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UPDATE: Kyrie Irving (shoulder) has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the Pacers.
We’ve got a nice little nine-gamer in the NBA on DraftKings for tonight, and as always value is key. We won’t get too many injuries that open up spots for players priced $5K or lower, so we can start to sift through some options early on in the afternoon. The only place to keep an eye on is the Indiana Pacers with Domantas Sabonis (hip), who is questionable to play tonight vs. the Brooklyn Nets.
Anyway, let’s get into some bargain options.
Point Guard
Malik Monk, CHA at TOR, $5,000 — Monk’s past four games have shown what type of player the lottery pick could turn out to be. Sandwiched in between a handful of strong games is his game-winner vs. the Detroit Pistons last Friday. He’s got at least 25.5 DraftKings fantasy points in each of the past four games and is seeing consistent minutes and usage.
Donte DiVincenzo, MIL at CHI, $4,000 — DiVincenzo has made his way into the Milwaukee Bucks’ starting lineup with Khris Middleton on the sideline. He’s had mixed results the past two games, but is coming off 14 points Saturday vs. the Pacers. I think as long as this game stays close and DiVincenzo gets around 20-25 minutes, he should return value given the matchup.
Shooting Guard
Rodney Hood, POR at HOU, $4,700 — This game environment should play right into Hood’s strengths as a sharp-shooter. With Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum struggling a bit by their standards, Hood has stepped up the past two games, scoring a combined 41 points with over 30 minutes per game. The O/U is up around 230 on DraftKings Sportsbook, which is perfect for Hood, who needs to score to return value.
Frank Ntilikina, NYK vs. CLE, $4,100 — Frank the Tank is one of very few point guards on the New York Knicks’ roster. Elfrid Payton is still out and Dennis Smith Jr. has been banished to the bench. Ntilikina has played at least 28 minutes in five of the past six games, so at this price point in this matchup he’s got plenty of upside.
Small Forward
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, TOR vs. CHA, $4,700 — I’m going to keep riding RHJ until the Raptors get healthy. OG Anunoby ($4,600) is expected to return, but Serge Ibaka remains out, so Hollis-Jefferson should continue to see minutes off the bench at SF and PF. I like OG as a value in this spot also, but he’ll have higher ownership, so RHJ more of a GPP pivot.
Danuel House Jr., HOU vs. POR, $3,700 — The Rockets will welcome House back given how thin they are in the front court. Clint Capela is out, Tyson Chandler is starting at center, and P.J. Tucker is also playing center in crunch time. House brings some much-needed size and should jump right back to playing big minutes.
Power Forward
Maxi Kleber, DAL vs. SAS, $4,200 — With Dwight Powell and Boban Marjanovich out last game, Kleber played a ton of minutes, 38 to be exact. Powell should return tonight vs. the Spurs, but I think Kleber will still be plenty involved. The Mavericks need Kleber as a big body down low and he has a decent floor for a cheap GPP target.
Daniel Theis, BOS at PHX, $4,000 — The Celtics are on a tough road stretch and should keep leaning on Theis as the best option down low. He’ll lead Boston in boards on most nights and eat up fouls so Jayson Tatum and others don’t have to. The Suns don’t boast a great rebounding rate, mostly getting beat on the offensive glass.
Center
Enes Kanter, BOS at PHX, $4,000 — If you’re not into Theis, who is more of a cash option if anything, Kanter isn’t bad for tournaments. He’s played three straight games now and is starting to get 100% healthy, which is good for the Celtics, who need his size. We know what Kanter is capable of if he gets the minutes, so a ceiling game could return big value.