This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Tuesday's six-game slate features four of the most explosive players in the league in James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, along with an excellent second tier of superstars. Let's dive in to where the dollars are best allocated:
GUARDS
James Harden, HOU vs. SAC ($62): Harden shot just three of 17 against the Pacers on Sunday but had exploded for a jaw-dropping 90.1 fantasy points just one game earlier against the Sixers. He'd also scored between 53.2 and 57.2 fantasy points in the three previous contests, and will now face a Kings defense that's given up the eighth-most fantasy points (40.54) to shooting guards, along with the fourth-most points (22.8), fifth-highest field-goal percentage (44.9), and most three-pointers (3.5) per game to the position.
Brandon Jennings, NY at WAS ($10): Teammate Courtney Lee makes for another very appealing minimum priced option at guard Tuesday, but Jennings gets the nod assuming Derrick Rose is out with his sprained ankle. He'll have a better chance of racking up fantasy points given how often he'll be expected to handle the ball, and he scored 41.1 fantasy points in Sunday's quadruple-overtime saga versus the Hawks while drawing the start for Rose. He also scored between 20.9 to 28.1 fantasy points in two of the previous three games, making him an outright steal with minimal risk.
Guard to Avoid
Damian Lillard, POR vs. CHA ($43): Lillard is a bit overpriced based on recent performance, as he's scored fewer than 40 fantasy points in five of the last seven games. He's also shot under 50 percent in 11 straight games, and checks in more expensive than better options such as Kyle Lowry ($42), DeMar DeRozan ($42), Kemba Walker ($39) and teammate C.J. McCollum ($35).
FORWARDS
Kawhi Leonard, SA vs. OKC ($43): While DeMarcus Cousins ($54) has been outstanding all season -- and even more so following Rudy Gay's season-ending Achilles injury on Jan. 18 -- he'll be playing for the fourth time in five nights and on the second night of a back-to-back. Leonard can be had for a discount and will face off against a Thunder squad that's given up the eighth-most fantasy points (40.60) to small forwards, along with the fifth-highest field-goal percentage (46.0). He also had a three-game streak of over 50 fantasy points earlier in January as well, a testament to the impressive upside.
Evan Turner, POR vs. CHA ($15): The Hornets have yielded the seventh-most points (20.5) and most assists (3.9) to small forwards, along with 39.70 fantasy points per game. Turner is running with the first unit and has scored between 20.1 and 32.8 fantasy points in the last four games, with double-digit scoring efforts in three of those contests. He's put up an average of 11.3 shots per game over that span, giving him a solid usage rate relative to his very modest price. Turner also provides plenty across the stat sheet even when he's not heavily involved on the offensive end, adding to his relatively high floor.
Forward to Avoid
Luol Deng, LAL vs. DEN ($16): Deng has scored between 8.7 to 15.9 fantasy points over the last five contests, and he faces a Nuggets squad that's given up the fifth-fewest fantasy points (36.62) per game to small forwards. He's posted five straight single-digit scoring efforts, and checks in as a costlier option than Evan Turner ($15), Marvin Williams ($15) and Maurice Harkless ($13).
CENTERS
Anthony Davis, NO at TOR ($51): There's always the risk of seeing Davis trudging back to the locker room with an injury when you roster him, but he's the clear-cut, highest-upside choice at center Tuesday. The Brow reminded everyone of his ceiling when he exploded for 65.4 fantasy points on Sunday, and he had over 40 fantasy points in the three previous games when he played a full allotment of minutes. He'll take on a Raptors defense that's given up the eighth-most points (21.4) to centers, along with a robust 14.3 rebounds per game.
Ivica Zubic, LAL vs. DEN ($10): There are already whispers of Zubic potentially starting in the near future, talk that seems warranted after he scored 29.0 and 29.5 fantasy points over the previous two games, respectively. Those are excellent returns on his minimum price, and he could be poised to deliver again against a Nuggets defense that will be without Nikola Jokic (hip) down low and is already giving up the third-highest field-goal percentage (56.8) to centers.
Center to Avoid
Joakim Noah, NY at WAS ($13): Noah is coming off a 40-minute stint in Sunday's quadruple-overtime game against the Hawks, and he will likely still be feeling the effects to an extent Tuesday. Before he scored 39.3 fantasy points in that game, Noah had scored between 7.4 and 13.6 fantasy points in the three games prior, playing fewer than 19 minutes in each of those contests. With a level of playing time and overall usage that's hard to trust, he presents as an avoid candidate.
