Welcome to the Monday NBA DFS slate. I hope your 2026 has been friendly as we inch closer to the All-Star break. It’s been a profitable season so far, where we’ve missed out on some big wins by just a few hiccups. That’s all part of the season, and I know a big cash is coming soon.
If you’re going to play NBA DFS, you have to keep in mind lineup announcements and stay tuned for late swapping. That is going to be the easiest way to stay ahead of the field and in the money. Despite the number of games today, there are only four games on the main slate, so you might have to be a little picky or just stick to cash games unless you’re willing to be a bit risky. In the end, it’s about making the right choices and picking your spots, which is why I’m here. Let’s break down the top plays for this slate.
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Welcome to the Monday NBA DFS slate. I hope your 2026 has been friendly as we inch closer to the All-Star break. It’s been a profitable season so far, where we’ve missed out on some big wins by just a few hiccups. That’s all part of the season, and I know a big cash is coming soon.
If you’re going to play NBA DFS, you have to keep in mind lineup announcements and stay tuned for late swapping. That is going to be the easiest way to stay ahead of the field and in the money. Despite the number of games today, there are only four games on the main slate, so you might have to be a little picky or just stick to cash games unless you’re willing to be a bit risky. In the end, it’s about making the right choices and picking your spots, which is why I’m here. Let’s break down the top plays for this slate.
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer
NBA DFS Core Plays
- DraftKings: $9,900
- FanDuel: $10,100
We have two options up at the top for point guards. Between Cade Cunningham and Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers guard is my preferred choice. It is looking like a 50/50 chance that Joel Embiid will be out tonight. That only helps Maxey’s 29% usage rate and the nearly 40 minutes he sees on the court every night.
What also helps is the matchup. Indiana’s defense ranks 23rd on the road this year while being a top-10 team in pace of play. They’ve allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards over their last six games. Over his last 10 games, Maxey has six outings above 50 points.
The 76ers’ offense should be able to take care of business tonight as an 8-point favorite, and a lot of that goes through Maxey. Rostership might be fickle with Cunningham and someone else we’ll get to later, but I will be getting my handful of Maxey tonight.
- DraftKings: $8,700
- FanDuel: $8,900
At the top of the power forward options tonight, we have Pascal Siakam. With the questionable Philadelphia players tonight, Siakam may be super chalky. It’ll help if there’s no Joel Embiid, of course, but if Paul George sits as well, then the options are even more limited in the power forward category tonight.
The Pacers forward is coming off three straight games of 45 fantasy points, and I’d project him right around that again tonight. It’s not my favorite play in the entire world, but on a four-game slate where there’s a lot in the air related to injuries, he’s a safe play I can trust. To depend on that with a sub-$9,000 price tag is a solid place to start for building lineups.
NBA DFS Cash Game Targets
- DraftKings: $7,700
- FanDuel: $7,500
With the highest total on the slate and the possession rate by the Heat to raise the floor, Bam Adebayo is a good place to start in cash games tonight. If Joel Embiid doesn’t play, Adebayo will be massively rostered. Either way, he’ll likely get a big chunk of rostership tonight.
The Heat center is coming off a 57 fantasy point outing against Oklahoma City, and this Golden State defense is not that good. Norman Powell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. are solid plays as well, but they are dealing with different ailments that might limit them. Adebayo has a solid floor with his 30+ minutes on the court and has shown his ceiling potential. Without being too expensive, Adebayo becomes a solid anchor for your lineups.
- DraftKings: $8,100
- FanDuel: $8,300
You’ll notice a bit of a trend here with my interest in the Miami-Golden State game. It has the highest total on the slate by a good margin, and Jimmy Butler has been balling out recently, averaging over 40 fantasy points a night in his last four games.
Butler’s usage has jumped to 28% over the last two weeks of play. If there’s no Draymond Green tonight, his usage will only increase. Miami has been a friendly fantasy team, allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing forwards. Butler can get over 50, as he’s down in two of his last three outings, but his floor is what is appealing. I project Butler to get significant rostership just because the other options in the top end are slim and the situation calls for it.
NBA DFS GPP Targets
- DraftKings: $9,100
- FanDuel: $9,100
I mentioned earlier that the big decision tonight is rostering Cade Cunningham or Tyrese Maxey. This means the likes of Steph Curry and Devin Booker will be less rostered. Booker could also be in this category, simply as a leverage option, but I like Curry’s ceiling much more, considering his matchup.
Miami plays at the fastest pace of play in the league, leading to the highest total on the main slate. Curry has been a little cold of late, going over 45 fantasy points just once in his last four games. But his three games before that were all solid outings. Curry has put up ceiling performances before, and we can see that at home against a defense that’s taken a step back recently. He’s expensive but very live to put up 50+ fantasy points with low rostership based on early projections. That can change, but even if he ends up chalky, I still like Curry across the board tonight.
- DraftKings: $6,800
- FanDuel: $7,400
It always feels a little weird when I’m backing multiple players from the NBA’s worst offense, but that’s how DFS works sometimes. Andrew Nembhard is coming in hot with nearly 40 fantasy points per game over his last eight contests.
Nembhard is playing 32 minutes a night, is off the injury report and is playing well. I’m sure he’ll get a good amount of rostership simply because it’s a smaller slate, but not enough with his ability to score 50 fantasy points. At his price tag on DraftKings, he’d be a must-have if that were the case.
NBA DFS Value Plays
- DraftKings: $4,000
- FanDuel: $4,100
To start the value options, we’re going to recommend Moses Moody in a pace-up spot. As a reminder, the Miami Heat are the fastest-paced team in the league. Usually, I’m a bit weary of their defense, but in their last 10 games, Miami’s defense has dropped to 17th in the league. They’ve been dealing with injuries, and this game has the highest total of the slate at 237 points.
Moody has been consistent with three straight 20+ DraftKings performances and now gets an additional possession rate against a middling defense at home. You can’t expect Moody to have a high usage rate, but his minutes and $4,000 price tag are hard to pass up as a spend-down option on today’s slate. Brandin Podziemski is a decent value on this four-game slate as well.
- DraftKings: $3,600
- FanDuel: $3,900
Now, this is pure speculation that Joel Embiid sits, but based on history, I estimate that to be more likely than not. The last front end of the back-to-back for the 76ers resulted in Embiid sitting, so I imagine they take precautionary measures today as well. That would probably mean Adem Bona gets the starting spot and ends up being the best value and highest rostered player on the slate.
Bona’s usage is a little concerning, but his minutes will be high. At sub-$4,000, he’s an easy click if Embiid ends up sitting. If he doesn’t, I’ll go ahead and offer up Davion Mitchell as someone who projects for a solid return on investment (ROI) or Luka Garza, if you’re looking for a true punt play.
