This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There is an obvious trend in Monday's nine-game slate, and that's invest heavily in Western Conference matchups. Trail Blazers-Thunder, Timberwolves-Suns and Warriors-Pelicans all have incredibly high over/unders; almost all three of these games are projected to see 220 points combined. The other obvious trend is the plethora of elite guards featured in these contests and guards are where you're going to find the bulk of your fantasy points. Russell Westbrook ($60), Stephen Curry ($59) and Damian Lillard ($51) should all be in play with Lillard offering the most value considering his price and the last time he played Oklahoma City, which resulted in a 53.9-point outing.
GUARD
Devin Booker, PHO vs. MIN ($22) - Booker is coming off a career-high 11 assists in Saturday's loss to the Suns and has been overachieving big time lately. In his past four games Booker has managed to post 35-plus fantasy points and has 40-plus points in three of his past six. Timberwolves-Suns is just one of the many Western Conference games Monday that offers a very high over/under and Booker is one of the more affordable guards available. Don't let the return of Brandon Knight scare you since Booker has averaged over 40 minutes during the two games with Knight back. Target Booker for your cash-game lineups and reap the benefits.
Klay Thompson, GS vs. NO ($36) - If you're looking for a player with a high ceiling that isn't going to break the bank, Thompson is your guy. Thompson has accumulated 30 or more fantasy points in six of his last eight games with plus-40 performances in three of those contests. This might come as a shock to you (not really), but Thompson has hit 21 three-pointers in his last four games (just north of five per game). Sure, there's a chance the Warriors run the Pelicans out of The Oracle, but they pretty much do that to every team, so Thompson will still see a healthy 30-plus minutes. If it's any consolation, the Pelicans are also pretty horrible at defending the two, allowing the fifth most fantasy points per game to opposing shooting guards this season.
Guard to Avoid:
Jrue Holiday, NO at GS ($37) - Holiday has been on a serious fantasy scoring binge lately, but came back down to Earth Saturday against the Bucks. The Warriors are a decent matchup for Holiday, but it's obviously very difficult to play against Golden State at home. The big thing for me is Holiday's price tag, which just doesn't seem appealing considering Ricky Rubio ($27) and Goran Dragic ($26) are much cheaper with incredible matchups (Suns, Nuggets).
FORWARD
JaMychal Green, MEM at HOU ($13) - This seems like an absolute no-brainer in cash games for Monday. Prior to Saturday's laid egg against the Hawks, Green had posted three consecutive double-doubles and has scored 16 or more points in four straight. It's unclear if Zach Randolph will return in time for Monday's game, but Mike Conley has been ruled out long term, which opens up more touches for Green. All of this plus the fact that the Rockets are a dreadful defensive team and are allowing the most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season make Green look like a premier play.
Luol Deng, MIA vs. DEN ($24) - The Heat, until the last couple games, were arguably the hottest team in the NBA. This is widely due to their improved play on offense, which has boosted Deng's fantasy prospects significantly. Dwyane Wade is questionable to play due to a bruised thigh and if he can't go Deng would see more usage on offense. Regardless, Deng has been the model of consistency at the small forward position. The last time Deng failed to reach 25 fantasy points was back on Feb. 9 against the best defense in the league, San Antonio. Deng isn't a sexy pick, but he's relatively safe and won't be very highly owned, which makes him a solid play in almost all contests.
Forward to Avoid:
Kevin Love, CLE at UTA ($33) - Love has averaged a fantasy point per dollar just twice in his last six games and hasn't scored 40-plus fantasy points since Feb. 26. He's going to have to deal with Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert on the road, which also doesn't bode well for his fantasy prospects Monday. The Jazz are allowing the fifth least fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season and the Cavaliers have been funneling their offense through (another shocker) LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. A lot of Love's value came from his ability to shoot the rock from distance and he's only hit five three-pointers in his last eight games.
CENTER
Andrew Bogut, GS vs. NO ($11) - What makes Bogut such a key component in the Warriors offense is his ability to make great passes. He's dished out five or more assists in three of his past five games, and I have a feeling he'll reach that mark Monday against a Pelicans squad that struggles with crafty centers. You know the Warriors are most likely going to throw up 110-120 points on the Pelicans, which means plenty of assist opportunities. Bogut has also done a nice job defending lately, which has resulted in 11 blocked shots over his past four games.
Center to Avoid:
Nikola Jokic, DEN at MIA ($21) - Jokic isn't overpriced, but nowadays you're going to want to shy away from anyone matching up against the defensive juggernaut that is Hassan Whiteside. The Heat as a whole have done a nice job defending the center position this season and Jokic is coming off a scoreless game against the Wizards this past Saturday. Denver doesn't offer many great options in fantasy anyway and are even less appealing Monday in Miami.
