This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There is a seven-game slate Monday including a few appealing matchups against teams playing the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings blew out the Nets on Sunday in Brooklyn and have a quick turnaround before facing the Wizards in D.C., which bodes well for Washington's offense having a field day. The Sixers suffered a tough loss to the Cavaliers at home and have to go to Toronto to take on the Raptors, who will look for their third straight win. The Hawks had the tough task of facing the Lakers on Sunday before heading to Oakland to take on the Warriors in a game that could get out of hand quickly. Target these tired defenses when considering your picks.
GUARDS
DeMar DeRozan, TOR vs. PHI ($43): DeRozan gets a soft matchup against a Sixers team playing its second of a back-to-back after losing to the Cavaliers at home Sunday. The Raptors All-Star is third in the NBA in scoring with 30.2 points per game, though he's gone four straight without reaching that mark. Still, the semi-slump hasn't affected his fantasy value much considering he's hovered around or above 40 fantasy points in his past four games. DeRozan should have no trouble reaching 30 points with decent coverage in assists and rebounds against Philadelphia at home.
George Hill, UTA at MIN ($24): Hill has been incredibly valuable this season, providing secondary scoring behind Gordon Hayward. He's gone three straight games with at least 22 points, hitting nine 3-pointers in that span. The Timberwolves, under new coach Tom Thibodeau, haven't improved on defense, with opponents averaging 103.5 points this season. Hill is averaging just over 10 fantasy points more than his salary and is a great play for cash games.
Guard to Avoid
Kemba Walker, CHA at MEM ($42): It's hard to bet against Walker, but he's had a tough time dealing with the Grizzlies stout defense. A week ago, Memphis limited Walker to 17 points in over 31 minutes for 26.9 fantasy points, his lowest total in of the season. Walker isn't the type of player who can bring value without scoring, so it's best to fade him against the Grizzlies considering his cost and when a player like Kyle Lowry is only $38.
FORWARDS
Kevin Durant, GS vs. ATL ($51): There are limited options as far as elite forwards go for Monday's seven-game slate, so while exposure to Durant will be high, it's warranted. The Slim Reaper has scored more than 50 fantasy points in four of his past six games and the Warriors have found their offensive groove. Durant is averaging 28.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 16 career appearances against Atlanta, and if you're going to pay up for any elite player Monday it has to be him.
Frank Kaminsky, CHA at MEM ($14): Kaminsky would be a risky play had his salary been bumped up considering how productive he's been lately. The former Wisconsin stand-out has played at least 30 minutes in four of his past five games and has gone seven straight with at least 20 fantasy points. Most of Kaminsky's value has come from his ability to stretch the floor, hitting 10 3-pointers in his past five games. He's also consistently provided a nice amount of rebounds and assists, making him an excellent play in almost all contests.
Forward to Avoid
Draymond Green, GS vs. ATL ($36): This isn't a knock on Green, because we all know he's an incredible play most nights. But if the Warriors get up big on the Hawks at home, considering the injury risk, even if Green plays he likely won't see enough minutes to be effective. He's scored fewer than 40 fantasy points in 13 of 16 games this season, which isn't enough to warrant consideration in large tournaments with such a low ceiling. If Green plays, it's best to fade him and consider similarly priced options like Rudy Gay ($31) and Kristaps Porzingis ($33).
CENTER
Marc Gasol, MEM vs. CHA ($29): After laying an egg against the Heat on Friday, Gasol came back and torched them for 28 points Saturday. The resilient performance was encouraging for owners looking to insert Gasol into their lineups in a strong matchup against the Hornets. Gasol had 13 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for 40.1 fantasy points against Charlotte last week and has scored at least 40 fantasy points in three of his past four games. Gasol is another big man who has upside to step back and hit a few 3-pointers.
Jahlil Okafor, PHI at TOR ($16):Joel Embiid is likely to sit out Monday against the Raptors, which should open Okafor up to more touches on offense. Even with Embiid playing Sunday against the Cavaliers, Okafor had 14 points and nine rebounds in just under 23 minutes. Okafor has scored over 20 fantasy points in three of his past four games and isn't a terrible home-run play as a cheap option in a tournament lineup.
Center to Avoid
Dwight Howard, ATL at GS ($35): Howard has dealt with inconsistency this season and it's come back to bite him recently. He sandwiched a 23-point, 20-rebound night between two poor performances and it's just too risky to spend that type of salary cap on a player who could essentially cost you money in the long run. As mentioned before, the Warriors could run away with this game, which makes some of the higher priced players on both teams less appealing. If you're going to pay up a bit more, Hassan Whiteside ($43) makes sense or paying down for Gasol or Rudy Gobert ($27).
