After starting the week with a six-game slate, the NBA has nine games scheduled for both Tuesday and Wednesday. Playoff races are heating up, and there are storylines to watch for every team coming down the stretch. Tuesday’s main DFS fantasy basketball slate includes the first seven games on the slate, leaving the late games in California on a separate slate With 14 teams, though, there are still plenty of great options to consider. None of the teams on the main slate are playing for the second night in a row, but the Cavaliers, Lakers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Thunder, Raptors and Wizards all play again on Wednesday.
At this point in the season, almost every team has injury concerns or may opt to rest players over the last few games of the regular season. Be sure to keep a close eye on injury and availability updates throughout the day, and as news breaks, always refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
The Knicks and Heat meet in Miami in a game between two potential playoff teams. The Knicks currently have the No. 4 spot while the Heat are No. 7. In this important contest for both teams, Jalen Brunson has the second-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections of all point guards.
Brunson scored 61 points in a loss to the Spurs on Friday and followed that up with 30 points in a one-point loss to the Thunder on Sunday. He has scored at least 25 points in four straight games and eight of his last nine. Over that span, he has produced 1.49 DraftKings points per minute in 35.9 minutes per game. He led the team with a 41.1% usage rate and a 30.1% assist rate in those nine games.
Brunson is getting all the usage he can handle and playing heavy minutes, which gives him both a high ceiling and a high floor this Tuesday.
Value
The Wizards have been one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, but they still provide some fantasy value opportunities. Jordan Poole has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at both point guard and shooting guard on Tuesday night when the Wizards host the Bucks. He also has the fourth-highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all point guards and only the 11th-highest salary.
Poole has been busy lately and should continue to carry the load with Kyle Kuzma (heel) and Tyus Jones (back) ruled out. Poole has played four games without those two teammates over the last month, averaging 1.22 DraftKings points per minute and 34.75 DraftKings points per game with a 32.6% usage rate in those four contests. Overall, Poole has averaged 1.08 DraftKings points with a 27.7% usage rate over the last month.
In five of his last six games, Poole has played at least 34 minutes, and he showed his high ceiling with 38 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in one of those games against the Nets. He hasn’t consistently reached those impressive levels but does offer that ceiling.
Fast Break
The Lakers have the highest implied team total on the slate as they visit the Raptors, even though Toronto is expected to get some key pieces back in action. D’Angelo Russell has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on the slate. He had a strong game with 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists against the Nets and has exceeded salary-based expectations in four of his last seven games while producing 1.15 DraftKings points per minute. He will get even more usage and bring higher upside if the Lakers opt to rest Anthony Davis (knee) or LeBron James (ankle), who are questionable for the first game of the Lakers’ back-to-back.
The Thunder listed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (quad) and Jalen Williams (ankle) as questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with the 76ers. With both stars limited lately, Josh Giddey has stepped up and produced great numbers. Giddey ranks in the top 10 in Projected Plus/Minus at point guard and shooting guard, even with SGA in the projections, and he will jump multiple spots if either star is ruled out. After an impressive triple-double on Sunday in New York, Giddey has exceeded salary-based expectations by at least 15 DraftKings points in five straight games while averaging 1.58 DraftKings points per minute.
The Bucks will be without Damian Lillard (groin) for a second straight game, so Patrick Beverley should be a good value. In Lillard’s absence Saturday, Beverley had 18 points, five rebounds, five assists, one block, and one steal while playing 36 minutes. He gets a great matchup against Washington and has a top six Projected Plus/Minus at both point guard and shooting guard.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
In one of the most exciting matchups of the night, Jalen Green leads his surging Rockets to Minnesota to face Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. Edwards has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projections of all shooting guards on this slate, but Green ranks just behind him in median and floor projections and comes $500 cheaper. With his recent form and his cheaper salary, I’m going with Green as the slightly better fantasy play, although both options have incredibly high ceilings and are exciting players to watch and cheer for.
Green has taken his game to another level over the last month while the Rockets have blasted up the standings. Since Mar. 1, Gren has produced 1.20 DraftKings points per minute in 36.0 minutes per game. He has a 29.5% usage rate during that span and has averaged 27.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest.
On Sunday, Green struggled against the Mavs and finished with just 12 points, but he had exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his previous eight games and should be able to bounce back in a showcase matchup with Edwards. The Rockets start the day two games back of the Warriors for the final spot in the Play-In Tournament, so every game is critical to keep their playoff hopes alive. That desperation should result in big minutes and big totals for Green and the rest of Houston’s starting lineup.
