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After a relatively quiet Sunday, the NBA is back with an eight-game slate on Monday. The action on DraftKings gets underway at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of my favorite plays at each position.
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Guard
Studs
Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Lakers at Brooklyn Nets ($7,500) – Westbrook has had a relatively quiet season for the Lakers. He’s played just 28.6 minutes per game — the lowest mark of his career — but he’s still been an excellent fantasy producer when on the floor. He’s averaged 1.3 DKFP per minute this season, which is the seventh-highest mark among Monday’s guards.
Westbrook is going to have to take on a larger role Monday given the team’s current injury situation. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have both been ruled out, and they’ve been the team’s top two options from a usage perspective. Westbrook has unsurprisingly seen a 6.6% usage bump with both players off the floor this season, and he’s averaged just under 40 DKFP in three full games without both players. That vaults him into stud territory on Monday’s slate.
D’Angelo Russell, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Sacramento Kings ($7,000) – The Timberwolves are still playing without Karl-Anthony Towns, and Russell has done a good job of picking up the slack recently. He’s scored at least 35.75 DKFP in six straight games, and he’s had at least 40.5 DKFP in four of them.
His price has stayed pretty stagnant over that time frame, and he remains priced at an affordable $7,000 for Monday’s matchup vs. the Kings. Sacramento is about as good as it gets from a matchup perspective, ranking fifth in pace and tied for 23rd in defensive efficiency. The total on this game sits at an excellent 237.5 points, while the Timberwolves are implied for a healthy 118 points.
Other Options – Kyrie Irving ($10,800), Dejounte Murray ($7,900)
Value
Dennis Schroder, Los Angeles Lakers at Brooklyn Nets ($5,400) – Schroder is another player who can be counted out for the Lakers with Davis and LeBron sidelined. He’s seen the largest usage bump with both players off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 0.96 DKFP per minute in that scenario. He’s been even more productive in four full games without both players, averaging 35.44 DKFP on 32.9 minutes per game. Westbrook did miss one of those contests, but Schroder should be one of the team’s top offensive options vs. the Nets.
Other Options – Alec Burks ($4,900)
Forward
Studs
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Sacramento Kings ($9,400) – Forward is easily the weakest position on Monday’s slate. There are only three players priced above $7,600, but there are 14 guards that fit that description.
Edwards is the most expensive of the bunch at $9,400, but he’s been worth every penny recently. He’s exceeded salary-based expectations in five straight games, and he’s gone for at least 52 DKFP in four of them. That includes a matchup vs. the Kings on Saturday, where he finished with 62.5 DKFP in 37.6 minutes. Overall, Edwards has averaged 1.29 DKFP per minute over the past month, so he brings a similar ceiling to the table for Monday’s rematch.
Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder ($6,700) – Thompson had an uncharacteristic start to the season. He struggled to find his shot, despite being one of the greatest shooters in league history. That had a big impact on his fantasy numbers since Thompson doesn’t provide much in the peripheral categories.
However, he has slowly improved as the year has progressed, increasing his scoring output in each successive month. He’s up to 26.9 points per game in January, and he’s shot 45.7% from the field and 43.1% from 3-point range in his past nine contests. Those marks are much more in line with his career norms, and Thompson has scored at least 34.5 DKFP in eight of his past 10 games. He has plenty of upside in what is expected to be a high-paced contest vs. the Thunder, and the Warriors’ implied team total of 123.75 is tied for the top mark on the slate.
Other Options – Keldon Johnson ($7,300), Kevin Huerter ($5,400)
Value
Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Lakers at Brooklyn Nets ($4,100) – Hachimura was acquired by the Lakers recently, and he’s made an impact in his first two games with his new squad. He racked up 23.5 DKFP in 21.5 minutes in his first outing, and he saw 23.7 minutes in his second. He wasn’t quite as impressive in his second contest — he finished with just 12.5 DKFP — but he should see a sizable spike in playing time with Davis and James sidelined on Monday.
Hachimura has been a solid producer this season, averaging 0.88 DKFP per minute in his time with the Wizards and Lakers, so he should be able to take advantage of a few extra minutes. He’s played at least 26 minutes in 10 contests this season, and he’s averaged 28.33 DKFP in those outings. We’ll gladly take that kind of production at $4,100.
Other Options – Dorian Finney-Smith ($4,600), Aaron Wiggins ($3,400)
Center
Stud
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Orlando Magic ($11,400) – Embiid is coming off a monster performance on Saturday. He went head-to-head with back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic, and Embiid was clearly looking to prove a point. He finished with 47 points, 18 boards, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots, resulting in 87.5 DKFP. Embiid has been very vocal about wanting to win the MVP previously, and he put himself squarely in the discussion with Saturday’s outing.
Embiid is currently questionable with a foot injury, but as long as he’s in the lineup, he provides an elite ceiling vs. the Magic. Orlando has actually been pretty good at defending the paint this season, which is not surprising since they play seemingly nine centers at the same time. Seriously, if you’re over seven feet tall and are willing to live in Florida, the Magic will probably give you a 10-day contract. Regardless, Embiid has averaged 1.79 DKFP per minute over the past month, and none of Orlando’s many centers is a match for his combination of size and athleticism.
Other Options – Nicolas Claxton ($8,100), Deandre Ayton ($7,800)
Value
Thomas Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers at Brooklyn Nets ($5,000) – Sorry for the Lakers-heavy writeup, but they are clearly the best value on the slate. Any time your team is missing two guys with a usage rate of at least 28.5%, you’re going to be a valuable DFS target.
Bryant saw a nice spike in production while Davis was sidelined earlier this season. He averaged 27.1 minutes in 22 games without Davis and responded with an average of 29.89 DKFP per game. Ultimately, he might be the best pure value on the entire slate.
Other Options – Precious Achiuwa ($5,100), Dwight Powell ($4,100)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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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.