This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Heading into the second Tuesday of March, we're looking at a seven-game slate that will kick off at 7:00 Eastern Time. Within this slate, we've got some obvious mismatches that I would advise taking advantage of, such as the Sixers at home against the Cavaliers and the Pacers at home against the Knicks. But first, let's take a quick peek at the injury situation:
Jimmy Butler (rest) has already been ruled out for Tuesday's clash, so it looks as though James Ennis or Jonathon Simmons will enter the starting lineup in his stead. This is a great matchup for Philadelphia, and an argument could be made to pick up both of these guys for a cheap price.
Both Jrue Holiday (abdomen) and E'Twaun Moore (quadriceps) are out of the mix against Milwaukee, meaning Frank Jackson is in line to start his third straight game at shooting guard. He's showed some serious scoring ability in his brief time with the first unit, as he dropped 23 points Sunday against Atlanta. He's certainly worth a look.
The Lakers injury picture is a mess, with Brandon Ingram (shoulder) out for the season, and Kyle Kuzma (ankle) listed as questionable. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope drew the start at shooting guard in LA's last matchup and Moritz Wagner entered the lineup at power forward, so those are two guys to keep in mind when looking for cheap additions to your lineup.
Of course, if Kuzma is cleared to play, Wagner would likely come off the bench and lose some of his value. The Lakers' starting lineup could be a bit unpredictable from here on out, seeing as their playoff hopes have been all but extinguished and the front office is likely trying to see what they have to work with for next season. It's difficult to know for sure who will see opportunities to play at this point.
Zach LaVine (knee) isn't expected to play Tuesday for the Bulls so Ryan Arcidiacono could be in line for his second consecutive start. Wayne Selden is another guy who benefitted from LaVine's absence Sunday, and he dropped 18 points off the bench. Selden is listed at $3,700.
Luka Doncic (knee) is listed as questionable for the Mavericks' matchup with San Antonio, although it looks like he'll be cleared to play prior to game time. In the event that he is ruled out, Jalen Brunson should get the start and would be worth picking up for an affordable price.
Last but not least are Andrew Wiggins (thigh) and Karl-Anthony Towns (knee), who are both game-time calls after missing Sunday night's game. Keita Bates-Diop is a name to consider if Wiggins can't go, and Taj Gibson would be the next man up if Towns is ruled out.
Point Guard
Ben Simmons, PHI vs. CLE ($10,000): Simmons is averaging a double-double with 17.8 points and 10.4 rebounds over his previous five contests, and he's also dished out 8.4 dimes during that stretch. He's certainly one of the best all-around point guards on Tuesday's slate, and although he's far from cheap, you'd be hard-pressed to find this type of production elsewhere. I'm also a huge fan of his matchup against the Cavs, who are second worse in containing point guards this year (42.1 FanDuel points per game). Simmons recorded a triple-double the last time these two teams met.
Frank Jackson, NOP vs. MIL ($5,000): As I mentioned when previewing this Tuesday's injury report, Frank Jackson is a cheap addition to your FanDuel lineup, and he's expected to see plenty of opportunities against the Bucks. He's logged 37 and 33 minutes in each of his previous two starts and has scored 20 and 23 points respectively during that stretch. Injuries to Jrue Holiday (abdomen) and E'Twaun Moore (quadriceps) will once again leave the Pelicans shorthanded in the backcourt, allowing for Jackson to go to work.
Shooting Guard
Wesley Matthews, IND vs NY ($4,600): Matthews makes my lineup due to his heavy workload of late (35.0 minutes in his last six games) and his matchup. The Knicks are 26th in defensive rating and allow more FanDuel points to opposing shooting guards than any team in the league. The 32-year-old guard is putting up 13.4 points 2.6 rebounds 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals over his previous nine contests on 42.0 percent from the field. After being bottled up for just five points in his last game, Matthews is due for a rebound performance against one of the worst teams in the league.
Malcolm Brogdon, MIL at NOP ($6,000): Brogdon put forth one of his most disappointing performances of the season Sunday in San Antonio, but he's still averaging 27.6 FanDuel points per contest, and I think the price is right. The Pelicans have little left to play for and give up 38.5 FD points to opposing shooting guards on a nightly basis, so I'm putting faith in Brogdon to have a strong bounce-back outing. The Virginia product is still shooting above 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 90 percent from the charity stripe on the season, a statistic that shouldn't be taken lightly.
Small Forward
Bojan Bogdanovic, IND vs. NY ($6,800): There's a pretty steep drop-off when it comes to small forwards on this slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000) and Lebron James ($11,500) are unsurprisingly the top two options, and then we immediately jump into the mid-tier guys. I'm a big believer in Bogdanovic in this circumstance, considering he's facing one of the youngest (and weakest) defenses in the league. He's also had the hot hand of late, finishing with 30 or more FanDuel points in four of his previous five contests. If you're looking to score Giannis and need a cheap second small forward, Keita Bates-Diop is priced at $4,100 and would be in line for another start if Andrew Wiggins (questionable with a thigh injury) can't go.
J.J. Redick, PHI vs. CLE ($5,500): Redick's scoring production has been sporadic of late, and although he's been held under 10 points in each of his previous two contests, his price tag is enticing for a sharpshooter who can catch fire at a moment's notice. The Duke product is set to face a Cavs team that is amongst the worst in the league in defending the three-ball, allowing opponents to convert on 37.4 percent of their 3-point attempts. This certainly works in Redick's favor, especially considering that he's drained at least one trey in each of his previous four games.
Power Forward
LaMarcus Aldridge, SAN at DAL ($8,900): Aldridge played like his hair was on fire Sunday evening against Milwaukee, so why not ride the hot hand here. He finished with 29 points 15 boards two assists two steals and two blocks over 38 minutes. It's also worth pointing out that he's surpassed 20 points in each of his previous six games on 55.8 percent from the field, so he's obviously feeling it right now. Dallas ranks near the middle of the pack in FanDuel points given up to opposing power forwards per game (38.2), and I just don't see Aldridge being held in check Tuesday night. He's been one of the focal points of the Spurs' offense of late and that should continue to be the case.
Thaddeus Young, IND vs. NY ($6,700): I'm taking another Pacer here, as Young should have an advantage down low against the Knicks. New York is also last when it comes to points surrendered to opposing power forwards (45.9 FanDuel points per game). He's not necessarily known for his scoring prowess, but what he lacks in scoring he makes up for in other categories. The former first-round pick averages 28.6 FanDuel points per contest on the season and has racked up 30-plus FD points in four of his previous seven matchups. If you're looking for a more affordable option, Taj Gibson, who I mentioned earlier, could be in line for his second straight start if Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is ultimately ruled out. Gibson dropped 25 points on the Knicks on Sunday night.
Center
Brook Lopez, MIL at NOP ($6,100): I like Lopez here because of his matchup and the lack of motivation the Pelicans have to play meaningful games right now. Anthony Davis is indeed a tough matchup, but he's not expected to surpass 20 minutes, leaving either Jahlil Okafor or Cheick Diallo at center for the rest of the contest. Lopez isn't an automatic double-double like some of the other star centers in the league, but he's coming off one Sunday against San Antonio and he's scored 10 or more points in six straight matchups. He's also knocked down one or more treys in each of his last seven games.
