DraftKings’ main slate for Monday includes the first eight games of the night. Below, I dive into three of my favorite DFS options to consider for this slate.
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C, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans, $12,300
Jokic is on the heels of a 83.25 DraftKings point performance vs. the Hornets and now gets a dream matchup vs. the Pelicans. On top of ranking 28th in defensive efficiency, New Orleans is giving up the second-most points in the paint and third-most rebounds in the league. Opposing centers have been destroying the Pelicans on a nightly basis and Jokic is well worth this slate-high salary in this gorgeous spot.
The Nuggets will be at home, where Jokic is 2.1 FPTS per game better than when on the road this season and Denver boasts the highest implied team total on the slate Monday at 126.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. When playing at home and behind an implied team total of at least 120 points this season, Jokic has been incredible with 79 FPTS per game (four games).
SG, Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings at Minnesota Timberwolves, $3,500
After weeks of speculation and rumors, the Kings traded De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs last night as part of a three-team deal that also sent Kevin Huerter to the Bulls. Sacramento received Zach LaVine in return, but the shooting guard is not expected to make his Kings debut Monday. Fox has missed three games for Sacramento this season and Ellis has been great as a starter on those occasions, scoring 26.8 FPTS in 31.9 minutes per game. Huerter played in all three of those contests and his absence in addition to Fox should result in close to 35 minutes for Ellis on Monday.
The Timberwolves rank sixth in defensive efficiency this season, but Ellis is simply too cheap for the type of volume he will see Monday with the Kings understaffed. This season, the guard is generating 0.9 FPTS per minute with both Fox and Huerter off the floor and Ellis is averaging 33.7 FPTS per game in the seven instances he has cracked the 30-minute mark.
SG/SF, Trey Murphy, New Orleans Pelicans at Denver Nuggets, $7,800
Murphy has topped 50 FPTS in back-to-back games and Dejounte Murray (Achilles) is now out for the season. Zion Williamson ($8,500, illness) will return after missing one game, but Brandon Ingram (ankle) still remains sidelined. Murphy should see a huge role for the foreseeable future as one of the Pelicans’ top options and he should exceed five-times with ease against this Nuggets defense that ranks 20th in defensive efficiency.
With both Murray and Ingram off the court this season, Murphy’s usage rises 4.4 percentage points to 28.1% and he produces 1.2 FPTS per minute. This game’s 242-point total on DraftKings Sportsbook is the highest on the slate and Murphy has been a stud in totals of at least 235 points this season, supplying 45.3 FPTS per game (four games).