Value
Across the Lone Star State, the Spurs are well out of the playoff chase but still have offered plenty to be excited about this season. For the rest of this season, though, the rotation will look different since Devin Vassell (foot) and Jeremy Sochan (ankle) were shut down on Monday. Keldon Johnson (foot) may return before the end of the season but remains out on Tuesday against the Nuggets.
All that available usage and playing time will provide an opportunity for value plays to step up. Devonte’ Graham has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at both point guard and shooting guard from his minimum salary of just $3,000. He played a season-high 18 minutes on Sunday and should remain in the rotation. He has shown a high upside when given playing time in the past, and at only $3,000, he doesn’t have to do a lot to return value.
Malaki Branham is another interesting Spur to check out. He fits into San Antonio’s future more than Graham and will likely start for the rest of the season. He was back in the starting five on Sunday and had 12 points, four assists and three rebounds in 31 minutes. On the season, the 20-year-old has averaged 0.78 DraftKings points per minute with Vassell and Sochan off the floor while seeing his usage rate increase to 20.9% in that scenario. He isn’t quite as cheap as Graham but still has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus on the slate at shooting guard.
Fast Break
While Donovan Mitchell hasn’t quite got back to his peak production since returning from injury, he is in a big spot returning to Utah to face the Jazz. It’s more of a narrative play than anything else, but he does have the second-highest ceiling projection of all shooting guards. On the flip side of that matchup, Collin Sexton will also be facing his former team in a potential revenge narrative.
If Tyrese Maxey (hip) joins Joel Embiid (knee) on the sidelines on Tuesday, Kelly Oubre Jr. will be an elite option. He went off for 32 points on Sunday without Maxey and Embiid, and he has a high ceiling as the go-to option when he steps into a larger role.
Another good midrange play to consider is Miles McBride, who continues to get big minutes for the Knicks. He has played over 39 minutes in each of New York’s last seven games, averaging only 0.65 DraftKings points per minute but playing 44.7 minutes per game. That much work gives him both a high ceiling and a high floor.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
While Lillard is sidelined, it gives Khris Middleton a chance to get back up to speed more quickly in the Bucks’ offense. Middleton has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards on Tuesday’s slate, and he has looked solid since returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him for over a month.
Middleton has played six games since coming back, producing 1.16 DraftKings points per minute in 32 minutes per game with a 21.7% usage rate. Without Lillard on the floor in those games, Middleton’s production has increased to 1.35 DraftKings points per minute with a 22.4% usage rate.
On the season, Middleton’s usage without Dame is 30.8%, so there’s even more room for him to step up in Tuesday’s soft matchup with the Wizards. He has the third-highest ceiling projection of all small forwards, even though he only has the seventh-highest salary. His salary is over $2,000 lower than the two options, with higher ceiling projections than he has.
Value
Cedi Osman is another big beneficiary of all the absences in San Antonio. He should be an elite play at either forward spot with his salary under $4,000. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all players on Tuesday’s slate and has a minutes projection well over 30.
Osman played 36 minutes on Sunday and totaled 18 points, two rebounds, and 25 DraftKings points. He usually fills in other stat categories as well and has averaged 1.01 DraftKings points per minute this season with Sochan, Johnson, and Vassell off the floor.
His salary will likely jump significantly before the Spurs’ next game if he is lined up for 30+ minutes per game, so take advantage of his reduced rate to fit in stars at other spots while getting reliable production with a good upside from Osman.
Fast Break
LeBron James has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projections of all small forwards on this slate and should dominate the Raptors if he plays through his questionable tag. With the Lakers playing back-to-back games, though, they may try to get James a game off, so be sure to check the injury report leading up to tip time. If Davis sits the front half of the back-to-back, James would be an even better play. The elder statesman still has it, as he showed with 40 points against the Nets on Sunday, exceeding salary-based expectations for the third time in his last four games.
Without Kuzma, Deni Avdija is a good play for the Wizards in their matchup with Milwaukee. Avdija has the fourth-highest ceiling projection of all small forwards and the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position as well. He has produced 1.08 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, but that number jumps to 1.11 DraftKings points per minute with Kuzma off the floor. Avdija has exceeded salary-based expectations in six straight and eight of his last nine games.
As a low-cost, high-minute play, Jaden McDaniels has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last seven games for the Timberwolves. He scored at least 15 points in four of those games and has taken on a more active role in the offense since the injury to Karl-Anthony Towns. McDaniels has the fifth-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards on the slate.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the few sure things on a slate full of questionable tags and potential absences at power forward. Giannis himself is officially probable but has been playing and productive despite the tag recently. Without Lillard, he’ll have to carry even more of the workload on Tuesday against the Wizards. He has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection of all players on the slate, and he also brings the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus even though his salary is over $11,000.
