Atlanta Hawks @ Washington Wizards ( -1 ) – O/U: 209

*Projected Pace Rank: 3rd

Well, we have a nice sample of these two teams since they just faced off on Monday, with the Wizards winning 117-102 in Atlanta. I was quite shocked by the outcome, and I know the Hawks were as well, so I doubt they’ll let that happen once again. The line opened up in favor of the Hawks at -1 and has now moved down to Washington being favored by -1. As you all know, I like to go with the initial line on the game because that is the true indicator of what’s going to (should) happen.

In the grand scheme of things on a 12-game slate, I’m not incredibly impressed with many Hawks from a DFS perspective; I think they’ll just collectively dig in on the Wiz. Gun to head, I’d recommend Jeff Teague or Paul Millsap, but I don’t see a GPP-winning performance from either guy.

On the other side of the spectrum, I really like Marcin Gortat from the Wizards. On Monday, he only amassed 23.4 FDP against the Hawks, but this is a great matchup for him and he should excel more in what should be a lower scoring game than what we saw a few days ago- that means more rebounds.

John Wall had a tremendous game on Monday, but I think the Hawks will have something in place to make sure that doesn’t happen again. The Wizards’ point guard has gotten at least 50.7 FDP in the last four games, but a letdown is on the horizon.

Toronto Raptors @ Boston Celtics ( PK ) – O/U: 207.5

*Projected Pace Rate: 6th

I’m not particularly thrilled about rostering too many guys in this game, but we should see a close battle and that’s, at least, something to be excited about. These two teams just played each other on Friday, with the Raptors coming out on top. I think we’ll see a Celtics victory, but it won’t necessarily be handed to them.

Isaiah Thomas and Evan Turner were the only Celtics who reached double-digits in the last meeting, and both are certainly in play tonight. Jared Sullinger, ehhh, not so much. In five games since April 4, 2015, against the Raptors, Sullinger has scored a total (A TOTAL) of 55.6 FDP – if you possess the basic skills of adding/dividing, that’s an average of just over 11 per game. Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart wouldn’t be terrible options for a GPP.

Jonas Valanciunas and Patrick Patterson are in the lineup tonight, so Bismack Biyombo definitely isn’t as attractive tonight. We’ll wait to hear word of the plan is for this game, but as of now, it looks like we’ll have to make other plans at center.

Kyle Lowry had a tremendous game against the Celtics on Friday going for 47.3 FDP, and while the Celtics are the best team in the NBA defending point guards, their ranking this month is nowhere near that. I’d rather pay up for CP3, but I don’t think Lowry is a bad off-shoot to that. Don’t mind DeMar DeRozan either, but again, we can probably find someone better.

Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons ( -7 ) – O/U: 209

*Projected Pace Rate: 7th

It’s been a regular occurrence lately seeing the Pistons having great value and that certainly won’t stop against the Magic tonight. When we think of value plays, we think of guys that are priced at about $5000 or less, but Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson are underpriced for their matchups tonight.

Tobias Harris will certainly want to make an impression on his old team, although it really shouldn’t take much. The Magic give up a decent amount of fantasy points and rank 22nd in the NBA against power forwards this season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is OUT tonight, so Marcus Morris and Stanley Johnson become more intriguing as well.

I’m really not a fan of taking players going against the Pistons and nothing will change that feeling today, especially on a 12-game slate.

New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls ( -8.5 ) – O/U: 202.5

*Projected Pace Rank: T-8th

If this were 1995, we’d have a big rivalry, but it’s not so we don’t. The Knicks have all but thrown in the proverbial towel, yet have some guys that can put up some decent points against the Bulls. However, it’s going to be the Bulls that get it done easily tonight.

Jimmy Butler has scored at least 32 FDP in four of the five games since returning from injury. It’s time for him to have that over-the-top game, even with Derrick Rose in the lineup. The last time out against the Knicks, Butler had 40.8 FDP but you know who was out of the lineup. Speaking of you know who, D-Rose has a pretty good matchup against Jose Calderon but I don’t think the upside is there for GPP purposes.

With the Bulls having a nearly healthy roster, a lot of their cheaper players don’t have the upside they did a short while ago.

