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Tuesday’s slate is pretty tough. On the one hand, I really love Russell Westbrook and, to a lesser extent, Anthony Davis. On the other hand, unless some injuries break right or some stars get rested, I don’t know how you will afford them. As of right now my preference is to go with mostly mid-priced guys across the board, but that might change if I could play guys like Aaron Gordon and Bismack Biyombo with a reasonable amount of confidence. This will be an especially important day to pay attention to late injury news.
?Point Guard
I would love to fade Russell Westbrook, but I don’t really love too many other point guards Tuesday, especially the more expensive ones. Westbrook saw his seven-game triple-double streak come to an end Sunday but he still scored 64 points on DraftKings. Westbrook seems incredibly safe against a Portland team allowing the third-most points in the NBA.
The Suns are one of the two teams allowing more points this season than the Trail Blazers, and they are allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing point guards among teams playing Tuesday. Rose is shooting 59.6 percent in four games in December.
If you want to play Westbrook you have to take risks at most of the other positions, and that starts with Rajon Rondo. The Timberwolves have given up loads of points to opposing point guards all season, and Rondo has one triple-double in the last month and he has flirted with a triple-double in several other games. His matchup and potential make him the best of the cheaper point guard plays, especially on FanDuel.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Russell Westbrook | OKC | A | POR | 24 | 35.7 | 81% | 1.8 | 31.1 | 10.9 | 11 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 5.8 | 43% | 24.87% | 58.4 | 62.7 | 59 | 59.3 | $12,600 | $12,700 | $8,850 |
| Derrick Rose | NYK | A | PHX | 22 | 32 | 83% | 0.4 | 17 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 47% | 14.79% | 28.7 | 30.4 | 28.9 | 28.9 | $6,800 | $6,300 | $4,900 |
| Rajon Rondo | CHI | H | MIN | 20 | 31.3 | 59% | 0.5 | 8.3 | 6.6 | 7 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 40% | 9.27% | 27.2 | 29.2 | 27.6 | 27.5 | $6,000 | $5,900 | $5,000 |
Shooting Guard
Victor Oladipo is questionable with a wrist injury, but shooting guard is thin and there aren’t a lot of options if you want a share of the Thunder. Anthony Morrow played 28 minutes after Oladipo left Sunday’s game, and while he scored just four points, he would be an interesting punt play—especially in GPP lineups—if Oladipo sits.
I don’t love the Bulls against their former coach, but Dwyane Wade didn’t play for Tom Thibodeau, so I guess he is fine. More importantly, Wade is averaging 25.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists on two days rest this season, which might make him the safest shooting guard in Tuesday’s slate.
C.J. McCollum has scored at least 23 points in five consecutive games, and it probably isn’t a coincidence Al-Farouq Aminu returned five games ago. McCollum is worth playing regardless, but he would be an even better play if Victor Oladipo sits, as McCollum would likely be guarded by Anthony Morrow for a significant chunk of time.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Victor Oladipo | OKC | A | POR | 24 | 34.3 | 62% | 2.1 | 16.1 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 46% | 11.21% | 26.3 | 28.4 | 26.5 | 27.3 | $6,000 | $5,900 | $4,800 |
| Anthony Morrow | OKC | A | POR | 18 | 15.7 | 80% | 0.9 | 6.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 43% | 8.20% | 9 | 9.7 | 9.1 | 9.5 | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,000 |
| C.J. McCollum | POR | H | OKC | 26 | 34.6 | 91% | 2.8 | 22.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 1 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 48% | 15.23% | 33.5 | 36.2 | 33.7 | 34.9 | $7,600 | $7,100 | $5,450 |
| Dwyane Wade | CHI | H | MIN | 21 | 31.6 | 83% | 1.1 | 20.2 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 45% | 16.41% | 32.5 | 34.4 | 32.7 | 33 | $7,300 | $6,600 | $5,650 |
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Small Forward
Carmelo Anthony isn’t likely to go 4-16 from the field again like he did Sunday night, so he should be relatively safe in this contest. I want exposure to the Suns where I can get it, which means I will have Carmelo in a lot of lineups.
Small forward is really a dumpster fire once you get past Carmelo Anthony. If you can, I would try to find some money for Kevin Durant. I prefer Durant to LeBron, and Durant is cheaper on DraftKings and FantasyAces.
Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biymobo are both listed as questionable, and Aaron Gordon would be an excellent play if they both sit. Serge Ibaka would have to play most of the center minutes, with Aaron Gordon likely playing heavy minutes at power forward.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Carmelo Anthony | NYK | A | PHX | 24 | 34 | 86% | 2 | 22.4 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 1 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 43% | 15.45% | 34.8 | 37.1 | 35.1 | 35.8 | $7,800 | $7,700 | $5,900 |
| Aaron Gordon | ORL | A | ATL | 25 | 25.9 | 57% | 0.8 | 9.6 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1 | 41% | 9.89% | 19.4 | 20.6 | 19.6 | 19.8 | $4,100 | $4,300 | $4,150 |
| Kevin Durant | GSW | A | NOP | 25 | 34.4 | 87% | 1.9 | 25.8 | 8.4 | 4.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 54% | 17.65% | 46.7 | 49.1 | 47.1 | 47.6 | $10,000 | $9,400 | $7,350 |
Power Forward
The last time Marc Gasol got a night off, Zach Randolph only played 10 minutes, so he is far from a sure thing. That being said, Memphis doesn’t have anybody else who can generate offense, so even if Randolph doesn’t play 30 minutes, he should have the ball in his hands a ton.
JaMychal Green probably can’t play more minutes than he already has been, but he should get more touches as well. Green is a virtual lock to grab double-digit rebounds in his sixth consecutive game, and he has an excellent shot at a double-double as well.
Even if Randolph does see a significant uptick in minutes, most of Marc Gasol’s minutes will probably go to Jarell Martin. Deyonta Davis could be involved as well, and Martin isn’t exactly a lock to produce even if he plays 30 minutes, but he is a worthwhile punt play, especially if you fade the other Memphis power forwards.
Paul Millsap feels safer than Kristaps Porzingis, and you don’t have to pay much more for that safety. If Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo are both out, Millsap would be a must-play.
Anthony Davis is not as safe as Russell Westbrook, but he is cheaper and he has been fantastic against the Warriors this season. In two games against Golden State Davis is averaging 39 points and 15 rebounds. Davis absolutely has to be considered in GPP lineups, especially if you fade Westbrook.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Zach Randolph | MEM | A | CLE | 18 | 21.9 | 70% | 0.3 | 13.7 | 8.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 46% | 16.75% | 25 | 26.1 | 25.4 | 25.1 | $5,700 | $5,100 | $4,550 |
| JaMychal Green | MEM | A | CLE | 25 | 30.3 | 80% | 0.6 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 47% | 8.94% | 22.4 | 23.8 | 22.8 | 22.7 | $5,500 | $5,800 | $4,600 |
| Jarell Martin | MEM | A | CLE | 24 | 14.9 | 74% | 0.3 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 36% | 9.31% | 10.4 | 11.1 | 10.6 | 10.5 | $3,600 | $3,000 | $3,500 |
| Anthony Davis | NOP | H | GSW | 23 | 38.4 | 83% | 0.6 | 30.6 | 11.4 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 49% | 20.45% | 54 | 56 | 54.6 | 54.3 | $11,900 | $11,300 | $8,350 |
| Paul Millsap | ATL | H | ORL | 21 | 33 | 74% | 1 | 17 | 8.3 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1 | 2.3 | 46% | 13.87% | 35.4 | 37.5 | 35.9 | 35.9 | $8,300 | $7,900 | $5,900 |
Center
The Trail Blazers have allowed the sixth-most opponent’s rebounds this season. Steven Adams is averaging 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds over his last three games, and even if the points come down, he has an excellent shot at a double-double in this game.
Nikola Vucevic sat out Saturday while Bismack Biyombo played a career-high 34 minutes, and that appears to be the most likely scenario for Tuesday as well. Biyombo had 12 points, six rebounds and four assists Saturday, and he would be well worth his price with similar production Tuesday, especially on FanDuel and FantasyAces.
Among the teams playing Tuesday, only the Knicks have allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers than the Magic. Dwight Howard is a strong play regardless, but he would be a near must-play if Vucevic and Biyombo sit.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Steven Adams | OKC | A | POR | 24 | 30.2 | 75% | 0 | 11.5 | 7.8 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 58% | 11.17% | 24.1 | 25.4 | 24.5 | 24.1 | $5,300 | $5,300 | $4,600 |
| Bismack Biyombo | ORL | A | ATL | 24 | 25.7 | 48% | 0 | 5.9 | 8 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 48% | 8.94% | 19.1 | 20.2 | 19.5 | 19.1 | $4,800 | $5,200 | $4,250 |
| Dwight Howard | ATL | H | ORL | 23 | 28.7 | 51% | 0 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 1.2 | 1 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 61% | 15.56% | 33 | 34.9 | 33.7 | 33 | $7,600 | $6,900 | $5,500 |