This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Monday's NBA slate offers plenty of opportunity for fantasy managers and DFS players willing to navigate shifting NBA lineups and a lengthy injury report. With multiple teams shorthanded and several star players listed as questionable, staying on top of the latest NBA news and player injuries is critical when building lineups. This breakdown covers NBA games today, highlights elite and value DFS options, and factors in recent NBA stats, player roles and matchup context. Whether you're using projections, monitoring starting lineups or adjusting builds based on late injury news, this guide is designed to help optimize decisions across season-long fantasy basketball and NBA DFS formats.
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NBA Games Today
NY at DET: Knicks on three-game slide, 7-8 on road; Pistons 12-3 at home
ATL at TOR: Hawks 11-9 on road; Raptors 11-8 at home
CHI at BOS: Bulls 7-9 on road; Celtics on three-game winning streak, 10-5 at home
CHR at OKC: Hornets 5-13 on road; Thunder 17-1 at home
PHO at HOU: Suns 9-9 on road; Rockets 10-2 at home
DEN at PHI: Nuggets 13-7 on road; 76ers on three-game winning streak, 9-8 at home
GS at LAC: Warriors 8-12 on road; Clippers 8-9 at home
UTA at POR: Jazz on three-game slide, 4-11 on road; Trail Blazers 7-9 at home
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.
NY - Landry Shamet (shoulder), Josh Hart (ankle): OUT
DET - Cade Cunningham (hip), Duncan Robinson (calf): Probable; Caris LeVert (knee): Questionable; Jalen Duren (ankle), Tobias Harris (hip): OUT
ATL - Luke Kennard (back): Questionable; Trae Young (quadriceps): OUT
TOR - Jakob Poeltl (back): OUT
CHI - Coby White (calf): Probable; Josh Giddey (hamstring), Jalen Smith (concussion), Zach Collins (toe): OUT
BOS - Jayson Tatum (Achilles): OUT
CHR - Kon Knueppel (hip), Brandon Miller (knee), Moussa Diabate (wrist), Tidjane Salaun (ankle): Probable; Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow): OUT
OKC - Isaiah Hartenstein (calf), Alex Caruso (back), Jaylin Williams (heel): OUT
PHO - Grayson Allen (knee), Mark Williams (knee): Probable; Jalen Green (hamstring), Jamaree Bouyea (concussion): OUT
HOU - Steven Adams (ankle): Questionable; Alperen Sengun (ankle): OUT
DEN - Nikola Jokic (knee), Jamal Murray (ankle), Aaron Gordon (hamstring), Christian Braun (ankle), Cameron Johnson (knee), Tim Hardaway (illness), Jonas Valanciunas (calf): OUT
PHI - Joel Embiid (knee): Probable; Kelly Oubre (knee), Trendon Watford (adductor): OUT
GS - Seth Curry (back): OUT
LAC - James Harden (shoulder), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (illness): Questionable; Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring), Derrick Jones (knee): OUT
UTA - Ace Bailey (hip): Questionable; Kevin Love (rest): OUT
POR - Robert Williams (knee): Probable; Jrue Holiday (calf), Jerami Grant (Achilles), Scoot Henderson (hamstring): OUT
Elite NBA DFS Picks
Guards
Cade Cunningham, Pistons 
($10,500) vs. Knicks
While the Pistons are on the second leg of a back-to-back set, Cunningham has still been productive when playing on zero days rest this season. The star point guard hasn't recorded fewer than 48.5 DK points through five appearances during the second half of a back-to-back this season, and he has tallied at least 46.8 in six straight games.
Tyrese Maxey, 76ers 
($9,700) vs. Nuggets
Maxey has recorded 45.0 or more DK points in five straight games and enters a favorable matchup against the injury-plagued Nuggets, who are on the second half of a back-to-back set. During that five-game stretch, the star point guard has averaged 31.8 points, 7.8 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks across 39.6 minutes per tilt.
Forwards/Centers
Jalen Johnson, Hawks 
($10,000) at Raptors
Johnson has been a stat-stuffing machine this season and has logged 40.3-plus DK points in 16 straight appearances, including five outings with at least 70.5 over that stretch. The rising star has racked up four double-doubles and a triple-double over his last six games, during which he has averaged 25.0 points, 9.7 assists, 9.0 rebounds and 1.8 combined steals-plus-blocks in 36.8 minutes per game.
Kevin Durant, Rockets 
($8,900) vs. Suns
Durant has contributed 44.3 or more DK points in five straight matchups, during which he has averaged 28.2 points, 7.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. The Rockets will need the veteran forward to step up on the offensive end, and he'll likely take on an increased workload with Alperen Sengun (ankle) unavailable. In a win over Phoenix on Dec. 5 without Sengun, Durant racked up 49.5 DK points.
Joel Embiid, 76ers ($8,700) vs. Nuggets
Embiid is listed as probable for Monday's contest due to left knee injury management and right ankle soreness. If he's ultimately cleared to suit up, the star big man will have an extremely favorable matchup against a banged-up Denver squad that is without its two top centers in Nikola Jokic (knee) and Jonas Valanciunas (calf). Embiid has tallied at least 37.0 DK points in seven straight appearances, averaging 28.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.1 blocks in 33.0 minutes per tilt during that span.
Expected NBA DFS Chalk
Jaylen Brown, Celtics 
($9,800) vs. Bulls
Brown is coming off a 50-point performance during Saturday's blowout win over the Clippers and has logged at least 46.8 DK points in each of his last eight appearances. Over that stretch, the star forward has averaged 33.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 35.1 minutes per game.
Mid-Range NBA DFS Picks
Peyton Watson, Nuggets 
($6,400) at 76ers
Watson has scored at least 21 points in three straight games and will have a prime opportunity to remain hot with the Nuggets missing all five of their Opening Night starters in the second leg of a back-to-back set. He has finished with 32.5 or more DK points in each of those three outings, averaging 22.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals across 35.0 minutes per contest during that stretch.
Dillon Brooks, Suns 
($6,200) at Rockets
Brooks has notched at least 25.0 DK points in five straight games and will look to remain productive against his previous club. The 29-year-old forward has racked up 33.0-plus DK points in each of his two games against the Rockets this season, during which he has averaged 26.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 31.5 minutes per tilt.
NBA DFS Value Picks
Spencer Jones, Nuggets ($5,200) at 76ers
The Nuggets will be without all five of their Opening Night starters, meaning Jones should see a sizable workload in the second leg of the team's back-to-back set. While the second-year forward struggled in Sunday's loss to Brooklyn, he'll have a strong opportunity to bounce back Monday. Jones has posted at least 17.5 DK points in each of his last six outings with Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) sidelined, averaging 11.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks across 34.7 minutes per contest during that span.
Miles McBride, Knicks 
($4,600) at Pistons
McBride has appeared in each of the Knicks' last four games, posting at least 18.3 DK points in all of them and 23.8-plus in three of them. During that stretch, the 25-year-old guard has averaged 16.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.5 minutes per contest.
Luka Garza, Celtics ($4,600) vs. Bulls
After seeing minimal playing time from late November to mid-December, Garza has averaged 21.7 minutes per contest over his last seven appearances. The big man has finished with at least 22.3 DK points in six of those seven outings, during which he has averaged 10.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 combined steals-plus-blocks per game.
