NBA DFS Preview – First Look (4/5)

After a day off Monday, the NBA presents a loaded 12-game DFS slate Tuesday. April is the craziest month of the regular season, so be sure to keep tabs on all of the news throughout the day.

Be sure to check out the FTN NBA Optimizer. 

NBA Vegas Data for April 5 | NBA DFS First Look

Philadelphia 76ers @ Indiana Pacers

PHI -11.5, total: 233.5
Pace: PHI (26th), IND (17th)

Situations to monitor:

• Malcolm Brogdon, Goga Bitadze and T.J. McConnell are listed as questionable. Chris Duarte will remain out.

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Orlando Magic

CLE -8.5, total: 217.5
Pace: CLE (26th), ORL (11th)

Situations to monitor:

• Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley will remain sidelined for Cleveland.
• For Orlando, Wendell Carter (wrist) has been ruled out. Meanwhile, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner are all questionable to play.

Houston Rockets @ Brooklyn Nets

BKN -17, total: 243.5
Pace: HOU (2nd), BKN (10th)

Situations to monitor:

• Christian Wood, Dennis Schroder and Eric Gordon will miss the remainder of the season.
• Seth Curry and James Johnson are listed as questionable for Brooklyn. Goran Dragic is out.

Charlotte Hornets @ Miami Heat

MIA -5.5, total: 226
Pace: CHA (4th), MIA (29th)

Situations to monitor:

• Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker, Caleb Martin and Dewayne Dedmon are listed as questionable for Miami.

Atlanta Hawks @ Toronto Raptors

TOR -4, total: 226
Pace: ATL (19th), TOR (25th)

Situations to monitor:

• OG Anunoby (thigh) is listed as questionable. 
• For Atlanta, John Collins remains out, while Bogdan Bogdanovic and Danilo Gallinari are listed as questionable.

Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls

MIL -5.5, total: 232.5
Pace: MIL (6th), CHI (16th)

Situations to monitor:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo is listed as probable.

Washington Wizards @ Minnesota Timberwolves

MIN -12.5, total: 237.5
Pace: WAS (23rd), MIN (1st)

Situations to monitor:

• Kyle Kuzma will remain out for Washington.

Portland Trail Blazers @ Oklahoma City Thunder

OKC -3.5, total: 222.5
Pace: POR (14th), OKC (12th)

Situations to monitor:

• Seemingly everyone is out from this game.

San Antonio Spurs @ Denver Nuggets

DEN -9, total: 234.5
Pace: SAS (4th), DEN (20th)

Situations to monitor:

• Dejounte Murray (illness) has been ruled out. 

Memphis Grizzlies @ Utah Jazz

UTA -5.5, total: 224.5
Pace: MEM (3rd), UTA (22nd)

Situations to monitor:

• Ja Morant will remain sidelined while Dillon Brooks (hip) is listed as doubtful.

New Orleans Pelicans @ Sacramento Kings

NOP -7.5, total: 225.5
Pace: NOP (21st), SAC (6th)

Situations to monitor:

• De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis remain out for Sacramento. Alex Len (back) is listed as questionable.
• Jonas Valanciunas (ankle) is listed as questionable.

Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns

PHX -11.5, total: 232.5
Pace: LAL (6th), PHX (9th)

Situations to monitor:

• LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both listed as questionable for Los Angeles. 

Matchups to Target | NBA DFS First Look

Karl-Anthony Towns vs. Washington Wizards

Centers have found plenty of success against the Wizards all year long, so I definitely have interest in Towns here. Washington is coughing up the fourth-most points (25.07) and ninth-most rebounds per game (15.64) to opposing centers this season. They have also struggled to defend centers out of the pick-and-roll, coughing up the sixth-most points per game to the roll man (1.18), as well as the fifth-highest field goal percentage off the play type (54.5%). The Wizards are also allowing the most post-up points per game on the year (7.1), to go along with the fourth-most points per possession off the play type (1.01). That bodes well for Towns, who is averaging a healthy 3.1 points per game out of the post (8th-most), while shooting 54% off the play type.

Darius Garland vs. Orlando Magic

Garland has been outstanding all season long, but especially as of late. He has recorded double-digit assists in 12 of his last 17 games and over the last 15 games, Garland ranks third in the NBA in assist points created per game (25.5), while his 17.3 potential assists per game during that span are good for the fifth-most in basketball. Finally, during that 15-game stretch, only Nikola Jokic is averaging more offensive touches per game than Garland’s 91.8 per contest. He is doing everything for this team, while logging massive minutes, averaging over 37 per game over his last six outings. Now he gets a matchup with the Magic, who are allowing the 10th-highest field goal percentage to opposing shooters off screens this season (40.1%). With a 29.3% usage rate and 24% assist rate over the last two weeks, Garland should remain heavily involved Tuesday.

Tyler Herro vs. Charlotte Hornets

Herro has been very solid as of late, scoring at least 33 fantasy points in each of his last four games. And ahead of Tuesday’s game, he could be thrust into a larger role, as Miami has a handful of players on the injury report, including Kyle Lowry. With Lowry off the floor this season, Herro is sporting a team-high 29.5% usage rate, while averaging 1.08 fantasy points per minute in the split. Charlotte is still a poor defense, allowing the seventh-most points per game to opposing shooting guards on the season (22.52), putting Herro firmly in play regardless of who is available for the Heat. However, if Lowry sits out, Herro becomes an elite mid-range option on this slate.

Value Plays | NBA DFS First Look

Tre Jones vs. DEN — With Dejounte Murray sidelined for San Antonio, Jones will have to continue to step up. He’s now scored 32.75 and 40.25 fantasy points over his last two games, both of which have been starts. Over the course of the season, Jones is sporting a healthy 21% assist rate, while averaging a solid 0.90 fantasy points per minute with Murray off the floor.