This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Tuesday brings another seven-game slate, and it's one that caps off with a couple of tilts potentially loaded with fantasy fireworks in the Lakers-Suns and Warriors-Thunder. Naturally, there's plenty of players to like in those contests – including a few appealing value options – and some other appealing individual matchups elsewhere on the ledger. On a night when you'll likely want to pay up for at least one superstar, let's break down how to best invest your dollars across the board:
GUARDS:
Premium Option
Russell Westbrook, OKC at GS ($20,900): Westbrook racked up a near triple-double of 34 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and four steals over 37 minutes in his one previous meeting against the Warriors this season, and he's scored no fewer than 50.0 fantasy points in six of his last seven contests. Golden State continues to play at their usual brisk pace as well, averaging the third-most possessions per game (103.7). They've also been a bit more vulnerable than usual to point guards recently, allowing 50.3 fantasy points to the position over the last five, a notable uptick over the 44.3 they've yielded on the season. Given his prominent role in a game that's likely to be highly contested and that already carries a 230 projected point total, Westbrook is worth the hefty investment.
Mid-Tier
Klay Thompson, GS vs. OKC ($12,900): Thompson shapes up as a means of much more cost-effective exposure to the Warriors-Thunder clash, and one that will find himself in a highly favorable positional matchup. OKC has allowed 52.2 fantasy points to two-guards over the last five contests, a significant increase over the 45.3 they've allowed to the position on the season. They've yielded a robust 3.8 made three-pointers and a 47.0 percent success rate from the field to twos over the latter span as well, while Thompson has tallied 29.75 to 43.00 fantasy points in four of his last five games -- solid-to-excellent returns on his current price.
Affordable
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, LAL vs. PHO ($9,700): KCP has had his share of ups and downs this season, but he's quietly scored 21.00 to 27.50 fantasy points in three of his past four games. His shot is still a work in progress, but the Lakers' league-high pace of play (105.4 possessions per game) and the matchup both work in his favor Tuesday. The Suns have been a sieve against two-guards for most of the campaign, but even more so in Josh Jackson's recent starting stint, allowing the most fantasy points over the last 10 (63.8) and last five (70.0) to the position. They're also tied with the Hornets in giving up the most made three-pointers (5.6) over the latter span, while Caldwell-Pope is averaging a solid 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals in two games against Phoenix this season.
FORWARDS/CENTERS:
Premium
Marc Gasol, MEM at ATL ($15,800): Gasol's torrid five-game stretch includes fantasy-point tallies of 34.00 to 56.00 fantasy points, three double-doubles, a 25.3 percent usage rate and average of 1.29 fantasy points per minute. He's also taking 15.8 shot attempts during that stretch – a nice bump over his 14.9 seasonal figure – and he'll draw a matchup against a Hawks team that's allowed the second-most fantasy points (37.4) to centers on the season, including 45.6 over the last 10. Given his solid 28.2 percent usage with both Mike Conley (Achilles) and Tyreke Evans off the floor this season and his recent production, Gasol shapes up as an appealing option at his price.
Mid-Tier
T.J. Warren, PHO at LAL ($12,500): Devin Booker has already been ruled out for Tuesday's contest with his hip injury, thrusting Warren into a larger role in a matchup that's also highly favorable. As mentioned previously, the Lakers play at the fastest pace in the NBA and also have allowed the most fantasy points (46.1) to small forwards on the season, including 49.2 over the last 10. Warren is shooting a blistering 56.7 percent over the latter span, and he's averaged 20.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals across three games versus the Lakers this season. He's also posting a 28.9 percent usage rate with Booker off the floor, furthering his already strong case.
Affordable
Dewayne Dedmon, ATL vs. MEM ($8,700): There's a couple of interesting options in this same game below Dedmon for those that need even more savings, as both James Ennis ($7,000) and Dedmon's teammate Mike Muscala ($6,800) are also tournament-viable plays. However, the big man projects as a solid value play at his current price also, as he's scored 20.50 to 32.50 fantasy points in the last five games while averaging 1.49 points per possession and generating a 75.8 effective field-goal percentage. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies have been much more vulnerable to centers recently, as the 40.0 fantasy points per contest they've allowed to fives over the last 10 games is a sizable increase over the 31.0 they've yielded on the season.
UTILITY
Clint Capela, HOU at BKN ($13,600): Centers have exploited the Nets' soft frontcourt all season, leaving Capela in a highly advantageous position Tuesday. Brooklyn has allowed the most fantasy points (40.4) to centers on the season, including 51.2 over the last five. Capela has been over 40 fantasy points in three of his last six contests, and he's taken an elevated 11.3 shot attempts over his last three. Additionally, the Nets' aforementioned frontcourt deficiencies have led to them allowing a robust 47.3 points in the paint over the last three contests, an area of the floor where a whopping 84.7 percent of Capela's scoring emanates from.
Josh Jackson, PHO at LAL ($11,300): As mentioned earlier, Devin Booker (hip) will take a seat Tuesday, leaving Jackson in a position to build on the best multi-game offensive stretch of his young career. The rookie has scored 29.00 to 39.00 fantasy points in the last four games, a span during which he's sporting a 31.9 percent usage rate, 57.3 effective field-goal percentage and 1.18 fantasy points per minute. The Lakers have also been vulnerable to two-guards all season and even more so in recent games, as they've allowed 54.8 fantasy points and a whopping 5.4 made three-pointers to the position over the last five games. Jackson is also sporting an impressive 26.3 percent usage rate this season with Booker off the floor, another point in his favor at his reasonable price.
