This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Monday's nine-game slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Most of the games ae bunched up in a two-hour window, with a lone nightcap happening at 10:00 p.m., so any late swaps will have to be down swiftly. Injuries provide the meat of our DFS opportunities, so pay special attention to the endorsements within.
SLATE OVERVIEW
DEN (-3.5) @ CHA O/U: 231.5
CLE (-9.5) vs. ORL O/U: 215
ATL (-7.5) @ IND O/U: 235
MIA (-13) vs. SAC O/U: 219
CHI (-4.5) @ NYK O/U: 223
TOR (-3.5) vs. BOS O/U: 217.5
SAS (-6.5) @ HOU O/U: 236.5
MEM (-10.5) vs. GSW O/U: 223.5
OKC (-2.5) @ POR O/U: 221
Our recommendations section will be shorter today, as most of the key pivots for the evening will reside in the Injuries section. The majority of my endorsements exist there this evening, so please keep all those pivots in mind, as they are essential to your lineup construction.
INJURIES
ATL Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
ATL Danilo Gallinari (elbow) - QUESTIONABLE
ATL John Collins (finger) - OUT
Kevin Huerter and De'Andre Hunter will be in line for an increased run if the questionable tags hold.
IND Malcolm Brogdon (rest) - OUT
IND Chris Duarte (toe) - OUT
IND Goga Bitadze (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
IND Isaiah Jackson (head) - OUT
If Bitadze remains out, Oshae Brissett ($5,900) and Jalen Smith ($5,700) will continue to contribute in the paint. Buddy Hield ($6,200) will also likely start in the backcourt alongside Tyrese Haliburton ($7,500), and both should thrive with Brogdon out for rest.
SAC Domantas Sabonis (knee) - OUT
SAC De'Aaron Fox (hand) - OUT
A host of Kings will continue to pitch in, led by Davion Mitchell ($6,500), Trey Lyles ($5,500) and Harrison Barnes ($5,700).
MIA Tyler Herro (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA P.J. Tucker (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
Tucker will play through the pain and likely play again, but Duncan Robinson ($3,700) will once again draw the start if Herro can't play.
BOS Jayson Tatum (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
BOS Robert Williams (knee) - OUT
BOS Al Horford (personal) - OUT
The Celtics will be very thin up front for Monday's game. Expect Grant Williams ($4,200) and Daniel Theis ($3,800) to pick up most of the slack.
TOR Fred VanVleet (knee) - PROBABLE
VanVleet did not return after the delay in Saturday's game, but if his knee is doing well, he will likely take the floor.
GSW Stephen Curry (toe) -OUT
GSW Klay Thompson - POSSIBLE REST
GSW Draymond Green - POSSIBLE REST
GSW Otto Porter - POSSIBLE REST
As the Warriors limp their way into the playoffs, it's likely that we'll see days like this, where the whole team takes a break. Jordan Poole ($7,800) and Jonathan Kuminga ($4,400) will absorb a lot of output, and if Andrew Wiggins ($5,800) doesn't join his teammates on the bench, he'll be in line for a big game.
MEM Ja Morant (knee) - OUT
MEM Jaren Jackson (thigh) - OUT
We'll mention the best pivots for this spot later in the article.
OKC Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee) - OUT
OKC Josh Giddey (hip) - OUT FOR SEASON
OKC Darius Bazley (knee) - DOUBTFUL
Isaiah Roby ($5,800) and Aleksej Pokusevski ($6,300) are my favored pivots for the Thunder.
POR Josh Hart (knee) - OUT
POR Anfernee Simons (quad) - OUT
POR Trendon Watford (leg) - OUT
POR Justise Winslow (calf) - OUT
Watford's absence is major news, as it opens up the door for Drew Eubanks ($6,300) to have the center role all to himself. CJ Elleby ($4,100) and Brandon Williams ($5,100) will also continue to pitch in. Keon Johnson ($3,800) has seen his minutes spike recently.
ELITE PLAYERS
It will be hard to avoid Nikola Jokic ($10,900) as the core of most lineups, and he's my favorite pick by a wide margin against the Hornets. Although overpriced, Trae Young ($10,100) is also in a nice spot against the Pacers. As usual, Dejounte Murray ($10,000) will also be in play against the Rockets.
EXPECTED CHALK AND CORE TARGETS
DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($8,000) @ NYK
I really like DeRozan at this salary, as he'll take on a Knicks team that may be gassed after a hard-fought game Sunday night. Erratic totals have driven DeRozan's salary down, but he's a guarantee to score 20 or more points, and he's averaged 45.5 FDFP over three games against the Knicks this season.
Desmond Bane, MEM ($7,700) vs. GSW
Bane is in a great pot, as most of the Warriors may rest for Monday's contest. A blowout may be on the horizon, so you also can't count out De'Anthony Melton ($5,500) and Dillon Brooks ($6,000) in this spot.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($7,300) @ TOR
With Tatum and a host of rebound contributors potentially out, Brown seems like a no-brainer chalk play. It's a perfect spot for him to take over a game, and although several Celtics will have an impact, none of them match Brown's potential upside. He's posted a high of 61 FDFP this season but usually resides in the mid-30s. 40 or more FP is definitely doable in this scenario.
Kyle Lowry, MIA ($6,300) vs. SAC
Lowry had one of his better games of the season against the Kings, posting 40 FDFP in that matchup. Playing Sacramento may be just what Lowry needs, as he's done less than expected amid Tyler Herro's absence.
Also consider: Evan Mobley, CLE ($7,200) vs. ORL, Pascal Siakam, TOR ($8,600) vs. BOS
VALUE PLAYS
After the Injuries section, there isn't much left for value in this player pool, but some additional players worth consideration include Gary Payton, GSW ($4,300) @ MEM, Donte DiVincenzo, SAC ($4,700) @ MIA and Ben McLemore, POR ($4,400) vs. OKC
