This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
This is my first FanDuel article of the season! You probably recognize me from my weekend Yahoo! articles, but I've been asked to fill in for this Tuesday card. It's an amazing one too, featuring one of the games of the season in the Phoenix-Golden State matchup. We also have a New York rivalry as well, and it should be fun to break down. With that in mind, let's kick things off with the schedule and odds!
SLATE OVERVIEW
BKN (-6.5) vs. NYK, O/U: 217
TOR (-4.5) vs. MEM, O/U: N/A
PHX (2.5) vs. GSW, O/U: 219.5
POR (-10) vs. DET, O/U: 216
LAL (-4) at SAC, O/U: 217
INJURIES
Ja Morant (MEM) OUT - Ankle
This is the injury that will open up all of the value. Ja was running the show in Memphis, and his absence will allow many cheaper guys to thrive.
LeBron James (LAL) Questionable - Abs
Look for LeBron to suit up and possibly be questionable in every game for the rest of the season.
Kyrie Irving (BKN) OUT - Personal
OG Anunoby (TOR) OUT - Hip
Anunoby just had a setback, which should allow Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes to continue posting big numbers.
Richaun Holmes (SAC) Questionable - Eye
If Holmes is out, Alex Len and Marvin Bagley III could be looking at more prominent roles.
Harrison Barnes (SAC) Doubtful - Foot
RJ Barrett (NYK) Questionable - Illness
Alec Burks has been named the starting point guard with Kemba Walker being excised from the rotation, and Burks' value would rise even more if Barrett is out too. Immanuel Quickley is also an interesting pivot if you're feeling crazy.
Gary Trent (TOR) Questionable - Calf
Norman Powell (POR) Doubtful - Quad
Draymond Green and Anthony Davis are both expected to suit up despite Probable tags.
ELITE PLAYERS
It's rare to have a five-game slate littered with superstars, but that's what we have here. Stephen Curry is the easy pick of the bunch, leading all players with 49.7 FanDuel points per game. That makes it shocking that he's not the most expensive player, but Kevin Durant has earned that crown with his ridiculous play. Some other guys above $10K include LeBron James, Anthony Davis and James Harden. Russell Westbrook is the only other player above $9K, if you want to try to squeeze at least three of these studs into your lineup.
EXPECTED CHALK AND CORE TARGETS
Russell Westbrook, LAL at SAC ($9,600)
Russ has probably been too good to remain this cheap, and it's going to force many DFS players into clicking his name. The stud point guard has at least 26 FanDuel points in 21 straight games, dropping at least 35 fantasy points in 17 of those. That's a fantastic floor from a guy priced below $10K, and everyone knows how good this guy is in DFS behind his triple-double exploits. The matchup against Sacramento is sexy, too, with the Kings sitting 27th in defensive efficiency ratings. That's going to put Westbrook in over 20 percent of the lineups out there, and it might end up being the chalk you have to eat.
Tyus Jones, MEM at TOR ($4,600)
Speaking of chalk, you have to eat this one because Jones will be in every lineup out there. He's the direct beneficiary of Morant's injury, starting at PG in his absence. Tyus was tremendous in that role last season, averaging 28.2 FD points per game in the 13 outings he played at least 22 minutes. Exactly 10 of those happen to be starting opportunities, and dropping 22 FD points across 24 minutes in his first start on Sunday is nothing to worry about. That was actually a 30-point blowout, and Jones surely would have played 30 minutes if it had stayed close. All of that makes the $4,600 price tag shocking, and that's what's going to make him more chalky than anything.
Other Chalk Players Include Devin Booker, Anthony Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr
VALUE PLAYS
Damian Lillard, POR vs. DET ($8,600)
People will be so absorbed with players like Durant, Curry, James and Davis, but they're going to forget about Lillard. The recent struggles have forced many DFS managers to omit Lillard from their thoughts, but he's really starting to turn things around. In fact, Dame has at least 35 FanDuel points in 15 of his last 16 games, averaging 41 fantasy points per game in that stretch. That's all you can ask for from an $8,600 player, and it's hard to overlook his splits too. In home games this season, Lillard is averaging 22.3 points and 8.2 assists per game. His shooting percentages are significantly higher, too, and it's clear he's more comfortable at his home arena. The matchup with the Pistons is pristine as well, with Detroit ranked 22nd in defensive efficiency this season.
Dillon Brooks, MEM at TOR ($5,800)
Many people will pivot to JJJ and Jones in the absence of Morant, but Brooks is probably the best play of the bunch. The chucker is averaging 28.1 FanDuel points per game in fewer than 25 minutes a night this season. Those 25 minutes might sound concerning, but an early injury limited his minutes, but he should be ready for a full workload here. That means 30-35 minutes and 20-25 shots are on the way! Those numbers might sound lofty, but it's really not when you see that Brooks has a team-high 36 percent usage rate with Morant off the floor while averaging 1.34 FD points per minute. Those are the numbers you see from many of the five-figure players, and it makes Brooks the value of the day below $6K.
Other Value Plays include Fred VanVleet, De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, and Desmond Bane.
