The thing about the NBA is that there’s a lot of injuries. Like, a lot of injuries. In fact, of the 15 highest-priced players on tonight’s eight-game featured slate, 10 are either ruled out or are listed on their team’s injury report. Fun.
Yet we power through. Injuries just mean opportunities for value. Here are my favorite places to save on the hardcourt this evening.
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PG/SG Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic at New York Knicks, $4,900
There’s two ways to attack the Magic on Monday. On the one hand, you could take a massive swing with an asset like Jett Howard ($3,000), who is priced at the bare minimum and is coming off posting a team-high 30.1% usage rate in Sunday’s loss to the Jazz. On the other hand, you could take a slightly safer route and hope for a Cole Anthony bounce-back performance. I think I’ll do the latter, not that the former doesn’t have its own appeal. Orlando is now playing without Jalen Suggs (back), on top of Paolo Banchero (oblique) and Franz Wagner (oblique), which means Anthony is back in the Magic’s starting five. The former first-round pick struggled with foul trouble and poor shooting against Utah, yet he was phenomenal in Friday’s contest versus the Raptors — the game where the aforementioned Suggs sustained his injury. That night, Anthony dished out 11 assists and finished with 31.5 FPTS. That’s the kind of showing I’m banking on this evening.
PG/SG Jaden Hardy, Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies, $4,500
With Luka Doncic (calf) and Kyrie Irving (illness) sidelined, the Mavericks will need to utilize their guard depth in Monday’s tilt against the Grizzlies — a game which owns this slate’s second-highest implied total. The reason for the expected statistical fireworks? Both of these teams rank inside the top 10 in the NBA in pace, with Memphis actually leading the league, averaging an eye-popping 105.4 possessions per 48 minutes. Dallas played without both Doncic and Irving on Friday against the Cavaliers. Quentin Grimes ($5,500) moved into the starting lineup and registered 26 points and 39.0 FPTS. He remains a viable option on Monday’s slate, yet I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the cheaper Hardy as another option. In that same loss to Cleveland, Hardy led all Mavericks’ reserves in minutes (25.0) and points (17), finishing with 27.75 FPTS of his own. For 2024-25 as a whole, Hardy’s 23.6% usage rate with Doncic and Irving off the floor ranks second on Dallas’ roster.
SG/SF Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Dallas Mavericks, $5,300
To say there will be some star power missing from this contest would be a massive understatement. On top of the aforementioned Doncic and Irving on Dallas’ side of the ledger, Memphis will be without Ja Morant (shoulder) and will likely be without Desmond Bane ($8,100; ankle), who is listed as doubtful to suit up. First and foremost, this should all make Jaren Jackson Jr. ($9,100) one of the slate’s top options at center, as the big man possesses a huge 34.1% usage rate with his two decorated teammates off the floor in 2024-25. I’d also put the spotlight on Wells. The rookie is in the midst of a fantastic campaign and he’s less than a week removed from setting his career-high with 30 points against the Kings on January 3. He should see additional volume with Bane sidelined on Monday and he’s obviously showcased his DFS ceiling. He’s worth a serious look on this slate.
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
