There are three games on Monday’s NBA slate as the first round of the playoffs continues.
This article was written on Sunday night. Any changes will be updated. Keep track of all the injury news at DK Network.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $350K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix Suns ($10,200)
If paying up at the position, SGA is my guy. He’s the alpha of the Thunder offense and literally stuffs the stat sheet on a nightly basis. With Jalen Williams out, he shouldered more of the offensive load, finishing with 58.2 and 60 FPTS in the last two contest while playing 38 minutes each game. Phoenix is on the brink of elimination, and I don’t expect them to go down without fight, while OKC is going to try and sweep the leg. That would mean SGA gets a full complement of playing time and usage.
Other Options: Cade Cunningham ($10,000), Jamal Murray ($9,000), Jalen Green ($7,300), Desmond Bane ($6,900)
Value
Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix Suns ($5,200)
This is what I wrote before Game 3: “With Williams out, both Mitchell and Cason Wallace should see an increase in playing time. Who starts and gets more run remains to be seen, but I’m siding with Mitchell regardless. Wallace has flashed his all-around game at times this season, but more often than not, he will slot into the 3-and-D role. Mitchell, on the other hand, is more of a do-things-with-the-ball-in-his-hands type of player. He could alleviate some of the burden on SGA’s shoulders due to his ability to get into the paint and break down defenses.” Mitchell got the start and played 32 minutes while garnering a usage rate of 31.4%. He only finished with 25.5 FPTS, mainly because he shot 25% from the field, but he hoisted up 20 shots.
Other Options: Ayo Dosunmu ($5,800), Collin Gillespie ($4,400), Tim Hardaway Jr. ($3,900)
Forward
Stud
Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic ($6,200)
Harris often gets disrespected and overlooked in fantasy because he’s often meh. Yeah, he’s a better real-life player than a fantasy player due to his size and versatility, but that doesn’t mean Harris can’t be fantasy viable. So far in the series, Harris played 36, 33 and 38 minutes, far above the 28 minutes per game he averaged during the regular season. He put up 34, 40.2 and 39.2 FPTS in the first three games, literally stuffing the stat sheet. The only “blemish” was the 0 blocks in Game 3.
Other Options: Paolo Banchero ($8,500), Franz Wagner ($6,700), Dillon Brooks ($6,100)
Value
Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets ($5,800)
In Game 1, Dosunmu played 28 minutes and contributed 18.5 FPTS. Game 2 saw him play only 22 minutes but finish with 21.5 FPTS. The progression upward continued with 32 minutes and 41.2 FPTS in Game 3. Both Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo suffered injuries in Game 4, so Dosunmu stepped up with 43 points, four rebounds, an assist and a block to lead Minnesota to a 3-1 series lead. That was good for 53.5 FPTS. DiVincenzo is out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon while Edwards is out for a few weeks with a knee bruise, so Dosunmu should play a ton of minutes and garner a high usage rate.
Other Options: Tim Hardaway Jr. ($3,900)
Center
Stud
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves ($12,500)
Jokic hasn’t put up a “had-to-have-it” score yet in this series, finishing with 62.8, 57.2, 54.8 and 63.8 FPTS. IDC. IDC! He has the highest floor/ceiling combo in the game and is always in play to put up a ridiculous stat line. I ride or die with Jokic as long as roster construction allows it.
Other Options: Rudy Gobert ($6,500)
Value
Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons ($5,700)
For much of the regular season, WCJ was a two-story duplex often finishing in the 20 FPTS range while playing 29 minutes a night. So far in the playoffs, a door man was hired while A-listers have been partying on the rooftop. In Games 1 and 3, WCJ played 37 minutes in each and finished with 39.8 and 41.2 FPTS. In Game 2, he only played 24 minutes due to foul trouble and ended with 15.2 FPTS.
Other Options: Oso Ighodaro ($4,900)
