This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
It's a relatively modest six-game slate Tuesday, but one that still features a good number of teams with postseason aspirations. One of the marquee matchups of the night, Rockets-Blazers, is also projected to be among the highest scoring, while the also-intriguing Clippers-Timberwolves battle features a robust 227 projected total and no shortage of appealing fantasy pieces. There's also a Celtics-Thunder game that can't be overlooked, making it an intriguing night all around. Let's get to the business of highlighting some of the most prudent investments at each price level:
GUARDS:
Premium
Damian Lillard, POR vs. HOU ($16,900): Lillard makes for a viable pivot for those that can't afford the top duo of Russell Westbrook ($21,200) and James Harden ($20,900), and he's actually seen a slight price drop after an efficient but somewhat underwhelming 28.50 fantasy points on Sunday in a relatively comfortable win over the Clippers. Lillard is averaging 32.0 points (on 51.3 percent shooting), 7.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals across 35.0 minutes in two games against the Rockets this season, and Houston comes in allowing 51.0 fantasy points to point guards over the last 10 -- a spike over their 40.5 seasonal figure. Lillard had also been producing at an impressive clip over the six games prior to Sunday, scoring 42.75 to 56.75 fantasy points during that stretch and eclipsing the 50-mark in three of those contests. Given what should be a wire-to-wire affair and one that already carries the night's third-highest projected point total (217.5), Lillard should see his usage at elevated levels.
Mid-Tier
Lou Williams, LAC at MIN ($13,500): Other appealing options at this tier include Ricky Rubio ($13,500), C.J. McCollum ($12,500) and Jeff Teague ($12,500), but Williams stands out in his own right for a variety of reasons. To begin with, the Clippers-Timberwolves tilt is projected as the highest-scoring of the night (227.0) and Williams is already averaging 22.0 points (on 51.0 percent shooting), 8.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds across 35.7 minutes in three games versus Minnesota. The Timberwolves have also unsurprisingly been increasingly vulnerable to two-guards since Jimmy Butler went down with his knee injury, as the 53.4 fantasy points they're allowing over the last 10 is a notable increase over the 39.0 they've allowed the position on the season. The fact the Timberwolves also continue to give up a healthy amount of scoring from three-pointers (30.2 percent, 10th-most in the NBA), furthers Williams' case.
Affordable
Ish Smith, DET at PHO ($8,600): Smith's offensive contributions do tend to fluctuate, but his price and matchup are such that he's worth a roll of the dice as a tournament play Tuesday. The Suns will represent a nice bump in pace for the Pistons, as they're currently generating the second-most possessions per game (103.9), including 104.4 at home. Moreover, they come in allowing the third-most fantasy points (57.8) over the last 10 to point guards -- a drastic increase over their 41.5 season figure. Smith put up 32.50 fantasy points in a similarly attractive matchup against the Kings on Monday night, and he's also eclipsed 20 fantasy points in four of the prior six games, solid returns on his current price.
FORWARDS/CENTERS:
Premium
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. LAC ($17,800): Towns is comfortably averaging a double-double in three games against the Clippers this season, posting 15.7 points and 13.7 rebounds across 36.3 minutes. He also sports a 25.3 percent usage rate and averages 1.28 fantasy points per minute with Jimmy Butler (knee) off the floor this season, and he's been particularly prolific lately, scoring 48.00 to 62.50 fantasy points in three of the last four. With the aforementioned robust projected point total of the Clippers-Timberwolves tilt and a matchup against a Clippers squad that's allowing the ninth-most fantasy points (45.4) to centers over the last five -- along with the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating (31.2) on the season -- Towns is worthy of the hefty investment in a game he should play a pivotal role in.
Mid-Tier
DeAndre Jordan, LAC at MIN ($14,100): For many of the same reasons, Jordan shapes up as an attractive option in the matchup with Towns. The Timberwolves come in allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating (32.5) to centers, along with the fifth-most fantasy points (48.2) to the position over the last five. Jordan is already averaging an impressive 17.5 points (on 80.0 percent shooting) and 16.5 rebounds across 34.0 minutes in two games versus Minnesota this season as well, and he's eclipsed 40 fantasy points in three of the past six – a span that includes one game over 50 and another over 60. It's also worth noting that the T-Wolves have given up the fourth-most points in the paint (52.0) over the last three, while Jordan logs 80.1 percent of his scoring in that area of the floor.
Affordable
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. OKC ($11,000): For those that have the extra cash, Andrew Wiggins ($12,200) is also worth a look Tuesday, but Tatum comes at a nice discount and has been coming on in recent games. He's scored 33.25 to 35.75 fantasy points in three of the past four, and the fact he's currently filling in at two-guard bodes particularly well for him against the Thunder. OKC comes in allowing the second-most fantasy points to shooting guards on the season (43.8), including the most (63.3) over the last 10. They're also yielding the third-most three-pointers to the position (4.5) over the latter span and surrender the second-highest percentage of scoring from three-pointers (32.5) – two figures that are especially relevant when evaluating Tatum's viability, as he's draining a stellar 42.7 percent of his tries from distance on the season.
UTILITY
Blake Griffin, DET at PHO ($16,100): As was the case Monday, both Griffin and frontcourt mate Andre Drummond ($17,100) are in favorable spots and worthy of consideration. Griffin checks in at $1K less and is coming off an impressive haul of 50.75 fantasy points against the Kings on Monday night. He'd eclipsed 50 in one other contest and the 40-mark on five other occasions over the prior eight contests as well. Plus, he's already lit up the Suns for 29 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal across 28 minutes in one prior meeting. Phoenix has struggled against the power forward position all season, allowing the sixth-most fantasy points (40.6) to fours on the season, including 49.7 over the last 10. They also come in ranked dead last in offensive efficiency rating allowed to power forwards (28.5), brightening Griffin's prospects considerably in a game the Pistons need to win to keep dim playoff hopes alive.
Joe Ingles, UTA vs. ATL ($12,400): Ingles never seems to be highly owned, yet he's been outpacing his current price more often than not for an extended stretch. The veteran Aussie has scored 29.50 to 47.75 fantasy points over the last seven games while doing so at a clip of 1.03 fantasy points per minute. The Hawks make for a tantalizing target to facilitate more of the same, as they're allowing the second-most fantasy points to small forwards on the season (39.6), including 45.9 over the last 10. Just as important, they're allowing the highest shooting percentage (49.0) to the position on the campaign and the fifth-highest percentage of scoring from three-pointers overall (35.7) over the last three. Meanwhile, Ingles has been on fire over the last five, draining 52.7 percent of his attempts, including 50.0 percent of his 6.8 tries from distance.
