The NBA tips off the final full week before the All-Star break with a solid six-game slate on Monday night. Of the 12 teams in action, the Hornets, Clippers, and Raptors are all completing back-to-back sets after playing on Sunday. The Nets and Mavs are on the front end of their back-to-back and will face each other in one of Tuesday’s seven games.
As is typical as we approach the All-Star break, key players are dealing with injuries that could radically impact Monday’s slate. As we approach roster lock, be sure to refresh the NBA Models for the latest adjustments as news breaks.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
After missing a game last week but returning with a huge game Saturday, Luka Doncic (ankle) is questionable for Monday’s matchup with the Hornets. His teammate Kyrie Irving (thumb) is probable after missing six games. With a back-to-back Monday and Tuesday, it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of the superstars sit out one game or the other. If Luka sits, Kyrie would be a great play, but if he plays, he’s been too good lately to pass up. Luka brings the top median, floor, and ceiling projections on both DraftKings and FanDuel on the entire slate while also ranking in the top three among all players in Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate on both sites.
While he has missed a few games, he has been exceptional when available, exceeding salary-based expectations in seven straight contests on both DraftKings and FanDuel by producing 1.90 DraftKings points and 1.78 FanDuel points per minute. He has scored 40+ points in each of his last two games while coming up just one rebound short of a triple-double. Three games ago, he had a triple-double against the Kings with 28 points, 17 assists and 10 boards.
On Monday, Luka’s Mavs are tied with the Clippers for the highest implied team total on the slate in what is expected to be a close and competitive game with the Sixers. Even if Kyrie returns as expected, Doncic has proven that he has an elite ceiling and is always worth consideration as a pay-up play to build around.
Value
The Nets are in a good matchup hosting the Warriors and offer good value at several positions. Cam Thomas has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on DraftKings behind only Luka, and he brings the highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Ben Simmons (injury maintenance) has been ruled out, which should leave plenty of time for Thomas.
Thomas has shown a high ceiling all season, but his playing time has been frustratingly inconsistent. That changed recently, though, when he was inserted into the starting lineup four games ago, and he has logged over 31 minutes in each game since that move. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in five straight games by lighting it up with at least 25 points in each contest. Over those five games, he has a team-high 32.7% usage rate and has produced 1.20 DraftKings points and 1.21 FanDuel points per minute.
He’s still available at a mid-range price but brings top-tier upside. He’s especially affordable on DraftKings with an 81% Bargain Rating and also brings the added flexibility of point guard eligibility.
Fast Break
The Sixers will have to continue to rely heavily on Tyrese Maxey, with Joel Embiid (knee) now expected to miss extended time. With Embiid off the floor this season, Maxey has a 33.6% usage rate and has produced 1.28 DraftKings points and 1.28 FanDuel points per minute. Recently, he has been even better, producing 1.35 DraftKings points and 1.34 FanDuel points per minute without Embiid on the floor over the past month. Tobias Harris (illness) is questionable, and Maxey would take on even more work if Harris is unable to play.
The Hawks have won three straight games, each of which has been at home against a Western Conference opponent, and they’ll look to keep that trend going when they host the Clippers. Both Trae Young and Dejounte Murray have been putting up good numbers, but Murray projects to be the better play on Monday since his salary is more affordable. He has a top-10 Projected Plus/Minus at both shooting guard and point guard on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
If you’re desperate for a bargain play at point guard, the Hornets offer a few options as they try to piece together a lineup despite multiple key injuries. Ish Smith started on Sunday, and rookie Nick Smith Jr. also continues to be very involved. Nick probably has the higher ceiling of the two Smiths, but Ish appears to be above him on the depth chart. Watch for the Hornets’ injury report to see if point guard minutes will be available again for the two punt plays on Monday.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
The Cavs are getting healthy and have climbed to third in the Eastern Conference with five straight wins. While getting Darius Garland and Evan Mobley back has been huge, Donovan Mitchell is still the focal point of the offense and a top producer every time Cleveland is on the slate. He has the highest median, floor, and ceiling projection at the position on both DraftKings and FanDuel and a top-five Projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings, where he has a 91% Bargain Rating.
Mitchell has scored 25 points or more in five straight games while also averaging 8.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game over that stretch. In those five games, he produced 1.61 DraftKings points and 1.56 FanDuel points per minute and averaged 35.6 minutes per game.
On Monday, Spida and the Cavs host the Kings, who rank just outside the top 10 in pace. It should be a favorable spot for Mitchell to continue posting strong stats.
Value
The Warriors are still Stephen Curry’s team, but their young players are starting to contribute more on a nightly basis as part of the next wave in Golden State. Rookie Brandin Podziemski has a top-five Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel and can also flex to point guard on DraftKings and small forward on FanDuel, ranking in the top five in Projected Plus/Minus at those positions as well.
