This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Tuesday's slate features nine games, with the first pair of contests (Indiana vs. Cleveland and Washington vs. Philadelphia) beginning at 7:00 PM Eastern time. It's also worth mentioning that the Knicks, the Nuggets and the Kings are all playing the second half of their respective back-to-backs Tuesday evening. Don't forget that FanDuel will count the top eight scores of your nine-player lineup, so be sure to take advantage of this relatively new feature.
There are a few enticing matchups to exploit Tuesday, with the Raptors in action against a struggling Atlanta defense and the Warriors at home against a young Knicks squad playing the back end of their back-to-back. Although there are a few players from each of these games highlighted below, there is plenty more value to be had within both of these contests.
Point Guard
Kyle Lowry, TOR vs. ATL ($8,000): Lowry certainly isn't a player who typically flies under the radar, but after missing time due to a back injury, some may be hesitant to insert him into their lineup. However, he does have one game under his belt since the injury and will face a young Hawks team that ranks last in the league in points allowed, so Tuesday night may be a great opportunity for Lowry to go off. The Raptors may continue to closely monitor his playing time, but after logging 32 minutes Sunday, it appears he's not facing a strict minutes restriction.
Darren Collison, IND at CLE ($5,900): Collison is another player who doesn't usually put up huge scoring totals, but his value across the board is worth considering, especially given his play of late. He's averaging 11.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals over his preceding six contests, resulting in an average of 25.8 fantasy points on FanDuel. Collison will draw an appealing matchup Tuesday night with the Pacers slated to take on Cleveland (ranked 21st in the league in opponent scoring), although he was slapped with a questionable tag Monday evening due to soreness in his right leg. His status will be worth monitoring leading up to tipoff.
Shooting Guard
Klay Thompson, GS vs. NY ($7,500): Thompson is obviously a household name, but his value, matchup and recent play make him a must-start Tuesday night. He's been red hot of late and is coming off two straight 20-plus point performances. After struggling with his shot earlier in the season, Thompson has knocked down seven shots from beyond the arc over the previous two games and will draw a favorable matchup against a Knicks defense ranked 27th in points allowed this year (115.8). Valued at $7,500 for Tuesday's contest, Thompson is well worth the price.
Small Forward
Josh Richardson, MIA vs. DEN ($7,200): Richardson is one of the better options at small forward for Tuesday's slate, although he's significantly cheaper than the top tier, with Kawhi Leonard being valued at $10,200 and Paul George at $10,000. Richardson is coming off a down game against Atlanta, but he still managed to put up 19.6 fantasy points. Prior to Sunday's tilt, he'd racked up 30-plus fantasy points in six consecutive matchups. Richardson is set to face one of the better defenses in the NBA in Denver (third in points allowed per game), but he's found success against some of the other top defense in the league (36.5 fantasy points vs. Memphis on Dec. 14 and 35.8 fantasy points vs. Indiana on Nov. 16).
Kelly Oubre, PHO vs. SAC ($3,800): With Devin Booker's status for Tuesday's matchup unclear due to a back injury, Oubre could be ready to step into a starting role and would see a considerable uptick in minutes if Booker is ruled out. Oubre typically excels when he gets a solid chunk of playing time, turning in double-digit scoring outputs in four of the last seven matchups in which he's logged 22 or more minutes. Although there's certainly some risk involved, Oubre is averaging 21.8 fantasy points per game this season, and his low cost offers the ability to add talent elsewhere within your lineup.
Power Forward
Serge Ibaka, TOR vs. ATL ($7,000): Ibaka is set to go up against the worst scoring defense in the league Tuesday night, with the Hawks allowing 117.6 points per contest so far this season. The 29-year-old is averaging 16.2 points along with 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over 38 games this year, so he's proven that he can provide value in the scoring column, on the boards and also by swatting a shot or two on a nightly basis. At $6,000, Ibaka is a solid choice for your Tuesday night lineup.
Domantas Sabonis, IND at CLE ($7,100): Sabonis is an attractive option for your FanDuel lineup, mainly because he's affordable and he'll face a porous Cleveland defense Tuesday night that's ranked 21st in the NBA in points allowed per game (112.1). He also filled in nicely for the injured Myles Turner (shoulder) on Sunday night, although Sabonis' value would take a slight hit if Turner should return against Cleveland. Even when Sabonis comes off the bench, he puts up solid point production and is effective on the boards. He's notched a double-double in three of his previous four games and is averaging 28.8 minutes per contest during that brief stretch. The Gonzaga product's 62.3 percent success rate from the field and 75.9 percent success rate from the charity stripe are also perks of his game.
Jerami Grant, OKC vs. MIN ($5,600): Grant draws an alluring matchup Tuesday, facing off against a Minnesota team that's in a bit of disarray given the recent firing of their head coach and president, Tom Thibodeau. More importantly, the Timberwolves are giving up 110.8 points per game this season -- good for 17th in the NBA, so there should be plenty of opportunities for Grant to turn in a productive final line. The 24-year-old forward has posted three double-digit scoring outputs in the last four contests and is averaging 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal over that span.
Center
Hassan Whiteside, MIA vs. DEN ($7,300): Whiteside is coming off his worst performance of the season from a fantasy standpoint, totaling 12.8 FanDuel points in Sunday's matchup against Atlanta. However, he's been an absolute beast on the boards and has added scoring value consistently this season, which is how he's managed to average 36.8 fantasy points per game. While he'll face a tough matchup at home against Denver, don't let one small blip on the radar scare you away from Whiteside, who's valued well below some of the bigger and more expensive names at center for Tuesday.
