This article is part of our Daily Games Cheat Sheet series.
TEAM ANALYSIS
Defenses to Avoid
Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers: With the Nuggets presenting a great fantasy matchup, the Clippers should be treated with caution, rather than flat-out avoided. Los Angeles is locked into the No. 3 seed and thus has nothing to play for, but coach Doc Rivers will likely give his starters some run in either Tuesday's game or Wednesday's regular-season finale against the Blazers. Make sure to keep up with news throughout the late afternoon/evening, as the value of different Clippers may drastically change depending on what Doc does. I'm guessing that the starters will play limited minutes Tuesday and sit Wednesday, but that's far from a guarantee. While I'd still rather target the Clips' bench players than starters, Blake Griffin ($9400) and Co. could be worth the lofty prices, even if they only play 20-25 minutes. With Carmelo Anthony (shoulder) looking shaky and the Nets banged up, Tuesday's two-game slate isn't exactly loaded with great options.
Offenses to Use
Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers: This game easily projects as the higher-scoring affair on Tuesday's slate, and the Clippers are unlikely to give their starters a full workload. Starters on the Nets and Clippers make for risky plays, but the Nuggets aren't worried about rest. While the Nugs should be pretty safe, you'll still need players from other teams, and most of the key guys from the other three teams are either out, questionable, or candidates for rest. Simply put, it will be hard to create a strong lineup tonight without tracking the most recent news updates.
Teams on a Back-to-Back Set
First game of a back-to-back: Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets
Second game of a back-to-back: None
DraftKings.com DAILY PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
If you've never played on DraftKings.com before, we recommend reading our Daily Fantasy Basketball 101: How to Win on DraftKings strategy article.
Point Guard
Aaron Brooks, DEN (at LAC), PG, ($6000): With Chris Paul and Deron Williams both candidates to rest or see significantly decreased minutes, Brooks is the safest play at point guard, without sacrificing too much upside. Two-game slate or not, Paul isn't worth $10,4000 when you can't count on him to play more than 20-25 minutes, if he even suits up. Brooks is averaging 40.6 minutes and 34.8 DraftKings fantasy points over the last five games, and he draws a Clippers squad that may not bring the A-team.
Other suggestions: Raymond Felton, NYK (at BKN), PG/SG, ($5600), Jorge Gutierrez, BKN (vs. NYK), PG, ($3000) if Deron Williams doesn't play
Shooting Guard
Randy Foye, DEN (at LAC), PG/SG, ($6200): Your options here aren't exactly great, especially after J.R. Smith ($7900) played just 22 minutes in the Knicks' last game. Again, Nuggets starters seem like the safest bet for Tuesday, with the other teams banged up and/or likely to make increased use of the bench.
Other suggestions: Reggie Bullock, LAC (vs. DEN), ($3500) if the Clips rest starters
Small Forward
J.R. Smith, NYK (at BKN), SG/SF, ($7900): It's unclear whether Smith's minutes will be limited for a second straight game, but he might be worth playing either way. Small Forward looks even thinner than the other positions, with Carmelo Anthony, Joe Johnson, and Paul Pierce all game-time decisions, and all possibly limited even if they do play.
Other suggestions: Wilson Chandler, DEN (at LAC), SG/SF, ($5700)
Power Forward
Kenneth Faried, DEN (at LAC), PF, ($8500): As the only high-salary player likely to log more than 30 minutes Tuesday, Faried is nearly a must-play. It's unclear whether he'll have to deal with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, but if so, it likely won't be for the whole game.
Other suggestions: Paul Pierce, BKN (vs. NYK), SF/PF, ($5500)
Center
Glen Davis, LAC (vs. DEN), PF/C, ($4100):Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan may end up playing, but it will be a surprise if either tops the 30-minute mark. While most Clippers backups are only worth playing if the team plans to bench or strictly limit the starters, Davis should provide good value in pretty much any scenario Tuesday.
Other suggestions: Timofey Mozgov, DEN (at LAC), C, ($6200)
INJURY REPORT
Out
Alan Anderson (abdomen) will not play Tuesday.
Shaun Livingston (toe) will miss a fourth consecutive game.
Mirza Teletovic (personal) will not play in Tuesday's game.
Ty Lawson (ankle) did not travel to Los Angeles and won't play.
Game-Time Decision
Joe Johnson (calf) is a game-time decision Tuesday.
Paul Pierce (shoulder) is a game-time decision Tuesday.
Deron Williams (knee) is a game-time decision Tuesday.
Carmelo Anthony (shoulder) is questionable for Tuesday's game.
Darrell Arthur (knee) is expected to play Tuesday.
Amar'e Stoudemire (rest) is a game-time decision.
