This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Each week, RotoWire will provide value plays for your daily fantasy basketball lineups on FantasyDraft. Users have a salary cap of $100,000 to select a lineup comprised of three guards, three forwards/centers and two utility players.
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The target for each player to reach value is 2.5x the player's salary. If a player costs $10,000 against the cap, expected value is 25 fantasy points.
Thomas Robinson ($8,700)
Robinson is closing the season strong, with double-doubles in each of his last four games. With Thaddeus Young and Brook Lopez both ruled out for the rest of the season, there's nobody left to block the Kansas product from seeing the playing time he needs to continue to thrive. Look for Robinson to stay productive down the stretch for a Nets team that will be fully invested in winning since they don't own their first-round draft pick this year.
Tim Frazier ($8,600)
Frazier has defied his modest salary, giving the injury-riddled Pelicans much-needed production over the last three games. His 16.0 points and 10.0 assists per gme in that span have led to two wins after New Orleans had dropped four of five, suggesting they'll likely keep Frazier in a meaningful role to close out the season. With few available alternatives on the roster, the undrafted free agent out of Penn State should continue turning heads in his upcoming outings.
Nikola Vucevic ($12,300)
Vucevic's production has gone up in every game since returning from a groin injury, and his 39.8 fantasy points per game average over that three-game span has easily been enough to outproduce his price. He should only get more minutes as he gets healthier, making Vucevic a no-brainer based on his recent form.
J.J. Barea ($10,800)
Barea has significantly eased the burden of Deron Williams' injury, scoring at least 36.75 fantasy points in each of his last four games while serving as the team's starting point guard in the last three. Dallas' four-game winning streak has propelled them back into a playoff position, so head coach Rick Carlisle is unlikely to change a thing while the team keeps winning. That means more consistent minutes for the undersized Puerto Rican to work his magic.
Notable Injuries
Nicolas Batum (knee), Day-to-Day
Batum did not play Tuesday against Toronto after exiting Sunday's game against the Cavaliers with a knee strain, but his questionable designation for that contest suggests he won't be out much longer. The Hornets could certainly use the Frenchman during the season's final few games, as playing Courtney Lee out of position alongside two point guards simply doesn't grant them the same level of flexibility.
Deron Williams (sports hernia), Out Indefinitely
Williams continues to miss time down the stretch for the desperate Mavericks, as a sports hernia on top of an abdominal injury have left the veteran point guard unavailable since Mar. 23. Dallas has gotten with Raymond Felton and J.J. Barea at the point guard position, but the loss of Williams has definitely stung with so many key contributors already out.
Evan Turner (eye), Day-to-Day
Turner has been ruled out of Wednesday's matchup with the Pelicans due to a left eye abrasion suffered Sunday against the Lakers. While he seems likely to return soon, Turner's all-around skill set will be missed by the Celtics as they attempt to lock up homecourt advantage down the stretch. Jae Crowder being back from an ankle injury significantly softens this blow, as the two bring many of the same skills to the table on both ends.
Khris Middleton (thigh), Day-to-Day
Middleton's presence in the Milwaukee lineup is more important to fantasy owners than the Bucks at this point, which makes his inability to participate in Milwaukee's last two games a bit scary. While the fourth-year product out of Texas A&M has been a key contributor all season, he won't see the floor down the stretch unless he's fully healthy. That should mean increased minutes for rookie Rashad Vaughn.
Kristaps Porzingis (shoulder), Out Indefinitely
Porzingis has said he wouldn't take the court again this season unless he felt 100 percent, so it's not surprising that the talented rookie is listed as questionable for Wednesday night's game with the Hornets. Derrick Williams has done an admirable job scoring the ball in the rookie's absence, but he lacks the rebounding and shot-blocking prowess that made Porzingis such a sensation earlier this season.
DeMarre Carroll (knee), Week-to-Week
Carroll says he's making progress in his return from a knee injury, but his ability to follow through on his desire to play a couple regular season games heading into the postseason remains unclear. Luis Scola has been earning starts in a big Raptors lineup of late, but Carroll's mix of spacing and salary would make Toronto's marquee offseason signing the favorite for starts down the stretch should he make a late-season return.
