This article is part of our Daily Games Cheat Sheet series.
TEAM ANALYSIS
Defenses to Avoid
San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors: The reason I am avoiding the Spurs in this one is two-fold. First, the Spurs are playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and everybody knows the shenanigans that are apt to occur in that situation; stars sit, minutes are trimmed back, and even Austin Daye gets his time to shine. It's hard to predict; which is the worst scenario for fantasy. Secondly, the Warriors are playing very well on defense thus far under Steve Kerr, posting the best defensive rating in the league so far this season (91.4 points per 100 possessions). Those factors, combined, have me staying away from Spurs here.
Offenses to Use
Los Angeles Lakers at Memphis Grizzlies: There's plenty of reason to love the Grizzlies players here, starting with the fact that the Lakers are the worst defense in the NBA by measure of defensive rating (114.6 points per 100 possessions). The reason I am excited? Most of these players are going to come at excellent value. Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol all cost under $8,000, with one of the tastiest match-ups they could get.
Teams on a Back-to-Back Set
First game of a back-to-back: Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City, Portland Trail Blazers
Second game of a back-to-back: San Antonio Spurs
DraftKings.com DAILY PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
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Point Guard
Mike Conley, PG, MEM ($6,900): The Lakers are the worst defense in the league, and have been giving up points in abundance behind the three-point line. The Grizzlies don't have a ton of three-point shooters, but Conley can knock them down, and given the Lakers average of 57.5 DraftKings points given up to the point guard position over their last five games, there's a case to be made that Conley is in for an elite-level line here.
Other suggestions: Damian Lillard (vs. CHA), Darren Collison (at DAL)
Shooting Guard
Klay Thompson SG, GS ($6,500): Let's try this again. Last time I recommended Thompson, he sat the game out with discomfort in his hand. He said he's going to play on Tuesday, and he'll come at a steep discount. If you're up for a gamble with a massive reward, this is it. Thompson averages 35.5 DraftKings points per game, and gets a San Antonio defense that ranks 24th overall against the position. Of course, there is risk that Thompson suffers a re-injury or is hurt more than he's letting on, so if you want to be on the safe side check the "other suggestions" below.
Other suggestions: DeMar DeRozan (vs. ORL), Wesley Matthews (vs. CHA)
Small Forward
Tobias Harris, SF, ORL ($6,900): The small forward position is littered with plays that I am not in love with, so Harris is a guy that appears more by default than anything else. However, he has proven to be a valuable player on the Magic, and he can be the focal point of their offensive attack here. The match-up isn't bad, as the Raptors rank 19th against small forwards so far this year. At this price, Harris has a high enough ceiling for him to be the play.
Other suggestions: Michael-Kidd Gilchrist (at POR)
Power Forward
Amir Johnson, PF, TOR ($5,100): Another potential value here, as Johnson has seen his price tag drop due to lackluster performances. However, it's worth noting that he has been working his way back from an ankle injury, and has had his minutes limited as a result. I'll bank on him playing more after going through a full practice, and taking advantage of a nice match-up against the Magic.
Other suggestions: Serge Ibaka (at MIL), Zach Randolph (vs. LAL)
Center
Nikola Vucevic, C, ORL ($8,400): Vucevic is by far the best fantasy option on the Magic, and for good reason. On the season, he averages 41.6 DraftKings points per game, and is a nightly threat to obtain a double-double. In this one, he'll match-up against the 29th ranked team against the center position, so a big night is certainly in the cards.
Other suggestions: Marc Gasol (vs. LAL), Larry Sanders (vs. OKC)
INJURY REPORT
Out
Raymond Felton (suspension)
Victor Oladipo (face)
Nick Young (thumb)
Andre Roberson (foot)
Nicolas Batum (knee)
David Lee (hamstring)
Kyle O'Quinn (ankle)
Tiago Splitter (back)
Game-Time Decision
Klay Thompson (hand) said he will play on Tuesday.
Chandler Parsons (illness) has been struggling through his upper-respiratory infection.
Kawhi Leonard (eye) continues to play despite his vision not fully being restored.
Perry Jones (knee) is questionable.
