DraftKings NBA Lineup Advice: Monday (2/24)

If there was ever a night for building a “Stars and Scars” DFS lineup, Monday’s eight-game NBA slate is it. With a few key injuries, there is a ton of cheap value options who all seem to be playing in great game environments with favorable matchups and high Vegas totals. The biggest question of the night could be, how many Sixers are too many Sixers for one lineup?

Note that some of the stats referenced in this article are my custom defense versus position (DvP) calculations that combines data from the season and last five games along with blending similar positions production allowed together.

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One Stud

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $9,500 vs. ATL
I’m listing two studs on this extreme “Stars and Scars” NBA slate and while Embiid is a cheaper option than my second stud below, he will be the first one I insert into my DraftKings lineup for Monday night. The Sixers will be without both Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris for their tilt at home against the Hawks. Embiid has seen a 4.7% usage bump with those two players off the court this season. In two previous meetings with the Hawks, Embiid has averaged 28.5 points and 13.5 rebounds for 56.9 DraftKings points which could be his floor given tonight’s circumstances.

Trae Young (PG – ATL): $10,600 @ PHI
The absence of a couple of key Sixers on Monday could also help the Hawks hang closer with the Sixers than they might normally. This would allow Young to log heavy minutes against a team that he has put up 32.0 points and 13.5 assists against the Sixers for 59.0 DK points in two previous meetings this season. Young has come out of the All-Star break hot, averaging 37.5 points and 9.0 assists per game in two outings while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and from beyond the arc.

Core Plays

Nikola Vucevic (C – ORL): $9,100 @ BKN
You could even consider Vucevic as the third “Stud” to use in your NBA lineup on DK Monday night. He was playing great prior to the break and picked up right where he left off in his first game after the All-Star break. In his last three games, Vucevic is averaging a robust 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game for 53.5 DK points a night. He’ll draw a plus matchup on Monday against the Nets who have allowed increased production to big men in points (+7.1%), rebounds (+5.9%), and assists (+4.7%).

Kendrick Nunn (PG/SG – MIA): $5,600 @ CLE
Even the core plays come at a discount price on this slate including Nunn who put up 24 points and eight assists on his way to 46 DK points in his last game. The Heat was without Jimmy Butler in that game as they will be again on Monday night in Cleveland. Nunn has averaged 19.3 points and 7.3 assists in three previous matchups with the Cavaliers this season.

Mike Conley (PG – UTH): $5,300 vs. PHO
Conley missed a couple of games before the break but used the time off to get healthier for the second half which included playing 34 minutes in the first game after the break while putting up 13 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists for 32.25 DK points. His salary remains very reasonable for his matchup against the Suns on Monday. Conley has been playing well when he has been on the court over his last five outings with 18.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists for 35.3 DK points per game.

Value Plays

Al Horford (PF/C – PHI): $4,500 vs. ATL
The value section is almost all about the Sixers and the increased opportunities for numerous players with the absence of Simmons and Harris from the lineup on Monday. Horford’s salary has continued to decline with his limited production in recent games, but he should see a spike in his playing time on Monday which should translate into increased production in a favorable matchup against the Hawks.

Furkan Korkmaz (SG/SF – PHI): $4,000 vs. ATL
Korkmaz proved he has some big upside with back-to-back huge games for the Sixers in early February where he scored 31 and 34 points respectively in two favorable matchups while getting 29-plus minutes. With the Sixers missing a couple of starters, Korkmaz should get another chance for around 30 minutes which could translate into a big scoring night against the Hawks defense that has allowed the second-highest three-point percentage to wing players this season. Get used to hearing “Korkmaz for three” tonight!

Shake Milton (PG/SG – PHI): $3,600 vs. ATL
The last Sixers player that I will recommend on Monday is Shake Milton who should get extra run and potentially start at point guard with Simmons out. In eight games that Milton has started this season, he has averaged 25 minutes while putting up 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for 20.6 DK points. Milton gets a 5.6 percent usage bump with Simmons and Harris off the court.

Josh Jackson (SF/PF – MEM): $3,300 @ LAC
The Grizzlies will be without forward Jaren Jackson Jr. for the next couple of weeks which will give Josh Jackson and Brandon Clarke additional court time. Jackson comes with a dirt-cheap salary on Monday and should see at least 20 minutes of action. In his last two games, Jackson has averaged 15.5 points and 4.0 rebounds while topping 24 DK points in each outing.

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Brad Richter is a Featured Writer and Correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.