Only eight teams take the court tonight, and, to no surprise, several superstar players are riding the bench due to injuries and illnesses. We'll do our best to find the players who benefit the most from these banged up and sickly players!

Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

As is usually the case on Tuesdays, a smaller NBA slate lands on the schedule with just four games in play tonight. For anyone watching the Tuesday TNT doubleheader, I’m sure you can’t wait to witness the dysfunctional Nets take on the 76ers, who will be without arguably their three best players (Embiid, Harden, and Maxey). And in the second leg of the nationally televised doubleheader, you’ll bare witness to the incompetent 5-10 Lakers (playing without LeBron) likely getting smoked by the Suns. Dear TV networks, stop putting the Nets clown show and an awful Lakers squad on these major broadcasts!

I’m only a little salty about this, don’t worry. What I’m MOST salty about are all these damned injuries! Seriously, for such a small slate, the amount of injuries to the biggest names on the slate is out of control…

Today’s Key Injury News:

Nets: N. Claxton - Questionable, Y. Watanabe - Questionable

76ers: J. Embiid - OUT, J. Harden - OUT, T. Maxey - OUT, T. Harris - Probable

Grizzlies: J. Morant - Questionable, D. Bane - OUT

Pistons: C. Cunningham - OUT, I. Stewart - OUT, S. Bey - OUT

Nuggets: N. Jokic - DOUBTFUL, J. Murray - DOUBTFUL, B. Hyland - Questionable, J. Green - OUT, I. Smith - Questionable

Lakers: A. Davis - Probable, L. James - OUT, M. Christie - OUT, J. Toscano-Anderson - Questionable

Suns: C. Paul - OUT, C. Johnson - OUT, L. Shamet - OUT

I know injuries are inevitable, but they seem a little more rampant this season. Either way, we’ll make adjustments and apply that to our DFS approach tonight! Best of luck!

Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads

Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.

💫 = Favorite Play

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

💫PG/SG Devin Booker, PHX | DK: $9.3k, FD: $9.9k | vs. LAL | Cash & GPP

DBook played just under 30 minutes during Sunday’s recent 21-point blowout over the Knicks but, in any semi-competitive game, he has the potential to play minutes in the high-30s and could eclipse 40+ minutes as he has done twice in the last four games. Of course, the risk tonight is that this could easily turn into another blowout with the Suns stepping in as -10 home favorites over the Lakers. Nonetheless, Booker owns a hefty 30% USG% and his assist numbers have naturally increased with Chris Paul being sidelined. This is a major pace-up spot as well -- the Suns rank 27th in pace and the Lakers rank 2nd.

PG/SG Bones Hyland, DEN | DK: $6.7k, FD: $6.5k | vs. DET | Cash & GPP

Hyland (hip) was downgraded from probable to questionable earlier this afternoon so we’ll need to keep an eye on his status leading up to the 9 ET tip-off. Assuming he suits up, Hyland stands to take on a major role tonight, with both Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray being listed as doubtful. Hyland is extremely productive when he’s on the court, averaging 1.22 DKFPPM, but he has been limited to a role off the bench this season. It’s still a major role and he most recently put up a 29-point performance against the Mavs on Sunday while playing 35 minutes and netting 46.75 DKFP/46.6 FDFP. Even if he doesn’t get the starting nod, he would be expected to see similar minutes and usage tonight against a Pistons team that ranks 29th in defensive efficiency and 27th against opposing point guards.

💫PG/SG Shake Milton, PHI | DK: $5.3k, FD: $5.8k | vs. BKN | Cash & GPP

Milton slid into the starting lineup on Saturday due to the recent injury to Tyrese Maxey (and the continued absence of James Harden). He scored 27 points on a 26.8% USG% across 38 minutes -- netting 36.0 DKFP/31.2 FDFP. And that was a game where Joel Embiid played and put up a 37.3% USG% of his own. Milton’s DFS salaries have increased drastically since that last game, but he remains a notable value given his expanded role and projected minutes in the mid-to-upper 30s.

Other Guards to Consider:

PG De’Aaron Fox, SAC | DK: $9.6k, FD: $9.6k | @ MEM | GPP Preferred

💫PG/SG De’Anthony Melton, PHI | DK: $7.5k, FD: $7.4k | vs. BKN | Cash & GPP

PG Cameron Payne, PHX | DK: $7.1k, FD: $6.8k | vs. LAL | GPP Preferred

SG Jaden Ivey, DET | DK: $7k, FD: $6.8k | @ DEN | GPP Preferred

💫PG/SF Bruce Brown, DEN | DK: $6k, FD: $6.1k | vs. DET | Cash & GPP

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

💫SF/PF Tobias Harris, PHI | DK: $7.8k, FD: $8.5k | vs. BKN | Cash & GPP

I don’t love the pricing on Harris, particularly on FanDuel, but he may reach a season-high in shot attempts with the other “big three” Sixers out tonight. Over the last two seasons when Embiid, Maxey, and Harden have been off the court, Harris has seen his usage shoot up +8.5% and his per 48-minute fantasy score rise by +24.3 FP. He is listed as probable tonight after coming off of a two-game absence with a hip injury. His last game played was nine days ago so the hope would be that he can handle his usual allotment of minutes (33.7 Min/Gm this season). Harris has averaged 6.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, and 2.2 BLK+STL/Gm -- solid peripherals that should also see an uptick tonight to go along with his expanded offensive usage.

