The All-Star weekend is upon us, but we'll still have four days of DFS action to explore as the break approaches. Monday's FanDuel main slate features seven games, and we'll need to keep our ear to the ground for injury updates for a few teams as lineup lock nears. My endorsements morphed into a bit of a stars-and-scrubs festival, as I targeted several players below the median salary in an effort to snag some high-salary options.
Try our FanDuel NBA Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
NBA Games Today
The MIA/UTA game wins the prize for the highest projected total, and although my exposure wasn't especially high for the contest, both rosters are worth a second look. I placed a lot of faith in the Pelicans tonight, as they have a winnable opportunity against the Kings. The new additions in Chicago will get a shot at value for us due to the backcourt injuries, and thanks to additional bargains, we may get a former MVP into our builds to anchor our lineups.
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
NBA Injuries Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Monday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
UTA Keyonte George (ankle) - OUT
Isaiah Collier ($8,200) has performed well as George's replacement, but his salary is suddenly out of control. The increase makes him a difficult pivot.
MIA Pelle Larsson (elbow) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Norman Powell (back) - QUESTIONABLE
We'll have to wait and see for both players, although Larsson may be back for the tail end of the back-to-back. The Heat may want to sit Powell on the tail end to balance things out. Jaime Jaquez ($6,400) is a decent pivot in either scenario.
CHI Josh Giddey (hamstring) - DOUBTFUL
CHI Tre Jones (hamstring) - DOUBTFUL
CHI Jalen Smith (calf) - QUESTIONABLE
The Bulls have undergone a drastic facelift following the trade deadline, and the guard absences will throw some new faces in. Jaden Ivey ($5,500) and Anfernee Simons ($5,800) will likely form the backcourt tandem. We could see Smith return and take his turn as the new center for the Bulls, but a pivot in the event of his absence is unclear.
BKN Michael Porter (knee) - OUT
BKN Egor Demin (rest) - OUT
Drake Powell ($3,800) and Terance Mann ($3,800) will be the best pivots in this spot, and Danny Wolf ($4,800) could also have an impact. It's too early to think about new Nets such as Ochai Agbaji and Josh Minott.
SAC Zach LaVine (finger) - OUT
SAC Malik Monk (illness) - OUT
SAC Domantas Sabonis (back) - QUESTIONABLE
SAC De'Andre Hunter (eye) - OUT
SAC Doug McDermott (shoulder) - QUESTIONABLE
Sabonis' job will be split between Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell, so I'm less enthused about going that route, and Sabonis could be back on the court. I'm more a fan of Devin Carter ($4,600) as the pivot of choice.
ATL Dyson Daniels (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Daniels is likely to return, but moving to CJ McCollum ($5,600) is a good way to go if he's sidelined.
CLE Dean Wade (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Jaylon Tyson (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Evan Mobley (calf) - OUT
Tyson and Wade should be fine for Monday's contest, so I'll refrain from a pivot there. Jarrett Allen ($7,500) will have a tough matchup against Jokic, so I might stay away from him tonight.
DEN Jamal Murray (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
Murray is the sole questionable tag among a sea of probables and extended absences for Denver. Julian Strawther ($4,300) will likely start again due to the short-handed staff at his position.
Elite Players
We have five players above $10k for Monday's slate. All of them will be challenging to include, as I don't see an advantage to going this high. Cade Cunningham ($10,600) is probably in the best spot against Charlotte, and the salary is low enough to stomach. We could also use Nikola Jokic ($12,600) in place of less attractive center options, but you'll need to load up on some of the values in the injury section to offset the cost. Fortunately, I also found several cost-effective endorsements below, so Jokic and another elite player are very reachable.
I'm not thrilled with the options in the $9k range, but Paolo Banchero ($9,300) is a decent play against Milwaukee. At the $8k level, Bam Adebayo ($8,300) and his dual eligibility are a solid call, and I'll gladly consider Trey Murphy ($8,100) against the short-handed Kings. Julius Randle ($8,200) is also priced well at home against the Hawks.
Expected Chalk and Value Plays
Zion Williamson, NOP ($7,800) vs. SAC
It's not often that you'll see Zion below $8k on FanDuel, and you couldn't ask for a better spot. I'm even ok with stacking Murphy and Williamson in this spot, as the Kings are hurting at almost every position. Although DeMar DeRozan ($6,700) will be active, he'll be overworked and less effective in this spot.
Desmond Bane, ORL ($7,100) vs. MIL
We may have already mentioned our best point guard options in the injury section, but I'll slide down to Bane, who has dual eligibility at shooting guard and small forward. He has good upside against the Bucks, who are on a bit of a winning streak but haven't met a challenging team during that stretch. The Magic are another matter. We already promoted Banchero, but I think Bane is equally favorable here.
Noah Clowney, BKN ($5,200) vs. CHI
I'm going with Clowney due to some question marks under the basket for the Bulls tonight, and I haven't been impressed with Nic Claxton's numbers. Clowney had one of his better games of the season against the Bulls back in January, and although it's an entirely different lineup after the deadline, I still like his chances.
Tobias Harris, DET ($5,200) @ CHA
I would probably move off of Harris at a higher salary, but he's a sensible call against the Hornets, who set up well against the veteran defender. Harris' shot volume isn't always consistent, but he should be able to rack up his share of secondary numbers and finish somewhere at or above 5x value tonight.
Nique Clifford, SAC ($5,100) @ NOP
The Kings will give Clifford every opportunity to succeed as they set their sights on next season. There should be major upheaval for this squad in the offseason, and Clifford could emerge as a key part of the rebuild. Although Devin Carter played well in Zach LaVine's absence, Clifford ate most of the minutes and is versatile enough to stay on the court and perform other roles in relief.
Cameron Johnson, DEN ($4,300) vs. CLE
Although Johnson is working his way back from injury, it's hard to fade the potential upside at this salary despite a potential minute restriction. He returns in a scenario without Aaron Gordon or Peyton Watson, so the Nuggets could definitely use him in a tough matchup against the Cavs.
AJ Green, MIL ($4,000) @ ORL
Green won't wow you, but hear me out. The price is pretty hard to beat when you consider that he only needs 20 FDFPs to blow out 5x value, and he's beaten that mark in two of his last three games. Orlando isn't the best fit, but he's a strong option if you're spending for someone like Jokic or Cunningham.
