There are eight NBA games on Monday’s slate.
ORL and SAC are playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
As for injuries, Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, RJ Barrett, D’Angelo Russell, Ben Simmons, Kelly Oubre Jr., Miles McBride, Haywood Highsmith, Andre Jackson Jr., Josh Minott and Kyle Lowry are questionable. Desmond Bane and Josh Richardson are doubtful. Cam Thomas, Cameron Johnson, Jaden Ivey, Jimmy Butler, Luke Kennard and Royce O’Neale are out. Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, there is one double-digit favorite: NYK -10 over ORL. There are three games within three points: PHI -3 over PHO, SA -1.5 over CHI and SAC -2.5 over MIA. There is one game with a total of at least 230: SA/CHI (236.5). There are two games with a total at 220 or below: ORL/NYK (209) and LAC/MIN (213.5). Log into DK Sportsbook for the updates.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons vs. Portland Trail Blazers ($9,700): Cade Cunningham has certainly leveled up in his fourth NBA season. Some of the improvement has been straight development, but moves by the front office have provided more spacing and accentuated his strengths. Unfortunately, the Pistons lost Jaden Ivey to injury two games ago and he was arguably the No. 2 option for the Pistons. Cunningham has filled the void, garnering a usage rate of 33 and 38 percent. On the season, he had a 31 percent usage rate. Cunningham has put up 63.5 and 37.25 FPTS in the last two games. He only played 29 minutes in the 37.25 performance due to foul trouble. Portland is 27th in defensive efficiency.
Other Options: Scottie Barnes ($9,500), Jalen Brunson ($9,000) if Towns is out, Tyrese Haliburton ($8,400), Zach LaVine ($8,200), Immanuel Quickley ($7,000), Coby White ($6,900), Spencer Dinwiddie ($6,500), Anfernee Simons ($6,400), Devin Vassell ($6,100)
Value
Keon Johnson, Brooklyn Nets vs. Indiana Pacers ($5,300): Keon Johnson has started the last 14 games, but he hit 20 FPTS only once in the first six contests. Since then, he’s gone over 20 FPTS in every game with two over 30. On Saturday, he played 36 minutes and finished with 39 FPTS. Granted, it was in a blowout, but D’Angelo Russell is questionable for Monday while Cam Thomas is out for two weeks. There should be opportunities for Johnson to rack up fantasy goodies. Indiana is 24th in defensive efficiency.
Other Options: Bennedict Mathurin ($5,800), Malik Beasley ($5,600), Quentin Grimes ($5,500), Andrew Nembhard ($5,100), Scoot Henderson ($5,000), Cole Anthony ($4,900) if he starts, Toumani Camara ($4,700)
Forward
Stud
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies vs. Dallas Mavericks ($9,100): The matchup isn’t great, as Dallas is 11th in defensive efficiency. That said, Ja Morant is out while Desmond Bane is doubtful. With both out this season, Jaren Jackson Jr. has seen a 4.97 percent usage bump. Over the last three games, Jackson Jr. has attempted at least 21 shots in all, finishing with 41.25, 44.5 and 66 FPTS. Bane played in all of those.
Other Options: Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,300), Scottie Barnes ($9,500), Kevin Durant ($9,300), Zach LaVine ($8,200), Pascal Siakam ($6,900), Deni Avdija ($6,600), Devin Vassell ($6,100)
Value
Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons vs. Portland Trail Blazers ($5,400): For much of the season, Tobias Harris has been lackluster. Over the last three games, though, he’s put up over 30 FPTS in all with a high of 49 FPTS. He had not sniffed 30 FPTS in the prior seven games. The increase in production coincided with the injury to Jaden Ivey, who is likely done for the season. Most importantly, he’s played 34, 36 and 35 minutes, after being sub-30 in five of the prior six games.
Other Options: Bennedict Mathurin ($5,800), Quentin Grimes ($5,500), Tristan da Silva ($5,100), Jake LaRavia ($5,000) if Morant and Bane are out, Toumani Camara ($4,700), Ausar Thompson ($4,600), Precious Achiuwa ($4,500) if Towns is out
Center
Stud
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs at Chicago Bulls ($11,100): Victor Wembanyama truly is a unicorn. He’s 7-foot-3 yet can make it rain from downtown. He has a handle package that allows him to cross over defenders. He can dunk a basketball like the Monstars from Space Jam. You want 10 blocks? Ain’t no problem. 20 rebounds? Just another day at the office. How about 40 points? Is that one of them rhetorical questions? The remarkable thing is that we haven’t seen the ceiling yet. In the last two games against Nikola Jokic, Wembanyama put up over 60 FPTS. Now he faces a Bulls team that plays at the fourth-fastest pace and is 22nd in defensive efficiency.
Other Options: Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,300), Kevin Durant ($9,300), Jaren Jackson Jr. ($9,100), Goga Bitadze ($7,300), Myles Turner ($6,400), Deandre Ayton ($6,300)
Value
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers ($5,700): Gobert began the season priced in the high-6k to low-7k range. Now he’s crashed below 6k for the first time this season. Gobert has finished with 16 and 14.75 FPTS in the last two games. He’s just too cheap and is still playing around 30 minutes a game. Gobert averages 1 FPTS per minute and, in two games against the Clippers this season, finished with 30 and 41.75 FPTS.
Other Options: Zach Edey ($5,400), Dereck Lively II ($5,300), Precious Achiuwa ($4,500) if Towns is out, Andre Drummond ($4,100) if Embiid is out
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is sontzu) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
