Monday night’s NBA playoff slate includes three Game 2 matchups from across the Association on a solid six-team slate that tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Cavaliers, Knicks, and Nuggets all won Game 1 at home on Saturday and will look to take a commanding 2-0 lead over the Magic, 76ers, and Lakers respectively.
Overall, it’s once again a pretty clean injury report, Joel Embiid (injury recovery) is officially questionable while Anthony Davis (back) and LeBron James (ankle) are probable, but all three superstars are likely to play through their injury tags.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
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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
The Knicks offense continues to revolve around Jalen Brunson, who has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all point guards and the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position on Monday. He has the highest usage projection of all point guards at 36.3% and typically plays huge minutes for coach Tom Thibodeau, who deserves his reputation as a coach who gives huge workloads to his starters.
Brunson had 22 points, seven assists, seven rebounds, and 41.25 DraftKings points in Game 1 of the series while playing 42 minutes. He actually struggled with his shot, going just 8-for-26 (30.8%) from the field, but his high usage and good non-scoring numbers still gave him a solid fantasy showing. His ceiling in his current role is much higher, but it’s good to see he has this high of a floor as well.
He has averaged an impressive 1.45 DraftKings points per minute over his 12 games over the last month, with a 38.1% usage rate and 36.8% assist rate. With so much scoring and creating responsibility and a good matchup against the 76ers, Brunson remains a great pay-up play at point guard this Monday.
Value
The highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards comes from Jamal Murray of the Nuggets. In fact, Murray has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all players on the slate in this favorable matchup with the Lakers. The Nuggets have the highest implied team total this Monday, and their game has the highest over/under by a 16-point margin.
Murray finished the season on a hot streak and carried that over into Game 1 on Saturday. He finished with 22 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds for 50 DraftKings points in 39 minutes.
After missing seven games in late March and early April, Murray has averaged 1.53 DraftKings points per minute in six games since returning. The Blue Arrow scored at least 20 points in five straight games dating back to the regular season, with at least three made three-pointers in each of those contests. He and the Nuggets look ready for another deep playoff run, and getting him at under $8,000 makes him a good value to play at point guard Monday. He has the second-highest ceiling projection at the position even though he only has the fourth-highest salary.
Fast Break
Tyrese Maxey had 33 points in Game 1 and should still be very involved in the 76ers’ offense even with Embiid back in the frontcourt. If Embiid is limited at all due to injury, Maxey would carry even more workload. He’s a solid leverage pivot even though his projections are just behind Brunson’s and Murray’s. Maxey was added to the injury report as questionable after missing shootaround, and if he’s out, Cameron Payne and Kyle Lowry would have to help carry the load
In their Game 1 loss to the Cavs, Jalen Suggs played 33 minutes and exceeded salary-based expectations with 30 DraftKings points. He should continue to get plenty of playing time and produce in multiple categories. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards with salaries under $6,000 and the fourth-highest of all point guards on the board.
If you have to go even cheaper, Miles McBride did stay in the Knicks’ rotation and played 28 minutes in Game 1, knocking down five three-pointers and scoring 21 points. He’ll have a high ceiling due to his streaky scoring potential, but he’s also a volatile option at just $4,300 since his role in the rotation is uncertain after OG Anunoby’s return.
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
Donovan Mitchell doesn’t have great value projections compared to the other point guards on this slate, but he brings the flexibility of sliding over to shooting guard, where he has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections on the slate by a wide margin.
Spida had a game-high 30 points and 42.5 DraftKings points and helped the Cavs set the tone early in Game 1. He has a 28.7% usage projection in Game 2, the highest of all shooting guards on the board. For the season, he produced 1.35 DraftKings points per minute, and he has been able to step up and take his game to another level when called upon.
If you’re paying up at shooting guard, Mitchell is far and away the top option to consider, especially after showing he’s healthy and primed for the playoffs in Game 1.
