Values. Bargains. Deals. These are all words that prove I know how to use a thesaurus. They are also why you’re reading this article.
Let’s dive into tonight’s six-game featured NBA slate and find some places to save.
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PF/C Jabari Walker, Portland Trail Blazers at Minnesota Timberwolves, $4,700
As it often is, the Blazers’ injury report is quite lengthy on Monday. Both Deandre Ayton ($6,900; hand) and Matisse Thybulle ($4,000; hip) are questionable to suit up — the former has already missed the team’s last two games — while Jerami Grant ($7,200; quad) is doubtful after leaving Saturday’s win against Memphis early. So, there’s a couple different ways you could go with this roster. Duop Reath ($5,100) would remain viable if Ayton sits for a third straight contest, though Reath’s price tag has crept above $5K. Former G League standout Ashton Hagans ($4,000) is also worth considering, on the heels of a career-high 35.25 DKFP. Still, for my money, Walker is the best value option on the board. Walker averaged 1.46 DKFP per minute in Portland’s back-to-back set this past weekend, posting a double-double in both games. The 21-year-old is fantastic on the glass, as his 16.5% total rebounding rate is the second-best qualified mark on the Blazers for the season as a whole. If Walker ends up starting in Grant’s place, the sky is the limit.
PF Taylor Hendricks, Utah Jazz vs. Washington Wizards, $4,900
The Jazz have had one clear mantra since the trade deadline: The youth movement has begun. By shipping Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji to Toronto, the runway was clear to start giving heavy minutes to both Keyonte George ($6,300) and Hendricks, with the latter having been out of the rotation entirely prior to February. A few weeks later? Hendricks has started five straight contests for Utah, which includes Saturday’s loss to Miami, a night where the former lottery pick pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds. We could be looking at a similar type of performance on Monday. Not only are the Wizards surrendering the most DKFP per game to opposing power forwards in 2023-24, but Lauri Markkanen (quad) has been ruled out — the man who leads Utah in field goal attempts (16.0) and points (23.1) per contest. That should mean more offensive opportunity for Hendricks and possibly a spot start for Talen Horton-Tucker ($3,600). However, THT’s upside is diluted by the presence of Jordan Clarkson ($6,200; illness), who is set to return from his own one-game absence.
SG/SF Norman Powell, Los Angeles Clippers at Milwaukee Bucks, $5,100
Powell is going to be a good play on this slate, it’s just a matter of how good. In Sunday’s win over the Timberwolves, Powell was vital to the Clippers’ success. In fact, his 24 points were second to Kawhi Leonard ($9,000), while his 24.3% usage trailed only Leonard and Paul George ($8,200). With Russell Westbrook (hand) out for the foreseeable future, this is Los Angeles’ new reality. Powell is no longer a luxury on this roster, he’s a necessity as a high-impact sixth man. Heck, he might need to be even more than that against the Bucks. The aforementioned victory versus Minnesota was an absolute rock fight with playoff intensity. Leonard logged 38.3 minutes, while George played 34.4. I wouldn’t be shocked to see either pop up on the Clippers’ injury report for this evening’s tilt, which opens the possibility of Powell drawing his second start of 2023-24. Make sure to keep an eye on this situation throughout the day.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $350K Micro-Max [$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 theglt13) 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.
