This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Here we go with a robust seven-game NBA slate for Monday, December 3.
The matchup between the Clippers and Pelicans jumps out as the best fantasy environment of the night. The over/under checks in at 237 total points, which easily represents the highest scoring expectation of the night. Both teams rank in the top ten for possessions per game, so we should see a fast-paced contest with plenty of fantasy opportunities.
We'll dive deeper into individual players later, but Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday profile as cornerstone options in cash games. Danilo Gallinari and Montrezl Harrell are a few of intriguing lifts for the Clippers.
Per usual, we have several injuries to monitor with potential for more while moving closer to tip-off. You'll want to stay in the loop with RotoWire's NBA News Feed before setting your final lineups. As of Monday morning, these are the situations we are looking at:
- Draymond Green is out. Jonas Jerebko, Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell will continue to fill in. None of them profile as anything more than punt fillers on DraftKings.
- Trey Burke is out. It's hard to rely on the Knicks' rotation, but Emmanuel Mudiay saw 36 minutes and 44.75 fantasy points with Trey Burke leaving early last game. There's no guarantee that will be the case again tonight, but Mudiay could have a higher floor/ceiling combination with Burke out of the picture.
With that, I'll be breaking down the best fantasy choices on DraftKings for Monday. The following write-ups contain a blend of cash game staples, bargain fillers, and tournament pivots.
GUARDS
Jrue Holiday, NO vs. LAC ($8,300): As mentioned earlier, this game makes for one of the best fantasy environments of the night. The stars should be shining in full force given the high-scoring upside between two teams that rank top ten in pace. Jrue Holiday will certainly be a part of that. It's crazy to think that Holiday has been a solid fantasy option despite only shooting 28% on three pointers this season. That means there's even more upside to be had if that percentage begins to normalize.
Tim Hardaway Jr, NYK vs. WAS ($6,900): Hardaway, Jr.'s fantasy output has been all over the place lately, but I believe we'll see his good side on Monday. Squaring off against a Washington team that ranks eighth in pace, 23rd vs opposing backcourts and 28th in team defensive efficiency should be enough to get him going. Hardaway has been able to capitalize on good matchups this season, and this is one of his better draws in recent memory.
Emmanuel Mudiay, NYK vs. WAS ($5,000): I briefly touched on Emmanuel Mudiay earlier in the article, but that may need more explanation. Fellow Knicks' guard, Trey Burke, has been ruled out tonight, which could mean more minutes for Mudiay. That was the case upon Burke's early exit last game, as Mudiay posted 44.75 fantasy points in 36 minutes in a surprise win vs. Milwaukee on Saturday. The Knicks' rotation seems to change on a nightly basis, so there's admittedly some risk to Mudiay's DFS prospects. However, he's playing great and looking at a very nice matchup while having less competition for playing time with Burke sidelined.
Other guards to consider: D'Angelo Russell, BKN vs. CLE ($7,700), Gary Harris, DEN at TOR ($5,100), Lou Williams, LAC at NO ($4,900)
FORWARDS
Keep an eye on DeMarre Carroll ($3,900) of Brooklyn. If Joe Harris (questionable) misses another game, Carroll could step in as a plausible value filler with more secure playing time.
Anthony Davis, NO vs. LAC ($11,500): Davis is a building block to my lineups tonight. He's arguably one of the best fantasy players in the NBA while taking part in the best game environment of the night. His opponent, the Clippers, play at a fast pace while ranking 21st against power forwards and 25th vs. opposing centers. Davis doesn't necessarily need an ideal matchup to produce monstrous stat lines, but that certainly doesn't hurt while playing in a competitive atmosphere.
Danilo Gallinari, LAC at NO ($6,600): Gallinari isn't a must-play by any stretch of the imagination, but he's someone to keep in the back of your mind while building cash game lineups. He's moderately priced while also playing in this confident game environment in New Orleans. Gallinari has impressed with 36+ fantasy points in five of his last six outings, while the playing time, shots, rebounds and overall fantasy production is stable on a nightly basis. He could thrive against a New Orleans team that ranks bottom ten against opposing frontcourts and 26th in three point percentage allowed (36.6%).
Markieff Morris, WAS at NYK ($5,900): Morris flopped with just 10.25 fantasy points in a blowout at Philadelphia last week. Aside from that, he has been on fire with 37+ fantasy points in his other three most recent games. It's clear that the Philly game was an outlier, as Washington will continue to lean heavily on Morris with Dwight Howard out. Markieff has an excellent opportunity to keep the positive momentum against a New York team that ranks 28th in defensive efficiency vs. opposing power forwards.
Other forwards to consider:Kawhi Leonard, TOR vs. DEN ($9,700), Otto Porter Jr, WAS at NYK ($5,900), Noah Vonleh - GPP, NYK vs. WAS ($5,300)
CENTERS
Clint Capela – HOU at MIN ($8,600): I like both centers from this game, but Capela may be the better overall DFS choice with a stronger matchup and shorter price tag. It doesn't hurt that the Houston big man has been playing out of his mind with 40+ fantasy points in three of his past four. Capela has always been an excellent fantasy-point-per-minute contributor throughout his career, and now he's finally seeing enough regular minutes to profile as a force every night. The Timberwolves have been playing better as of late, but they still get into shootouts against quality opponents. That could happen vs. Houston tonight, and Capela will look to take advantage of Minnesota's 21st ranked defensive efficiency against opposing centers.
Tristan Thompson – CLE at BKN ($6,500): Thompson is cheaper than Capela and the other recommended centers, but he could plausibly post similar numbers. The Cleveland center has racked up 37+ fantasy points in five of his past six games, yet the salary remains tame at $6,500 on DraftKings. On top of that, this is one of Thompson's best matchups in some time, facing a Brooklyn team that ranks dead last in defensive efficiency against centers and 26th in rebound rate.
Other centers to consider:Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. HOU ($9,000), Montrezl Harrell, LAC at NO ($7,600)