Value
If you go with a value play at shooting guard, there are players with much better Projected Plus/Minus than Mitchell further down the salary structure. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has the highest Projected Plus/Minus and the highest Pts/Sal at the position.
KCP had 12 points, three steals, and two rebounds for 24 DraftKings points in Game 1 while logging 37 minutes. His usage isn’t usually high, but he does still make a good fantasy option since he is in such a big role for a typically high-scoring team.
Over his last 10 regular and postseason games, Caldwell-Pope only has averaged 0.63 DraftKings points per minute, but since he has played 30 minutes per night, he usually returns value. If you’re building around Murray, Brunson, or other big names at point guard, KCP is a great way to save salary and still get a high floor due to all his minutes.
Fast Break
Donte DiVincenzo struggled with only eight points in Game 1 against the Sixers, failing to score double-digit points for the first time in 41 games. He played under 25 minutes as well, which is concerning for his production going forward. He does still have high upside with his streaky shooting, but he’s high-risk until he secures more minutes next to Anunoby. On Monday’s slate, he has the second-highest median and ceiling projections behind only Mitchell.
Kelly Oubre is a solid mid-range target and has the second-highest floor projection of all shooting guards and the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus. He had five steals to go with his 10 points in Game 1 against the Knicks and finished with 26.75 DraftKings points. His role is limited with Maxey and Embiid healthy, but he’s still a regular contributor with good upside for a play under $6,000. If Maxey is limited due to his illness, Oubre would likely become the Sixers’ second scoring option.
Miles McBride (discussed above), Kyle Lowry and Christian Braun are punt plays at the position if you can’t get the salary together to go with KCP as a value play.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The ageless LeBron James has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all small forwards and the second-highest at power forward behind only his teammate, Anthony Davis. LeBron also has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards and the third-highest of all power forwards. James and Davis also lead the slate with 15 Pro Trends.
James had 27 points, eight assists, and six boards for 55.35 DraftKings points in Game 1, and he has scored 20+ points in nine straight games, averaging 1.50 DraftKings points per minute over that span. If the Lakers are going to be able to keep up with the Nuggets, they’ll need playoff LeBron at his best. He looked totally dominant in the first half before cooling off a bit, but his continued production as the focal point of the Lakers’ offense is enough to make him a strong option to build around again this Monday.
Value
Franz Wagner has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards on the slate on Monday night and comes almost $3,000 cheaper than LeBron.
Wagner has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last six games dating back to the regular season with an average Plus/Minus of +4.6 DraftKings points. He had 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and 40.25 DraftKings points in Game 1, exceeding salary-based expectations by almost 10 DraftKings points. Even with that solid stat line, there is plenty of room for Wagner’s production to tick up even higher, as he and Paolo Banchero share the load and try to get the young Magic playoff experience and success.
Fast Break
Josh Hart had a nice double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds against the Sixers on Saturday and has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position on Monday. He has four double-doubles in his last five games and has scored over 15 points in four of those games as well. While his usage isn’t as high as Wagner’s or James’, he is another strong mid-range play and should continue to get heavy minutes with the Knicks, allowing him to stuff the stat sheet.
After limited playing time down the stretch, Bojan Bogdanovic played 25 minutes off the bench for the Knicks in Game 1 and had 24.75 DraftKings points on 13 points and seven rebounds. From under $4,000, he’ll be a great value if he gets that much playing time again in Game 2.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
No player on Monday’s entire slate has a higher Projected Plus/Minus than Anthony Davis. Davis has been great all season for the Lakers, and they’ll need to continue to lean heavily on him and LeBron for as long as they last in the playoffs.
For the regular and postseason, Davis has averaged 1.50 DraftKings points per minute with a 27.02% usage rate. He has 11 double-doubles in his last 12 games of the regular season and also had a big double-double in Game 1, with 32 points, 14 boards, five assists, and four blocks for 65.5 DraftKings points. He played 45 minutes in that game with a 34.4% usage rate, and in the playoffs, he should continue to get big minutes and usage for as long as his body holds up.
