ThriveFantasy NBA: Tuesday Picks

ThriveFantasy NBA: Tuesday Picks

This article is part of our DFS NBA series.

ThriveFantasy has put a unique spin on Daily Fantasy Sports. First of all, they focus solely on the top-tier players from each sport. That means you don't need to take a guess on whether or not a player coming off the bench is going to get enough minutes that particular night to be productive. Second, there are no salaries involved. Simply pick whether a player will go over or under their respective prop. Out of the 20 options that are available, you will need to select 10 overs/unders your entry.

Based on how likely or unlikely a player is to hit a prop, you will receive a certain amount of points. Rack up the most overall points and you come away with some extra cash in your pocket. If you have never played on the site, use promo code RotoWire when you sign up.

Let's take a look at Tuesday's limited four-game slate and highlight a few options to target, as well as some to possibly avoid.

Players to Target:

Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL at NO: Over 30.5 Points: Right off the bat, this should be a high-scoring game between two teams that both rank inside the top-five in pace of play. That should mean a big night for Giannis, who leads the league with his 38 percent usage rate. It also wouldn't be a huge surprise to see the Pelicans stay close with the Bucks given their improved health and this game being at home, which should leave Giannis with plenty of playing time.

Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. POR: Over 30.5 Points + Rebounds: The news that Jamal Murray (ankle) is listed as questionable for this game is promising for the Nuggets since he's missed 10 straight contests. However, I'd be surprised if he plays considering the Nuggets also have to play Wednesday. It would make more sense to rest Murray another day, then deploy him Wednesday if he is indeed that close to a return. Jokic has been a monster with Murray out, averaging 24.7 points and 10.8 rebounds during that 10-game stretch.

Miles Bridges, CHA at HOU: Over 18.5 Points + Rebounds: Get ready to see a lot of small lineups in this game. The Rockets have already ruled out Clint Capela (heel), who is really the only true big man in the Rockets' rotation. In the previous three games that Capela has missed, the Rockets have started Danuel House Jr. and shifted P.J. Tucker to center. Bridges could be in line for a ton of minutes in this game, especially if PJ Washington (ankle) is out again. Bridges can throw up the occasional dud, but he's recorded at least 19 combined points and rebounds in five of his last seven games. The only times he didn't reach that threshold during that stretch was in tough defensive matchups against the Magic and Bucks.

Players to Avoid:

Zion Williamson, NO vs. MIL: 0.5 Blocks: This seems like a trap. With Williamson's athleticism, this should be an easy over, right? Well, he hasn't recorded a block in four of his six games since returning from injury. Still, one block is not a hard stat to accumulate, especially in what should be a fast-paced game. This could easily go either way, so not picking a side could be key.

Terry Rozier, CHA at HOU: 8.5 Rebounds + Assists: With the Rockets playing at the second-fastest pace and Rozier averaging 34 minutes a game, this number doesn't seem that hard for him to hit. However, it would seem likely that he will be tasked with guarding James Harden. That certainly leaves Rozier with the potential to get into foul trouble. Adding him to your entry is awfully risky, regardless if you take the over or the under.

Dwight Howard, LAL vs. SA: 7.5 Rebounds: Howard has logged 18 minutes or fewer in three straight games, which is worrisome for hitting the over. However, he still managed to log nine rebounds against the Kings on Saturday. With LaMarcus Aldridge healthy again, the Spurs can deploy him at center, which isn't exactly an ideal matchup for Howard. Although, that could also mean that Howard takes advantage of a size matchup on the boards. With so many other quality choices, taking a risk here seems unnecessary.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Barner
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
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