This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After just a three-game slate last Tuesday, we're looking at seven games scheduled for this week with plenty of big names in action. The first two contests of the night tip off at 7:00 Eastern time, so be sure to have your lineups locked and loaded by that time.
Let's get a quick rundown of the injury picture before we dive into this week's value plays.
Joel Embiid has once again been ruled out due to a lingering knee issue and Boban Marjanovic (knee) is also out of the mix, so it'll be up to Jonah Bolden (illness) and Amir Johnson (back) to eat up minutes at center -- if they play. Both are currently listed as game-time calls with their respective injuries. Bolden has scored 12 and 14 points in his previous two contests respectively, so he could be a cheap source of scoring at center if he's given the green light.
Paul George is also in danger of missing his fourth straight contest due to a shoulder injury, so his status will be worth keeping an eye on, especially with the way he's been balling out of late. The Thunder have been moving Terrance Ferguson to small forward and inserting Dennis Schroder at shooting guard with George out of the mix, so if the MVP candidate is ruled out ahead of Tuesday's clash, Schroder could be worth a look.
Klay Thompson underwent an MRI on his knee after being held out of Saturday's contest due to some soreness, and even though his results came back clean, he'll be a game-time call Tuesday evening. Alfonzo McKinnie drew the start in Thompson's place Saturday, however, he picked up a hip contusion and was forced to depart the contest. He's currently listed as probable, so McKinnie figures to be able to go in Golden State's upcoming matchup and would be a cheap option at shooting guard if Thompson is ultimately held out again.
Last but not least is Kawhi Leonard, who was given the day off Sunday for load management purposes. All signs point to the fact that he'll be ready to go Tuesday, but it's not unheard of for the Raptors to hold Leonard out for multiple contests. If this does happen, it may be beneficial to snag Jeremy Lin at shooting guard. Lin was slated into the starting rotation in Leonard's absence, and although he was held to just one point, he's due for a bounce-back outing if given another chance to start.
Point Guard
Darren Collison, IND vs. CHI ($7,400): Don't get me wrong, there's loads of talent at point guard Tuesday night, with Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry, Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard all in action. I do like Collison's matchup, however, as he's slated to face off against a Chicago team that ranks in the bottom-half of the NBA in FanDuel points allowed to opposing ball-handlers (37.9). Collison has shown flashes of greatness so far this season, including his last contest when he dropped 23 points and dished out 10 helpers against Orlando. While you're welcome to go with a more consistent option at this position, I'm going to keep the cost down here.
Kyle Lowry, TOR vs. HOU ($8,500): Lowry is considered a top-tier point guard in nearly every contest, but I like that I can get him a little cheaper than some of the other premier ball-handlers. His matchup against the Rockets, who rank 25th in defensive rating and allow 36.7 FanDuel points per game to opposing point guards, also speaks to me. It also doesn't hurt that he's coming off his best scoring performance of the season Sunday, dropping 35 points while also collecting seven boards and five helpers.
Shooting Guard
Andrew Wiggins, MIN vs. OKC ($6,400): Wiggins will face an enticing matchup Tuesday, as he'll go up against a Thunder defense that's allowing 40.6 FanDuel points per game to opposing shooting guards (third-worst). While it's true that Wiggins has been in a bit of a slump lately, I'm willing to take a chance at this price. He's scored 20-plus FD points in five of his previous six contests, and he's exceeded 30-plus points in three of those matchups. At nearly half the price of James Harden, I believe Wiggins is a solid choice at the other shooting guard spot.
James Harden, HOU at TOR ($12,100): It shouldn't take much convincing to insert Harden into your FanDuel lineup – he's essentially a no-brainer at this point. Yes, the Raptors are strong on the defensive side of the ball (seventh in defensive rating), but that hasn't stopped Harden in the past. He dropped 35 points and dished out seven dimes the last time these two teams met. You may have to go with even a couple of potential forced drops given how expensive the former first-round pick is, but he'll make it worth your while.
Small Forward
Bojan Bogdanovic, IND vs. CHI ($6,500): I'm taking Bogdanovic as my other small forward here primarily due to the matchup, but also because he's been on a bit of a tear of late. He's averaging 33.5 FanDuel points over his previous six contests and he's recently removed from a 50.4 point game against the Timberwolves in the final contest of February. The Bulls also haven't found much success when it comes to limiting opposing small forwards in terms of fantasy points, as they're surrendering 37.6 FD points per contest this season.
Kevin Durant, GS vs. BOS ($9,700): I couldn't resist picking up at least one of the Warriors' superstars, and if you can find a way to squeeze both James Harden and Durant into your lineup then that's even better. The Texas product is almost guaranteed to put up at least 20 points and contribute across the board – he hasn't been held under 20 points in just over a month. If you're making a decision between either Durant or Harden, I'm taking Harden all day, but I also like Durant at home against a Boston team that's dropped five of their last six.
Power Forward
Aaron Gordon, ORL at PHI ($7,100): While I don't expect the Magic to fare well against the Sixers, Philadelphia has surrendered 42.0 FanDuel points per contest this season to opposing power forwards, so Gordon should still be able to find plenty of success both in the scoring and rebounding department. The 23-year-old forward is averaging 18.5 points 9.5 boards and 3.5 dimes over his previous four matchups, which converts to an average of 36.4 FD points. Orlando figures to ride one of their star players on the road in a tough environment.
Marcus Morris, BOS at GS ($4,600): Morris checks in as one of the cheaper choices at power forward, but for a mere $4,600, his production is tough to argue with (24.9 FanDuel ppg). After turning in an uncharacteristic performance in Sunday's clash with Houston, he should be ready to return to form Tuesday, albeit against the defending world champions. Morris is averaging 14.2 points along with 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists through 59 contests this season, so even on nights where he lacks scoring production, he's typically serviceable in the rebounding department. If you're looking for two bargain power forwards, I would look at Jonah Bolden ($4,300), who although is questionable due to illness, could draw his fourth straight start for the Sixers.
Center
Steven Adams, OKC at MIN ($6,800): Adams is coming off a stellar performance Sunday night against Memphis, finishing with 44.4 FanDuel points by collecting 13 points, 22 rebounds, a block and two steals over 32 minutes. He's not a top-tier choice at the center position, although he's racked up 13 or more rebounds in each of his previous three contests and has scored in double figures in six straight games. If you have a little extra cash to burn, I would also consider Myles Turner ($7,500), who draws a favorable matchup against Chicago and has racked up 30-plus FD points in two of his previous three games.
