Games being postponed right now is killing season-long fantasy basketball, but it’s excellent for DFS. This is actually why we play DFS, to capitalize on all the late news and build lineups off of salaries rather than preseason rankings. Don’t get me wrong, I love season-long fantasy, but this is the year to play DFS! Our Kings stacked killed it on Monday night, and we’re ready to keep rolling here!

We have just five games on this slate. That’s a blessing right now because of all the COVID breakouts, leaving us with a thin player pool. There’s still a ton of value, though and a million things to discuss, so let’s go ahead and get started!

Get a $5 bonus when you make your first deposit at FanDuel

Schedule and Odds

• IND at MIA (MIA -2) O/U: 208.5
• DET at NYK (NYK -9.5) O/U: 207
• POR at NOP (POR -2) O/U: 219.5
• MIN at DAL (MIN 1.5) O/U: 213
• PHX at LAL (PHX -6) O/U: 219

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Luka Doncic (ankle) OUT
• Anthony Davis (knee) OUT
• Damian Lillard (hamstring) Questionable
• Zion Williamson (foot) OUT
• Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) Questionable
• Bam Adebayo (hand) OUT
• C.J. McCollum (lungs) OUT
• Anthony Edwards (COVID) OUT
• Derrick Rose (ankle) Questionable
• Jerami Grant (hand) OUT
• Tyler Herro (quad) Questionable
• R.J. Barrett (COVID) OUT
• Patrick Beverley (COVID) OUT
• Jarred Vanderbilt (COVID) OUT
• Immanuel Quickley (COVID) OUT
• Talen Horton-Tucker (COVID) OUT

Core Plays

Russell Westbrook (PG – LAL): $10,400 DraftKings, $9,800 FanDuel
I didn’t want to touch Westbrook with a 10-foot pole when this team was fully healthy, but Russ is one of the best plays on the board with AD out for the next month. Not only does that make him the second ball-handler, but it also opens up a ton more rebounds. That’s huge for Westbrook’s stat-stuffing ways, averaging 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.

Karl-Anthony Towns (C – MIN): $9,900 DraftKings, $9,900 FanDuel
Dallas has been horrible against centers all season, and it’s scary to think how bad they’ll be without Maxi Kleber and Kristaps Porzingis. That means KAT should feast against this weak frontline, scoring at least 38 fantasy points in 11 straight outings while generating a 46-point average in that span.

Jonas Valanciunas (C – NOP): $8,300 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel
JV has been one of the breakout players this season, and it’s hard to understand why he’s still hovering around $8,000. The big man has played at a $9K level all season, averaging over 41 DraftKings points per game. The matchup is the best part of this, with Portland sitting 25th in points allowed and 27th in defensive efficiency.

Cash Game Considerations

Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $9,800 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
Dame is clearly in full-on takeover mode, balling out in the absence of McCollum. The superstar point guard has a usage rate north of 35 percent since C.J. went down, scoring at least 45 DK points in four of his last five games. That looks even better here, with New Orleans ranked 25th in defensive efficiency while surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.

Brandon Ingram (SF – NOP): $8,900 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
The Pelicans need Ingram to go off every night with Zion out, and he’s giving his best effort to do just that. In fact, BI has at least 37 DK points in nine straight games, generating a 46-point average in that span. That’s very enticing against one of the worst defenses in the NBA, particularly with Portland owning a 30th OPRK against opposing small forwards.

Tim Hardaway Jr (SG/SF – DAL): $6,100 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
THJ was already intriguing with Luka out of the picture, but with Porzingis and Kleber out as well, Hardaway is going to be one of the focal points of this Dallas offense. In the game where KP got injured, Timmy tallied 28 points, six rebounds, and six assists in one of the best games of his career. He should play 35-40 minutes and take 20 shots in this sort of role, making him hard to fade below $7K.

GPP Targets

Kemba Walker (PG – NYK): $5,200 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
Kemba is the definition of a GPP play right now. He could very well pick up another DNP, but he could also run this offense as he did in the Knicks’ most recent game. In his first game back from that month-long exile, Walker led NY with 29 points, six rebounds, and three assists. More importantly, he took 20 shots and played 37 minutes in the absence of Derrick Rose, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley. If he does that at this sub-$6K price tag again, Kemba will be in every optima lineup out there. Not to mention, Detroit ranks 22nd in total defense.

Isaiah Stewart (C – DET): $5,100 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
Beef Stew is finally starting to play better, and it’s no surprise with Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk both injured. That has forced Detroit to play Stewart 30 minutes a night, scoring at least 26 DK points in five of his last eight games. He’s also playing 31 minutes a night in that span and reached 34 DK points in three of those! We also don’t mind that NY surrenders the most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Dwight Powell (C – DAL): $3,200 DraftKings, $4,200 FanDuel
This is the riskiest play in this article, but Powell has to play at least 20-25 minutes with Kleber, and KP expected to miss this game. DP has been fantastic when given that role in the past, playing at least 25 minutes in 44 games since 2019. In those games, Powell is averaging 28 fantasy points per game. If you get that from someone this cheap, you’ve stumbled into the best per-dollar play out there.

Value Plays

Josh Hart (SG/SF – NOP): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
Why is Hart still in this price range? This dude has been stuffing the stat sheet at ease recently, averaging 11.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists over his last 16 games outings. That might not jump off the page, but it equates to 31 fantasy points per game. He actually surpassed 31 DK points in 11 of those, making him one of the best values out there in this tasty matchup.

Malik Beasley (SG/SF – MIN): $4,800 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel
It looks like Minnesota will be missing Beverley and ANT, forcing Beasley into a starting role. In that job over the weekend, Malik combined for 59 DK points in those two games, taking at least 12 threes in both matchups. Anyone attempting double-digit threes should be flirting with $7K, and you better believe he’ll keep firing with so many guards out of the lineup.

Larry Nance Jr (PF/C – POR): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
Nance has stolen Robert Covington‘s job as Portland’s power forward, and it’s done wonders for his fantasy value. He’s scored at least 19 DK points in all five games since the promotion, scoring at least 26 DK points in three of those. That’s stellar from such a cheap player, and it doesn’t even present his 40-point upside with double-double potential and stingy defense. Facing a putrid Pelicans defense only adds to his intrigue.

Advantageous Pricing

• Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $9,800 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
• Dwight Powell (C – DAL): $3,200 DraftKings, $4,200 FanDuel
• Josh Hart (SG/SF – NOP): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
• Larry Nance Jr (PF/C – POR): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
• Kyle Lowry (PG – MIA): $8,700 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel
• Alec Burks (PG/SG – NYK): $7,600 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
• Devonte Graham (PG – NOP): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
• Caris LeVert (SG/SF – IND): $7,800 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel
• Robert Covington (PF/C – POR): $4,300 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
• Domantas Sabonis (PF/C – IND): $10,600 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
• Julius Randle (PF/C – NYK): $10,300 DraftKings, $8,800 FanDuel
• Nerlens Noel (C – NYK): $4,000 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel

Get a $5 bonus when you make your first deposit at FanDuel

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts