This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The season is winding down, but that doesn't mean the fantasy contests are going to stop any time soon, so let's dive right in with a few notes for Monday's 10-game slate.
Right now, the Bulls stink. They have been awful down the stretch and it isn't even due to injuries anymore. They've lost their past three games in embarrassing fashion and don't seem to have a player worth rostering on any website. The Hawks are a tough draw -- even at home -- so expecting the Bulls to eclipse even 95 points would be wishful thinking. Stay away from the Bulls.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich pulled one of his vintage "I'm going to rest my entire starting lineup" stunts over the weekend and it is expected to continue into Monday. With all of San Antonio's key contributors watching from the sidelines, this should open up opportunities for guys like Patty Mills ($10), Jonathon Simmons ($10) and Boban Marjanovic ($10). Definitely take advantage of the increase in minutes for these guys, considering their basement pricing.
GUARD
Damian Lillard, POR vs. SAC ($46) - The Dame has cooled off recently, but a matchup against the Kings -- who are on the second game of a back-to-back -- should heat him back up again. Sacramento enters Sunday allowing the most assists per game (9.5) to opposing point guards this season and Lillard racked up 13 the last time he faced the Kings. On top of that, the Kings are also allowing the most three-pointers made at 10.2 per contest, so Lillard's prospects of hitting three-to-five from distance are pretty good.
Zach LaVine, MIN vs. PHO ($24) - The last time the T-Wolves faced the Suns, LaVine went for 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field with three treys. Had he stayed out of foul trouble LaVine likely would have reached 30+ points. The T-Wolves don't play with as much pace as the Suns, but they have been scoring more points recently, averaging 108.8 per game over their last five. The early over/under on this game is 217.5 and LaVine is one of the more cost-effective players Minnesota has to offer in daily contests.
Guard to Avoid:
Jimmy Butler, CHI vs. ATL ($39) - It is very hard to trust anyone on the Bulls' roster right now. When Butler returned from a knee injury a few weeks ago, his price tag had fallen so low that it made sense to use him. Now we know that something else is up in Chicago, and Butler -- along with the rest of his teammates -- has essentially checked out for the season. Butler is averaging just 12.4 points and is shooting 40 percent from the field over his last five games. Don't expect Butler or the Bulls to bounce back in a tough matchup against the Hawks, who are fighting for homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
FORWARD
Wesley Matthews, DAL at DEN ($17) - Matthews might be the hottest shooter in the NBA right now. Over the past three games he's gone 17-of-28 (61 percent) from beyond the arc, and he'll face one of the worst teams at defending the three-point line in the Nuggets. The Mavericks are fighting to sneak into the playoffs in the West and with Chandler Parsons done for the year they'll need Matthews to step up again, providing secondary scoring alongside Dirk Nowitzki. Matthews is a strong cash-game play Monday.
Paul Millsap, ATL at CHI ($34) - Millsap left Saturday's game after suffering a laceration on his head that required stitches. There's a chance the injury keeps him sidelined Monday, but if Millsap can get into the lineup against an unraveling Bulls squad, he should be able to do some damage. Prior to leaving Saturday's game, Millsap had a monster line of 23 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks to the tune of 58.8 fantasy points in just under 29 minutes. With elite options like Anthony Davis and Blake Griffin unavailable, Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge are your best bets at power forward.
Forward to Avoid:
Thaddeus Young, BKN at MIA ($31) - Young was tearing it up about a week and a half ago but has now fallen into a big-time slump. Over the last three games, Young has scored a combined 26 points with just 17 rebounds. The Heat have been particularly good against opposing power forwards during the last three weeks, holding them to just 36.5 FPts per game. It would be in the Nets' best interest to rest guys like Young and Brook Lopez, seeing as the team is eliminated from playoff contention. If Miami pulls away in this one, Young likely won't play more than 28 minutes anyway.
CENTER
Mason Plumlee, POR vs. SAC ($15) - Plumlee has quietly put together a solid fantasy campaign, evolving into the most reliable frontcourt option on the Trail Blazers. He's gone nine straight games with at least a point per dollar ratio and has reached double-digit scoring in six of those contests. The Kings are pretty much a great matchup at any position, and this game should see a high score and plenty of shot attempts. More shot attempts should equate to more misses, which will lead to more rebounds for Plumlee.
Center to Avoid:
Pau Gasol, CHI vs. ATL ($33) - Again, our motto for Monday is "Stay away from the Bulls", come on say it out loud, over and over. Even if the Bulls were playing better basketball, Gasol's knee isn't 100 percent and it's affected his fantasy stat lines significantly. The veteran center has failed to reach 30 FPts in back-to-back games for the first time since January. Al Horford and the Hawks do a great job shutting down opposing centers, having allowed just 44.4 FPts per game to them over the last 11.
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