This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid:
Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets
Outside of the Spurs, who are far and away the best defensive team in the league, the Bulls have been one of the better units without the ball this season. Prior to their current two-game skid, the Bulls had won four in a row while limiting opponents to 88.8 points per game during that streak. Chicago has gone through some ups-and-downs, but the Nets are just so awful on offense that it should make the Bulls look more like an elite defense than the past two games has suggested. It also helps that Joakim Noah is playing like an All-Star again and is back in the starting lineup.
Offense to Use:
Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Celtics have eclipsed 100 points in eight of their past 10 games, and while they aren't very efficient on offense that doesn't mean they won't be able to score against the T-Wolves. Boston is a team that uses small lineups to run over opponents, while Minnesota has been pretty inconsistent on defense night-in and night-out. When targeting an offense, it also helps that the Celtics feature a lot of salary-friendly players to choose from.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: None
Second game: Nets, Timberwolves, Hawks, Magic, Suns, Trail Blazers, Kings
Daily Player Recommendations
Point Guard
Isaiah Thomas, BOS vs. MIN ($7,700): As mentioned above, the Celtics offer a lot of affordable players that have offensive upside Monday. Thomas fits this mold perfectly, as he can post elite fantasy numbers but won't cost a fortune in the process. He's also trending up, with 94 fantasy points over his past two games. If Thomas can limit the turnovers and get to the charity stripe against the T-Wolves, expect him to keep getting better.
Other suggestions: Jeremy Lin, CHA at HOU ($5,200); Elfrid Payton, ORL at NYK ($6,300)
Shooting Guard
Arron Afflalo, NYK vs. ORL ($4,900): It won't be too hard to find lineups that feature Afflalo on Monday. He's got a nice matchup against his former team and has been on a tear lately, averaging 25.4 fantasy points per game in his last six. Afflalo's more inflated stat is probably his field goal percentage, which will certainly come back down to something that looks more like his career average. Regardless of the potential for regression, Afflalo's price makes him a no-brainer in cash games, but try to fade him in tournaments due to the high projected ownership.
Other suggestions: Jimmy Butler, CHI vs. BKN ($7,400); C.J. McCollum, POR at ATL ($6,900)
Small Forward
Rudy Gay, SAC at WAS ($7,000): The Wizards enter Monday as the worst team at defending the 3-point line, allowing opponents to shoot over 40 percent. Gay isn't known for his 3-point shooting, but a matchup against Washington will certainly help his numbers. The game should be pretty fast paced, and while Gay's scoring average has been down a bit, his fantasy points per game average is 37.0 over the past three. Gay isn't going to ruin your cap management and is a pretty safe play Monday, so consider him more of a cash-game option with a low enough ownership percentage for use in tournaments.
Other suggestions: Jae Crowder, BOS vs. MIN ($5,600); Nicolas Batum, CHA at HOU ($7,500)
Power Forward
Bobby Portis, CHI vs. BKN ($3,300): If you're looking for a home-run play in tournaments, Portis is coming off the best game of his career -- a 20-point, 11-rebound effort this past Saturday against the Knicks. Coach Fred Hoiberg acknowledged that Portis probably deserves more playing time, which he shouldn't have trouble getting in a game that could be over quickly. Since there might be a decent amount of garbage time in this one, Pau Gasol's return shouldn't deter you from taking a shot on Portis.
Other suggestions: LaMarcus Aldridge, SA vs. IND ($6,800); Jon Leuer, PHO at UTA ($5,800)
Center
Enes Kanter, OKC at LAC ($4,600): After experiencing a lot of success early in the season, Kanter's salary spiked to the point where he was losing a lot of value. Now that his salary has dipped back down, he has become better option for daily lineups. Kanter is coming off a monster 19-point, 14-rebound game against the Lakers, and the Clippers offer another soft matchup for him to exploit. Playing time will be key, but the Thunder will definitely want Kanter in the game as much as possible to provide some extra offense down low.
Other suggestions: Joakim Noah, CHI vs. BKN ($5,400); Dwight Howard, HOU vs. CHA ($7,200)
Injury Report
Out
Marcus Smart, BOS (leg)
Shane Larkin, BKN (concussion)
Al Jefferson, CHA (suspension)
Ty Lawson, HOU (suspension)
C.J. Watson, ORL (calf)
Rudy Gobert, UTA (knee)
Bradley Beal, WAS (leg)
Game-Time Decision
Damian Lillard, POR (foot)
Otto Porter, WAS (thigh)
Amir Johnson, BOS (foot)
Thomas Robinson, BKN (illness)
Doug McDermott, CHI (knee)
Jason Terry, HOU (personal)
Austin Rivers, LAC (ankle)
Chris Kaman, POR (illness)
