This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have an eight-game slate on deck for Monday, and we'll be identifying our top endorsements below. FanDuel is rolling out a 100-player, $3,300 entry $300,000 guarantee that will probably be full by publishing, but the $200,000 Monday NBA Shot will still be out there for a $5 entry, guaranteeing $40k to first place.
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.
The Timberwolves- Kings matchup takes top honors for the highest projected total tonight, and while the elites for both teams weren't plentiful in our endorsements, you should definitely consider mining both rosters for value. The Bulls-Clippers trails far behind the field with an anemic 220 projected total, and aside from Kawhi Leonard, we didn't pay much attention to this game.
INJURIES
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 on today's slate. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
DAL Luka Doncic (suspension) - OUT
It's usually tough to nail down the best options for Dallas when Doncic is out, but you can expect Kyrie Irving ($9,400) to take on a huge offensive role. Jaden Hardy ($5,900) could be the cheapest pivot who will benefit.
IND Tyrese Haliburton (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
IND Myles Turner (back) - QUESTIONABLE
Since the Pacers are likely out of the playoffs, there's little need to play injured guys unless absolutely necessary. It wouldn't surprise me to see both guys on the bench Monday. If the injury tags remain, Andrew Nembhard ($5,800), Buddy Hield ($7,000) and Jordan Nwora ($5,500) will work as pivot options.
UTA Lauri Markkanen (hand) - QUESTIONABLE
UTA Jordan Clarkson (finger) - OUT
The Jazz need Markkanen if they have any hope of closing the gap in the West. Ochai Agbaji ($5,600) should see time in Clarkson's place, and Simone Fontecchio ($5,000) would remain in the starting lineup for Markkanen. I wouldn't put a lot of faith in Fonteccio as a viable picot, however.
PHI Joel Embiid (calf) - QUESTIONABLE
PHI James Harden (Achilles) - QUESTIONABLE
This is a potential Finals preview against the Nuggets, so I imagine Embiid will suit up if he can. Harden's injury seems a bit more serious, so I predict he will sit again, giving De'Anthony Melton ($6,500) a spot in the starting lineup.
POR Damian Lillard (calf) - QUESTIONABLE
POR Anfernee Simons (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
POR Jerami Grant (quad) - QUESTIONABLE
POR Jusuf Nurkic (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
It looks like Portland is toying with the idea of shutting down Lillard for the season with the playoffs out of reach. Shaedon Sharpe ($7,200) and Drew Eubanks ($5,200) remain my top choices in this scenario.
ELITE PLAYERS
As we said earlier, Kyrie Irving ($9,400) will have maximum usage with Doncic out, and he's my favorite elite pick for Monday evening. Assuming Kawhi Leonard ($10,300) plays, he will also take on another full load with Paul George (knee) out until the playoffs.
I don't know that we're ready to take on Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,300) yet at his current salary, but I'm going to give him some exposure in tournament lineups in hopes of a breakout performance. I'm more confident in Brandon Ingram ($9,000) against Portland, and I think Jonas Valanciunas ($8,100) will be an excellent call at center in the same contest. If you're keen on loading up with New Orleans, you can also consider CJ McCollum ($8,300).
Also consider: Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($10,400) vs. MIN
EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
Even though we have a relatively large slate, I am combining this section because there aren't very many appealing options in the $6-7k range. I'm attempting to get three elites into most lineups and grab as much value as possible from teams like Portland and Dallas.
Trey Murphy, NOR ($6,300) @ POR
It's safe to say that Murphy is running hot after drilling 10 three-pointers against the Clippers. His overall shooting has been on point for most of the month, and he's proven to be the elixir for Zion Williamson's absence. He's exceeded 5x value at this salary in four of his last seven games.
Jaden Ivey, DET ($6,100) vs. MIL
We've seen Ivey exceed 20 FDFPs in eight consecutive matchups, and he's crushed value with 40-FDFP totals twice over that span. It's a tough defensive matchup for Detroit, but Ivey put up 35.3 FDFPs against the Bucks back in late January. I'll gladly take the risk and put up the cash for Ivey.
Tim Hardaway, DAL ($5,200) @ IND
THJ put up 28.5 FDFPs in his return from injury, and he's simply too valuable to exclude when Doncic is absent. Every Maverick will be required to step up, and although Irving will absorb a lot of the output, Hardaway adds an element to the offense that mirrors Doncic's skillset more accurately.
Nassir Little, POR ($4,300) vs. NOR
It's not a stretch to think that Portland is throwing in the towel, so they're going to take a look at what else they have on their roster. The team gave Little 31 minutes Sunday, and the injury scenario is almost identical tonight. I like Little over potential adds like Jabari Walker and Matisse Thybulle based on Sunday's game flow.
