I had my best night of the season on Friday, falling a few points of a massive GPP bink. This is a difficult time because it feels like COVID is ripping the NBA apart. We have nearly 10 percent of the NBA in COVID protocols right now, and it’s throwing guys into rotations that we’ve never even heard of. It’s undoubtedly chaotic, but it’s a great time to profit as well!
Sunday was a rather large slate before the postponements, and it’s left us with six games for this Monday card. That’s the perfect amount for DFS because it is already tough to navigate these rotations with so many players missing. We’ve tried to spot all of the absences due to injuries and COVID, so let’s kick things off with the schedule and then get into that!
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Schedule and Odds
- PHI at BOS (BOS N/A) O/U: NA
- HOU at CHI (CHI -8.5) O/U: 223.5
- OKC at MEM (MEM -9) O/U: 211
- CHA at UTA (UTA -12.5) O/U: 233
- SAC at GSW (GSW -15) O/U: 224.5
- SAS at LAC (LAC -5) O/U: 217.5
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
I had my best night of the season on Friday, falling a few points of a massive GPP bink. This is a difficult time because it feels like COVID is ripping the NBA apart. We have nearly 10 percent of the NBA in COVID protocols right now, and it’s throwing guys into rotations that we’ve never even heard of. It’s undoubtedly chaotic, but it’s a great time to profit as well!
Sunday was a rather large slate before the postponements, and it’s left us with six games for this Monday card. That’s the perfect amount for DFS because it is already tough to navigate these rotations with so many players missing. We’ve tried to spot all of the absences due to injuries and COVID, so let’s kick things off with the schedule and then get into that!
Get a $5 bonus when you make your first deposit at FanDuel
Schedule and Odds
- PHI at BOS (BOS N/A) O/U: NA
- HOU at CHI (CHI -8.5) O/U: 223.5
- OKC at MEM (MEM -9) O/U: 211
- CHA at UTA (UTA -12.5) O/U: 233
- SAC at GSW (GSW -15) O/U: 224.5
- SAS at LAC (LAC -5) O/U: 217.5
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
Injury Report
Core Plays
Stephen Curry (PG – GSW): $11,800 DraftKings, $9,700 FanDuel
This FanDuel price is laughable. Curry is the frontrunner for MVP and should never be below five figures on either site. We say that because he’s averaging 49 DraftKings points per game and has scored 40-plus in all but a handful of games. That alone makes him tough to fade, but we love the matchup versus Sacramento. The Kings currently rank 29th in both points allowed and defensive efficiency. In their last meeting, Chef Curry cooked up the Kings to the tune of 59 fantasy points.
Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG – UTA): $9,700 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
Mitchell is quietly having one of the most consistent stretches of his career, scoring at least 38 DraftKings points in 10 straight games. He’s also scored at least 45 fantasy points in seven of those as well, generating a 44-point average in that span. We love all of that against Charlotte, with the Hornets sitting dead-last in points allowed and defensive efficiency.
Tyrese Haliburton (PG/SG – SAC): $7,000 DraftKings, $7,700FanDuel
The Kings are amid a massive COVID breakout, missing De’Aaron Fox and Terence Davis. That leaves Haliburton as the only primary ball-handler left, with Haliburton having the best three-game stretch of his career. In fact, Hali has at least 42 DK points in three straight games, providing a 47-point average in that span.
Cash Game Considerations
Rudy Gobert (C – UTA): $9,200 DraftKings, $9,400 FanDuel
The Hornets are the best matchup in basketball, and it’s scary for them to face a consistent\cy beast like this. Gobert is one of the best cash game players in DFS, scoring at least 29 DraftKings points in all but two games. He’s also reached at least 34 DK points in all but four fixtures, making him the safest bet for 40 fantasy points in this tasty matchup.
Jaren Jackson Jr (PF/C – MEM): $6,700 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
JJJ has been the one running things in Memphis with Ja Morant sidelined, leading the team with a 32 percent usage rate with him off the floor. That has led to some of the best production of his career, scoring at least 36 DK points in seven of his last nine games. We love that since he’s got a 50-point upside, particularly with OKC surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards.
Harrison Barnes (SF/PF – SAC): $6,000 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
Harry B was one of the best cash game options through the first month, scoring at least 31 fantasy points in each of his first 11 games. He hasn’t shown that consistency all year since then, but this COVID breakout should force him into a massive role. Sacramento is also missing Richaun Holmes, Marvin Bagley, and Alex Len, leaving a ton of rebounds and shots on Barnes plate. All of those absences have led to Harry scoring at least 28 DK points in three straight outings, which looks like his floor in this expanded role.
GPP Targets
Robert Williams (C – BOS): $5,700 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
With Al Horford in the dreaded COVID protocols, Williams should get all the minutes he can handle. In the first two games without Big Al, Williams averaged 33 minutes a night. This guy got the nickname The Time Lord because he’s one of the best per-minute producers out there, and it’s scary to think what he could do in a role like this.
Alex Caruso (PG/SG – CHI): $5,100 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
The Bulls are another shorthanded team due to COVID, and it looks like Caruso will be in for a heavy workload. In the first game back, AC dropped 33 fantasy points across 38 minutes of play. That’s a ridiculous total from a $5K player, and he looks like a guarantee for 35-40 minutes with how shorthanded this team is.
Terance Mann (PG/SF – LAC): $5,400 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
It’s taken injuries to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to get Mann going, but he’s returned to the stud we saw in last year’s playoffs. In fact, Terence has tallied at least 33 DraftKings points in three of his previous four games. His stat-stuffing is a significant reason, and we certainly don’t mind that his minute total is getting well above 30. Facing San Antonio is sensational, too, with the Spurs sitting 22nd in total defense while playing at the seventh-fastest pace in the NBA.
Value Plays
Chimezie Metu (PF – SAC): $4,700 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Metu established an excellent role in Sacramento before the COVID breakout, but he’s also one of the focal points of this offense with all of those guys out. The big man has scored at least 23 DraftKings points in seven of his last nine games, scoring at least 26 DK points in the three games since the breakout. He’s also playing 35 minutes a game in that span, making him a heck of a value in this price range.
Kevon Looney (C – GSW): $3,900 DraftKings, $4,600 FanDuel
Looney has actually been a disappointment for most of his career, but he’s quietly having a nice season. The big man has started almost every game for Golden State, scoring at least 22 DK points in five of his last six games. That’s all you can ask for from such a cheap player, especially since he faces the second-worst defense in the NBA here.
Enes Freedom (C – BOS): $3,600 DraftKings, $3,700 FanDuel
It’s always been a matter of playing time when it comes to Freedom, proving to be one of the best per-minute producers in the NBA. The good news is that Horford is currently sidelined, leaving 15-25 minutes open for Enes. He can easily drop 30 fantasy points in that amount of playing time, and that’d made him the GPP play of the data at this sub-$4K price tag.
Advantageous Pricing
- Stephen Curry (PG – GSW): $11,800 DraftKings, $9,700 FanDuel
- Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG – UTA): $9,700 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
- Chimezie Metu (PF – SAC): $4,700 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
- Derrick White (PG/SG – SAS): $6,500 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
- Reggie Jackson (PG/SG – LAC): $7,600 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
- Jaylen Brown (SG – BOS): $9,000 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.