This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
With so many teams playing over the weekend, we have a smaller six-game slate Monday. Only five of those games are featured in the majority of FanDuel tournaments, with the Sacramento-Philadelphia make-up game being played at 6ET. One interesting aspect to keep in mind with this slate is the abundance of lopsided matchups, with all five games having a spreads of four points or higher. Predicting results in potential blowouts can very tough, but being able to eliminate a percentage of the field in these circumstances can pay dividends in the fantasy arena.
Goran Dragic, MIA vs. BRK ($7,800): Dragic didn't draw much consideration for the All-Star game, but probably should have given his fantastic season. Not only is he averaging close to 40 fantasy points across his last seven games, but also 33 on the entire year. It's the matchup that I like most though, as he'll face a Nets defense that ranks dead-last in total defense and fantasy points allowed to point guards. To further that point, Dragic tallied 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists against Brooklyn in their previous meeting.
Reggie Jackson, DET at BOS ($6,600): Since Jackson started playing a full complement of minutes last month, he's been one of the best point guards in the league. In fact, Jackson is averaging 20.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists across his last five games. The tastiest part of this play is the matchup, as Isaiah Thomas ranks as the worst defensive point guard in the NBA. With his current form and opponent, Jackson is a great bet to exceed value at an affordable price of $6,600.
Seth Curry, DAL vs. CLE ($4,300): Most people think about Steph Curry when talking about the Curry family, but Seth has quietly been playing some great ball for Dallas. What makes him especially useful right now is the fact that Deron Williams is out of the lineup, which makes Curry the de facto point guard. Curry's been doing work in his starting role too, averaging nearly 31 fantasy points across his last three games.
LeBron James, CLE at DAL ($10,500): With no other forward above $7,300 available on this slate, James makes for a great pivot to get a stud into your lineup. It's the reliability that makes him so valuable in this sort of circumstance, as he's the only forward with 50-point potential. This matchup is nothing to be scared of either, with Dallas having no player on their roster that can match up with King James. Not to mention, Kevin Love is going to miss this game, which should only increase James' usage and shot attempts.
Jae Crowder, BOS vs. DET ($6,300): Crowder is in his best stretch of the season right now, and his price is not indicative of his current form. Not only does Crowder have at least 35 fantasy points in three straight games, he's averaging well over 30 fantasy points across his last nine. His floor is the best part, however, as Crowder has not scored below 25 fantasy points once in that stretch
Gorgui Dieng, MIN vs. ORL ($5,800): Dieng's role appeared to be influx a week ago, but with 34 minutes played in three straight games, it looks like he's back to being the Wolves' full-time power forward. Dieng's been playing some great ball recently too, scoring 32 or more fantasy points in four of his last seven games. Furthermore, he should be in for big minutes against the Magic's large frontcourt.
Hassan Whiteside, MIA vs. BRK ($8,900): Whiteside has been in a slump in recent weeks, but there's reason to believe he can get out of it in this sort of matchup. Ever since the calendar changed, Whiteside has been playing through an ankle injury, but with at least 29 minutes played in eight of his last nine games, it appears he's starting to get healthy. Even with the slide, Whiteside is still averaging nearly 40 fantasy points a game and that shows just how dominant he can be. It's the matchup we really want to exploit though, with Brooklyn allowing the third most fantasy points to centers while playing at the fastest pace in the league.
Andre Drummond, DET at BOS ($8,000): Boston has turned into one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, and that means it's time for Drummond to feast. Not only do the Celtics rank 28th in rebounding, but they're also a 26th in rebounding differential. That happens to be Drummond's specialty, as he ranks third in the league in rebounds per game. In his two contests against Boston this season, Drummond has averaged 20 points and 17 rebounds, as well.
