This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid:
San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz
When two of the best defensive teams in the league take the court against each other it's probably a good idea to avoid most players from either squad. The Spurs are highlighted here, but consider the Jazz just as scary -- if not more imposing -- on the defensive end. San Antonio also gets the nod because it's a much more efficient offensive team, ranking fourth in the league at 104.7. You'll be hard pressed to find another matchup Monday that figures to be as low scoring as Spurs-Jazz, so no need to get cute and take a risk, though the Hawks may be another exception.
Offense to Use:
Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets
The Rockets are the hottest offense in the NBA, averaging 111.3 points per game over their past six, winning five of them. The fact that they get one of the more vulnerable defenses in the Nuggets only adds to the Rockets' appeal. James Harden and Dwight Howard are your bread and butter plays, but Marcus Thornton has been shooting the lights out and Terrence Jones has done a nice job filling up the score sheet. There are plenty of cheap options to go along with Thornton and Jones as well, so stacking some of those players along with Harden or Howard should translate into plenty of fantasy points.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Nuggets, Rockets
Second game: Grizzles, Heat, 76ers, Jazz, Suns, Raptors
Daily Player Recommendations
Point Guard
Patrick Beverley, HOU at DEN ($4,900): As was mentioned above, the Rockets figure to be a good team to target Monday, so a guy like Beverley makes sense for tournaments. The Nuggets are allowing opponents to shoot 37 percent from downtown, which is the third worst clip in the NBA. Beverley hasn't been shooting that great from beyond the arc, but he's launched 24 3-pointers over his past three games, meaning the chances of more of those shots falling increases significantly against Denver.
Other suggestions: Mike Conley, MEM vs. WAS ($6,200); Ramon Sessions, WAS at MEM ($3,800)
Shooting Guard
DeMar DeRozan, TOR at IND ($7,100): Since going through a rough patch, DeRozan has shot the ball well his past two games, scoring a combined 55 points on 18 of 32 shooting from the field. DeRozan is at his best when he's getting to the charity stripe, and he should be able to do that in a soft matchup against the Pacers. There aren't many options at shooting guard that offer the affordability and high ceiling of DeRozan.
Other suggestions: Eric Bledsoe, PHX at DAL ($8,400); Victor Oladipo, ORL at BKN ($6,400)
Small Forward
Otto Porter, WAS at MEM ($6,200): Porter is coming off a career-high 28 points in Saturday's win over the Mavericks, and he should continue to pick up some of the slack with Bradley Beal sidelined. He's always shot the ball with accuracy, but never got the volume of shots which would allow him to be more of a fantasy stud. It seems that time may be upon us, so it would be wise to plug Porter into your lineup now as his price tag will likely continue to rise if he can keep this up.
Other suggestions: Danilo Gallinari, DEN vs. HOU ($6,900); Doug McDermott, CHI vs. PHI ($3,400)
Power Forward
Nerlens Noel, PHI at CHI ($5,800): Noel had gone a long time without posting a double-double, but he managed one Friday against the Pistons. DraftKings will tell you that this isn't a great matchup for Noel, but the Bulls don't have a great field-goal percentage as a team, which has allowed opponents to averaging nearly 50 boards per game against them. Noel will have a good shot at another double-double and is pretty cost effective. If Noel doesn't play, Richaun Holmes ($3,000) would get a big boost and saves you even more salary.
Other suggestions: Paul Millsap, ATL vs. MIA ($7,900); Andrew Nicholson, ORL at BKN ($3,900)
Center
Joakim Noah, CHI vs. PHI ($4,800): As long as Noah's price remains this low, he should be a staple in most of your lineups. He's averaging 27.2 fantasy points per game over his last six, and the only thing he isn't doing well right now is score, which has never been his strength. Luckily, grabbing boards, dishing out assists and blocking shots gives you more fantasy points than scoring actual points does. Noah will likely have a high ownership, so shying away from him in tournaments wouldn't be a bad idea, though his price tag allows you the luxury of cap relief.
Other suggestions: Jahlil Okafor, PHI at CHI ($6,400); Dwight Howard; HOU at DEN ($7,200)
Injury Report
Out
Emmanuel Mudiay, DEN (ankle)
Wilson Chandler, DEN (hip)
Darrell Arthur, DEN (knee)
Jrue Holiday, NO (leg)
Chris Kaman, POR (ankle)
DeMarre Carroll, TOR (knee)
Bradley Beal, WAS (leg)
Game-Time Decision
Deron Williams, DAL (illness)
Tony Allen, MEM (knee)
Jordan Adams, MEM (knee)
Tyler Johnson, MIA (shoulder)
Josh McRoberts, MIA (knee)
Ryan Anderson, NO (illness)
Mike Scott, ATL (knee)
C.J. Watson, ORL (calf)
Tobias Harris, ORL (leg)
Nerlens Noel, PHI (eye)
Shane Larkin, DAL (eye)
