Russell Westbrook $10800 taking on John Wall $9000 is the highlight of seven Tuesday NBA games. Kevin Durant $9700, Serge Ibaka $6500 and Enes Kanter $5400 are also worth the money at DraftKings in a $350,000 contest that’s free to enter with your first deposit.
Bradley Beal $6900 (shoulder) is questionable for the Wizards. If he can’t go, Gary Neal $3000 and Ramon Sessions $3000 gain value. Either way, Marcin Gortat $5300 figures to play big minutes against Steven Adams $3700 and Kanter.
Anthony Davis $10700 has been a one-man team for the 0-6 Pelicans, who lost by nine in Dallas on Saturday without Jrue Holiday $5300, who rested in a back-to-back. Ryan Anderson $5600 and Eric Gordon $5800 should also play better in this rematch at home.
Picking an 8-man lineup without exceeding a $50K salary cap, you can afford to use Westbrook, Davis or both. Tonight I’m leaning to a balanced approach.
Plays of the Day
The $350K Tipoff Special is just a $3 buy-in (FREE to new depositors at DK) that pays the top 30,140 finishers from up to 134,166 teams. First place wins $50,000. Enter before the 7:00 ET deadline; you can make unlimited lineup changes until each player’s game begins.
We told you Andrew Wiggins $6100 was over his slow start. Minnesota shocked the Hawks in Atlanta with the 20-year-old dropping 33 PTS en route to a 47.5 score at DK. 19-year-old Karl-Anthony Towns $7400 and “veteran” Ricky Rubio $7500 (age 25) are also contributing. Coach Sam Mitchell has an athletic bench (including Kevin Martin $4700, Zach LaVine $3500 and Gorgui Dieng $4200) that would test his starters; Nemanja Bjelica $4500 is another DFS bargain.
I don’t think Kyle Lowry $7800 (the third-best PG) will outscore Westbrook and Wall, but on a FPTS-per-dollar ratio, it might be close. Toronto was embarrassed on Sunday and their leader is too good for the Knicks’ guards. LaVine is my bargain selection.
Wiggins is more cost-effective than DeMar DeRozan $7200 at SG, perhaps the thinnest position tonight. Gordon and Khris Middleton $5800 are at least playable.
LeBron James $10000 (thigh bruise) is playing hurt. If you can’t afford KD or Carmelo Anthony $8500, SF is a good spot to save a few bucks. Otto Porter $5100 will get extra touches if Beal doesn’t play, and Jae Crowder $4800 was terrific on Friday: 12 PTS, 10 REB, 5 STL 2 AST, 1 BLK for 40.5 FPTS in 28 minutes for the fast-paced Celtics.
Obviously, Davis deserves his lofty salary. For almost $3000 less, Kevin Love $7900 is currently the #1 option on the Cavaliers. Greg Monroe $8400, Chris Bosh $7000, Ibaka and rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis $5700 are among many excellent PF alternatives.
Hassan Whiteside $7600 gets the nod over Towns at C. You can bank on a double-double with a handful of blocks for a reasonable price. While Gortat or Kanter are cheaper, both their floors and ceilings are lower.
Only seven names are in bold on the Short List, as midrange PF Bosh and Love both fit into the sample lineup (above left.) Note that none of my players cost more than $7900, only one less than $4800. If you do load up on the five-digit superstars, you need to surround them with bargains. Good luck!
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Russell Westbrook $10800 | Kyle Lowry $7800 | Zach LaVine $3500 |
| SG | DeMar DeRozan $7200 | Andrew Wiggins $6100 | Gary Neal $3000 |
| SF | Kevin Durant $9700 | Otto Porter $5100 | Jae Crowder $4800 |
| PF | Anthony Davis $10700 | Kevin Love $7900 | Kristaps Porzingis $5700 |
| C | Hassan Whiteside $7600 | Karl-Anthony Towns $7400 | Marcin Gortat $5300 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.