This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Although there are nine games overall on Monday night's NBA docket, the DK main slate consists of the first seven. That's close to an ideal size for a slate for many DFS players, as the 14-team player pool certainly offers ample options without being overwhelming. We do have a fairly robust injury report at play, however, so it will be an important day to monitor news on RotoWire leading up to lineup lock.
Slate Overview
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.
Listed spreads/totals are from DraftKings Sportsbook and current as of Monday, 11/25 @ 1:00 p.m. ET:
Orlando Magic (-5) at Charlotte Hornets (O/U: 213.5)
*Toronto Raptors at Detroit Pistons (-5) (O/U: 220.5)
New Orleans Pelicans at *Indiana Pacers (-7) (O/U: 225.0)
*Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks (-2.5) (O/U: 237.0)
*Los Angeles Clippers at *Boston Celtics (-10.5) (O/U: 218.0)
Portland Trail Blazers at Memphis Grizzlies (-10.5) (O/U: 232.0)
New York Knicks at Denver Nuggets (-4) (O/U: 232.0)
*Denotes team on second night of back-to-back set
Despite the pair of double-digit spreads, we do have the potential for a mostly competitive night, as the other five games check in with lines of seven points or less. That's certainly good news for us as DFS players, as is the fact that two of the three games with projected totals north of 230 points are expected to be very close.
The game environments most conducive to indispensable DFS scores may well be the Mavericks-Hawks and Knicks-Nuggets tilts, although the dynamic of the latter will naturally change if New York's Karl-Anthony Towns is ultimately ruled out with his calf issue.
Injuries to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Luka Doncic, DAL (wrist): OUT
In Doncic's ongoing absence, Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington may continue to be the biggest beneficiaries in terms of increased usage, while Spencer Dinwiddie could also see extra run off the bench.
Cade Cunningham, DET (hip): DOUBTFUL
In Cunningham's likely absence, Jaden Ivey could operate as the primary ball handler while the likes of Marcus Sasser and Wendell Moore could see extra minutes as well.
Ja Morant, MEM (hip): QUESTIONABLE
If Morant, who was present at Monday morning's shootaround, is able to return from his eight-game absence, Scotty Pippen is likely to head back to the bench but still enjoy a solid allotment of minutes.
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Towns can't suit up, Jericho Sims will likely draw a spot start at center while the rest of the first unit sees even more usage than usual.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Ingram is sidelined, it could be partly made up for by the expected return of CJ McCollum, who's listed as probable, and it would also mean the likes of Jordan Hawkins and Brandon Boston see extra run.
Other notable injuries:
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Dejounte Murray, NOP (hand): OUT
Paolo Banchero, ORL (oblique): OUT
Gradey Dick, TOR (calf): OUT
Immanuel Quickley, TOR (elbow): OUT
Aaron Gordon, DEN (calf): OUT
Miles Bridges, CHA (knee): OUT
Tre Mann, CHA (back): OUT
Nick Richards, CHA (ribs): OUT
Mark Williams, CHA (foot): OUT
Zach Edey, MEM (ankle): OUT
Deandre Ayton, POR (finger): DOUBTFUL
Norman Powell, LAC (hamstring): GTD
Wendell Carter, ORL (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Jalen Suggs, ORL (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
Jerami Grant, POR (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Scoot Henderson, POR (back): QUESTIONABLE
CJ McCollum, NOP (adductor): PROBABLE
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (foot): PROBABLE
Peyton Watson, DEN (adductor): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries available to play on Monday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,000), Jayson Tatum ($10,200) and LaMelo Ball ($10,000).
Jokic is worth every bit his salary, as he's averaging 71.8 DK points per contest and has yet to fall below 60 DK points in any game this season. Monday, he'll play his third game in four nights, but that stretch was preceded by a 12-day layoff due to Jokic being away from the team while dealing with a personal issue.
Tatum is on the second night of a back-to-back and played 38 minutes in Sunday's win over the Timberwolves, but he's already flashed a ceiling north of 60 DK points on multiple occasions this season.
Ball is coming off a career-best performance that saw him rack up 50 points and 75.8 DK points against the Bucks on Saturday, and he'd put up 53.8 and 59 DK points in two of the previous three games as well. Although the matchup against the Magic is one of the tougher ones for point guards on paper, Ball totaled 54.5 DK points across 35 minutes against Orlando on Nov. 12.
