The NBA keeps basketball’s big month bouncing on this Monday, March 24, with a six-game slate that gets started at 7:00 p.m. ET. With a dozen teams to consider, there are plenty of options to mix into your roster construction process. Three of those 12 teams stand out as top options for stacking in your NBS DFS lineups.
On Monday’s slate, the Nuggets, Pelicans, Raptors, and 76ers are playing for the second day in a row while the Mavericks and Magic will turn around and play again on Tuesday. As we get closer to tip-off, be sure to check back for updates on our daily injury report and be sure to adjust your lineup accordingly.
The NBA DFS main slate includes a variety of contests and pay-out structures on DraftKings, headlined by the NBA $300K Floor General [$100K to 1st].
Denver Nuggets vs. Chicago Bulls
The Nuggets come home to finish their back-to-back set against the Bulls, who have played at the second-fastest pace in the NBA over their last 10 games. If Nikola Jokic (ankle) misses a sixth straight game as expected, there will again be plenty of usage for the rest of the team in this up-tempo environment. They got a nice road win in Houston on Sunday night without The Joker and will look to carry over that momentum to Monday’s matchup as well. Keep a close eye on their injury report since they did list Jamal Murray ($8,100; ankle), Christian Braun ($6,000; foot), and Aaron Gordon ($6,500; calf/ankle) as probable before all three were cleared to play on Sunday.
Core Plays: Murray stepped up on Sunday with 39 points and 56 fantasy points in Denver’s win, and has at least 42 fantasy points in three of his last four games despite battling that ankle issue. Michael Porter Jr. ($6,800) has also been solid with at least 17 points in four of his last five games and over 29 fantasy points in four of those contests. Gordon was a little quieter last night but still had 32.5 fantasy points on 13 points, eight assists, and four boards in 37 minutes. He has over 30 fantasy points in each of the five games Jokic has missed, averaging 38.2 fantasy points per game.
Value Options: Peyton Watson ($4,400) played just 21 minutes on Sunday since DeAndre Jordan ($3,000) started based on matchup and ended up playing 38 minutes. Watson was still effective with 26.25 fantasy points, but Jordan went off for 38.75 fantasy points with 11 points, 15 rebounds and four assists. If Jordan starts again, he’s worth a flier at the minimum salary, but he also could fall entirely out of the rotation.
Philadelphia 76ers at New Orleans Pelicans
The Sixers were my top stack on Sunday, and they delivered solid value for the most part in a favorable matchup against the Hawks. They get another great matchup on Monday as they visit the Pelicans, who are also finishing a back-to-back. While the injury report for this game will be critical to watch, the Sixers will be excellent options to build around if they have the same players available on Monday. For Sunday, they were without Tyrese Maxey (back/finger), Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee), Andre Drummond (toe), Adem Bona (ankle) and Lonnie Walker IV (concussion) while Oshea Brissett (knee) left the game early and did not return.
Core Plays: The Sixers continue to rely heavily on Quentin Grimes ($9,000) who is shining with more opportunity down the stretch. He has over 42 fantasy points in seven straight games, including a massive 46-point game in Houston that earned him 76.75 fantasy points. That game was also the second game of a back-to-back set.
Value Options: Justin Edwards ($5,000) has been the latest player from the supporting cast to step up alongside Grimes, with at least 18 points and 31 DraftKings points in four straight. Jeff Dowtin ($5,000) moved into the starting lineup on Sunday and had 17 points and 36 DraftKings points after not playing at all for two games due to a coach’s decision. When active, he has been very solid along with Guerschon Yabusele ($5,600) and Ricky Council IV ($4,900) who are getting more minutes. If Brissett is out, Chuma Okeke ($4,500) and Alex Reese ($3,700) will step into more work in the frontcourt.
Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards
Like both the Nuggets and Sixers, the Raptors are playing on the second night of back-to-back games, so be sure to check the injury report carefully before locking in your NBA DFS lineups built around these stacks. The ceiling for the Raptors is very high, though, since they’re facing the Wizards.
Core Plays: Scottie Barnes ($8,700) had 22 points and 43 fantasy points in 30 minutes against the Spurs on Sunday, while RJ Barrett ($7,800) had just 27.25 fantasy points in 30 minutes. Either of them could get this game off since Immanuel Quickley ($6,600) and Jakob Poeltl ($5,800) got Sunday off for “rest.” Both of them will be in smash spots if they return, since both point guards and centers have dominated the Wizards this season. Quickley had 21 points and 43 fantasy points against the Warriors on Thursday and has over 35 fantasy points in three straight and four of his last five, including a 56.25-fantasy point performance against the Jazz.
Value Options: Depending on who sits and who plays, there could be big value on the wings for the Raptors or almost none at all. Ochai Agbaji ($4,200) has been one player getting consistent minutes. He has played 24+ minutes in each of his last five games without an early departure due to injury and has over 15 fantasy points in each of those games. Ja’Kobe Walter ($4,300) had 20.25 fantasy points in his return from a hip injury on Sunday and has 20+ fantasy points in each of his last three. If he sits on Monday, AJ Lawson ($4,700) would likely pick up extra minutes and usage.
