This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Tuesdays are often relatively quiet nights in the NBA, but we're set for a seven-game ledger tonight. There's plenty of offense projected, as evidenced by the quintet of projected totals sitting at 220 points or higher. There are some big-name injuries putting somewhat of a damper on the player pool, but with 14 teams in action, there is still plenty of flexibility for us as DFS players.
Slate Overview
New Orleans Pelicans at Detroit Pistons (-3) (O/U: 214.5 points)
Washington Wizards at Milwaukee Bucks (-11.5) (O/U: 225.5 points)
Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors (-2.5) (O/U: 210.5 points)
Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves (-3) (O/U: 232.0 points)
Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls (-10.5) (O/U: 220.0 points)
Golden State Warriors (-2.5) at San Antonio Spurs (O/U: 226.5 points)
Brooklyn Nets at Phoenix Suns (-7) (O/U: 227.0 points)
Only three of the 14 teams in action Tuesday are playing on the second leg of a back-to-back set, which should help keep play fairly sharp. The biggest projected advantage of the night, that of the Bucks against the Wizards, comes both as a result of the Wizards' recent poor play and Bradley Beal's absence for Washington due to a wrist injury.
Conversely, the game tied for the smallest spread of the night, the Warriors-Spurs battle, certainly jumps off the page. Golden State owns a whopping 19-game advantage in the win column over San Antonio, but the Spurs have given plenty of quality teams trouble, with the Suns serving as Exhibit A. Additionally, the Warriors are one of the three teams on a back-to-back and had to fight to the wire with the Rockets on Monday night to escape with a win.
Speaking of the Suns, Phoenix is a comfortable home favorite against the Nets, which will still be missing Kevin Durant and will also be without LaMarcus Aldridge. Kyrie Irving will be available, but James Harden heads into the day questionable due to his hand injury. Were he to be announced as available, the number would undoubtedly see a reduction.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following serves as a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate, including those carrying injury designations that aren't listed in this section.
Nikola Jokic, DEN (toe): QUESTIONABLE
If Jokic is ruled out, DeMarcus Cousins (foot) would be in line for a start should he be able to take the floor, while Zeke Nnaji could also see time at center. The usage of the remaining members of the starting five would also see a significant boost.
James Harden, BKN (hand): QUESTIONABLE
If Harden is ruled out, Kyrie Irving should see even more usage than usual, while DeAndre' Bembry or Bruce Brown could enter the starting five.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (ankle): GTD
If Butler sits out another game, Max Strus could be a primary beneficiary.
Bradley Beal, WAS (wrist): OUT
In Beal's absence, Corey Kispert is likely to draw the start at shooting guard, while the usage for the rest of the starting five should bump up.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (ankle): OUT
Garrett Temple or Jaxson Hayes should enter the starting five in Ingram's stead Tuesday.
D'Angelo Russell, MIN (leg): QUESTIONABLE
If Russell were to sit out with the shin contusion he suffered in Thursday's loss to the Warriors, Jaylen Nowell or Malik Beasley should draw the start.
Other notable injuries:
Lonzo Ball, CHI (knee): OUT
Kevin Durant, BKN (knee): OUT
Kyle Lowry, MIA (personal): OUT
Draymond Green, GSW (back): OUT
Deandre Ayton, PHO (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Patrick Beverley, MIN (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
LaMarcus Aldridge, BKN (ankle): OUT
Jae Crowder, PHO (wrist): OUT
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate: Nikola Jokic ($11,300), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,000), James Harden ($10,500), Dejounte Murray ($10,200) and Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,000).
Jokic is naturally an excellent play if you're spending up Tuesday, but his status will have to be monitored throughout the day due to his toe injury.
Antetokounmpo just scored 47.8 FD points in 30 minutes versus the Nuggets on Sunday and scored 67.1 FD points in his first meeting with the Wizards this season.
Harden is another star whose availability is in question Tuesday. If he suits up, he'll face one of the toughest matchups for point guards against Chris Paul's defense, but he'll still be in line for significant usage due to Kevin Durant's ongoing absence.
Murray returns from a one-game absence due to a knee injury and scored 61.8 FD points in his most recent contest prior to his brief layoff.
Towns racked up 64.2 FD points in 33 minutes against the Jazz on Sunday night and is now averaging an even 45 per game for the season. The big man also scored 52.8 FD points in 36 minutes in his most recent meeting with Denver.
Expected Chalk
In addition to the players just mentioned in the prior section, other likely chalk plays include:
Kyrie Irving, BKN ($9,800)
Irving could potentially take the floor again without Harden or Durant, and he scored 54.9 FD points across 39 minutes under those conditions versus the Warriors on Saturday night.
Chris Paul, PHO ($9,500)
Paul dropped 62.1 FD points across 39 minutes against the Spurs on Sunday night and also scored over 50 in four of the prior five games, which should keep him very popular for Tuesday's marquee matchup against the Nets.
Stephen Curry, GSW ($9,300)
Curry went off for 64.5 FD points in 37 minutes versus the Rockets on Monday night and draws another very favorable positional matchup against the Spurs on Tuesday.
Kyle Kuzma, WAS ($7,200)
Kuzma boasts a 26.3 percent usage rate and averages 39.3 FD points per 36 minutes without Beal on the floor, and he just posted 51.1 FD points over 35 minutes against the Grizzlies on Saturday night.
Key Values
Will Barton, DEN at MIN ($6,200)
Barton is an intriguing play with or without Jokic on Tuesday, but he naturally becomes all the more appealing if the big man sits out. The veteran wing owns a 26.9 percent usage rate and averages 34.9 FD points per 36 minutes without Jokic, and he sports a pair of 45 FD-point tallies in his last four games alone. He's delivered over 5x return on his current salary on 16 occasions already this season, and the Timberwolves check in allowing the third-most FD points per game (44.4) to shooting guards over the last 15 games.
Max Strus, MIA at TOR ($4,400)
Jimmy Butler appears very iffy for Tuesday's matchup due to his ankle injury, and even if he does take the floor, Miami is still expected to be without Kyle Lowry (personal) and P.J. Tucker (knee). Strus was excellent in Butler's absence Monday against the Celtics with 27 points and 32.6 FD points. He's been a frequent contributor of late via 41.1 percent three-point shooting over the last 13 games, and he's averaging 27.3 FD points per 36 with his aforementioned trio of teammates off the floor. The Raptors have been just middle of the pack against small forwards over the last 15 (41.7 FD points per game allowed) and are yielding the fourth-highest three-point percentage of any team at home (36.8 percent).
Corey Kispert, WAS at MIL ($3,500)
Kispert is likely to draw the start at shooting guard for the Wizards with Beal out Tuesday, making him one of the best potential fantasy point-per-dollar plays of the night. The 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft has been solid in his seven starts this season, averaging 20 FD points while shooting an impressive 52.5 percent from the floor, including 44.4 percent from three-point range. Kispert has scored in double digits in six of those contests as well, and he faces a Bucks squad that has allowed 44.8 percent three-point shooting in the last three games and the second-most FD points per game (44.5) to two-guards in the last 15.
ALSO CONSIDER: Isaiah Stewart, DET vs. NOP ($5,100); Nicolas Claxton, BKN at PHO ($4,100); Jaxson Hayes, NOP at DET ($3,600)
