Christopher Day 
Taco Tuesday’s edition of the Gems features a much smaller NBA slate on tap, but there are plenty of places to attack early on, in addition to the news we will surely receive later on in the day. I have excluded Miami/Philadelphia from the breakdown since the game is unlikely to play, but I will have core pieces from that one on DK should it go on as scheduled since FD has already removed it.
One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in these price ranges. While there are often plenty of options that I like in this range, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis. Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:
Point Guards
Stephen Curry ($9,600 FD / $9,800 DK)
While the inconsistency may worry some, I see Curry’s sheer volume as a must-have on tonight’s NBA slate. Barring any news indicating that the Miami-Philadelphia game will play, this slate will be pure stars and scrubs, where the former is quite shallow compared to the latter. Sporting a 32.6% usage rate, Curry is still averaging 28.6 PPG despite four games of 20 or less points. His ceiling is as good as it gets on a slate like this, along with a former teammate.
Malcolm Brogdon ($8,400 FD / $8,600 DK)
Fresh off a 38-minute performance versus Sacramento less than 24 hours ago, Malcolm Brogdon will have to get right back to work here with the Pacers likely without Victor Oladipo on the second half of a back-to-back. Sporting a 35.5% usage rate with Oladipo off the floor, Brogdon will be in for a big workload on both the offensive and defensive end of the court tonight, where he will look to continue his 5-game streak of 20 or more points and 7 or more assists.
Dennis Schroder ($5,500 FD / $6,100 DK)
A prized offseason acquisition for the defending NBA Champions, Dennis Schroder has been exactly what the Lakers had hoped for and more. Sporting a 22.7% usage rate on the season, he has slotted nicely in the starting lineup and has relived both LeBron and AD of some pressure on the offensive end, where he is currently averaging 14.3/4.1/5 on 42.3% shooting. Considering he has played 34 minutes in back-to-back games, there is no doubt the Lakers will rely on him yet again versus a small Houston Rockets lineup.
Also Consider:
- Dejounte Murray ($7,500 FD / $7,200 DK)
- Mike Conley ($7,100 FD / $7,100 DK)
Shooting Guards
James Harden ($10,400 FD / $10,800 DK)
Although Harden has not surpassed 21 points in his last four, he can be in for a big night should John Wall miss this game. In two games without John Wall this season, Harden has averaged 40/5/12.5 across 37 MPG, shooting 59.46% from the field and 45.83% from deep. With the massive price drop on FD, make sure to take advantage on tonight’s NBA slate.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($8,500 FD / $8,000 DK)
After a slow start for his rebuilding Thunder, SGA has finally hit his stride. Averaging 25.67 points in his last three across 35.67 MPG, SGA has shot 57.45% from the field and 50% from deep in the same span, resulting in three straight wins for OKC. With a soft matchup versus the Spurs on tap, there is no reason why SGA can’t keep it rolling here tonight.
Caris LeVert ($7,900 FD / $7,600 DK)
I’d like this play a bit more with Kevin Durant out in addition to Kyrie Irving, but we can’t always have our cake and eat it too. Even with Durant on the court, LeVert can still be affective despite possibly being staggered with the best player on the Nets since he will have plenty of opportunity to run the offense. Although I am not a fan overall of the price, the pickings are slim to none at the ‘2’ on FD, where we need to roster two, and the sixth man is still averaging 18.4 PPG, including 65 FGA in his last three.
Also Consider:
- Hamidou Diallo ($5,500 FD / $5,300 DK)
- Jordan Clarkson ($5,200 FD / $5,600 DK)
Small Forwards
Kevin Durant ($10,100 FD / $9,400 DK)
He’s a stone cold lock for me on this NBA slate considering Kyrie Irving is slated to miss yet another game for these Brooklyn Nets. Sporting a 31% usage rate on the season, Durant sees a notable 5% uptick with Kyrie off the floor and has not scored less than 29 points since December 22nd.
LeBron James ($9,900 FD / $10,000 DK)
Should John Wall miss this game for the Houston Rockets, my main build will likely start with a trio of Durant, Harden, and a Laker stud. Sporting a 31.9% usage rate on the season, LeBron saw his first game under 20 points in the new year, and I’m not banking on the fact that this happens again in this matchup. The Rockets’ defense rating is ranked in the bottom third of the NBA and LeBron will be able to take advantage tonight.
Keldon Johnson ($6,600 FD / $6,200 DK)
With the Spurs nursing multiple injuries throughout the season, Keldon Johnson has stepped up for Pop & Co. Tonight, without DeRozan in the lineup, Johnson will see a notable uptick in offense looks behind Aldridge and Murray, where he’ll be able to maximize his 11 FGA per game versus an OKC team that has been decimated by wings all season long.
Also Consider:
- Cedi Osman ($5,100 FD / $6,000 DK)
Power Forwards
Anthony Davis ($9,800 FD / $9,500 DK)
Getting AD this cheap won’t last for long, and should John Wall miss this game, as mentioned previously, my main 1-2 punch will be Harden with one of LeBron or AD to go along with Kevin Durant. While his rebounding opportunities have been lower than his career average this season, AD is in a prime spot to see Christian Wood all night long, which could easily lead to a 30-point double-double for one of the best big men in the NBA.
Domantas Sabonis ($9,200 FD / $9,300 DK)
I’m curious to see his ownership on this NBA slate with AD only $200 more, but Sabonis will remain a GPP play for me for as long as he is breathing. Sporting a 24.6% usage rate for the Pacers this season, he’s averaging a remarkable 22.2/12.4/5.8 across 37.8 MPG – heavy minutes, involvement on the offense end, and a matchup versus a soft Warriors interior is all Sabonis needs to smash in this spot.
Also Consider:
- LaMarcus Aldridge ($7,200 FD / $6,300 DK)
- Christian Wood ($8,100 FD / $7,900 DK)
- Draymond Green ($5,700 FD / $5,600 DK)
Centers
- Nikola Jokic ($11,400 FD / $11,000 DK)
- Andre Drummond ($9,800 FD / $9,100 DK)
- Rudy Gobert ($8,000 FD / $8,200 DK)
Others to Consider:
- Myles Turner ($7,400 FD / $6,200 DK)
- Montrezl Harrell ($5,800 FD / $6,000 DK)
Value Gems: Check the projection model here.
I will continue to stress the importance of having both the projection model and cheat sheet open when building lineups for a further player pool and to ease a decision between two players, in addition to finding additional value plays.
You can find me on Twitter @DFS_Ghost
