These fantasy basketball picks will lead your lineups into the money tonight!

These plays are intended to help you gain a solid return on salary (at least 2.5X, with the ideal level being 3x or higher) with each player you roster. Sometimes I will highlight a minimum salary player, and the intent is to maximize the number of roster spots where you have potential to hit 3X salary. Keep in mind that a minimum-priced player on DraftDay is even more valuable than a minimum-salary player elsewhere, due to the large gap in pricing with a $100,000 cap. Another key to remember is that in DFS, late injury news can be HUGE when deciding your final rosters. Just because someone was a great play in the morning doesn’t necessarily mean that better options won’t arise throughout the day. Monitor Twitter closely before locking in your lineups.

Today’s Top Plays

Guard:

Ricky Rubio ($13,550) at Houston – While my love for Rubio has been well documented, so has his ability to stuff the stat sheet. He is finally playing a full compliment of minutes, and he is producing at a very high level. He has 40.50 and 44.25 FP in his last two contests, and now draws a matchup against the Houston Rockets who may be without Patrick Beverley, who is “Questionable” for tonight’s contest.

Deron Williams ($11,100) at Denver – Jarrett Jack is listed as “Doubtful” once again, so you know what that means. Fire up Williams as a nice value play with big upside. He posted an impressive 12/4/15 line against the Lakers in Jack’s absence last game, and while I don’t expect those numbers again, he should be a safe bet to hit value in the game that Vegas has pegged as the closest on the board at -2.

Avery Bradley ($9,950) at Phoenix – I highlighted Bradley last night, and after another impressive performance, I went ahead and reserved his spot in my article once again. He’s playing big minutes (41, 42 in last two), and is the most reliable scorer for Boston outside of new addition Isaiah Thomas. His price is much lower than it should be. I’m loading up on Bradley, who has averaged 43 FP per game over his last two.

Eric Gordon ($10,700) vs Toronto - Gordon is in line for a big bump in usage with both Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson sidelined. His usage rate with both off the court is a solid 27.6%. He comes in at a discount of more than $3,000 from Tyreke Evans, and I’ll take the discount tonight.

Forward:

James Harden ($20,800) vs Minnesota - I don’t need to tell you why “The Beard” is the top overall play on this slate, but I’ll give you a little bit of a nudge anyway. He is averaging 30.5/8/4 against Minnesota in 2 games this season, and is coming off his first game playing under 30 minutes since January 3rd. This MVP candidate should be well rested for this battle.

Terrence Jones ($9,200) vs Minnesota - Harden’s teammate comes in as one of my favorite value plays on the slate. The Josh Smith experiment was nice, but Jones is making his way into the rotation, with 54 minutes played in two games since his return, during which he scored 58.50 FP. He has a solid floor and nice ceiling tonight due to his ability to contribute in every category.

Brandon Bass ($7,400) at Phoenix - Bass has been playing huge minutes since Jared Sullinger was ruled out for the season, and as long as Kelly Olynyk doesn’t return tonight, he makes for a great value once again. If Olynyk suits up, I wouldn’t mind pivoting to Jae Crowder ($6,050) to get some exposure to this high total (213.5).

Pau Gasol ($17,650) vs Milwaukee - Taj Gibson is OUT for tonight’s contest, and Joakim Noah was seen limping during the Bulls’ last game. You know what this means. Pau Gasol is in line for a MONSTER line against a Milwaukee frontcourt that has been dominated recently. You know what to do. Get Gasol in your lineups.

Center:

Hassan Whiteside ($13,900) vs Philadelphia - Hello, old (new) friend. Whiteside will find his way into my lineups tonight as an alternative to DeAndre Jordan, who is nearly $4,000 more and matched up against Marc Gasol. Whiteside draws a much softer matchup and is in play in all formats.

You can find me on Twitter @BigItaly42 and I’d love to help you out with any questions you have about determining salary, finding value, or any lineup construction tips!