Martin Luther King Jr. Day brings us a rare split slate of NBA action on Monday. This article will focus on the four-game night(main) slate on FanDuel that includes the marquee matchup between the Warriors and Cavaliers. In a game with a high 231 Vegas total, you will want to be sure to get some exposure to that game but there is also another matchup on the night slate that has caught my eye where we can find a variety of value options in another potentially high scoring affair.
Note that some of the stats referenced in this article are my custom DvP calculations that combine both season and last five games data along with blending similar positions production allowed together.
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Point Guard
Stephen Curry (GS): $10,200 @ CLE
Stephen Curry has been in and out of the lineup recently but when he has been on the court he has been on fire shooting over 56% from the field and 50% from three-point range while averaging 33.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists over his last six games. Curry should be in the lineup on Monday night in a Finals rematch with the Cavaliers who have allowed the ninth most FanDuel points to opposing PGs this season.
Isaiah Thomas (CLE): $5,500 vs GS
Using Isaiah Thomas right now is risky. He is still working his way back from injury which means his minutes are still working their way up and he sits out on occasion. He should be well rested for this one with his last game coming last Thursday and he did increase to 24 minutes played in that game. I expect him to rise up to maybe 28 minutes on Monday in a big game which should be enough for him to hit 5x his value with a low $5,500 salary. If you don’t have the stomach to roster a minutes-limit PG then look to pivot to Darren Collison ($5,300).
Martin Luther King Jr. Day brings us a rare split slate of NBA action on Monday. This article will focus on the four-game night(main) slate on FanDuel that includes the marquee matchup between the Warriors and Cavaliers. In a game with a high 231 Vegas total, you will want to be sure to get some exposure to that game but there is also another matchup on the night slate that has caught my eye where we can find a variety of value options in another potentially high scoring affair.
Note that some of the stats referenced in this article are my custom DvP calculations that combine both season and last five games data along with blending similar positions production allowed together.
Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Point Guard
Stephen Curry (GS): $10,200 @ CLE
Stephen Curry has been in and out of the lineup recently but when he has been on the court he has been on fire shooting over 56% from the field and 50% from three-point range while averaging 33.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists over his last six games. Curry should be in the lineup on Monday night in a Finals rematch with the Cavaliers who have allowed the ninth most FanDuel points to opposing PGs this season.
Isaiah Thomas (CLE): $5,500 vs GS
Using Isaiah Thomas right now is risky. He is still working his way back from injury which means his minutes are still working their way up and he sits out on occasion. He should be well rested for this one with his last game coming last Thursday and he did increase to 24 minutes played in that game. I expect him to rise up to maybe 28 minutes on Monday in a big game which should be enough for him to hit 5x his value with a low $5,500 salary. If you don’t have the stomach to roster a minutes-limit PG then look to pivot to Darren Collison ($5,300).
Shooting Guard
Klay Thompson (GS): $6,700 @ CLE
I’m doubling-down on the Splash Brothers in the Warriors backcourt by using Klay Thompson. Thompson put up 24 points with six rebounds against the Cavaliers on Christmas Day and has scored at least 24 points against the Cavaliers in each of their last three meetings. He is the least expensive of the mid-range SGs to consider and faces a Cavaliers’ team that has allowed the third most FD points per game to opposing SGs this season. Splash!
Tyrone Wallace (LAC): $4,200 vs HOU
Tyrone Wallace has played at least 32 minutes in each of his last three games thanks to the injury-riddled backcourt for the Clippers. His production has had its ups-and-downs since joining the Clippers but on a short slate where we want to find value to pay up for a couple of the high-priced studs, Wallace’s high minutes and low salary is the right mix in what should be an up-tempo matchup with the Rockets who have allowed the eighth most FD points to opposing SGs.
Small Forward
LeBron James (CLE): $11,400 vs GS
You must pay up for one of the high-priced SFs on Monday night’s slate with either LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Since this lineup is getting exposure to the Warriors through Curry and Thompson, then paying the extra $700 for James makes sense. I also prefer James over Durant since the Warriors have all of their stars healthy now which could slightly limit Durant’s upside, while James will continue to be the center of the universe for the Cavaliers’ offense.
Gerald Green (HOU): $4,600 @ LAC
Gerald Green’s production is based on his ability to put the ball in the basket as he generates a large majority of his fantasy production from points with only limited peripheral stats. With James Harden still out, Green has played at least 26 minutes in each of the last six games for the Rockets while averaging 19.5 points per game during that stretch. The Clippers offer a good matchup for scoring from opposing SFs by giving up the ninth most raw points per game to the position. A 20-point effort with a few rebounds is enough for him to pay off his low salary.
Power Forward
Blake Griffin (LAC): $8,600 vs HOU
Blake Griffin has returned from a concussion to play an average of 30 minutes in his last two games. Griffin could see an increase in his rebound totals if DeAndre Jordan misses the second straight game with an ankle injury and he already has a favorable matchup against the Rockets who have allowed the sixth most FD points to opposing PFs this season.
Ryan Anderson (HOU): $4,500 @ LAC
Ryan Anderson has benefited the last two games with the absence of Nene Hilario and Tarik Black which has allowed Anderson to play at least 34 minutes in each game. With Nene already ruled out and Black questionable for Monday’s matchup with the Clippers, Anderson could be in for another 30-plus minutes. In his last two games with the increased minutes, Anderson has averaged a solid 13 points and seven rebounds per game which is enough for him to reach 5x his current salary.
Center
Willie Reed (LAC): $4,300 vs HOU
The use of Willie Reed is totally dependent on DeAndre Jordan sitting out Monday night. With Jordan out on Saturday, Reed put up 14 points and 13 rebounds on his way to 44.6 FanDuel points in 26 minutes. He probably won’t be able to duplicate those numbers against the Rockets but the Rockets do allow the third most FD points to opposing centers this season. If Jordan does play, then you will be forced to pay up at center with someone like Kevin Love while dropping down somewhere else like PF.
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Brad Richter is a correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay and GoingFor2. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.