PF/C Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM | DK: $6.4k, FD: $8.2k | vs. SAC | GPP/DK Preferred

JJJ poured in 52.0 DKFP/52.6 FDFP in just 25 minutes on the court in his last game. It was only his second game back from a foot injury and he immediately showed off what kind of upside he can bring to DFS lineups. He received a day off in Sunday’s game so the hope would be that he breaks past the 25-minute limit he has held in his two games this season. He may venture into “cash safe” territory, especially on DraftKings, should Ja Morant get ruled out -- but he also put up that huge game against the Thunder while Morant was playing. This game easily featured the highest total on the slate with a 234 O/U along with a close one-point spread in favor of the Grizz.

PF/C Torrey Craig, PHX | DK: $4.9k, FD: $5.6k | vs. LAL | GPP/DK Preferred

Craig has benefited from the Cameron Johnson injury and has started eight consecutive games. He has hit a fairly nice groove in a supporting role that has led to just under an FPPM average over his last five games while playing 30.0 Min/Gm in that stretch. His floor can be quite low but he has scored double-digit points in four straight and his peripheral stats should benefit from playing a fast-paced Lakers team. Not a bad option if you’re in need of a cheaper forward play.

Other Forwards to Consider:

SF Mikal Bridges, PHX | DK: $6.6k, FD: $7.2k | vs. LAL | GPP Preferred

PF/C Ben Simmons, BKN | DK: $6.3k, FD: $7.8k | @ PHI | GPP/DK Preferred

💫PF Aaron Gordon, DEN | DK: $5.6k, FD: $6.7k | vs. DET | Cash & GPP/DK Preferred

SF/SG Austin Reaves, LAL | DK: $4.6k, FD: $5.4k | @ PHX | GPP Preferred

Centers to Consider 🏀

💫C Anthony Davis, LAL | DK: $10.5k, FD: $11.5k | @ PHX | GPP Preferred

AD has posted some vintage performances in the recent four-game stretch where LeBron has sat out in all four games. His usage rate has increased by +4.6% with LeBron off the court this season, and Davis’ last four games have produced fantasy point totals of 56.5, 63.5, 70.5, and 64.0 DKFP. Davis has benefited from some soft match-ups in that span -- the Suns (7th in defensive efficiency) are not a soft match-up. But if the Lakers can keep this game competitive, Anthony Davis easily owns the highest upside at the center position tonight.

C Thomas Bryant, LAL | DK: $3.4k, FD: $4.6k | @ PHX | Cash & GPP/DK Preferred

It’s only a 36-minute sample size, but Bryant has averaged an impressive 1.22 DKFPPM in his two games played after missing the start of the season with a thumb injury. He also went from 13 minutes in his season debut to 23 minutes played on Sunday. If we can expect another 20+ minutes out of him tonight, he represents a solid value on DraftKings. Also, unless he enters the starting rotation, he’s more protected from blowout risk while coming off of the bench.

Other Centers to Consider:

C Deandre Ayton, PHX | DK: $6.8k, FD: $7.5k | vs. LAL | GPP Preferred

C Montrezl Harrell, PHI | DK: $4.5k, FD: $5.3k | vs. BKN | Cash & GPP

C Jalen Duren, DET | DK: $4.1k, FD: $5.4k | @ DEN | GPP/DK Preferred

NBA Player Props 📊

Player Prop or Bet | Odds | Unit Bet Size

Bojan Bogdanovic OVER 2.5 Assists | -108 (FanDuel) | 2.0 Units

Bogdanovic has hit the over on this prop in five of his last six games, which also coincides with the games that PG Cade Cunningham has missed. The Pistons should be able to keep this game close as they’re only +5.5 underdogs against a Nuggets team that is expected to be without Jokic and Murray tonight. So, with his normal minutes in the mid-30s and an increased facilitating role sans Cade Cunningham in the lineup, Bog should be a strong bet to pick up 3+ assists tonight.

Jaden Ivey OVER 18.5 Points | -115 (FanDuel) | 2.0 Units

Going with overs on multiple Pistons props wasn’t the initial plan, but I believe the value is too good here in a game that should be competitive. Ivey has seen a team-high +6.3% usage rate increase when Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, and Isaiah Stewart have all been off of the floor this season. The Pistons’ game on Sunday was the first game in which all three of those players were out, and Ivey went on to score 24 points. He has hit the over on this prop in three of the last five games -- barely missing it in the other two games where he scored 18 points and 17 points.

PrizePicks Two-Pick Power Play ⚡

Here is a two-pick “Power Play” I’m liking for today's NBA action over on PrizePicks! Nothing is ever a guarantee to hit but I put my own money on these bets so I don't just lightly throw these out there without believing they'll cash! If it hits, it will return 3x the wager.

Don't forget about the discounted Taco Tuesday props on PrizePicks today!

Jaden Ivey MORE than 18.5 Points

De'Anthony Melton MORE than 15.5 Points

🆕 Props Edge+ 🆕

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That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!