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With the NFL season officially in the rearview mirror, the focus shifts fully to the NBA. We have a whopping 11 games to choose from on Monday, with the DraftKings main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of my favorite plays at each position.
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Guard
Studs
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks at Charlotte Hornets ($9,700) – Young has put together some big performances for the Hawks recently. He’s coming off 24 points, 17 assists, and 58.5 DKFP in his last outing, and he had 66.25 DKFP in the game prior. Overall, he’s increased his production to 1.39 DKFP per minute over the past month, which trails only Damian Lillard and Luka Doncic among Monday’s backcourt options. Both players are significantly more expensive than Young on this slate, so he’s arguably the best value of the bunch.
Young also benefits from one of the best possible matchups. He’s taking on the Hornets, who rank seventh in pace and 24th in defensive efficiency. The Hawks’ resulting implied team total of 122.5 is the top mark on the slate.
Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder ($7,800) – Ingram’s positional eligibility is a bit odd. He’s previously been available at both power positions, but he has just shooting guard eligibility for Monday’s matchup vs. the Thunder. However, the biggest selling point is his salary. He remains underpriced at $7,800, and he’s scored at least 42.25 DKFP in four straight games.
Ingram should be able to keep the production rolling vs. the Thunder. They’ve played at the third-fastest pace this season, and the Pelicans are currently implied for 117.0 points.
Other Options – Donovan Mitchell ($8,700), Jordan Clarkson ($6,700)
Value
Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz at Indiana Pacers ($5,200) – Sexton’s price tag has started to tick up, but it is 100% deserved. He’s started each of the past three games for the Jazz, and he’s responded with 37.75, 43.75, and 24.5 DKFP. His most recent performance was his worst outing of the trio, but he played slightly less than usual after fouling out. He played more than 36 minutes two games ago, and Sexton has averaged 0.93 DKFP per minute this season. That’s a lot of potential production for just $5,200.
Sexton also has a very favorable matchup vs. the Pacers. They rank fourth in pace and 25th in defensive efficiency, and the Jazz’s implied team total of 119.5 ranks fourth on the slate.
Other Options – Tyrese Maxey ($5,200), Blake Wesley ($3,000)
Forward
Studs
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz at Indiana Pacers ($9,100) – For an 11-game slate, the forward options are not particularly impressive. We’re missing some of the usual top options at the position – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James – and there are only four players priced above $8,500. There are 12 guards and seven centers who fit that description, so there aren’t nearly as many studs to choose from.
Markkanen is my favorite of the group. He’s struggled a bit recently, failing to return value in four of his past five games, but he did put together a decent outing in his last contest. He finished with 47.25 DKFP in a subpar matchup vs. the Knicks, despite shooting just 9-23 from the field and 3-10 from 3-point range. Markkanen has the potential to improve upon those numbers vs. the Pacers.
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards ($6,600) – Unlike Markkanen, Draymond has been a steady contributor for the Warriors of late. He’s exceeded salary-based expectations in nine of his past 11 games, and he racked up 41.75 DKFP on 12 points, 10 assists, and seven boards in his last contest. Overall, Green has increased his production to 1.07 DKFP per minute over the past month, and he’s had to take on more offensive responsibilities with Steph Curry out of the lineup.
Other Options – Jimmy Butler ($8,500), Evan Mobley ($7,400)
Value
Talen Horton-Tucker, Utah Jazz at Indiana Pacers ($3,900) – THT has taken on a much larger role for the Jazz following the trade deadline. He’s been one of their first options off the bench in each of their past three games, and he’s coming off 27.4 minutes in his last outing. When Horton-Tucker gets consistent playing time, he tends to provide excellent fantasy value. He’s averaged 1.01 DKFP per minute this season, and he’s increased that figure to 1.16 over the past month.
Horton-Tucker has historically played at least 24 minutes in 57 career contests, and he’s averaged 28.37 DKFP in those outings. He’s played at least 24 minutes in seven games as a member of the Jazz, and he’s averaged 32.25 DKFP. Overall, he’s simply too cheap at $3,900, especially in a juicy matchup vs. the Pacers.
Other Options – Jae’Sean Tate ($3,500), Josh Richardson ($3,000)
Center
Stud
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Houston Rockets ($11,400) – There are plenty of appealing value options on this slate, so we’re going to have to pay up somewhere. Embiid is questionable with a foot injury, but as long as he’s in the lineup, he’s an outstanding stud target vs. the Rockets. Embiid has been on the injury report a bunch recently, but it hasn’t stopped him from dominating. He racked up 35 points, 11 boards, and six assists on the front end of a back-to-back on Friday and followed that up with 37 points and 13 boards on Saturday. He ultimately finished with at least 60.75 DKFP in both contests.
His past two games were against the Knicks and Nets, and Monday’s matchup vs. the Rockets should be significantly easier. The Rockets rank 28th in defensive efficiency, and Embiid has been one of the most high-volume scorers in basketball. He’s on pace to lead the league in scoring for the second straight year, while his 37.4% usage rate represents a new career high.
Other Options – Anthony Davis ($10,600), Jarrett Allen ($6,800)
Value
Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks ($4,000) – Williams has been outstanding in limited playing time this season. He’s averaged 1.20 DKFP per minute, but his upside was capped playing behind Mason Plumlee. Plumlee was having a solid year in his own right, so Williams was limited to around 16 minutes per game.
With Plumlee now out of the picture, Williams has the potential for a big second half of the season. He racked up more than 30.5 minutes in his first game without Plumlee, resulting in 32.5 DKFP. He might not get to 30 minutes on Monday, but he should be locked in for mid-20s minutes vs. the Hawks. That gives him the potential to be one of the best values of the day.
Other Options – Walker Kessler ($5,600), Zach Collins ($4,500)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Micro Millions Opener [$100K to 1st, 150 Entry Max]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mlamarca) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.