Giannis has posted four straight double-doubles with at least 29 points, exceeding his high salary-based expectations in each of those four games while averaging 1.78 DraftKings points per minute in 39.0 minutes per game. All season, Giannis has averaged an impressive 1.69 DraftKings points per minute.
In his two matchups against the Wizards earlier this season, he produced 42 points and 13 rebounds in Washington, followed by 31 points and nine rebounds two games later in Milwaukee. If you can make his big salary work by going cheap in other spots, Giannis is a good pay-up play for Tuesday.
Value
While both R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley appear to be on track to return for the Raptors when they host the Lakers, Ochai Agbaji (hip) and Gary Trent Jr. (rest) have been ruled out. That should leave room for Gradey Dick and Jordan Nwora to continue to get good playing time and be solid values. Nwora came off the bench with 19 points in 30 minutes on Sunday against the Sixers, and he has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward on Tuesday’s slate.
Nwora has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last 10 games, with an average Plus/Minus of 2.4 DraftKings points. He has produced 1.04 DraftKings points per minute during that stretch, and he brings a high ceiling if he stays in an involved role while the Raptors get back to their regular rotation around him this Tuesday.
Fast Break
If LeBron ends up sitting and Anthony Davis plays, AD will be a great pay-up option at power forward against the Raptors. Davis had 34 points and 23 rebounds on the front half of the Lakers’ last back-to-back when LeBron rested and AD played. Davis has posted a double-double in every game except one since the All-Star Break, and in that game, he left early with an eye injury. Since the break, he has produced 1.48 DraftKings points per minute.
In addition to Avdija and Poole (discussed above), Corey Kispert has been playing a big role lately for the Wizards. He has scored double-digit points in 12 straight games while producing 0.79 DraftKings points per minute in 33.7 minutes per game.
The Jazz have ruled out John Collins (back) and Lauri Markkanen (shoulder) for their matchup with the Cavs, leaving rookie Taylor Hendricks as a strong value option at power forward with his salary under $5,000. Hendricks has exceeded salary-based expectations in three straight games and had a season-high 18 points against the Kings on Sunday. He’s typically good for defensive and rebounding numbers, and as he settles into his offense at the NBA level, he should be a strong option in this matchup.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
With several key teammates done for the season, Victor Wembanyama could either end up with even more usage and monster numbers, or the Spurs could gradually phase out their impressive rookie to save on wear and tear and get their whole core ready to run it back next season. It will be fascinating to see what the Spurs do with him over their remaining games, but so far, they seem set to lead him to feast and soak up all the usage and experience he can handle. He is not listed on the injury report for Tuesday’s matchup with Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
Wemby followed up his massive 40-point, 20-rebound game against the Knicks last Friday with a 30-point performance against the Warriors on Sunday. He consistently adds elite defensive stats as well, and since the All-Star Break, he has averaged 1.82 DraftKings points per minute with a 32.6% usage rate. With Sochan, Vassell and Johnson off the floor, his usage during that span has lept to 37.0% and his production to 2.09 DraftKings points per minute.
While there is a risk that his workload will be managed, if he’s on the floor, he’s usually putting up monster numbers. Unless A.D. is playing without LeBron, Wemby is the top center I’m targeting Tuesday.
Value
Without Collins and Markkanen, Walker Kessler should also have a chance to shine for the Jazz. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on Tuesday’s slate, and his teammate Omer Yurtseven isn’t far behind with the fifth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at center since he comes at the minimum salary.
Kessler has posted a solid 0.9 DraftKings points per minute over his 11 games over the last month, and he played 32 minutes while starting for Collins against the Kings. In that game, he exceeded salary-based expectations with six points, eight boards, three blocks, and three assists. He and Hendricks will have their hands full with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, but since both of the Jazz’ young big men are so affordable, they are excellent fantasy plays.
Fast Break
Kelly Olynyk should be a solid mid-range option for the Raptors against the Lakers. He has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on the slate and should be helped by the return of his teammates to keep games more competitive. While the Raptors are getting backcourt help, they’re still short-handed up front, leaving plenty of room for Olynyk to log big minutes and stuff the stat sheet.
Sandro Mamukelashvili and Anthony Gill are two punt plays at center that have good Projected Plus/Minus in addition to Yurtseven.
