NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Monday (1/23)

This weekend was wild. Saturday night was one of the most exciting sporting nights I’ve ever seen. We had MMA, Australian Open, Rugby 7s, NFL Playoffs, and of course, NBA all at the same time on Saturday night! That’s a sports fans’ dream, and it’ll be nice to focus solely on NBA to start the week. This Monday card has some great spots too, and I really enjoyed picking players. With that in mind, let’s get started with the schedule and odds!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Schedule and Odds

• MIL at DET (MIL -11) O/U: 228.5
• BOS at ORL (BOS -7.5) O/U: 229.5
• ATL at CHI (CHI -1) O/U: 238.5
• MIN at HOU (MIN -6.5) O/U: 240
• CHA at UTA (UTA -8) O/U: 235
• SAS at POR (POR -9) O/U: 240
• MEM at SAC (MEM -1.5) O/U: 243.5

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) Questionable
• Khris Middleton (knee) OUT
• Cade Cunningham (shin) OUT
• Jayson Tatum (wrist) Questionable
• Robert Williams (knee) Questionable
• Marcus Smart (ankle) Questionable
• Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) Questionable
• Lonzo Ball (knee) Questionable
• Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) OUT
• Rudy Gobert (groin) Questionable
• Kevin Porter Jr.(foot) Questionable
• Jabari Smith (ankle) Questionable
• Kelly Oubre Jr.(hand) OUT
• LaMelo Ball (ankle) Questionable
• Kelly Olynyk (ankle) OUT
• Devin Vassell (knee) OUT

Core Plays

Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $10,100 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel
At times, Lillard looks like the best player in the NBA, and he’s amid one of those fantastic stretches right now. The All-Star has scored at least 57 DraftKings points in five straight games, averaging over 60 fantasy points per game in that span. That would make him a worthy play against anyone, but he’s tough to fade against a Spurs team that sits last in both points allowed and defensive efficiency. In their last matchup, Dame dropped another 60-piece!

Anthony Edwards (SG/SF – MIN): $9,300 DraftKings, $8,900 FanDuel
With Karl-Anthony Towns injured, ANT has taken over this offense. The former top pick is flirting with a 35 percent usage rate with KAT off the floor, scoring at least 44 DK points in five of his last six games. In addition, Edwards dropped a season-high 71 DraftKings points in his most recent outing, doing that damage against a 28th-ranked Rockets defense. That’s awesome because he has the same matchup here!

Terry Rozier (PG/SG – CHA): $8,000 DraftKings, $8,100 FanDuel
Rozier is going to be in here a lot until LaMelo Ball returns. That’s forcing Rozier to run this offense, seeing a massive boost in usage, shot attempts, and assists in Ball’s absence. We love that with Rozier registering a 37-point average this year, doing most of that that damage despite dealing with a broken shot. We don’t expect him to struggle shooting here, with Utah allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing guards this year.

Cash Game Considerations

Ja Morant (PG – MEM): $9,700 DraftKings, $9,900 FanDuel
It’s strange to see Ja below $10,000. This has been one of the best players in the NBA this year, averaging over 48 fantasy points per game. He’s also established a 35-point floor and could be asked to do more with Memphis playing a back-to-back. His biggest asset here is a matchup against the Kings, with Sacramento sitting 24th in points allowed and 25th in defensive efficiency. In their three meetings this season, Morant has maintained a 48-point average against the Kings!

Jrue Holiday (PG – MIL): $9,000 DraftKings, $8,800 FanDuel
Here we are with another player stepping up due to injuries. This Milwaukee team has been mauled by the injury bug, playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Holiday is averaging over 41 DK points per game with those guys in the lineup and has a 40-point floor if both of them sit here. That’s on full display since he has at least 51 DK points in four of his last five games. Not to mention, Detroit ranks 29th in points allowed and defensive efficiency.

Domantas Sabonis (PF/C – SAC): $10,600 DraftKings, $10,100 FanDuel
We buried the lead with this guy. Sabonis has been unstoppable over the last two months, scoring at least 42 fantasy points in 20 of his previous 22 games. He’s also scored at least 51 fantasy points in 17 of those, averaging close to 60 DK points per game. That makes him a worthy play against any opponent, and we don’t mind that Domas dropped 45 fantasy points in his most recent meeting with Memphis.

GPP Targets

D’Angelo Russell (PG – MIN): $6,700 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel
It’s strange that D-Lo is below $7,000 on both sites. Much like ANT, this guy has been stellar since KAT went down. That’s led to Russell scoring at least 30 fantasy points in 23 of his last 28 games, generating a 34-point average in that span. That’s all you can ask for from a player in this price range, and we certainly don’t mind that he faces a Rockets team surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing guards. In their last five matchups, Russell is averaging nearly 40 DK points per game!

Derrick White (PG – BOS): $5,400 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
It looks like Boston will be without Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart here. That means White should play 30-35 minutes as the primary ball-handler, and this guy can be an $8K player in that sort of role. In fact, White is averaging over 35 fantasy points per game in the 10 outings he’s played over 30 minutes this year. That feels like a lock here, and he shouldn’t have any issues against a 23rd-ranked Orlando defense.

Dennis Smith Jr.(PG/SG – CHA): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
If Ball is out again, Smith should start at point guard and play at least 25 minutes. This stat-stuffer was amazing when Ball was sidelined earlier in the year, averaging 34 DK points per game across 33 minutes a night in the 10 starts he finished. We love that since he’s playing 27 minutes a night over the last three outings, and he benefits from the same stellar matchup mentioned in the Rozier write-up.

Value Plays

Mike Conley (PG – UTA): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
This veteran should never be below $6,000. Conley has been closer to $8,000 for most of his career, and he can return to that form on any given night. The southpaw has scored at least 30 DraftKings points in four straight games, averaging nearly 35 fantasy points per game in that span. That’s a ridiculous total from a sub-$6K player, especially one that’s shown so much potential in the past.

Al Horford (PF/C – BOS): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
Horford and Conley are very similar players. These are consummate professionals that have struggled at times this year, but they should never be this cheap. Big Al has scored at least 29 DK points in four of his last six games, posting a 32-point average in that span. Getting 29 or 32 DK points would be amazing from such an affordable player, and it seems more likely since Smart, Brogdon, and Robert Williams could miss this game.

Josh Hart (SG/SF – POR): $5,100 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
Hart has been one of the quietest stat-stuffers in the league, and it’s hard to understand why he’s still so cheap. He’s averaging over 28 DK points per game this season, collecting 13 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in his most recent outing. That sort of ability should be easy to duplicate against the worst defense in the NBA, especially with San Antonio surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing wings.

Advantageous Pricing

• Dennis Smith Jr.(PG/SG – CHA): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
• Markelle Fultz (PG – ORL): $6,100 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel
• Jalen Duren (PF/C – DET): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
• DeMar DeRozan (SF/PF – CHI): $8,900 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
• Alex Caruso (PG/SG – CHI): $4,000 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
• Kyle Anderson (SF – MIN): $6,300 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
• Walker Kessler (C – UTA): $5,800 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel
• Jarred Vanderbilt (PF/C – MIN): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
• Josh Richardson (SG/SF – SAS): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
• Steven Adams (C – MEM): $5,900 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel

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