This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid:
San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns
It's no secret that the Spurs, once again, have one of the league's top defensive units. But San Antonio has been even stingier at home, allowing just 85.3 points per game in six games. The Suns are on the second game of a back-to-back after getting ran up and down the court by the Pelicans on Sunday, so their offense could be a bit lackadaisical. Nobody has been able to defeat the Spurs at home this season and that trend will likely continue Monday.
Offense to Use:
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers
There are a ton of appealing offenses to choose from Monday: the Cavs at home against the Magic and the Pistons in Milwaukee stand out. The biggest difference between those two teams and the T-Wolves is player salaries. If you're going to roll with guys like LeBron James, Andre Drummond, Kevin Love and Reggie Jackson, you're going to have to pay the price. Minnesota offers a high-upside offense with affordable players across the board. The T-Wolves are nearly a top-10 scoring offense and the 76ers rank 25th in defensive efficiency.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: None
Second game: Suns, Thunder
Point Guard
Tony Parker, SAS vs. PHO ($4,900): Parker's numbers have been on the rise lately, but his salary still remains incredibly cheap. He's averaging 27.2 fantasy points per game over his last 10 and has played his best basketball at home. The best part about Parker is his ability to provide solid fantasy production in a multitude of ways. If he has an off scoring night, chances are his assist numbers will be solid. If he isn't distributing, then he's taking high percentage shots and getting to the charity stripe.
Other suggestions:Reggie Jackson, DET at MIL ($7,600), Matthew Dellavedova, CLE vs. ORL ($4,500)
Shooting Guard
Jeremy Lamb, CHA vs. SAC ($4,500): Lamb has been one of the most efficient shooting guards in the league, ranking sixth in PER at 20.69. He has a true shooting percentage of 61.8 and is playing big minutes off the bench. The Kings like to push the ball, so chances are this game will see a lot of shot attempts, which should translate to more points for Lamb. Sacramento isn't a great defensive team and Lamb should be guarded by Marco Bellineli or Ben McLemore for most of the game.
Other suggestions:Andrew Wiggins, MIN vs. PHI ($6,900), Rodney Hood, UTA vs. OKC ($5,000)
Small Forward
Gordon Hayward vs. OKC ($6,200): For some reason Hayward's price tag actually got lower despite his 38.25 points Friday against the Mavericks. He has shot the ball well from beyond the arc lately and could draw a very nice defensive matchup against Kevin Durant, who may return from a hamstring injury Monday. Somebody is going to have to step up on offense for the Jazz if they expect to keep up with the Thunder, and the only logical answer is Hayward.
Other suggestions:Nicolas Batum, CHA vs. SAC ($7,200), Marcus Morris, DET at MIL ($6,200)
Power Forward
Tristan Thompson vs. ORL ($5,300): Thompson is the chalk play of the night as he is in line for another start in place of Timofey Mozgov (shoulder). All Thompson did in his first start of the season Saturday was pull down a season-high 16 rebounds and dish out five assists. Obviously you'd like to see his offensive numbers look a bit better, but as long as he cleans the glass and chips in a few blocks he should have no problem reaching tournament value while offering lineup flexibility in cash games.
Other suggestions:DeMarcus Cousins, SAC at CHA ($10,300), Ersan Ilyasova, DET at MIL ($4,300)
Center
Andre Drummond at MIL ($9,700): Drummond is coming off perhaps his worst game of the season, but he still managed to score 30.75 fantasy points. Don't let the matchup fool you, while the Bucks may have allowed the fewest points per game to centers, they are still tied for last in defensive efficiency rating at 109, not to mention they're one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. The Pistons' center should have a field day against the Bucks and won't put you in that big of a salary cap crunch when compared to some of the other highest priced players at each position.
Other suggestions:Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. PHI ($6,700), Enes Kanter, OKC at UTA ($5,300)
Injury Report
Out
Timofey Mozgov, CLE (shoulder)
Kyrie Irving, CLE (knee)
Brandon Jennings, DET (achilles)
Nikola Pekovic, MIN (achilles)
C.J. Watson, ORL (calf)
Game-Time Decision
Kevin Durant, OKC (hamstring)
LaMarcus Aldridge, POR (ankle)
Rudy Gay, SAC (shoulder)
P.J. Hairston, CHA (quad)
Cody Zeller, CHA (ankle)
Mo Williams, CLE (ankle)
Nemanja Bjelica, MIN (knee)
