday’s matchup with the Grizzlies and it’s why Allen is very viable with a price tag below $5K. With De’Anthony Melton (shoulder) and Desmond Bane (personal) still out, Allen should see 30-plus minutes for a fourth-straight game.
SMALL FORWARD
Stud
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Toronto Raptors, $8,000 - There’s a few different ways you could go at small forward on this slate. LeBron James ($10,100) playing without Davis is a tantalizing option at the top of the board, while Norman Powell ($6,800) continues to thrive with OG Anunoby (calf) unavailable. However, I like Middleton’s matchup the most of the group. As mentioned above, Toronto’s defense has been non-existent as of late (the Anunoby absence doesn’t help), and Middleton managed 52.5 DKFP the last time these two teams met. He and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,000) have also basically been sharing the point guard duties with Holiday out, with Middleton averaging a team-best 13.0 potential assists over his past four contests.
Value
Justin Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Portland Trail Blazers, $4,700 - Jackson, now in his fifth NBA season, still hasn’t figured it all out on a consistent basis; however, with the Thunder in dire need of warm bodies, the former first-round pick has stepped up his play in the team’s past two games. After scoring 20 points against Denver on Friday, Jackson essentially set season-highs across the board on Sunday versus Milwaukee, going off for 22 points, five assists and 36.75 DKFP. Kenrich Williams ($5,300) is another Oklahoma City asset playing heavy minutes in this same tier, but if Jackson starts again, he provides far more scoring punch and DFS upside.
POWER FORWARD
Stud
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans at Memphis Grizzlies, $8,200 - You’ll want to have one of Williamson or Brandon Ingram ($8,400) in your lineup tonight. Why? Well, without getting too deep into the trends, just know that 18 of the Pelicans’ past 21 games have gone over their projected total. There will be points scored in Memphis this evening and Williamson should be leading the charge for New Orleans. In February, the former first-overall pick is averaging a team-high 1.30 DKFP per minute, while he’s also maintaining an impressive .710 true shooting percentage.
Value
Semi Ojeleye, Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets, $3,300 - While Ojeleye is coming off a poor showing against the Wizards on Sunday, I still think he’s viable as long as he’s starting ahead of Tristan Thompson ($3,900). Ojeleye has now started three-straight games for the Celtics — and while he’s unlikely to recreate a career-high 24-point performance against the Raptors once again — he’s logged at least 30 minutes twice within this recent stretch. That’s quite the hefty role for an asset priced just above the minimum.
CENTER
Stud
Enes Kanter, Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder, $7,000 - There’s nothing particularly flashy about Kanter, but he remains one of the league’s most efficient rebounders and he’s a more than capable offensive threat. In fact, across Portland’s past 11 games, Kanter’s grabbed double-digit rebounds 10 times, he’s produced a double-double nine times and he’s exceeded 35.0 DKFP seven times. That stretch includes a contest against this same Thunder squad, an evening where Kanter finished with 22 rebounds and 50.5 DKFP. Given his incredibly high floor, Kanter’s price seems a little low on Tuesday.
Value
DeAndre Jordan, Brooklyn Nets at Phoenix Suns, $4,500 - Jordan has become a situational DFS asset at this point in his career. You have to know when the Nets are actually going to utilize him, as was the case last week when the veteran logged 37 minutes against the Pacers. Well, in a matchup with Deandre Ayton ($7,100) and the Suns, I’d have to guess that Jordan is going to see the court quite a bit this evening. For the season, Jordan is averaging a respectable 0.99 DKFP per minute, so he’s more than capable of a huge performance if given the opportunity.
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