Podziemski has started a few games for the Warriors over the past month but has come off the bench in the two games on the team’s current road trip. He has still played over 34 minutes in each of those contests, though, and has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those games. He has scored double-digit points in four straight games and six of his last eight. In those eight games, he averaged 0.95 DraftKings points and 0.89 FanDuel points per minute in 32.3 minutes per game.
Against the Nets on Monday, he’s projected for 34.0 minutes, which should be enough playing time for him to continue to be one of the best options under $6,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Fast Break
James Harden has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards on FanDuel, where he has an 87% Bargain Rating. On DraftKings, he’s only point guard eligible and costs more, but he can still be considered in the Clippers’ very favorable matchup against the Hawks. After struggling against the Pistons on Friday, he bounced back with 21 points and 11 assists Sunday against the Heat and has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last nine games on FanDuel.
After missing three straight games with a quad injury, Immanuel Quickley returned with 25 points in 30 minutes on Friday against the Rockets and an even more impressive 17-point, 11-assist double-double in 43 minutes against the Thunder on Sunday night. As long as he’s available for the second game of the Raps’ back-to-back, he’s a strong option to consider vs. the Pelicans. Since joining Toronto, Quickley has produced 17.3 points and 6.4 assists per game with a 23.4% usage rate.
There aren’t a lot of cheap plays that pop in our projections at shooting guard, except for Lonnie Walker IV on DraftKings. Walker has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at both shooting guard and small forward on DraftKings, where he only costs $4,000 with a 97% Bargain Rating. He could also get even more work with Simmons out. Walker has scored 19, 19, and 20 points in his last three games, exceeding salary-based expectations in each contest. If you have to go with a shooting guard under $5,000 on FanDuel, Bryce McGowens of the Hornets and Terance Mann of the Clippers have the best Projected Plus/Minus in that price range.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The Hornets have so many injuries that Miles Bridges has had to step up at multiple positions. He is only small forward eligible on FanDuel, where he brings the highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate. On DraftKings, Bridges is eligible at power forward and center and ranks in the top three in Projected Plus/Minus at both positions.
In Monday’s matchup with the Lakers, Bridges matches 14 Pro Trends on FanDuel, while no other player on the slate matches more than 12.
Bridges has been forced to carry the load for Charlotte, with LaMelo Ball (ankle), Gordon Hayward (calf), Cody Martin (knee), and Mark Williams (back) all missing time recently. He has scored at least 19 points in 11 of his past 12 games and has produced 1.13 DraftKings points and 1.02 FanDuel points per minute while racking up a 25.2% usage rate in 38.3 minutes per game.
The Lakers have been a good matchup for opposing forwards and centers this season, so Bridges should be in a good spot to produce, especially if his team continues to rely on him so heavily.
Value
R.J. Barrett missed three games with a knee injury but was not limited at all on Sunday night, playing 43 minutes against the Thunder and producing 23 points, seven boards, and four assists. Barrett has a top eight Projected Plus/Minus at small forward on both DraftKings and FanDuel for Monday’s matchup with the Pelicans.
He has exceeded salary-based expectations in 10 of his last 11 games on FanDuel and in nine of those contests on DraftKings. Over that span, he has produced a healthy 1.12 DraftKings points and 1.05 FanDuel points per minute and played over 34 minutes per game with a 25.5% usage rate.
Since acquiring Barrett and Quickley from the Knicks, the Raptors have given them both big workloads, which is enough to make both of them strong fantasy options to consider. It is the second game of a back-to-back, but barring any surprises on the injury report, Barrett is a solid mid-range target with a high ceiling on Monday.
Fast Break
LeBron James is questionable again for Monday’s game in Charlotte, but if he plays, he’ll be a good pay-up play to consider. He produced 1.36 DraftKings points and 1.28 FanDuel points per minute over his last 10 games while logging 35.7 minutes per game with a 28.9% usage rate. When he plays, he usually puts up big numbers, but if he ends up sitting, Anthony Davis (discussed below), Austin Reaves, and D’Angelo Russell would be good plays while picking up extra usage.
Cameron Johnson has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at both small forward and power forward on DraftKings, where he has a 95% Bargain Rating. Johnson has scored 13+ points in four of his last five games and also gets a boost from Simmons’ absence. Over the last month, he averaged 0.90 DraftKings points and 0.85 FanDuel points per minute.
Depending on exactly who the Lakers have available, Taurean Prince could end up a great value play, especially on DraftKings, where his salary is only $4,000 and he has a 97% Bargain Rating. If you need a bargain on FanDuel at small forward, Marcus Morris stands out as a cheap option to consider, especially if Harris misses another game.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The Clippers have won eight of their last nine games and sit just one game behind the Thunder and Timberwolves, who are tied atop the Western Conference. Kawhi Leonard has remained the focal point of the team’s offense, with Paul George and James Harden coming alongside in supporting roles. Leonard has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward on FanDuel and the third-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at the position on DraftKings.
