This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The recent influx of injuries to big-name players and starting lineup fixtures has shaken up the landscape of viable fantasy options and boosted the value of several low-salary players. Monday's slate features nine games, and several of them have matchups that you can use to your advantage. The Mavericks/Clippers game is one of particular interest given that Los Angeles has been marred by injuries on its current road trip. Another matchup to keep an eye on is the Pelicans-Jazz game. If Anthony Davis is unable to suit up, look for players such as Omer Asik, Alexis Ajinca, and Ryan Anderson to see a boost in production. Let's take a look at some other options for Monday's contests.
Monday's Value Plays
Point Guard
George Hill, IND, $5,300: Hill is far from a flashy option, but he's starting to round into form. Sunday's game was slightly underwhelming, but Charlotte quietly ranks sixth in defensive efficiency this season and is one of the stingier teams against opposing point guards (4th best over the last 10 games) in the league. Hill's minutes have been on the upswing since returning to the starting lineup, and he's scored 20 points in two of those three games. Although a matchup with the Spurs doesn't come across as an overly favorable one, Hill is a reliable option and solid value play for your second point guard slot.
Elfrid Payton, ORL, $5,700: Payton's numbers in three games against the Wizards might cause some people to shy away from the rookie, but those numbers become far less troublesome when you consider their contexts. Two of those contests came in the first 11 games of his pro career, and he was in the starting lineup for just one of those games. The Wizards have been sub-par against opposing point guards of late, allowing the fifth most FanDuel points over their last 10 games. Payton's not a great scorer, but finished in the top 10 in both rebounding and assists among point guards in January and is off to a good start in those categories this month.
Shooting Guard
Giannis Antetokuonmpo, MIL, $6,600: The cupboard is pretty bare as far as the shooting guard selection is concerned for Monday, but Antetokounmpo is on a tear that makes him a steal for under $7,000. The only game in February that he's failed to reach 35 FanDuel points was when he had 34.9 FD points against Toronto on Feb. 2. He's been a rebounding machine this month, averaging 11 boards and is going up against a Brooklyn team that ranks 23rd in the league in that category.
Small Forward
Chandler Parsons, DAL, $6,400: Parsons is arguably the best option in the middle-tier small forward pool for Monday. He's averaging just under 30 FanDuel points over his last six games, and that number would be higher if not for his forgettable game against the Kings where the Mavericks had a sizeable lead for the majority of the contest. His matchup Monday is also too good to pass up. The Clippers are allowing the most points to opposing small forwards over the last five games and are playing in the second game of a back-to-back. Furthermore, the Clippers have looked downright terrible, especially defensively, during their current six-game road trip that mercifully comes to an end in Dallas. Look for Parsons to take advantage of this matchup.
Danilo Gallinari, DEN, $3,800: In nine games since returning from a meniscus tear, Gallinari is averaging 10.4 points and 3.4 rebounds over just 21 minutes of playing time. More importantly, he has topped 20 FD points in three of his last four and has been on the floor for at least 25 minutes in all three games this month. He's only shooting 33.8 percent from the field since returning to action, which is considerably lower than his career average of 41.5 percent. As he continues to round into form, his shooting percentage should rise closer toward that career average. For a player with a price tag just above the FanDuel minimum, Gallinari provides solid production, and he appears to be carving out a bigger role with each passing game. Gallinari is one of the best bargain-bin players available in Monday's slate and will allow you to stack your lineup at other positions.
Power Forward
Dirk Nowitzki, $6,300: Like Chandler Parsons, Nowitzki draws a very friendly matchup on Monday with the Clippers in town. What's more, the Clippers are extremely depleted in the frontcourt at the moment. Blake Griffin is out with a staph infection in his elbow, and backup power forward Glen Davis left Sunday's game with back spasms and is considered day-to-day. Even if Davis is able to play Monday, Nowitzki should provide a nice return for his $6,300 price tag.
Mitch McGary, OKC, $3,500:Steven Adams underwent surgery on his broken hand Monday and will be out for at least three weeks, which means one less hurdle for McGary to see a considerable amount of time on the floor. McGary posted a double-double in Sunday's win over the Clippers with 19 points and 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes. Kendrick Perkins' absence Sunday opened up the opportunity for McGary to play a good chunk of minutes, and he seized the opportunity. Perkins will likely get the start Monday against the Nuggets, but McGary may have done enough on Sunday to warrant a solid chunk of minutes off the bench. As an added bonus, the Nuggets have been allowing huge numbers to opposing power forwards lately. Over the last five games, Denver is allowing 51 FanDuel points on average to opposing PFs, which is nearly five points worse than the next team (San Antonio). Keep an eye on any developments regarding OKC's front court ahead of tip-off Monday, but as it stands, McGary could be a crafty play for the FanDuel minimum.
Center
Spencer Hawes, LAC, $3,500:Hawes moved into the starting lineup Sunday in place of Blake Griffin and produced 17 points over 35 minutes on the floor. He doesn't put up the kind of rebounding numbers that other big men do, but Hawes is a good shooter from the perimeter and a reliable scorer overall when given the chance to get on the floor. Because he doesn't provide much outside the scoring column, you'll want to supplement your lineup with guys that can stuff the stat sheet if you do end up adding him. That said, his minimum price tag gives you the flexibility to add those types of contributors to your lineup.
