This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
There are only three games scheduled for Tuesday's slate, but fret not, there's still a wealth of talent on the table for your FanDuel lineup. For the first time in a while, there isn't a single team that's playing the second half of a back-to-back, so we should have some fresh legs running the floor.
With three games on the docket, there are only a few big names to watch for on the injury front. Kawhi Leonard was held out of Sunday's clash for load management purposes. His availability for Tuesday still hasn't been cleared up, so he'll be worth keeping an eye on. DeAndre Jordan was also ruled out of New York's last game due to an ankle sprain, and his status for Tuesday appears in doubt.
After having a week off during the All-Star break, I'd like to put out a friendly reminder that FanDuel does drop the player in your lineup with the lowest score, so choose your lineups accordingly.
Point Guard
Dennis Smith, NY vs. ORL ($7,400): Smith exploded for 51.7 FanDuel points in Sunday's win over the Spurs, as he racked up 19 points 13 assists six boards and two steals. He's found new life since being shipped to the Knicks, notching 30-plus FD points in six of his last eight contests with New York. The young guard has not only been on a tear of late, he'll also draw an enticing matchup against an Orlando defense that's allowing 37.5 FanDuel points per game to opposing point guards. Smith is a mid-tier choice at best with guys like Russell Westbrook ($12,200) and Kyrie Irving ($9,700) on the table, but I'll ride with the hot hand in Smith in this scenario.
D.J. Augustin, ORL vs. NY ($4,800): After citing poor defense as part of my reasoning for selecting Dennis Smith, it's no surprise that I like Augustin as my other ball-handler. The Knicks have shown life of late, but their young core has proved throughout the season that they simply aren't capable of stopping teams on a consistent basis. Augustin has also finished with 22-plus FanDuel points in each of his previous three contests, production that's hard to find at such a low price. While he's certainly not a flashy choice, I like what I see in terms of value when it comes to the former first-round pick out of Texas.
Shooting Guard
Damyean Dotson, NY vs. ORL ($5,400): The shooting guard position is extremely limited given the three-game slate, so I'm taking Dotson for the low price of $5,400 for the night. The youngster has been producing across the board at a high level of late, notching 20-plus FanDuel points in each of his last four games. The Knicks have little to lose at this point, so they're little doubt that Dotson will continue to see a solid chunk of playing time, which will hopefully result in another big performance. He put up a career-best 27 points in Sunday's clash with San Antonio.
Danny Green, TOR vs. BOS ($4,500): As mentioned above, there aren't really any top-tier options at shooting guard Tuesday night, and with Paul George available for $11,600 at small forward, I'm again going cheap by selecting Danny Green. Although his score might end up being the one that's dropped from my lineup, especially against a highly-touted Boston defense, he's finished with 20-plus FanDuel points in four of his last five matchups. Green's low price and his high ceiling is enticing in this scenario.
Small Forward
Paul George, OKC at DEN ($11,600): With such a limited slate, I have to slot George into my lineup, even at such a hefty price tag. He's been unstoppable throughout the 2018-19 campaign, averaging 49.9 FanDuel points so far this season – it's also worth highlighting that he's racked up 47-plus FD points in seven of his previous nine matchups. Denver is ranked first in defensive rating (107.8), but don't let that scare you off. George seems to play the best when his team needs him, so I'm calling for another big night from the MVP candidate.
Lance Thomas, NY vs ORL ($3,700): In an effort to keep the price down at small forward, I'm rolling with Thomas as my second choice. He drew the start in Sunday against the Spurs and excelled with the first unit, finishing the night with 25.9 points in a win for the Knicks, their second victory in the last three games. If Thomas manages to remain in that role, he could be in for another strong performance against an Orlando defense that offers little resistance (24th in defense rating). However, if Mario Hezonja or Luke Kornet replace Thomas in the starting lineup, his value will undoubtedly plummet. We're definitely looking at a potential forced drop with Thomas in this case.
Power Forward
Aaron Gordon, ORL at NY ($7,000): Gordon is coming off a down game Sunday against the Raptors, but I'm betting that he's going to bounce back against the Knicks, who are giving up the most FanDuel points to opposing power forwards this season. Gordon has also notched 30-plus FanDuel points in four of his previous five contests, so his last performance appears to be just a small blip on the radar. Although Orlando's offense isn't explosive by any means, it should have a great opportunity to put up some points in New York.
Jayson Tatum, BOS at TOR ($6,700): I realize that Tatum is going up against a Toronto defense that's limited opposing power forwards to 34.9 FanDuel points per game this season (fourth-best in the league), but he's just too good of a player to be held down for long. He laid an egg against Chicago on Saturday, finishing with just 12 points, a rebound, an assist a block and a steal (19.7 FanDuel points), so I'm feeling confident that a bounce-back performance is on the way. Tatum is among the top-tier options at power forward for Tuesday's slate, but he is notably cheaper than guys like Paul Millsap ($8,400) and Pascal Siakam ($7,500). Considering that Tatum is averaging 31.3 FD points per game this season and should see big minutes in what'll likely be a close game, he's difficult to pass up.
Center
Al Horford, BOS at TOR ($8,000): Horford is an excellent choice at center, and although he's a bit more expensive than I would've liked, my hands are tied given a mere three-game slate. I'd love to go with DeAndre Jordan (ankle) for $6,700, but he was held out of Sunday's matchup and his status for Tuesday remains in question. If he's cleared to play, I fully endorse picking up Jordan at center. With things the way they are currently, I believe you're getting plenty of bang for your buck with Horford, who absolutely went off for 63.9 FanDuel points Thursday in Milwaukee. He's finished with 48-plus FD points in three of his last four games, and I'm banking on him remaining hot in Toronto.
