NBA DFS returns for Tuesday night’s action with a nine-game slate. The Coach is here with his starting five and authentic insight from ‘inside the ropes.’ The NBA’s fantasy landscape changes daily with nightly examples of last-minute injury designation and load management. We were a bit unlucky last night as Jaren Jackson went down early in the first quarter with an ankle injury. Last night’s FanDuel $12k main slate pay line was within the usual range at 304.9.
Our starting lineup is designed to provide core players with which to construct your DFS lineups. We strive for players who have the potential to be less owned and will give us a lineup different from the masses. Your obvious must-start studs or options are not always mentioned; we try to offer balanced DFS salary options. The fantasy point-per-game averages referenced are those across FanDuel scoring. Who gets the green light from the Coach tonight?
DFS Starting Guards
Stephen Curry ($9.4k DraftKings and $9k Fanduel)
The point guard position is loaded tonight with several big name options. We narrowed it down tonight to Trae Young or Stephen Curry, but both are GTD. Curry has been red hot of late averaging 55.47 fantasy points and just under nine dimes in his last three starts. He will face the Knicks tonight who rank in the bottom half of the league in points allowed to the position. The Warriors-Knicks boast a main slate top four implied game total of 230 and Curry playing in MSG this evening might be a potential blow up spot.
Quentin Grimes ($6k DraftKings and $6.1k Fanduel)
Starting at shooting guard will be Quentin Grimes, who is another terrific mid-tier DFS option. Grimes has been getting done in his last two games averaging 37 minutes and 47.2 fantasy points. With Joel Embid out and Paul George a GTD with the groin injury, Grimes has a good chance to continue his recent production. Please note: the guard position is a bit unstable tonight and our lineups will fluctuate. The availability of Josh Giddey, Colby White and Paul George will be a determining factor.
Substitution Options: Josh Giddey (GTD), James Harden, Dyson Daniels, Colby White (GTD)
DFS Starting Forwards
Bradley Beal ($6.5k DraftKings and $6.9k Fanduel)
Bradley Beal is another in a long list of players that are a GTD tonight, but he will get the starting nod at small forward tonight. He is a nice DFS mid-tier option and forecasted to play in a competitive game script. Beal played 33 minutes Sunday night versus Minnesota, and with yesterday’s day off we are hopeful he is active tonight. Beal, before missing two games last week, was in a four-game stretch where he averaged 38 minutes and 41.45 fantasy points. He gets the green light facing the Clippers who ranked 24th in points allowed to the small forward and can slot in as a shooting guard.
Jarret Allen ($6.2k DraftKings and $7k Fanduel)
DFS Starting Center
Onyeka Okongwu (DraftKings and $7.1k Fanduel)
Atlanta’s Onyeka Okongwu will be our starting big man this evening. We need a piece of the Atlanta-Milwaukee game, which boasts the slate’s second highest implied game total. Okongwu is averaging 37.24 fantasy points and 10.2 boards in his last five starts. That per game average would qualify as the current overall C7 just behind Nikola Vucevic. He is a top-15 center and will face the Bucks who ranked 21st in points allowed to the position. Okongwu provides us roster flexibility with our DFS builds and is a good bet to keep his hot streak alive.
Substitution Options: Nic Claxton, Brooke Lopez, Ivica Zubac, Andre Drummond
DFS Tournament Stacks
Trae Young-Dyson Daniels-Oneyka Okongwu/ Steph Curry-Jimmy Butler-Draymond Green/James Harden-Kawhi Leonard-Ivica Zubac/ TBD: Josh Giddey-Colby White-Zach Collins
Final Thoughts
It is not possible to mention every player or obvious starts. Our substitution options provide our followers with additional green light options, potential injury replacements, and provide flexibility within your DFS builds. We strive for a balance of studs and value plays who might also be potentially lower-owned. Pay attention to implied game totals and try to get pieces of those games within your lineup construction.
The top DFS builds will consist of the right balance between studs and value players that pay at least 5x their DFS salaries. Good luck with your roster builds, and please like and follow us on social media. Please always double-check our recommendations and your roster builds once line-ups are finalized for late inactives.
