This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Monday's eight-game slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST, and we have a lot of All-Stars at the top of our player pool. We'll look through those gems and a host of others as we tackle FanDuel's contests.
SLATE OVERVIEW
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Monday's slate is littered with some slower-paced affairs, but that's not the case with the Pacers-Warriors matchup in the nightcap. The projected total is 240.5, and although the Warriors are 10-point favorites, there should be at least three players worth considering in that contest, The Clippers-Hornets game is on the opposite end of the spectrum with an over/under of 217, but if Paul George and/or Kawhi Leonard turn out to be active, this total becomes a reasonable over bet.
INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Below are some of the more recent and significant injury scenarios we are looking at for Monday's slate.
LAC Paul George (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
LAC Kawhi Leonard (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
LAC Norman Powell (groin) - OUT
George and Leonard have both been out for a couple of weeks, but there's a chance that at least one of them will play. During their absences, the Clippers' starting lineup has been pretty static, so there's no recent pivot to mention.
PHI James Harden (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
PHI Tyrese Maxey (foot) - OUT
Harden has hinted that he may be ready to go Monday, so this is less of an injury mention and more of a warning about Shake Milton ($6,500) and De'Anthony Melton ($5,900). We may be a game too early with these concerns because if Harden plays, his minutes could be capped. Harden's return could have a few possible consequences. Melton could remain in his usual role, or the Sixers may slide Milton over to play alongside Harden. One of these players will see a sharp decrease in production if Harden plays, and although it may be too soon to fire up Harden due to a minutes limit, the eventual starting lineup is worth monitoring.
MIA Jimmy Butler (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Tyler Herro (ankle) - PROBABLE
MIA Max Strus (shoulder) - PROBABLE
The Heat are finally finding their way out of the woods injury-wise, and I'm mentioning this trio because all three of them played Friday night in a nice win over the Celtics. Casual players might fade them if the tags hold up, thus driving down roster rates.
MIL Jrue Holiday (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
Holiday didn't play Saturday, so we'll have to wait and see about his status for an exploitable game against the Magic. Jevon Carter ($4,600) would see more time if Holiday can't go. Khris Middleton ($7,000) will probably come back after missing a game following his season debut, so that will also help Milwaukee's cause in the event of a Holiday absence.
GSW Andrew Wiggins (adductor) - QUESTIONABLE
Wiggins popped up on the injury report after a dynamic 36-point performance in Saturday's win over Houston. Steve Kerr is usually cagey about injury situations, so news about Wiggins might have to wait for pre-game warmups. Anthony Lamb ($3,800) would see more time if Wiggins were to sit.
ATL John Collins (ankle) - OUT
This injury occurred last week, and it now looks like Collins will miss at least a week. Jalen Johnson ($4,000) filled in with a double-double in 33 minutes, so he looks like one of the better pivots on the slate.
ELITE PLAYERS
It's business as usual at the top, as Luka Doncic ($11,900) Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800) and Joel Embiid ($11,600) are chalk in perpetuity. I wonder about Giannis in a potential blowout against Orlando, but I think it's all systems go for Doncic, who will bring his best game at home against Phoenix.
As previously stated, we like the Warriors, so it's hard to fade Stephen Curry ($10,300). Ja Morant ($9,800) and Trae Young ($9,600) sit slightly lower on the salary scale and are just as playable at point guard. If Embiid isn't for you, Bam Adebayo ($8,900) is in a nice matchup opposite Steven Adams, and he'll be the first center off the board in most of my lineups.
Also consider: Dejounte Murray, ATL ($9,000) vs. OKC
EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS
Paolo Banchero, ORL ($7,600) vs. MIL
He didn't perform well against Toronto on Saturday night, which caused his salary to dip a bit, but Banchero had three consecutive games with 20-plus points prior to the stumble. His secondary production allows his FDFP total to hit the mid-30s when he scores that much. Sure, this is a tough matchup against Giannis (and potentially Khris Middleton), and this is the first time the rookie has faced them. Conversely, the Bucks don't know how to defend him yet either, so I'm going to give him some exposure in hopes that he'll surprise us.
Myles Turner, IND ($7,500) @ GSW
We're keen on revisiting this game. Draymond Green is a defensive powerhouse but has a size disadvantage against Turner, so some matchup duties will fall to Kevon Looney. I think this is a spot in which Turner prevails. His double-doubles haven't been as frequent as we'd like, but if we consider Golden State's shot volume, there should plenty of boards should be coming Turner's way.
Cameron Payne, PHO ($6,900) @ DAL
Payne is a conditional pick contingent on Chris Paul's status, but fortunately the two players have almost identical salaries, making it easy to pivot off Payne if Paul returns to action. While Payne's numbers are a bit all over the place, he's popped in several categories as a fill-in. We'll play Payne if Paul is out in hopes of a good assist number and a decent scoring total.
Tobias Harris, PHI ($6,900) @ HOU
We're expecting Harris to play despite his recent flu-like illness, and this is exactly the kind of game in which the Sixers can allow Embiid some time off if the game gets out of hand. The potential return of James Harden muddies the waters somewhat, but Harris tends to be a starter who sticks around during lopsided games. His salary has dropped to the point where he's quite playable, and his dual eligibility helps out a lot as well.
Also consider: Clint Capela, ATL ($6,200) vs. OKC, Terry Rozier, CHA ($7,100) vs. LAC
VALUE PLAYS
Dillon Brooks, MEM ($5,900) vs. MIA
I'm a Brooks apologist when things don't go as planned, and that's due to his upside and take-over ability. His three-point shot can heat up at any moment, and his speed and size make him a stalwart two-way player who can accumulate secondary stats. Even though the Heat are rounding back into form, I have no problem utilizing Brooks at this salary.
Bennedict Mathurin, IND ($5,500) @ GSW
I risk sounding like a broken record with Mathurin, as Anthony Edwards is probably the only player I mention with more frequency. It just so happens that he's playing in the game with the highest projected total, and the sixth man may not have Andrew Wiggins to contend with. As long as Mathurin stays below $6k, I have a hard time fading him. His past two games against Portland and Utah left a bit to be desired, but when Tyrese Haliburton's absence leaves many unclaimed points on the table, I have to like the rookie's upside.
John Konchar, MEM ($4,900) vs. MIA
The 25-year-old continues to give us 30 minutes of playing time, and that kind of consistency is hard to find at this salary point. The absence of Desmond Bane is a key reason why Konchar is seeing so much time, and although he hasn't delivered nightly, he has upside due to his increased usage.
Marcus Morris, LAC ($4,900) @ CHA
Morris is worth waiting on Monday night, and if George and Leonard are both out, load up on Morris. I would still consider him if George made a return. He didn't fare too well against the Kings Saturday, but by and large, his multi-category contribution is pretty consistent. Morris has started in every game he's played, and although he hasn't met the Hornets yet, it looks like a good spot for him to shine.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, ATL ($4,000) vs. OKC
Bogdan is back, and he didn't look great in his season debut. It's obvious he needs to shake off the rust, and what better spot to shake it off in than against the Thunder? Atlanta will need to find additional punch with John Collins out, and we all recall Bogdan's facility as a slashing sharpshooter. There's some variance with this pick, but he's an excellent salary saver if you're drilling three elites into your lineups.
