This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Here we go with a strong eight-game NBA slate on Monday night.
Per usual, we have several injuries to monitor with potential for more while moving closer to tip-off. You'll want to stay in the loop with RotoWire's NBA News Feed before setting your final lineups. As of Monday morning, these are the situations we are monitoring:
Khris Middleton and Malcolm Brogdon are probable:Pat Connaughton ended up with 28.75 fantasy points in 30 minutes with both of them out on Friday. He would be a bargain pick to keep in mind if Milwaukee remains shorthanded in the backcourt, though that seems unlikely as of publication.
Taj Gibson is questionable: He missed Saturday's game due to personal reasons, and Dario Saric benefited with 36 fantasy points in 35 minutes. He would benefit if Gibson's absence continues.
These notable players will continue to miss time:Zach LaVine, Marvin Bagley, Lou Williams, Markelle Fultz, Pau Gasol
With that, I'll be breaking down the best fantasy choices on DraftKings for Monday. The following write-ups contain a blend of cash game staples, bargain fillers, and tournament pivots.
GUARDS
Kris Dunn, CHI at OKC ($6,200): Dunn is back to seeing full-time action, as he played 36 minutes and put up 41 fantasy points at San Antonio on Saturday. Needless to say, his salary is way too cheap when considering that heightened role. Also, Zach LaVine will continue to miss time for Chicago, which clears plenty of usage for the Bulls' offense. Dunn absorbed plenty of that last game with 19 shot attempts, a trend that should become the norm for as long as LaVine is sidelined. The matchup doesn't look great at Oklahoma City, but Dunn makes for a solid all-around pick due to the bump in playing time and usage.
Derrick Rose, MIN vs. SAC ($6,300): It's hard for me to comprehend how Rose remains this cheap on DraftKings. He has been solid all season while seeing a regular 32-34 workload with plenty of opportunities. Due to that, Rose has legitimate 40-plus-fantasy-point upside seemingly every night, and he has been in that range for two of his past four games. Tonight's draw vs. Sacramento is a good one, as the Kings rank second in pace and 25th in defensive efficiency against opposing backcourts. It's no surprise that this is the best fantasy game environment of the night with the highest over/under (231 total points) as well. Rose should be able to get his numbers within that.
Emmanuel Mudiay, NYK vs. PHX ($6,200): This is a tournament pivot away from the chalky, mainstream options. Trey Burke is back in the mix for New York, but Mudiay has established himself as the go-to floor general for this team. He should continue to see heavy run at the point guard spot, which makes for outstanding fantasy potential in tonight's home draw against Phoenix. As you are probably well aware, the Suns are not good on defense, ranking 23rd in defensive efficiency vs. opposing point guards and 26th in overall team d-eff. Mudiay has been up-and-down as of late, but he has notched 39+ fantasy points in two of his past three. This matchup could inspire that level of upside if things fall his way.
Other guards to consider: Devin Booker, PHX at NYK ($8,500), Ryan Arcidiacono, CHI at OKC ($4,200), De'Aaron Fox, SAC at MIN ($7,300)
FORWARDS
Dario Saric ($4,900) becomes an easy pick through all formats if Taj Gibson is out, so keep an eye on that situation.
Tobias Harris, LAC vs. POR ($7,200): I'm hoping people will ignore Harris on DraftKings tonight due to some mediocre performances in four of his past five outings. This could be a blow-up spot for Tobias, who is looking at a competitive home matchup against a Portland team that ranks 28th in defensive efficiency vs. opposing power forwards. Harris made the most of his first two meetings against the Blazers, averaging 25 points and 11 boards across 37 minutes. I wouldn't be surprised if Tobias flirted with that level of production, as the draw sets up very well for him this evening.
Lauri Markkanen, CHI at OKC ($6,500): Markkanen is more of a tournament play as the matchup is tough at Oklahoma City. There's some blowout risk involved here as well. However, Markkanen is starting to see his minutes ramp up, which is excellent news for his efficient fantasy profile. The Bulls' forward has notched 41+ fantasy points in three of his past six, but the other three performances averaged 18.66 FP. That accurately describes the risk/reward situation of Markkanen this evening.
Kevin Knox, NYK vs. PHX ($5,700): Knox was promoted to a starting role following his 50-fantasy-point effort (26 points, 15 boards) against Charlotte last week. He hasn't looked back while averaging a strong 31 fantasy points in 37 minutes over the ensuing three games. Knox's salary is still way too cheap when considering the expanded minutes along with the subsequent scoring upside. He'll have an excellent chance to put that on full display against a bad Phoenix defense tonight. You can safely target Knox through all formats on DraftKings.
Other forwards to consider:Blake Griffin, DET vs. MIL ($9,000), Nemanja Bjelica, SAC at MIN ($4,400), Marco Belinelli, SA vs. PHI ($3,800)
CENTERS
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. SAC ($10,000): In my opinion, Towns is a priority play among the top-dollar targets in this slate. He's playing in the best game environment of the night with a 231 over/under against Sacramento. The Kings have gotten toasted by skilled centers this season, ranking 24th in defensive efficiency vs. the position and 27th in rebound rate. This is an excellent bounce-back spot for Minnesota, who is returning home and looking to avenge their loss to Sacramento last week. Playing up in pace against this Kings' team that ranks second in possessions per game doesn't hurt either.
Jusuf Nurkic, POR at LAC ($7,500): If you don't have enough cap space to make Towns work, Nurkic is a solid pivot for $2,500 less on DraftKings. The matchup looks promising against the Clippers, who rank 26th in defensive efficiency vs. centers and ninth in pace. As we've learned throughout the years, Nurkic is an efficient fantasy producer who is more than capable of exploiting this advantageous draws.
Enes Kanter, NYK vs. PHX ($6,700): Kanter is a strong tournament choice who is borderline cash playable for those willing to accept the fluctuation in minutes. Tonight's matchup vs. Phoenix looks great, as the Suns rank 28th in defensive efficiency against opposing centers and 23rd in rebound rate. However, it's difficult to peg Kanter's minutes on any given night, subsequently giving him a wide range of fantasy outcomes. If he happens to flirt with 30+ minutes in this one, we could see a healthy return that could vault your squad up the GPP leaderboard.
Other centers to consider:Steven Adams, OKC vs. CHI ($6,900), Brook Lopez, MIL at DET ($5,100)
