They say that Christmas is the unofficial start of the NBA season, but allow me to submit the first Monday after the end of the NFL’s regular season. I mean, obviously we’re all looking forward to the beginning of the playoffs, but what else am I now going to do with all this newly found free time on Monday nights? Not watch the Hornets are 15-point underdogs against the Thunder? Get real.
Tonight’s main NBA DFS slate on DraftKings is six games and it kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET in Detroit. Here are my guard rankings for this evening’s action on the hardcourt.
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DraftKings NBA DFS Guard Rankings
| Name | Opponent | Salary | |
| 1. | Tyrese Maxey, 76ers | Nuggets | $9,700 |
| 2. | Jamal Murray, Nuggets | 76ers | $9,500 |
| 3. | Cade Cunningham, Pistons | Knicks | $10,500 |
| 4. | Derrick White, Celtics | Bulls | $8,000 |
| 5. | Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Hawks | Raptors | $6,900 |
| 6. | Kevin Durant, Rockets | Suns | $8,900 |
| 7. | Amen Thompson, Rockets | Suns | $7,900 |
| 8. | Jalen Brunson, Knicks | Pistons | $9,000 |
| 9. | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder | Hornets | $10,300 |
| 10. | Coby White, Bulls | Celtics | $6,000 |
Top Guard Pick
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Denver Nuggets, $9,700 – It’s just difficult to find a safer combination of floor and ceiling than Maxey, who enters tonight’s action averaging 64.2 FPTS across his last three starts. I wish there was some secret about Maxey’s viability that I could divulge, but it’s as simple as volume. Maxey is the lead guard in a Nick Nurse rotation. As history has shown, that means major a workload, and Maxey is seeing the floor for almost 40 minutes a night this season — easily the highest mark in the NBA. That’s translated to leading the Eastern Conference in points per contest (31.1) and sitting top 10 in the league in assists per game (7.1). Cause and effect, baby.
Value Guard Pick
Coby White, Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics, $6,000 – The Bulls have been extremely shorthanded to start the new year, with Josh Giddey (hamstring) and White having missed the team’s past three games due to injury. Well, good news. White has been upgraded to probable on Monday, meaning the former lottery pick will be back as Chicago’s No. 1 offensive option against Boston. The Celtics’ league-worst pace doesn’t exactly make them an ideal opponent (96.5), but White’s opportunity on this evening’s slate supersedes matchup. With Giddey off the floor so far in 2025-26, White is operating at a 33.4% usage rate and producing 26.4 points per 75 possessions. On top of all that, the 25-year-old’s salary has never been cheaper this season. What a buying window.
Guard to Avoid
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Charlotte Hornets, $10,300 – I just can’t do it at this price. I just can’t take the risk. Gilgeous-Alexander has obviously been fantastic so far this season, and his DFS upside is nearly unmatched. However, he’s the opposite of the aforementioned Maxey — he’s never on the court in the fourth quarter. He doesn’t have to be. The reigning MVP has failed to exceed 50 FPTS in five of his last seven starts, including an unusually poor shooting performance against the Suns on Sunday night. It was unusual because SGA’s fantasy downfall is generally script. Gilgeous-Alexander logged only 28.2 minutes in the Thunder’s 37-point win on Friday. He needed a mere 28.6 minutes in Oklahoma City’s 29-point victory last Tuesday. The Thunder are 15.5-point favorites on Monday. You see where this is going.
