This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid
Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat
The Bulls are an enigma, meaning it's very difficult to know which team you're going to get night in and night out. Will we see the Bulls team that held the Cavaliers to 83 points the other night? Or will we get the squad that gets torched by the 76ers and barely wins in overtime? Chances are you'll see a team more like the former against one of the more uninspiring offenses in the NBA, the Heat. Miami is a bit banged up, so key contributors like Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside likely won't be 100 percent if they even play. Chicago benefits a lot from having Taj Gibson on the floor more.
Offense to Use
Sacramento Kings vs. Charlotte Hornets
If you haven't noticed, the Kings are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, riding a five-game winning streak and scoring 104.8 points per game over that span. The man providing the bulk of that offense is DeMarcus Cousins, who is posting MVP-like numbers over the stretch, averaging 32.6 points, 14.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. This doesn't mean he's the only player to target on Sacramento. Willie Cauley-Stein has strung together a handful of solid performances while Rajon Rondo will always be an elite option at point guard.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Heat, Wizards, Magic, Kings
Second game: Celtics, Rockets
Daily Player Recommendations
Point Guard
Jeff Teague, ATL at DEN ($5,400): It's very hard to justify rolling with Teague considering his struggles, but that's what makes for the best plays in DFS. Teague has done so poorly that his price tag is incredibly cheap, and he's lined up with a nice matchup against the Nuggets. He's still managed to average 23.5 fantasy points per game over his last seven, so his floor is still pretty high, along with his ceiling if he can get his shot going.
Other suggestions: Kemba Walker, CHA at SAC ($8,600); Kyrie Irving, CLE vs. MIN ($6,600)
Shooting Guard
Will Barton, DEN vs. ATL ($5,500): Like Teague, Barton has seen his salary plummet of late, which makes him more valuable. The Nuggets will have a chance to play a bit of small ball against the Hawks, which should mean Barton will get more than the 19 minutes he played Saturday against the Pistons. Still, it's hard to argue with a guy averaging 29.4 fantasy points per game this season considering his low price.
Other suggestions: Victor Oladipo, ORL at MEM ($7,200); Avery Bradley, BOS at WAS ($5,600)
Small Forward
Gordon Hayward, UTA vs. DET ($7,500): Over the last 10 days there hasn't been a better fantasy option at the small forward position than Hayward, who is averaging 43.3 fantasy points per game over his last six. That's almost 6x his salary, which is ranked 21st out of all the players available for Monday's contests. Hayward has been better at home this season and the Pistons are on the final game of a four-game road trip that they definitely want to be over.
Other suggestions: Aaron Gordon, ORL at MEM ($4,800); Shabazz Muhammad, MIN at CLE ($4,500)
Power Forward
Clint Capela, HOU at NO ($6,000): With Dwight Howard (ankle) sidelined, Capela started in his place and played 24 minutes Sunday against the Mavericks. It didn't translate into much fantasy production, but it doesn't mean to shy away from Capela considering he could see around 30 minutes against the Pelicans. If he can reach double-digit boards, Capela has a decent shot at reaching tournament value and offers a nice contrarian play.
Other suggestions: DeMarcus Cousins, SAC vs. CHA ($11,000); Tristan Thompson, CLE vs. MIN ($4,700)
Center
Willie Cauley-Stein, SAC vs. CHA ($4,500): As mentioned above, Cauley-Stein has played well over the past three games, posting two double-doubles while averaging over 30 minutes and 30 fantasy points per outing. He's finally healthy and contributing after missing time and struggling with consistency on the offensive end. All the focus will be on DeMarcus Cousins in this contest, so Cauley-Stein should get some chances on offense. He's going to be heavily owned, so try and limit him to your cash-game lineups.
Other suggestions: Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. DET ($6,400); Nikola Vucevic, ORL at MEM ($7,700)
Injury Report
Out
Tim Duncan, SA (knee)
Derrick Favors, UTA (back)
Kirk Hinrich, CHI (quad)
Cody Zeller, CHA (shoulder)
Al Jefferson, CHA (knee)
Dwight Howard, HOU (ankle)
Goran Dragic, MIA (calf)
Eric Gordon, NO (finger)
Game-Time Decision
Paul Millsap, ATL (personal)
Otto Porter, WAS (hip)
Nicolas Batum, CHA (toe)
Rudy Gay, SAC (heel)
Jeremy Lamb, CHA (toe)
Jameer Nelson, DEN (wrist)
Kenneth Faried, DEN (groin)
Tony Allen, MEM (knee/hamstring)
Beno Udrih, MIA (neck)
Dwyane Wade, MIA (shoulder)
Gerald Green, MIA (knee/oblique)
Luol Deng, MIA (eye)
Kevin Garnett, MIN (knee)