As I mentioned, it will surely be an uphill battle for the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony and Robin Lopez have seemingly good matchups, but I think it’s an even better spot for Aaron Afflalo. I imagine the Bulls will put Butler on Melo, which would leave Afflalo in a good spot. It’s a bit of a risky proposition, but on a 12-game slate, you have to separate yourself somewhere.

Lopez hasn’t fared well at all against the Bulls this season, posting totals of 9.6 and 16.2 FDP. If you don’t like stats, then tell me to go to hell, but this has certainly scared me off RoLo tonight.

Milwaukee Bucks @ Cleveland Cavaliers ( -11 ) – O/U: 206.5

*Projected Pace Rank: 12th

The Cavs are in a tremendous spot tonight, going at one of the worst teams in the NBA against wing players. We’ll basically see a mirror image battle with LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo tonight, and that one will be heavily viewed by yours truly on NBA League Pass. It’s not currently known whether the Cavs are going to rest anyone, but stay tuned to the news throughout the day. The two teams haven’t played each other since Nov.19 so it’s useless discussing what these teams did against each other this season.

LBJ went B-A-N-A-N-A-S against the hapless Nuggets on Monday. Some might be scared off if the Cavs have a full roster, but it may not even matter and we could see a similar type of performance tonight. The Bucks rank 24th in the NBA defending small forwards and he’s just a tad cheaper than some of the bigger names on the slate. I expect him to be one of the highest owned players tonight, based on the matchup and recency bias.

The Bucks struggle with rebounding, so guys like Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson are in for big nights. JR Smith also has a great matchup and he stepped up in a big way on Monday against the Nuggets, going for 34.3 FDP, his most in a while. Granted, a lot of that had to do with his usage rate going up with Love out of the lineup, but this favorable matchup tonight is too much to ignore.

The Bucks are out of the playoff race but they continue to be one of the most exciting teams in the NBA with their crop of young stars. However, they do run into a defensive powerhouse tonight and that makes some of their matchups seem a bit grimmer. The Greek Freak has toned down his production since reaching the five-figure mark and I’m not sure that he is a great play for your money tonight. He’ll have a decent total, but you should be able to make more of the salary cap in a couple different spots tonight. Khris Middleton is in play since the Cavs rank 23rd this month against shooting guards.

Sacramento Kings @ Minnesota Timberwolves ( -5 ) – O/U: 225

*Projected Pace Rank: 2nd

Fantasy goodness, how you doin? Both of teams are far away from a playoff spot, but it doesn’t mean they can’t have some fun. Some of the better $/pt guys reside in this game so you definitely want to make sure you have exposure here if you want to win some money.

We’ll start with the Kings, where DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo have the best outlooks. Boogie only played one game against the T-Wolves this year and he put up 49.4 FDP in that meeting. You’ll certainly be paying the premium for him tonight, but you know that you’re getting big production for your purchase each time out. Rondo double-doubled in both meetings this season and I feel like a lot of people have given up on him. With the possibility of a big free-agent contract coming up this summer, he’s still looking to add bullet points to his resume.

UPDATE: DeMarcus Cousins is OUT for tonight’s game

Rudy Gay, Darren Collison and Omri Casspi have favorable matchups for a discounted price. All three really don’t have optimistic numbers against the T-Wolves this season but are capable of having big performances any night out, especially in a matchup like this one.

The Baby Wolves have about as good of an outlook as anyone on the slate tonight. Ricky Rubio thrives in the up-tempo setting and that’ll make the lives of Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine a little easier as well. All three of these guys are set up to have very productive nights against a Kings defense that give up the third-most fantasy points in the NBA.

You can’t forget Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng in this game either. Both guys are lighting up the fantasy scoreboards and there’s no doubt that continues tonight.

Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets ( -1 ) – O/U: 201

*Projected Pace Rank: 10th

This is probably the most important game on the NBA docket this evening, as the two teams are jostling for that last playoff spot in the Western Conference. The NBA schedule makers really haven’t done the Rockets any favors this year, putting them in tough three-game stretches and difficult matchups on the back-end of back-to-backs. However, they are slim favorites tonight and I do think they all pull together and get the W tonight.

James Harden has been incredibly good on the back-end of B2Bs this season, but the Jazz defense is a bird of a different flock. The Beard doesn’t want to hear that, though, as he’s averaged 47.5 FDP against them in three games and improved his FDP each time out. There is the ankle issue and that is something that should be taken into consideration, but Harden was pretty damn awesome in OKC last night.

Patrick Beverley is my other favorite from the Rockets tonight. This guy continues to produce admirably at a cheap price and that is the lone spot to target the Jazz effectively. I don’t think anyone else is really worth taking the chance on from the Rockets, but this is America, do as you feel applicable.

The Jazz have a much more favorable outlook from a fantasy perspective. Rodney Hood, Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors are the guys to look at since the Rockets rank in the bottom of the NBA in all of those matchups. All three are reasonably priced and certainly worthy of a spot in your lineup.

Like I said, I do like the Rockets to win outright by doing it as a group effort, but the Jazz certainly have more favorable matchups.

Miami Heat @ San Antonio Spurs ( -11 ) – O/U: 197.5

*Projected Pace Rank: 11th

This is surely a marquee matchup, but it’s probably my least favorite game from a DFS perspective with the high spread and slow tempo. I do think Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge can be quite effective tonight. Their ownership percentages will probably be under 10% and that’s great for GPPs. You also have a Heat team on the back-end of a B2B and a Spurs team that blew a huge lead on Monday that’s definitely out looking for blood.

Philadelphia 76ers @ Denver Nuggets ( -8.5 ) – O/U: 215

*Projected Pace Rank: 4th

I like the Nuggets a lot tonight since the Sixers have to deal with the undesirable altitude factor. That’s bad news for the Sixers, who already have every angle in the book working against them as it is. The Nuggets get a nice boost in tempo for this matchup and should cruise to victory.

Emmanuel Mudiay has seen his minutes and production drop off during their recent East Coast road trip, but DJ Augustin has picked up the slack and exceeded 5x value in four of his last six games. You get Augustin for $1000 cheaper on FanDuel and that’s a spot that I’m looking at for sure.

There’s no word on Kenneth Faried yet, but if he’s in, that’s a great play. But if he’s out, then expect Darrell Arthur to pick up the slack. Will Barton and Nikola Jokic also have favorable matchups in this contest.

The Sixers have favorable matchups as well, even though the overall outlook for the team isn’t that great. Nerlens Noel goes up against a Nuggets defense that is an NBA-best against opposing centers this month, but he’s all they have in terms of talent down low. Jerami Grant has a more favorable outlook while Isaiah Canaan and Nik Stauskas look good against a Nuggets team that is fourth-worst in the NBA against shooting guards.

Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns ( -4.5 ) – O/U: 213.5

*Projected Pace Rank: 5th

The Lakers had a big win over the Grizzlies last night, but as we all know, it’s tough to come back with the same intensity on the back-end of a B2B. I like the Suns to win outright, but there are plenty of favorable options from both for us to feast on, without breaking the bank.

We’ll start with the Suns and Brandon Knight– since returning from injury, he’s performed amicably averaging 30.5 FDP in six games. He goes against the worst team in the NBA defending point guards and we should expect him to get as many as 40 FDP.

Devin Booker is still getting a ton of minutes, but the production has waned a bit in three of his last four games. However, his opponent tonight is the perfect remedy to get back on the good foot. I also don’t mind Alex Len, Tyson Chandler, Mirza Teletovic and PJ Tucker for this one.

D’Angelo Russell is listed as QUESTIONABLE for tonight’s game, and if he’s out, that gives a major boost to Jordan Clarkson. He was fantastic against the Grizzlies last night and he’ll have every opportunity for big minutes if Russell is out.

Kobe Bryant could be rested tonight, and if he is, then I have to go back to my man, Lou Williams aka The Black JJ Redick. Sweet Lou made me a proud fantasy owner on Friday night going against the same Suns where he dropped 39.1 FD. He typically doesn’t produce at his best when Kobe is in the lineup taking minutes away from him. The thing I love about Sweet Lou is that he’s usually in the lineup at the end of games; you need to have that since the Lakers are usually down at that point and he’s taking a ton of shots all over the joint.

