DraftKings is rolling out a five-game slate for Tuesday, with action scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET. Using RotoWire's trusted NBA projections, I'll run down my favorite selections in the shallow player pool. On slates like these, my recommendation is to use the evening as a bankroll-building opportunity, focusing on cash games over tournaments. You have to be exactly right to score well when you have fewer players to choose from, so cash games are the way to go.
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NBA Games Today
The slim slate will put almost every team in play, though we saw lower output from Washington and the Lakers tonight, despite the likelihood of a high total against the Pelicans. Potential absences from the Cavs, Magic and Spurs opened up some value opportunities, and you'll find them below.
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NBA Injuries Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Tuesday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
CLE Dean Wade (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Jarrett Allen (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Donovan Mitchell (rest) - OUT
All three players may miss Tuesday night, so the team will likely slide Evan Mobley ($7,600) over to center and give Jaylon Tyson ($5,800) a larger role. We'll probably also see more of Sam Merrill ($4,600) in the backcourt with Mitchell out.
ORL Jalen Suggs (knee) DOUBTFUL
ORL Franz Wagner (ankle) - OUT
ORL Moritz Wagner (knee) - OUT
The Magic will roll with Anthony Black ($7,500) at point guard, and Tristan da Silva ($3,900) should serve as the primary pivot. We might also see more from Jase Richardson ($3,400), who produced a decent total in the backcourt during the last game.
LAL Rui Hachimura (calf) - OUT
LAL Austin Reaves (calf) - OUT
As previously stated in previous articles, I will remain high on Jake LaRavia ($5,500) over Marcus Smart in this spot.
NOP Herbert Jones (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
NOP Saddiq Bey (hip) - OUT
Jones was upgraded overnight, so we may see him take the floor. If not, I'd avoid Karlo Matkovic and rely on Zion Williamson ($8,300) instead.
MIA Tyler Herro (toe) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Jaime Jaquez (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
The injury scenario could change before tip-off, so it's best to keep an eye on the starting lineup before lock and re-evaluate the Heat from there.
SAS Victor Wembanyama (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
SAS Devin Vassell (thigh) - OUT
Wembanyama has a shot to play, but pivot to Luke Kornet ($5,100) if he can't go. Julian Champagnie ($5,300) will continue to start in Vassell's place.
MEM Ja Morant (calf) -QUESTIONABLE
MEM Vince Williams (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
MEM Cedric Coward (ankle) - OUT
MEM Zach Edey (ankle) - OUT
The potential return of Williams will shake things up for Memphis, and I'd consider him if Morant is sidelined. Coward is the latest injury, and the Grizzlies will likely account for his absence with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($3,800).
Elite NBA DFS Picks
Luka Doncic ($12,200) is the only player above $10k on the slim slate, but his usage could decrease if the game against the Pelicans gets out of hand. I'm skeptical of his ability to pass 5x value tonight.
In the $9k tier, we will have to wait and see about Victor Wembanyama ($9,900), but I like Anthony Edwards ($9,500), who projects well against a Herro-less Heat squad. In the $8k tier, we have only four players to choose from, and they all have some value in tonight's slate. All of them could exceed 5x value tonight, but I would prioritize LeBron James ($8,300) and Pascal Siakam ($8,100). We already discussed Williamson's value.
Also consider: Julius Randle, MIN ($8,200) vs. MIA
EXPECTED CHALK AND NBA DFS VALUE PLAYS
Evan Mobley, CLE ($7,600) @ IND
We briefly touched on Mobley, but we should highlight him in our endorsements due to the expected production bump in the frontcourt. The Cavs will also lack Mitchell's production, so the pressure will be on Mobley to step up if Jarrett Allen is also out. The Cavs are still huge favorites, but Mobley should still log more than 30 minutes.
Bam Adebayo, MIA ($7,600) @ MIN
Adebayo's total against the Timberwolves fell just short of a double-double three days ago, but the Miami frontman was also battling an injury. A double-double credit from DraftKings is definitely a possibility here, and the Heat will desperately need his production to stand up against Randle and Rudy Gobert.
Desmond Bane, ORL ($7,900) @ WAS
Although I think Bane's salary is a bit more expensive than it should be, he is in a great position against the Wizards tonight. The ability to surpass 40 DKFPs is definitely there for the offensive dynamo, and he's coming off a massive 54-DKFP performance against Indiana in his most recent game.
Darius Garland, CLE ($7,200) @ IND
Garland also projects well during a Mitchell absence, so I'll add Garland to the priority list for the Cavs behind Mobley. Garland should own most of the backcourt production with his teammate absent, and is considered a safe play for cash games tonight.
Andrew Nembhard, IND ($6,800) vs. CLE
Although I am wary of the Pacers in general, Nembhard's numbers look promising for a sub-$7k salary, and he probably has the best value behind Siakam in this lineup. The Cavs have decent depth to account for Mitchell's absence, but his scratch could produce more opportunity for Nembhard to score.
Wendell Carter, ORL ($5,500) @ WAS
I haven't called Carter's number often this season, but he's recorded two consecutive double-doubles and is in a favorable spot against the Wizards tonight. He represents a budget opportunity at the center position, which is understandably slim due to the slate size.
