This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
LAC vs. ATL (-3.5), O/U: 220.5
WAS vs. HOU (-2.5), O/U: 232.5
NY vs. UTA (-11), O/U: 213
Tuesday's DraftKings NBA slate tips off at 7:30 p.m. EST and includes three games. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George due to the league's health and safety protocols and Patrick Beverley due to injury. The Wizards are still without six players due to COVID-19. Christian Wood is expected to miss his third straight game, while Clint Capela and Trae Young are listed as questionable after sitting out Sunday.
The absence of Leonard, George and Beverley makes the LAC-ATL matchup appealing, but DraftKings has done a good job in boosting the salary of the remaining Clippers. There will be plenty of minutes and usage to go around but it won't be the case of just jamming multiple pieces, like we've seen in similar spots this season when teams have been significantly short-handed.
The WAS-HOU matchup features two bad defenses and the slate's highest total by a significant margin. Both teams are also missing key players, making it a great option to target tonight. DeMarcus Cousins and Bradley Beal stand out as popular plays and both teams have cheaper value options as well. A game stack here is definitely in play on a three-game slate.
The NY-UTA matchup seems reasonable to fade, as it features the lowest total and biggest spread. One-off pieces are always OK on small slates but I won't be trying to get value from multiple pieces in this game tonight.
Injuries to Monitor
Paul George (COVID-19): OUT
George will likely miss multiple games while remaining in the league's health and safety protocols. Reggie Jackson ($6,800), Luke Kennard ($6,000) and Lou Williams ($5,800) should see increased run in his absence.
Kawhi Leonard (COVID-19): OUT
Leonard will likely miss multiple games while remaining in the league's health and safety protocols. Nicolas Batum ($6,300) and Marcus Morris ($4,700) should see bumps in minutes and usage.
Clint Capela (hand): QUESTIONABLE
Capela missed Sunday's game with a sore right hand. Onyeka Okongwu ($3,200) started in his place and likely would again if Capela can't go tonight.
Trae Young (back): QUESTIONABLE
Young missed Sunday's game due to back spasms and his status for tonight remains uncertain. Rajon Rondo ($4,200) would likely get another start at point guard if Young sits.
Christian Wood (ankle): DOUBTFUL
Wood is expected to miss his third straight game tonight. DeMarcus Cousins ($6,000) should get another start at center.
Patrick Beverley (knee): OUT
Beverley has already been ruled out tonight. Jackson and Williams will see increased run in his absence.
Danilo Gallinari (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Gallinari has played 15 and 19 minutes in two games since returning from injury Friday. The Hawks are likely to be cautious with his minutes going forward.
Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura, Ish Smith, Deni Avdija, Moritz Wagner, Troy Brown (COVID-19)
The Wizards will be without six players due to the league's health and safety protocols. Isaac Bonga ($4,100) and Jerome Robinson ($4,000) stepped into the starting lineup Sunday and will likely do so again tonight.
Elite Players
Bradley Beal ($9,900) is the most expensive player on the slate tonight. Julius Randle ($9,700), Russell Westbrook ($9,600), Clint Capela ($9,400) and Trae Young ($9,100) make up the other elite options in the 9K range.
In the past five games, Beal has averaged 36 minutes and 28 shot attempts per game. He's my preferred spend-up option tonight as the Wizards have a 115-point implied total and a matchup against a bad Rockets defense. Westbrook returned Sunday following a two-week absence and played 25 minutes. It's likely he will be on some type of minutes restriction again tonight and if that's the case, I won't have much interest.
Randle continues to be incredibly consistent as he has topped 43 DK points in nine of the past 10 games. Even though the Knicks have the worst matchup of the night, on the road against a tough Jazz defense, the scarcity at power forward makes him a viable option. Capela has seen his salary rise from $6,700 all the way to $9,400 in just 10 days. He's averaging over 60 DK points in his last four games and is coming off a triple-double that included 10 blocks last time out. DeMarcus Cousins will be a popular option at center, but Capela must be considered as he has slate-breaking upside, especially with only three games tonight.
Young sat out Sunday due to back spasms and is listed as questionable for tonight. Should he play, the $9,100 price tag is a bit too cheap for a player who has scored at least 55 DK points in three consecutive games. He's even more appealing due to that lack of other spend-up options at point guard. Donovan Mitchell ($8,400) is the only player with a salary in the 8K range tonight. He's been playing better lately, scoring more than 42 DK points in three straight and makes for a good pivot off Young if you want to save some salary.
Expected Chalk
DeMarcus Cousins ($6,000)
Cousins has played 30 and 33 minutes in back-to-back starts. He's coming off of a 28-point, 17-rebound outing in which he scored 58.25 DK points. Christian Wood isn't likely to play tonight and the Rockets are facing a bad Wizards defense. Cousins will be popular in all formats.
Marcus Morris ($4,700)
The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverley tonight. All of their remaining players received significant salary increases with the exception of Morris. He will likely start at power forward and see a usage bump in the absence of Leonard and George. I'd expect him to be the most popular among the Clippers starters, though all of them are likely to be significantly rostered.
Value Picks
Serge Ibaka ($6,600)
Ibaka should get a minutes and usage bump with both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George out tonight. The Clippers will need at least one big man to deal with Clint Capela. DeMarcus Cousins could be the most popular player on the slate and Ibaka could offer good leverage if you decide to fade.
Nicolas Batum ($6,300)
Batum is likely to have a bigger role tonight for the short-handed Clippers and he could even see some run at point guard. He's likely the safest value piece of the bunch.
Lou Williams ($5,800)
Williams has really struggled this season but should see more minutes tonight in the absence of Patrick Beverley and George. I like his upside for tournaments.
Alec Burks ($5,300)
He was inserted into the starting lineup Sunday with Reggie Bullock ruled out. Burks has played at least 27 minutes in each of three games since returning from injury and with Bullock out again tonight, he should provide good value for an affordable salary.
Isaac Bonga ($4,100) and Jerome Robinson ($4,000)
Bonga and Robinson started for the short-handed Wizards on Sunday and should do so again tonight. Both played over 30 minutes and on a slate without much for cheap value, either is a reasonable option tonight.
