This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Yahoo's featured slate gives us five games to choose from on Tuesday. Without a doubt, the game that will garner the most attention is the Cavs/Spurs matchup, where the obvious discord in the Cavs locker room has been the subject of much debate in recent days. The Cavs couldn't face a worse opponent in the midst of this malaise than the Spurs, who pose a serious challenge to the Cavs at every position.
As frustrating as Gregg Popovich can be from a fantasy perspective, earlier in the week he told Tony Parker and the rest of the press that the time had come to play the younger guys, which might only make the Spurs more formidable while they wait on Kawhi Leonard. While it's an intriguing matchup to be sure, Vegas currently has it at a ho-hum 200 Over/Under.
It's no surprise that Golden State is involved in the matchup with the highest O/U (227), as they host the Knicks in a game that heavily favors the Warriors' frontcourt. The game with the biggest blowout potential is the Nets/Thunder contest, where OKC is favored by 10 points. Boston has a long travel day to meet the Lakers with an O/U of 208.5, and the Kings will have a tough time against a Magic squad coming off of a win over the Celtics in Boston. I'm inclined to fade a lot of Cavs and Kings tonight, while I'll be giving most of my looks to the Magic and the Warriors, and some good value picks on all of the other teams.
Our elite, $50-plus players are actually a quartet of four. I'll include Stephen Curry ($48) in this category as he's effectively the only other player close to that number. While there is blowout potential for Russell Westbrook ($59), he played 35 minutes against the Nets in their last matchup and put up an average, 48.6 YFP showing against them. The Nets are going to be alternating between Spencer Dinwiddie ($26) and the slowly acclimating D'Angelo Russell ($22) opposite Westbrook, and I think the Thunder's frontcourt will end up with better opportunities than Westbrook on Tuesday. Westbrook will be good for his season average, but it isn't a night where he warrants $59.
I also feel like LeBron James ($57) is a borderline call tonight. Even if you ignore the inner turmoil on the team, he's underperformed his projections in three of his last five games, so you're only playing James if you're a strong believer in players who get hot when they're angry, and the King certainly fits the bill there. The two plays I really like in this category are Kevin Durant ($52) and Steph Curry ($48), as I feel like the Knicks have the potential to keep this somewhat close, which will maximize Durant and Curry's time on the floor. Both of them are great cash plays on Tuesday.
I'll now highlight two players at each position and for the most part, I'll select a higher-priced guy along with a value pick. I'll also provide a list of non-highlighted player at each position that hold equal value in my predictions. We'll also provide a fade candidate at each spot,
GUARDS
If you aren't going elite, the guard position becomes a pretty good buy-low spot, which is why we begin at $22 with…
Jordan Clarkson, LAL vs. BOS ($22): If you read any of my other columns you know how I feel about the Clarkson vs. Ball debate in a vacuum, but with Ball out my opinion is even more clear, and the stats have proved my point. He's been insane in the past two games and even though Kentavious Caldwell-Pope may be back tonight, guys like Josh Hart ($10) and Tyler Ennis ($10) need to be avoided. Clarkson will crush it again.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC at ORL ($16): Ok, the Kings have lost eight straight games and they are playing a surging Orlando team. What am I thinking? Well, the minutes have been there for Fox as the Kings are making a concerted effort to let their young players loose. Fox is just a few assists and steals away from 30-plus YFP, which is a great line for someone at this price point.
Other guards to consider:Elfrid Payton, ORL vs. SAC ($20); Jaylen Brown, BOS at LAL ($19); Dejounte Murray, SA vs. CLE ($12)
GUARD TO AVOID
George Hill, SAC at ORL ($14): In case you haven't heard, Hill was singled out in a statement by the Kings' brass as a player whose role will be diminished as the Kings want their younger talent on the court to see what they have moving forward. It's time to bench him in your seasonal lineups, and he's a fade in DFS.
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FORWARDS
Aaron Gordon, ORL vs. SAC ($30): Gordon could have shot a bit better against the Celtics on Sunday, but if his stroke his pure, he's going to reward you with a heap of rebounds to go along with decent scoring. It's simply a matter of improving his shot right now, and a nice matchup against the Kings could be the spot where Gordon explodes again.
Julius Randle, LAL vs. BOS ($23): Randle is hot, and while the Lakers are, well, tepid, you can't dispute Randle's recent takeover at the five. Yahoo gives him eligibility at the four, but If you've watched the Lakers there's no question where he's playing. He had 35 YFP against the Celtics earlier in the year and though that's a number you can't depend upon because we're talking about radically different personnel around him on Tuesday, I think Luke Walton will wise up and play the hot hand.
Other forwards to consider: LaMarcus Aldridge, SA vs. CLE ($41); Draymond Green, GS vs. NY ($38); Paul George, OKC vs. BKN ($34); DeMarre Carroll, BKN at OKC ($23)
FORWARD TO AVOID
Brandon Ingram, LAL vs. BOS ($25): He's a game-time decision but I have a feeling he'll be compelled to play, which would be a mistake. Ingram looked tentative with his ankle in their win versus the Knicks and if he goes, I don't expect much. Any late news of him suiting up shouldn't change your plans.
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CENTERS
With Pau Gasol (wrist) out, we need to highlight guys who will benefit at other positions. LaMarcus Aldridge was already mentioned and this makes him a strong play, and I like Davis Bertans ($10), who is also listed as a forward, over Joffrey Lauvergne ($10), who Is the only viable center for the Spurs.
Steven Adams, OKC vs. BKN ($28): The slate is obviously thin here, and Adams is one of the only obvious plays. The ideal spot on this slate is an exploitation of Cleveland, and while Love has a point to make, I'm not going near him against the Spurs. This makes Adams the highlight play against the Nets, who also have little to offer in the paint.
Willie Cauley-Stein, SAC at ORL ($28): He's double-doubled in three of his last five, so it makes sense to show Cauley-Stein a little love in this one. You never know which version of Bismack Biyombo you're going to get, so this could be a decent showing for the youngster.
Other centers to consider:Al Horford, BOS at LAL ($27); Enes Kanter, NY at GS ($21)
CENTER TO AVOID
Kevin Love, CLE at SA ($30): I'm well aware that I may be making too much of the brouhaha occurring in Cleveland. After all, Tom Brady, Belichick and Kraft turned out alright, didn't they? I think this rift with the Cavs runs deeper, and the Spurs are tough even if your head is screwed on straight. Too much volatility for $30.