Even though he’s in a tough matchup with Nikola Jokic, Davis has averaged 3.3 blocks per game in his four games against the Nuggets, and his added block potential raises his ceiling even higher Monday.
Value
With so many strong pay-up plays, it’s always especially important to find the right cheap value options in the playoffs. Jonathan Isaac was a key bargain play in Game 1, starting for Orlando in place of Wendell Carter Jr. and playing 29 minutes.
After multiple injuries over the last few years, the Magic have been very cautious with Isaac’s playing time, but when he has played big minutes, he has been very productive. On Saturday, he had 10 points, five rebounds, and three steals for 30.75 DraftKings points.
He produced a solid 1.15 DraftKings points per minute over his last 17 games dating back to early March, and he exceeded salary-based expectations in 12 of those 17 contests. His salary did rise a bit coming into Game 2, but he still projects as a strong value.
Fast Break
Paolo Banchero led the Magic with a 34.7% usage rate in Game 1 and posted a team-high 24 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists in 41 minutes. He should remain the focus of the Magic offense and bring a very high ceiling. He’s pricey at over $8,000, but his Projected Plus/Minus is slightly higher than LeBron’s and his median, ceiling, and floor projection is the third-highest of all power forwards.
The Nuggets got good play from both Michael Porter and Aaron Gordon down the stretch and into Game 1. Porter has a slightly higher ceiling, but Gordon has been more consistent lately. Both are solid mid-range options at power forward.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The highest median, ceiling, and floor projections on Monday’s entire slate come from Nikola Jokic, just as they did on Saturday ahead of Game 1. He finished that game with 63.5 DraftKings points on 32 points, 12 boards, and seven assists. After a slow start, he looked unstoppable once he settled in, and he continues to crush Davis in this head-to-head matchup. In his four games against the Lakers this season, Jokic has averaged 30.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 63.5 DraftKings points per game.
Jokic has the highest salary on the board, but he exceeded even his lofty salary-based expectations in Game 1 and will look for more of the same in Game 2. He always has the potential to break the slate with a monster performance, and he is extremely reliable as well if you can find a way to make his big price tag work.
Value
Davis, Jokic, and Isaac have the top three Projected Plus/Minus at center on Monday, but Mitchell Robinson is not far behind. He and Isaiah Hartenstein will continue to log most of the minutes at center for New York, but Robinson is a better matchup against Embiid and played 31 minutes in Game 1 compared to just 18 minutes for Hartenstein.
Robinson had eight points and 12 boards for 34 DraftKings points, and if he comes close to that production or those minutes in Game 2, he’ll be a steal at barely over $4,000. Robinson missed extended time with an ankle injury and has been volatile since his return, but the Knicks need him to help hold down the middle against Embiid in this specific series, which should make him a good value option.
Fast Break
Embiid has been very productive since rejoining the Sixers but continues to battle knee issues. He left Game 1 for a little bit after landing awkwardly but was able to return in the second half. He finished with 29 points, eight rebounds, and 52 DraftKings points in 37 minutes. As long as he plays through his questionable tag, he will have a very high ceiling again in Game 2. He is more volatile than Jokic given the uncertainty around his health, but he brings tons of upside as well.
With the elite centers at the top of the salary structure, it’s easy to overlook Jarrett Allen, who has been a very strong play for the Cavs down the stretch. He had 16 points, 18 rebounds, and 47 DraftKings points in Game 1 and had four straight double-doubles, including an impressive 29-point, 13-board performance in the final week of the season before playing only a few minutes in the finale. If you can’t spend up for Davis, Jokic, or Embiid, Allen is a strong alternative.
Isaac and Robinson are two of the best values on the board, but you could also consider Paul Reed as a pivot play in case Embiid is limited, or Moritz Wagner, who always brings a high ceiling with boom-or-bust upside off the Magic’s bench.
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