Expected Chalk
Kyrie Irving, DAL ($9,700)
Irving has scored 38.5 and 41 DK points in the first two games of Luka Doncic's current absence, and given the matchup against the fast-paced and defensively vulnerable Hawks, he should be very popular Monday.
Franz Wagner, ORL ($9,600)
Wagner continues to handle an elevated role in the absence of Paolo Banchero and comes into Monday having scored between 51.8 and 71 DK points in four of his last five games.
Trae Young, ATL ($9,200)
Young will be an integral part of the game with the highest projected total and closest spread of the slate, and he's coming off having produced 55.8 DK points against the Bulls in his most recent game.
James Harden, LAC ($9,100)
Harden could be taking the floor without the Clippers' second-most prolific source of production in Norman Powell, and The Beard already comes in having reached 50 DK points or more in three of his last five games.
Jalen Johnson, ATL ($8,300)
Johnson has consistently delivered production worthy of a higher salary, with the latest example being the 45 to 60 DK points he's generated in four of the last five games.
Mid-Range Money
Jaden Ivey, DET vs. TOR ($6,800)
Ivey is expected to once again operate without Cade Cunningham on Monday, which should leave the former as the primary ball handler against a Raptors team that's surrendered 27.2 assists per game on the road. Ivey put up a team-high 19 points and 36.8 DK points in Cunningham's absence Saturday against a tough Magic defense, and he's already eclipsed 30 DK points on 11 occasions this season. Ivey also generated 29.5 DK points across 28 minutes on Nov. 15 against Toronto with Cunningham available, furthering his case.
Trey Murphy, NOP at IND ($6,400)
Murphy has shaken off any rust that accumulated during his delayed start to the season and now could be taking the floor without Brandon Ingram, who's questionable for Monday's contest. If that absence comes to pass, it could be partly offset by the expected return of CJ McCollum, but Murphy is a solid play at his salary under any circumstance. The fourth-year guard is shooting an improved 46.7 percent over his last three games, including 37.5 percent from deep, and putting up a well-rounded 20.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while scoring 30.3 to 39.5 DK points. The Pacers are allowing 43.7 DK points per contest to small forwards in the last seven as well, making Murphy a rock-solid mid-salary option.
Value Picks
Shaedon Sharpe, POR at MEM ($6,200)
Like Murphy, Sharpe has left an uneven delayed start to his season firmly in the rearview mirror, averaging 23.3 points (on 41.9 percent three-point shooting), 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals across 33.0 minutes per contest over his last six games. The Blazers are likely to be without Deandre Ayton again Monday due to his finger injury and could also be down Jerami Grant, and Sharpe has already eclipsed 31 DK points in four of the last six contests. The Grizzlies are also allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating to two-guards (23.9) and 41 DK points per game to the position in the last seven contests, adding to Sharpe's appeal.
P.J. Washington, DAL at ATL ($6,000)
Washington has been outstanding over the last three games Doncic has missed, posting 43 to 55.8 DK points in those contests while recording a double-double in each. Washington has shot 52.4 percent over that span, including 50.0 percent from behind the arc, while averaging a robust 14.0 shot attempts per game (compared to 9.9 per contest for the season). With what should be a prominent role in the game with the highest projected total of the night and Atlanta conceding 53.5 DK points per game to power forwards in the last seven contests, Washington could well deliver another handsome return on his very reasonable salary.
Clint Capela, ATL vs. DAL ($5,600)
We'll stick with that Mavs-Hawks games for our final value suggestion, as Capela comes into Monday riding a wave of strong production that's befitting a much higher salary. The veteran big has scored 32.8 to 42.8 DK points in his last three games on the strength of 15.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. Capela has hit the double-double bonus in each of those games, and he could be well-suited to continue that impressive stretch in Monday's expected wire-to-wire affair. The Mavericks are allowing the 10th-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (34.1) and 60 DK points per game to centers in the last seven contests as well. Moreover, it's worth noting Dallas sees a notable increase in points in the paint per game allowed on the road (49.8) compared to home (46.9), and Capela is generating 86.0 percent of his scoring from that part of the floor.