I also don’t mind Julius Randle and Brandon Bass in this spot as well.

Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors ( -10 ) – O/U: 225

*Projected Pace Rank: 1st

The Clippers have been pretty competitive against the defending champs this year but haven’t been able to come through with the W yet. Don’t look for that to happen this time around, but we could have some very productive nights from both teams.

Chris Paul has averaged 45 FDP against the Warriors this season and he’s one of the top $/pt plays on the entire slate tonight. Point guards have been doing wonders against the Warriors this year, and this will probably be the Clippers last crack at them unless they meet in the playoffs. Let’s call it motivation, or the fastest pace of the night that incites this big performance.

DeAndre Jordan, JJ Redick and Jeff Green are all decent sources of value as well. DeAndre went for 51.7 FDP last time they met.

On the other side of things, we’ve got ourselves a smorgasbord of fantasy goodness. There’s never a bad word to say about Stephen Curry for many reasons, and he’s averaged 48.8 FDP against the Clippers this year. Curry is a little more expensive than CP3, but you know you’re paying that extra $700 on FanDuel for some magical hopefulness.

Andrew Bogut has missed two games against the Clippers this year, and it seems like number three is on deck. The last time these two faced off, Draymond Green had a triple-double even though he had a tough assignment on the defensive end trying to slow down DeAndre. Regardless of whether the Warriors try this again, DayDayG should have another excellent statistical output.

Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes have also had great performances against the Clippers this year. Thompson ordered up a 50-burger in their last meeting and Barnes has averaged 29.3 FDP in the three matchups, which makes him one of the best value plays on the board tonight at his $4300 price tag.

Dallas Mavericks @ Portland Trail Blazers ( -6 ) – O/U: 215

*Projected Pace Rank: T-8th

This is another matchup of Western Conference teams battling for a playoff spot, so the landscape could look a lot different when the night is over. These two teams faced off on Sunday with the Mavs coming out on top, scoring 132 points in the process. The Blazers will definitely come out strong, as most teams do coming off a loss in a home-and-home series.

The Mavs took a major hit with the news of Chandler Parsons being ruled out for the season, but Deron Williams stepped up immediately with a massive 31 point-16 assist performance. He did say after the game that he felt the need to be more aggressive in his absence and I think we should definitely expect that same type of attack tonight. The Blazers will undoubtedly come up with a gameplan to not let recent history repeat itself, but D-Will is a great play for this price tonight. The Blazers also have the fifth-worst rank in the NBA defending point guards this month.

I’m also very intrigued by Dirk Nowitzki, whose been playing more of the center position lately. This gives him a great matchup against a Blazers team that will struggle to defend Dirk on the perimeter without a guy like Myles Leonard in the lineup.

Guys like Wesley Matthews, Raymond Felton, JJ Barea and David Lee all see a bump in minutes and production without Parsons in the lineup.

On Sunday, we also saw Salah Mejri play a whopping 33 minutes and he had a stat line of 13 pts-14 reb-6 blk that cashed him out at 43.3 FDP. He’s an unbelievably incredible risk considering he played a total of 12 minutes combined in the nine games leading up to Sunday. However, with the injury to Parsons, we could see a lot more of him.

UPDATE: Talk about timing, Salah Mejri has replaced Zaza Pachulia in tonight’s starting lineup

The Blazers have a great outlook tonight and we should expect Damian Lillard to come out firing against D-Will and the Mavs. Lillard got manhandled in that matchup on Sunday and star players certainly have the “That’s that shit I don’t…like” approach to things like that. Lillard has already been fairly productive against the Mavs this season, accumulating totals of 47.6 and 39.8 FDP in the two meetings against them this season.

It’s really a two-trick pony (much better than having only one trick) for the Blazers, so the only other guy I’d seriously consider is CJ McCollum. The Mavs are in the middle of the pack defending shooting guards, but since the Blazers are expected to come out…blazing (pun intended), I think he can do well here too. Mason Plumlee has a good statistical matchup as the Mavs are fourth-worst in the NBA against centers this month, but I don’t like his ceiling on a nightly basis.