NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, March 5

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, March 5

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

ORL at CHA: Magic on three-game win streak; Hornets on four-game slide 

BOS at CLE: Celtics on 11-game win streak; Cavs 20-11 at home

DET at MIA: Pistons 2-8 in last 10 games; Heat 8-2 in last 10 games

PHI at BKN: 76ers on two-game win streak; Nets 15-18 at home

ATL at NYK: Hawks on two-game slide; Knicks 3-7 in last 10 games 

NOP at TOR: Pelicans 18-13 on road; Raptors 13-18 home

SAS at HOU: Spurs on two-game slide; Rockets 3-7 in last 10 games

IND at DAL: Pacers on two-game slide; Mavs on two-game slide 

For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.

Injuries to Monitor  

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report       

ORL - Markelle Fultz (knee): Questionable
Cole Anthony and Anthony Black could get a boost. 

CHA - Nick Richards (foot): Questionable; LaMelo Ball (ankle), Mark Williams (back), Seth Curry (ankle), Cody Martin (ankle): OUT
Vasilije Micic and Tre Mann are up for the start. Davis Bertans will also see more action.  

BOS - Jaylen Brown (knee), Kristaps Porzingis (quadriceps): Questionable
Al Horford and Sam Hauser are in line for more responsibility,  

CLE - Caris LeVert (elbow), Isaac Okoro (elbow): Questionable; Donovan Mitchell (knee), Max Strus (knee): OUT  
Dean Wade, Georges Niang are likely to see more playing time. Craig Porter could also get a boost.

DET - Quentin Grimes (knee): Doubtful

MIA - Tyler Herro (knee), Kevin Love (heel), Josh Richardson (shoulder): OUT
Nikola Jovic, Duncan Robinson and Jaime Jaquez are all up for more playing time.

PHI - Cameron Payne (illness): Questionable; Robert Covington (knee), Joel Embiid (knee), De'Anthony Melton (back): OUT
Paul Reed continues to start. Kyle Lowry must step up.  

BKN - Day'Ron Sharpe (wrist): Questionable; Ben Simmons (back), Cam Thomas (ankle): OUT
Dennis Smith and Lonnie Walker are be up for a boost.  

ATL - Kobe Bufkin (toe): Questionable; Onyeka Okongwu (toe), Trae Young (finger): OUT
Bogdan Bogdanovic and Bruno Fernando must continue to step up. 

NYK - Jalen Brunson (knee): Questionable; Julius Randle (shoulder), OG Anunoby (elbow): OUT
Miles McBride and Alec Burks could get a boost if Brunson is out. Josh Hart and Precious Achiuwa continue to pick up the slack.  

NOP - Dyson Daniels (knee): OUT
Jordan Hawkins picks up additional minutes.  

TOR - Bruce Brown (knee), Scottie Barnes (hand), Jakob Poeltl (finger): OUT
Kelly Olynyk, Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji will see bigger roles. 

SAS - Julian Champagnie (ankle), Victor Wembanyama (shoulder): Questionable
Cedi Osman is in line for more action. 

HOU - Tari Eason (leg): OUT 

IND - Aaron Nesmith (quadriceps): Questionable; Doug McDermott (calf): OUT
Bennedict Mathurin is up for more opportunity. 

DAL - Luka Doncic (ankle), Derrick Jones (shoulder), Maxi Kleber (knee): Questionable
If Doncic is out, Kyrie Irving could dominate the offense, while Tim Hardaway would be likely to get more shots. Daniel Gafford is also in line for a boost up front.  

Elite Players

Guards

Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers ($9,000) at Mavericks 

Haliburton bounced back from a dreadful performance by amassing 33 DK points in the last game. He is averaging 14.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 1.2 steals over his last 10 outings, including a high of 52 DK points. He faces a tough matchup against the Mavs' backcourt, but he should still find room to pad his stats, as the Mavericks give up the league's seventh-most points and ninth-most three-pointers per game. He could also be up for a lighter matchup if Luka Doncic is out. 

Kyrie Irving, Mavericks ($8,900) vs. Pacers

Irving surpassed 40 DK points in eight of the last 10 games, including a high of 63.3, while he is averaging 26.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 0.8 steals over that period. He faces an excellent opportunity to thrive against the Pacers, who give up the league's most points per game to opposing shooting guards. Irving could also be up for a major workload if Luka Doncic ends up sidelined.  

Forwards/Centers

Mikal Bridges, Nets ($7,500) vs. 76ers 

Bridges is in the midst of a relatively quiet stretch, averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals over the last 10 games. But he turned in 54.8 DK points in the game before last, and he topped 30 DK points in each of the last three outings. He faces a favorable matchup against the shorthanded 76ers, and as a result has a good chance to continue building momentum with his play. 

Paolo Banchero, Magic ($8,600) at Hornets

After a two-game absence, Banchero has returned with a bang by reaching 45 DK points in back-to-back games, while pouring in 29 points in each. Banchero is averaging 22.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 steals on the season, and he faces a favorable matchup against the Hornets, who give up the league's fifth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing power forwards. 

Alperen Sengun, Rockets ($8,200) vs. Spurs 

Sengun bounced back from a muted performance by producing 42.5 DK points on 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in the last game. He is also averaging 17.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks over the last five games, including a high of 52.8 DK points. He is likely to stay on track with a matchup against the Spurs, who give up the league's most points per game to opposing centers. 

Expected Chalk 

Jimmy Butler, Heat ($8,100) vs. Pistons 

Butler has looked great since returning from a three-game absence, averaging 25.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks over four appearances, including three outings with more than 50 DK points. Butler faces an ideal chance to come up with another big night, as he takes on the Pistons, who give up the league's fourth-most points and second-most turnovers per game. Butler finished with 46.8 DK points in his previous meeting with the Pistons, which was Oct. 25, in the Heat's season-opener. 

Mid-Range Money 

Terry Rozier, Heat ($6,500) vs. Pistons 

Since returning from a four-game absence, Rozier surpassed 30 DK points in each of the last three outings, while averaging 17.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He faces an excellent opportunity to keep the momentum going against the Pistons, who give up the league's second-most points per game to opposing point guards. 

P.J. Washington, Mavericks ($5,800) vs. Pacers

Washington continues to settle into his role with the Mavericks. He is averaging 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks over eight consecutive starts and delivered a high of 38 DK points within that stretch. He has a great chance to prosper against the Pacers, who give up the league's second-most points and seventh-most rebounds per game to opposing power forwards. 

Value Picks

Andrew Nembhard, Pacers ($4,800) at Mavericks 

Nembhard is averaging 9.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals, across 12 consecutive starts, and he has gone over 20 DK points six times within that span. He has a good opportunity to shine against the Mavericks, who give up the league's sixth-most points per game to opposing shooting guards. The Mavs could also be shorthanded in the backcourt. 

Ochai Agbaji, Raptors ($4,800) vs. Pelicans 

Agbaji got his first start as a member of the Raptors and finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, an assist and two blocks for a total of 30.3 DK points in 33 minutes of action. He is expected to pick up another start and should continue to see a major boost in playing time, while the Raptors are struck by injury trouble at the wing and frontcourt. 

Bruno Fernando, Hawks ($3,800) at Knicks

Fernando surpassed 18 DK points in three of the last five games, including a high of 22.5 in the last outing. He will continue to see extended opportunity for his shorthanded squad, and he faces a good opportunity to make an impact against the Knicks' shorthanded frontcourt. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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