Bulls forward-center Zach Collins has 15+ points in 4 consecutive outings and is averaging 11.7 rebounds per game in the past 3 games.
It’s Tuesday, and the NBA has a jam-packed schedule with nine games lined up for the night.
We have a nationally televised doubleheader on TNT, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET with the Golden State Warriors visiting the New York Knicks. TNT doubleheader features the Warriors taking on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden (7:30 ET) followed by a Westshowdown with the Clippers and Suns (10 ET).
Here are our top NBA DFS lineup picks and advice for tonight’s slate.
Donovan Mitchell (PG, SG – CLE)
Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers hit the road to battle the Chicago Bulls. Spida should be rested and raring to go after sitting out the epic overtime comeback against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Mitchell is averaging 40.7 fantasy points per game and faces a Bulls team with an opponent rank of 26. It’s a very favorable matchup at a nice price. Mitchell is rested after taking a break against the Trail Blazers. Look for big things from Mitchell, who scored 41 points in his most recent performance in Boston on Friday.
Damian Lillard is another player with a super favorable matchup. He and the Bucks face the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Like Mitchell, the Hawks have an opponent rank of 26. Lillard is averaging 45.5 fantasy points per game, so a few more than Mitchell.
Lillard dropped 28 points in Dallas on Saturday, while adding six rebounds, six assists and two steals with four 3-pointers in 36 minutes, doing a little bit of everything, which is basically what he does on a nightly basis. Lillard is so valuable in so many areas.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF, C – MIL)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is always expensive, but more often than not, he lives up to the hefty price tag. On Tuesday, that certainly could be the case.
The Greek Freak and his Bucks buddies are facing the Hawks’ leaky defense, a team that is just 13-15 at home and allowing 119.6 points per game (PPG) overall, ranking 27th in the NBA. Atlanta also allows teams to hit 48.2% (29th) from the field and 37.3% from behind the 3-point line (28th). Antetokounmpo has the potential to exceed his salary expectations, and that’s saying something.
Antetokounmpo has been nursing a little bit of a light left calf strain, but he is considered probable. Double-check he is playing before finalizing your lineups.
If you have a salary crunch and can’t squeeze in all of the high-priced guard options, Tyrese Haliburton has a more palatable price tag, especially on DraftKings. He is averaging 41.3 fantasy points per game and the Rockets have an opponent rank of 22, so this is a very good matchup for Haliburton.
Haliburton enters with five consecutive double-doubles, including 17 points and 12 assists, plus five rebounds, three steals and two 3-pointers in 31 minutes against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
Paolo Banchero and the Magic face the Toronto Raptors for the second consecutive game in a back-to-back set. Banchero was 5-of-9 from the field, with one 3-pointer, while ending up with 23 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal last time out on Sunday. He also made it to the free-throw line frequently, hitting 12-of-15 from the charity stripe.
If Banchero can bump those numbers up just a little bit, he’ll more than pay for himself.
Ivica Zubac heads into the Valley of the Sun with his Clippers teammates looking to make some noise. He has managed a respectable 38.9 fantasy points per game, which is a little higher than some similarly priced options with bigger names at this price range.
The Suns have an opponent rank of 21, so Zubac has the opportunity to excel on Tuesday.
Cam Thomas has a very favorable matchup against the Spurs. He is averaging 35 fantasy points per game, which is a lot more than many others in the same salary neighborhood. San Antonio has an opponent rank of 18. Look for Thomas to excel on Tuesday night.
Zach Collins is expected to share the minutes in the middle with Nikola Vučević (calf) remaining sidelined. Jalen Smith is expected to be back after dealing with a concussion, but coach Billy Donovan appears to trust Collins a lot more right now.
The big man has 15+ points in four consecutive outings and is averaging 11.7 rebounds per game in the past three games, with a respectable 4.7 assists per game. He has even contributed four 3-pointers in the past three outings, as the near seven-footer has shown off his range.
De’Andre Hunter (SF, PF – CLE)
With Evan Mobley resting for the front end of the back-to-back for the Cavs, it opens up ample opportunity for the relative newcomer De’Andre Hunter. He exploded for 32 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including five 3-pointers, while grabbing seven rebounds with a steal in 32 minutes against the Trail Blazers on Sunday in the overtime comeback win.
Hunter has managed 12+ points in seven of his eight games since being acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in early February. When he last faced the Bulls, as a member of the Hawks, he went for 25 points, six rebounds and three 3-pointers in 28 minutes on December 26th.
Cole Anthony is expected to remain in the starting five for the foreseeable future with Jalen Suggs expected to undergo surgery to remove cartilage from his left knee. Anthony has had ample opportunity to play. Has he killed it? Well, no. But, the opportunity is certainly there.
Anthony was just 3-of-11 against the Raptors on Sunday in the front end of the back-to-back, ending up with seven points. However, he had back-to-back 17-point games on February 20th and 21st. His upside is 15-17 points with 5-7 rebounds and 3-4 assists with a 3-pointer or two. If he can hit those marks, he is a tremendous value at this price.
Jock Landale is scheduled to draw the start in the middle, as Alperen Sengun (back) is sidelined for Monday’s marquee matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Landale in the starting five, and at a nice price, he is a low-risk, high-reward option. Oklahoma City has an opponent rank of 17, so the potential is there for Landale to easily outproduce DFS salary expectations.
With Rui Hachimura (knee) sidelined due to left patellar tendinopathy, Dalton Knecht is one of the options to see a larger role in place of the former Gonzaga standout. The perimeter shooter is the best bet among options like Jordan Goodwin and Jarred Vanderbilt, too, especially since Goodwin is nursing an ankle issue.
