This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defenses to avoid: Atlanta Hawks, vs NOP: Luckily, from a DFS perspective, there are no dominant defenses going on Tuesday. The Hawks are tied for the lowest team defensive rating in the NBA at 99.0 points allowed per 100 possessions, but they play at a high pace (99.7 possessions/game, fourth-fastest). With that said, the Hawks hold their opponents to the third-lowest EFG% and the third-highest turnover percentage in the NBA. It's too strong to say that the Hawks D should be avoided for good value players -- such as the two Pelicans listed below -- but they are the best overall defense on the board.
Offense to use: Los Angeles Lakers, vs OKC: The Thunder don't really have an positions where they make life all that difficult on their opponents. They are 22nd against opposing point guards, 15th against shooting guards, 19th against small forwards, 19th against power forwards, and 21st against centers. Plus, both of these teams play at a fast pace (Lakers: fourth in NBA at 99.9 possessions/game, Thunder: sixth at 99.5 possessions/game), which should result in a high-scoring affair.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Hawks, Nuggets, Lakers, Pelicans, Thunder, Trail Blazers
Second game: None
Russell Westbrook, OKC at LAL ($12,500): Westbrook is one of the two players in this article who doesn't require any justification beyond his own absurd numbers: 32.3 points, 11.7 boards, 11.7 assists, 1.2 treys and 1.0 steals over his last six games. His price is justifiably high, but if you can figure out a way to get him while putting reasonable talent around him, it should be worth the cost.
Jrue Holiday, NO at ATL ($6,400): Holiday made his season debut Friday, coming off the bench, and in his first two games he's averaged 21.5 points, 8.0 assists, 2.0 boards, 2.0 treys and 1.5 combined steals/blocks in only 26.2 minutes of action. He should continue to get stronger as he returns to the starting lineup and progresses toward a full minutes load.
Lou Williams, LAL vs OKC ($5,300): Williams is pretty much a fixture on the recommendations list due to his consistency. He has produced between 26.0 and 36.5 fantasy points in 10 of his last 11 games, and on Tuesday he faces the aforementioned, unspectacular Thunder defense.
Kristaps Porzingis, NY vs POR ($7,500): Porzingis has been borderline dominant of late, averaging 23.5 points, 9.0 boards, 2.0 treys, 1.8 combined steals/blocks and 1.5 assists over his last four games. On Tuesday he faces a Trail Blazers defense that ranks 25th in limiting production to opposing power forwards.
Wilson Chandler, DEN vs CHI ($5,700): Chandler has quietly been the most consistent member of the Nuggets frontcourt of late, joining Danilo Gallinari and Kenneth Faried in driving the frontcourt production. Chandler has averaged 18.8 points, 8.4 boards, 2.4 assists, 1.4 treys and 1.0 combined steals/blocks over his last five games.
Will Barton, DEN vs CHI ($4,700): Barton is a speculation pick on Tuesday. He came back from a long injury layoff on Sunday and only played 19 minutes. However, he did return to the starting lineup and his primary competition for playing time, Gary Harris, is injured. In the first three games of the season, Barton averaged 18 points, 5.0 boards, 2.7 assists and 1.3 3-pointers in 35.3 minutes per game. The question is, is he ready to return to that kind of minutes load? If so, he's a bargain. If not? Well, that's why he's a speculation pick.
Anthony Davis, NO at ATL ($11,000): Davis is the other max-priced player in this article with numbers that speak for themselm. Over his last two games, Davis is putting up 38.0 points, 12.5 boards, 4.0 boards, 3.5 blocks, 2.0 treys and 1.0 steals per game. He's a bit less expensive than Russell Westbrook and therefore could be easier to fit onto a competitive team. As long as he stays healthy and isn't on the second game of a B2B, his play justifies the price tag.
Mason Plumlee, POR at NY ($5,600): Plumlee is a metronome. He is near lock for a double-double with around five assists every game. In his last six outings, he's averaged 8.7 points, 8.3 boards, 5.3 assists and 1.9 combined blocks and steals per game.
Robin Lopez, CHI at DEN ($5,300): Lopez is playing consistently strong ball these days. He has averaged a double-double with 11.8 points, 10.3 boards and 1.5 combined blocks/steals, and on Tuesday he faces a Nuggets defense that ranks 19th at limiting production to opposing centers, according to DraftKings.
