Stan Son provides his thoughts and insights for Monday’s NBA slate.
There are nine games on tonight’s slate. ATL, IND and MIL are playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
As for injuries, Jonathan Isaac (hip), Josh Hart (ankle), RJ Barrett (shoulder) and Sam Hauser (back) are questionable. Immanuel Quickley (pelvic) is doubtful. Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.
DraftKings Sportsbook has DAL as the biggest favorite on the slate at 10.5 points over UTA. The tighest spreads are HOU -2.5 over SA and NYK -2.5 over CLE. There are three games with a total of at least 230 – MIL/BOS (233.5), CHI/MEM (233) and UTA/DAL (234). There are no totals under 220. There is one home dog – SA. As of 6:15 pm ET on Sunday, the WAS/ATL and DEN/TOR are off the board. Log into DK Sportsbook for the updates.
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Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz ($11,300) – You’re walking down the street when you come across a Lamborghini showroom. Too expensive you say, but the salesperson waves you in and says, “Just take it for a spin.” Later that night, the significant other asks, “Why is there a Lamborghini parked in the driveway?” Luka is the goods, as he literally does it all and is a threat to triple-double on any given night. He had a whopping 35.6% usage rate last season and averaged 1.63 DraftKings points per minute. Last season, he put up at least 70 FPTS 31 times! Three of those were over 90 with a high of 101.5! L. O. L. He’s expensive, but he’s well worth the money.
I literally did not change the above from the last slate. Thank you, Luka! The game environment should be a good one, as Utah has played at the fourth-fastest pace while being 29th in defensive efficiency. There is worry about blowout, but Luka does so many things and would be a big reason for a blowout that the floor is relatively high. If somehow Utah can keep it competitive, then a ceiling game is always in the cards.
Other Options – Trae Young ($9,800), Jaylen Brown ($8,300), Kyrie Irving ($7,500), Fred VanVleet ($7,400), Zach LaVine ($7,400), Jordan Poole ($7,300), Jamal Murray ($7,100), Derrick White ($6,900), Jaden Ivey ($6,400)
Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks vs. Washington Wizards ($5,600) – In two games, Daniels has started both and put up 33.75 and 36.75 FPTS. He’s been blistering from the field, shooting 14-of-22, so that’s not sustainable. That said, his ability to contribute in all the categories, especially the defensive one, provides a relatively high floor. Atlanta is playing the second leg of a back-to-back, but Daniels is a youngster, so he shouldn’t be affected too much. In fact, he could possibly benefit since the backcourt depth chart is thin right now. The matchup is a good one as WAS is 28th in defensive efficiency. They are only 24th in pace, but I expect them to be among the league leaders when it’s all said and done.
Other Options – Klay Thompson ($6,000), Jalen Suggs ($5,400), Scottie Pippen Jr. ($5,200), Bilal Coulibaly ($4,900), Ochai Agbaji ($4,800), Christian Braun ($4,700), Ty Jerome ($3,800)
Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers ($7,300) – Wagner has played three years in the Association and was solid right out of the gate. He has also incrementally improved across the board in every season. In his fourth season, he may be leveling up into the star tier. Granted, it’s only been three games, but the usage rate is 28%, after being 25% last season. He’s scored at least 23 points in every game and put up 41.5, 46 and 39.25 FPTS. He’s shooting over 50% from the field for the first time in his career and the three-pointer, which was a big bugaboo last season, has returned. The Pacers are playing the second leg of a back-to-back, are top-10 in pace and are 24th in defensive efficiency so far in this early season.
Other Options – Jayson Tatum ($9,700), Paolo Banchero ($8,800), Jaylen Brown ($8,300), Jimmy Butler ($8,000), Jalen Johnson ($7,800), Lauri Markkanen ($7,700), Kyle Kuzma ($7,500), Zach LaVine ($7,400)
Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks ($4,900) – Coulibaly was drafted in the lottery due to his freakish athleticism and defensive prowess. He was raw offensively, though. In his second season, the usage rate is still sub-20% at 17%, that’s a big increase from the 13.7% usage rate from last season. He is no longer just a spot-up shooter, but has been given some opportunities to bring the ball up the court and participate in dribble-hand-offs and pick-and-roll action. The production will be volatile and we likely won’t be seeing ceiling games yet, but the floor is pretty high due to his ability to do many things, and he’s playing over 30 minutes per game. In Game 1, he only took two shots, but scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out six assists and notched a steal, good for 25 FPTS. In the most recent contest, he scored 23 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out a dime, good for 32.5 FPTS. When it all comes together, it could something wonderful.
Other Options – Klay Thompson ($6,000), Onyeka Okongwu ($5,500), Al Horford ($5,500), Ochai Agbaji ($4,800), Christian Braun ($4,700), Nikola Jovic ($4,400)
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder ($11,000) – Scroll up to the Luka Doncic section, copy, then paste below. Just insert Jokic’s name for Doncic. Or I could just do this:
Jokic is the perfect fantasy player. He averaged 1.67 FPTS per minute last season and the chances of him triple-doubling are high. He put up over 70 FPTS 21 times last season with two over 90. He wasn’t great against OKC last season, though, finishing with 53, 54 and 44.5 FPTS, but two of those games were blowouts.
As with Doncic, I did not change anything for Jokic. They are arguably the two best and most consistent players for fantasy. Both can triple-double and break the slate on any given night.
Other Options – Nikola Jokic ($11,100), Nikola Vucevic ($8,000), Bam Adebayo ($7,900), Jarrett Allen ($7,700)
Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks vs. Washington Wizards ($5,500) – Okongwu isn’t starting, but he’s getting the bigger peice of the center pie in Atlanta. Through two games, Okongwu has received 28 and 26 minutes, while Clint Capela has played 20 and 22 minutes. Okongwu has gone for 44.5 and 24 FPTS, so both the floor and ceiling have been shown already. This should be a fast-paced game with plenty of opportunities for fantasy goodies.
Other Options – Walker Kessler ($5,500), Al Horford ($5,500)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is sontzu) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.