Don’t ever say the NBA doesn’t care about your beauty sleep. There are just four games on tonight’s DraftKings featured slate, with the last one tipping off at a very reasonable 8:00 p.m. ET. A little bit of east coast bias? Perhaps. But I’m not going to complain about being in bed before midnight.
Let’s dive in and go position-by-position.
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POINT GUARD
Stud
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns at New Orleans Pelicans, $9,600 - Aside from a blip against the Raptors — if you can call a 40.25 DKFP performance a blip — Booker has been a DFS monster with Chris Paul (thumb) sidelined. Since Feb. 24, the All-Star is in possession of a 29.4% usage rate, with that volume translating into 1.44 DKFP per minute logged. Very simply, it’s the reason Booker’s managed to exceed 53.0 DKFP in four of his last six starts. As long as he’s less than $10K, he’s viable on every slate.
Value
Tyus Jones, Memphis Grizzlies at Indiana Pacers, $3,400 - There’s no getting around it: With Ja Morant ($10,600; back) doubtful for Tuesday, Jones is going to be the chalk. However, I think he’s necessary chalk. Jones has started the last two games that Morant has missed, and in those two contests he posted a usage rate of 25.3% each time out. That led to DKFP outputs of 30.75 and 44.25, respectively. Add in that the Pacers own the league’s fourth-worst defensive rating across their last 15 games (117.9) and this is a no-brainer.
SHOOTING GUARD
Stud
CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans vs. Phoenix Suns, $9,400 - Let’s talk this one out. McCollum has still yet to clear the league’s health and safety protocols, but his questionable designation signifies that there’s a chance he does. So, if he is active — and there’s no word of a minutes restriction — McCollum instantly vaults back into viability. The Suns are a stout defensive team, but since joining the Pelicans at the All-Star break, McCollum is averaging an eye-popping 1.47 DKFP per minute with Brandon Ingram (hamstring) off the court.
Value
Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies at Indiana Pacers, $4,900 - We know a lot about Brooks. First and foremost, we definitely know he isn’t shy about getting up his shot. Heck, on Sunday, in his first game in two months, the Canadian managed put up 14 field goal attempts in just 25.7 minutes of action. I’d expect Brooks to remain trigger-happy if Morant is inactive, while a few extra minutes might be in store, as well.
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SMALL FORWARD
Stud
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons at Miami Heat, $8,300 - This is far from an ideal matchup for Cunningham, but the recent play and volume is simply too much to ignore. The Pistons are using the first-overall pick like they really want him to make a late push for Rookie of the Year. Across the team’s past six games, Cunningham is averaging 39.0 minutes — the fifth-most of any player within that span. He’s also producing 23.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 46.4 DKFP. While Cunningham’s price tag has risen slightly, he still has more than enough room to bring back value.
Value
Bruce Brown, Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic, $5,200 - It’s fair to have some script concerns about this contest, but Brown’s recent production supersedes my hesitation. The wing has exploded for at least 34.0 DKFP in four of his past five games, with his one dud mostly the result of some early foul trouble in Philadelphia. He also leads the Nets in minutes played in March (193). What’s not to like?
POWER FORWARD
Stud
Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic, $11,100 - It’s highly doubtful Durant will need to log 42.6 minutes or attempt 37 shots in this game with Kyrie Irving ($10,200) available; yet the All-Star has managed at least 59.0 DKFP in two of his last three games playing alongside his unvaccinated teammate. Durant’s ceiling is just so, so high and he hasn’t skipped a beat since his return from a lengthy injury absence. In fact, in that span, he’s registered a .645 true shooting rate with a 34.3% usage rate. That man is a machine.
Value
Naji Marshall, New Orleans Pelicans vs. Phoenix Suns, $5,400 - We covered what to do if CJ McCollum plays, but what about if he doesn’t? Well, aside from increasing the viability of Devonte’ Graham ($6,800) and Jose Alvarado ($4,300), Marshall would once again be a subject of interest. The wing has started New Orleans’ past two games and has managed to score at least 35.0 DKFP each time out. Those were incredibly pristine matchups against the Hornets and the Rockets, but if he sees anything close to 37.1 minutes on Tuesday, opponent doesn’t really matter.
CENTER
Stud
Wendell Carter, Orlando Magic vs. Brooklyn Nets, $7,400 - If the Magic have any hope of keeping this one close, it’s going to be because of Carter. The former lottery pick has taken his game to another level the past month, averaging an impressive 1.24 DKFP per minute dating back to Feb. 14. It’s a span where Carter’s recorded a double-double in eight of his nine starts and exceeded 35.0 DKFP in each one of those eight performances. To be completely blunt, his salary should just be higher by now.
Value
Jalen Smith, Indiana Pacers vs. Memphis Grizzlies, $5,500 - Smith has been getting a majority of the Pacers’ center minutes since the beginning of March, and it shows in his production. In that six-game stretch, Smith been able to exceed 28.0 DKFP five times, all while averaging a noteworthy 1.13 DKFP per minute played. In an uptempo environment against the Grizzlies, I’d expect the former lottery pick to continue his solid form.
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