Leonard has scored 25 points or more in five straight games and added 11 boards for a nice double-double on Sunday against the Heat. He usually turns in excellent defensive numbers as well and has averaged 1.57 DraftKings points and 1.59 FanDuel points per minute with a 30.1% usage rate over his last five games.
Kawhi’s Clippers are tied with the Mavs for the highest implied team total on the board on Monday, and his salary is significantly lower than Luka’s, LeBron’s, or even Donovan Mitchell’s. He only has the ninth-highest salary across all players expected to play on DraftKings and FanDuel but ranks higher than that in ceiling, median and floor projections.
Value
On the other side of that matchup at State Farm Arena, Onyeka Okongwu is in a spot to return good value. He lands in the top five of Projected Plus/Minus at both power forward and center on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He will need to step into a much larger role over the next 7-to-10 days while Clint Capela (adductor) is out.
Okongwu is coming off a huge game on Saturday against the Warriors, posting 22 points and 16 rebounds in 36 minutes. He has scored double-digit points in four straight games and exceeded salary-based expectations in each of his last three. Okongwu averages 0.93 DraftKings points and 0.95 FanDuel points per minute on the season, and with more minutes expected to come his way, he should be ready to post a strong run of results.
In addition to Capela, the Hawks could be without De’Andre Hunter (knee) and Saddiq Bey (ankle), which would potentially open up even more time for Okongwu. The fourth-year big man is an especially strong play on DraftKings, where he has a 91% Bargain Rating with a salary of just $5,100.
Fast Break
Anthony Davis (Achilles, hip) is questionable once again, but if he plays, he’ll be a strong option. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate on DraftKings and the second-highest on FanDuel. After missing two games with his injuries, he returned with 12 points and 18 boards on Saturday in a win over the Knicks, exceeding salary-based expectations.
Zion Williamson (foot) is another questionable player on Monday who is worth considering if he plays through his tag. Zion has missed two of the Pelicans’ last five games but scored 33 points in 36 minutes on Friday and hit the game-winning shot over the Spurs. If he plays against the Raptors, he’ll have a high ceiling in the favorable matchup.
While more value will likely open up during the day, Royce O’Neale and Trendon Watford start the day as some of the best values on the board since the Nets will be without Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle), and Day’Ron Sharpe (knee). Maxi Kleber is also looking to build on his 21-point outburst on Saturday, and he should be busy due to multiple Mavs injuries in the frontcourt.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Jarrett Allen (ankle) was able to play through a questionable tag on Saturday in San Antonio and will attempt to do the same thing against Sacramento on Monday. Allen posted 26 points and 16 boards against the Spurs and has racked up 17 double-doubles in his past 18 games. His only game during that span without a double-double came in a game that he left early after spraining his ankle.
Allen has the third-highest median and floor projection at center on FanDuel and the fourth-highest ceiling, median and floor projection at the position on DraftKings. Even with Mobley starting to ramp up next to him in the frontcourt, Allen has a 26.6% usage projection in 38.2 projected minutes.
Over his past 18 games, Allen has produced an impressive 1.47 DraftKings points and 1.43 FanDuel points per minute. As long as he’s active against the Kings, Allen is a strong stud to build around at center.
Value
Facing his former team, Jonas Valanciunas is a strong value play on Monday, and he will get an even bigger boost if Zion is out. Valanciunas has a top-10 Projected Plus/Minus at center on both DraftKings and FanDuel, but he is a better bargain on DraftKings, as indicated by his 89% Bargain Rating.
Valanciunas has averaged 1.41 DraftKings points and 1.34 FanDuel points over his last seven games while scoring double-digit points in each game. His minutes still fluctuate based on the game situation, but when he plays big minutes, he typically puts up big numbers.
Fast Break
Domontas Sabonis always brings a high ceiling but is in a tough matchup against the Cavs. He brings a high ceiling but isn’t a great value at his salary. Over the last month, he has produced 1.49 DraftKings points and 1.37 FanDuel points per minute.
With Embiid out a while, Paul Reed will need to step up for the Sixers. He has shown a high ceiling but has been very boom-or-bust. His best game was a 30-point, 13-rebound double-double against the Nuggets last week, but on Saturday, he posted just two points and four rebounds against the Nets.
In addition to Okongwu, Nick Richards is a solid mid-range option at center. He had a double-double on Sunday against the Pacers and has produced 0.99 DraftKings points and 0.97 FanDuel points per minute over his last seven games.
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