Once again the pickings are slim for FanDuel participants, with there being just five games on the NBA schedule for Tuesday. And the unquestioned top option is Houston guard James Harden, who has a value of $12,300 and is the only player with a five-figure salary cap number. Harden's averaging 53.7 FanDuel points per game on the season, and in the Miami Heat he'll be up against a team that's done a solid job defensively this season. Ranked ninth in scoring defense and 14th in defensive rating, the Heat have allowed just 29.3 FanDuel points per game to opposing shooting guard (Harden's listed position) units over their last five according to Rotowire.
But when evaluating how teams defend Harden, one has to consider the defending of the point guard position. Over their last five games, Miami has allowed opposing point guard units to score an average of 52.2 FanDuel points per game. That bodes well for Harden, given the aforementioned average and the fact that he runs the show in Mike D'Antoni's offense. With that being the case, it wouldn't come as a surprise if Harden tallied his 14th triple-double of the season Tuesday night. Here are our picks for Tuesday's games, using a nine-player roster and a $60,000 salary cap. (Getty)
SG: James Harden, Houston
Opponent: at Miami
Price: $12,300
Harden's actually failed to reach his FanDuel average of 53.7 points in each of the last two games. But there shouldn't be any concern regarding his impact or production. With 13 triple-doubles to his credit this season, and the system in which he plays, there's no question that Harden's fingerprints will be on every game the Rockets play. So with there being only five games to choose from, building around Harden against a bad team is a good idea. (Getty)
SG: Zach LaVine, Minnesota
Opponent: at San Antonio
Price: $6,000
LaVine missed two games due to a hip injury, making his return to the lineup Sunday against the Mavericks. This will be a tough matchup, not only because of LaVine's recent health issue but also because of how good the Spurs are defensively. But this is a matchup where he can have some success, as LaVine scored 25 points against the Spurs in early December. (Getty)
Harrison Barnes
SF: Wilson Chandler, Denver
Opponent: at Los Angeles Lakers
Price: $5,800
Chandler's role has shifted on multiple occasions this season, with the most recent move being his return to the bench with Kenneth Faried starting at the four. Chandler's still going to get his opportunities as one of the first reserves off the bench, but the chance to exploit a mismatch of sorts as a face-up four is off the table for the time being. Against the Magic on Monday he accounted for nine points, eight rebounds and three assists. Chandler could be in line to do more from a scoring standpoint with the Lakers being one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA. (Getty)
San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge
PF: Trevor Booker, Brooklyn
Opponent: vs. Toronto
Price: $5,500
While Booker has shot 50 percent from the field in two games against the Raptors this season, they've kept him in check from a production standpoint. Booker's averaging 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game against Toronto this season, which includes the six points, seven rebounds and four assists he accounted for January 13. Booker rebounded from that by scoring 18 points and grabbing five rebounds against the Rockets Sunday, and the hope here is that he can find a way to be more productive against the Raptors the third time around. (Getty)
PF: Montrezl Harrell, Houston
Opponent: at Memphis
Price: $5,200
Harrell's FanDuel point totals have been up and down the last four games, with quality performances being followed by comparatively quiet ones. With this being the second game of a back-to-back and the Rockets still working starting center Clint Capela back into the lineup, this could be a game where Harrell becomes of greater value fantasy-wise. In Friday's loss to Golden State, Harrell tallied just 16.1 FanDuel points. But if the aforementioned trend continues, he'll have a good night against the Grizzlies. (Getty)
FanDuel NBA Lineup Picks, Advice & Analysis for January 17