This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We kick off the week with an adjusted schedule due to weather concerns across the country. The Pacers-Hawks and Hornets-76ers matchups were moved to maximize attendee safety, leaving a slim five-game main slate on FanDuel. With the help of RotoWire's trusty NBA projections, I'll comb through the player pool and find out the best options of the evening. As you'll see below, there are a couple of teams I am completely behind tonight.
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NBA Games Today
Minnesota and Houston are my two favorite teams for tonight's slate. The surprise team could very well be Chicago, which is almost 100 percent healthy and could give the Lakers some problems.
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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.
CLE Darius Garland (toe) - OUT
CLE De'Andre Hunter (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Sam Merrill (hand) - QUESTIONABLE
Jaylon Tyson ($6,200) should continue to play in place of Garland. Hunter and Merrill could return Monday, so I'll refrain from a second-unit pivot.
POR Deni Avdija (back) - QUESTIONABLE
Avdija's status is still shaky. Jerami Grant's ($5,800) role gets a boost if Avdija misses again.
BOS Neemias Queta (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
If Queta is held out, rookie Amari Williams ($3,800) would be in line for another start.
LAL Jake LaRavia (quad) - QUESTIONABLE
Rui Hachimura ($4,400) is the most reasonable pivot in this spot.
MEM Santi Aldama (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
MEM Ja Morant (elbow) - OUT
Morant is expected to be out until late February. Cam Spencer ($6,300) is the fill-in pivot for him right now. A pivot for Aldama is less clear, so I'll refrain from making a recommendation for him and instead give the other starters a slight boost.
Elite Players
We have two players with $10k-plus salaries for Monday. Jaylen Brown ($10,200) is a better play over Luka Doncic ($12,500) for multiple reasons. A lower salary, dual eligibility and a potential absence for Deni Avdija all play in Brown's favor as the best elite play. I don't doubt Doncic's potential, but Brown's upside in this matchup is a much better option.
In the $9k range, Anthony Edwards ($9,800) is hard to overlook against the Butler-less Warriors. The Warriors' surprise win in the last game was a head-scratcher, and I doubt we'll see a repeat. At the $8k tier, Evan Mobley ($8,700) sticks out as an excellent option against the Magic. You can also roster either Kevin Durant ($8,900) or Amen Thompson ($8,800) against the short-handed Grizzlies.
Expected Chalk and Value Plays
Desmond Bane, ORL ($7,300) @ CLE
This is a challenging game for the Magic, but I like Bane over the other options for Orlando. Pitting Paolo Banchero against the Mobley/Allen frontcourt is sketchy, and absences from Garland and Hunter leave the Cavs thin against Bane, who can take over a game quickly by making plays all over the court.
Jarrett Allen, CLE ($6,500) vs. ORL
I like Allen's salary here, and he stands out among some of the other center-only options I could employ. Rudy Gobert was a consideration, but I was put off by his previous poor performance against the Warriors. There are a couple of aforementioned options that can fit at PF or C, but Allen is excellent as a third option.
Brandin Podziemski, GSW ($6,100) @ MIN
Podziemski's salary is low enough to consider. His usage has gone up since Butler's absence, and he seems to have the upper hand as the others jockey for the missing output. Since Curry's effort is key to keeping this game competitive, the Timberwolves will place more defensive focus on him and potentially give Podziemski more open looks. He looked great against the Timberwolves on the front end of this tilt.
Donte DiVincenzo, MIN ($6,000) vs. GSW
Although I like all of Minnesota's starters, DiVincenzo's salary and recent run of production make for a safe play. His dual eligibility will also come in handy, and since we may see Edwards guard Curry, DiVincenzo might draw a mismatch and exploit it. I expect the team to bounce back from Sunday's loss.
Jalen Smith, CHI ($5,900) vs. LAL
Although Rui Hachimura will be a capable fill-in for LaRavia, I've watched Smith come into his own over the past few weeks. The Bulls should utilize him liberally against the Lakers, who are lacking cohesiveness and stability under the basket.
Jabari Smith, HOU ($5,800) vs. MEM
Smith has turned in some excellent numbers recently. While I'm not opposed to a stack with Thompson, I'd fade a Durant/Smith combo because of their negative correlation. Either way, I still view Houston as a smash spot against Memphis, and at least one of the three should be present in your lineups.
Also consider:
- SF Gui Santos, GSW ($3,800)
- SG/SF Marcus Smart, LAL ($4,900)
- SF/PF Matas Buzelis, CHI ($6,200)
