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There are six games for Tuesday’s main NBA slate, with two games tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET — the Atlanta Hawks at the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers at the Indiana Pacers. There is one game at 8:00 p.m. ET — the Los Angeles Lakers at the Charlotte Hornets. There is one game at 9:00 p.m. ET —the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Utah Jazz. The late-night hammers are the Boston Celtics at the Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat at the Phoenix Suns, which both start at 10:00 p.m. ET.
The Lakers, Suns and Jazz are playing the second leg of a back-to-back. DraftKings Sportsbook has one game with a double-digit spread — UTA (-16.5). There are two games with an O/U of at least 230 — LAC-IND (232) and BOS-POR (230).
Let’s break down some of the top studs and values at each position to help you build your DraftKings lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $325K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
Point Guard
Stud
Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, $9,400 – Over the last four games, Mitchell has garnered a usage rate of 44%, 47%, 40% and 41%! Mike Conley ($6,900) only missed one of those games, so Mitchell is on quite the heater. This is the Mitchell we saw in the Bubble, with the ball in his hands and making plays either for himself or his teammates. The spread is massive, but the Jazz should throttle the Thunder at home and Mitchell will be a big reason why.
Other Options – Devin Booker ($9,000)
Value
Brad Wanamaker, Charlotte Hornets, $3,800 – This is not a sexy pick at all but he’s getting most of the backup backcourt minutes for the Hornets with LaMelo Ball ($7,000) and Malik Monk ($4,400) out. Wanamaker has played 28, 23, 23, 18 and 30 minutes over the last five games and garnered a usage rate over 22% in three of those games. He’s gone for 28.6 DKFP, 12.9 DKFP, 23.4 DKFP, 24.1 DKFP and 25.1 DKFP over that stretch. That’s not bad at less than $4K. As I was writing this piece, Terry Rozier ($8,200; knee) was downgraded to doubtful, so Wanamaker could see over 30 minutes in this one. With all of the aforementioned players off the court, Wanamaker has seen a usage bump to 26.8%.
Other Options – Reggie Jackson ($5,400), Malachi Flynn ($5,400)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers vs. Indiana Pacers, $8,700 – Kawhi Leonard is out today. With Kawhi off the court, George sees a 7.3% usage bump to a whopping 36.6%. In the last three games, George has scored at least 50 DKFP and garnered usage rates of 37%, 30% and 32%. The Pacers are 11th in offensive pace and the spread is slightly in favor of the Clippers, so it’s a pace up spot for George and the game should be competitive.
Value
Devonte’ Graham, Charlotte Hornets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, $6,300 – On the season, Graham averages 0.95 DKFP per minute. Solid but nothing spectacular. The Hornets backcourt is going to be depleted tonight, though, with Rozier likely sidelined along with Ball and Monk. When all of those players have been off the floor, Graham has seen a 6.2% usage bump to 27.5%.
Other Options – Bogdan Bogdanovic ($6,800)
Small Forward
Stud
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics at Portland Trail Blazers, $7,800 – This should be an up-and-down affair as the total is at 230. The Trail Blazers are 29th in defensive efficiency and boost the fantasy points per minute to small forwards by 8.04% above league average. Over the last three games, Brown has gone for 39.5 DKFP, 44.25 DKFP and 58.0 DKFP so he should feast once again.
Value
Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets vs. Los Angeles Clippers, $5,800 – With all the injuries for the Hornets, Bridges becomes another viable option to insert into lineups. He has started the last four games and averaged 36.3 minutes, 11.8 field goal attempts, 18.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists. That’s translated to 18.25 DKFP, 26.0 DKFP, 45.75 DKFP and 37.25 DKFP. With Gordon Hayward, Ball, Monk, and PJ Washington all out — along with Rozier listed as doubtful — Bridges has seen the biggest usage rate bump on the team to 29.7%.
Other Options – Nicolas Batum ($4,500)
Power Forward
Stud
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics at Portland Trail Blazers, $9,200 – The game environment should be a good one as the Trail Blazers are 29th in defensive efficiency. The total is one of the largest on the slate, too. On the season, Tatum is averaging 1.25 DKFP per minute and he’s coming off a three-game stretch in which he’s produced 47.0 DKFP, 75.5 DKFP and 46.0 DKFP.
Value
Jalen McDaniels, Charlotte Hornets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, $4,300 – McDaniels has started the last three games and played 32, 31 and 29 minutes. He’s produced 38.5 DKFP, 40.5 DKFP and 20.25 DKFP. The game environment isn’t the best as the Lakers are first in defensive efficiency, but Los Angeles has been generous to opposing small forwards, boosting the fantasy points per minute by 4.67% above league average. The Hornets are also short-handed, so McDaniels should get all the minutes and opportunities that he can handle.
Center
Stud
Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks at Toronto Raptors, $8,500 – Capela is averaging 1.31 DKFP per minute on the season. Over the last seven games, he’s played 34 minutes per contest. He’s too big for Chris Boucher ($6,900) and should still get busy against both Pascal Siakam ($8,600) and Khem Birch ($3,000). He’s sixth in the NBA with 35 double-doubles. Capela has faced the Raptors twice this season and gone for 43.75 DKFP and 52.0 DKFP.
Other Option – Rudy Gobert ($8,000)
Value
Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers at Indiana Pacers, $5,200 – Serge Ibaka is out. Again. Since Ibaka has been out, Zubac has started 15 games and averaged 28.6 minutes and 26.28 DKFP per game. Now he gets the juiciest matchup for centers: The Indiana Pacers. The Pacers boost the fantasy points per minute to the position by 19.44% above league average, and that’s not fully adjusting for the absence of Myles Turner. Domantas Sabonis ($8,800) slides down to center and he is not known for being a defensive maven.
Other Option – Cody Zeller ($4,800)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $325K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is sontzu) 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 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.
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