Keeping up with last-minute news is always essential for NBA DFS success, no more so than when the season winds down. I had to revise several portions of this article as news broke regarding players resting, and we are still several hours from tipoff. As always, FantasyAlarm will keep you apprised of the news and how you should adjust to it throughout the day.
Point Guard
Brian Roberts will likely start at point guard with Kemba Walker doubtful. Roberts is averaging 17.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per 36 minutes over his last six games, and he could easily get that many minutes Monday. Briante Weber would be playable if he gets the start instead of Roberts.
No team has surrendered more fantasy points to point guards than the Nets this season, and Isaiah Thomas has scored at least 25 points in nine of his last 10 games.
Elfrid Payton had 22 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists against the Bulls a month ago, and at the very least he is a GPP target. Nobody in his price range can match Payton’s upside.
John Wall could miss his first game in five months Monday, and if that is the case, Brandon Jennings is more-or-less a must-play. Jennings averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 11 games as a starter for the Knicks, and he could easily put up similar numbers if he starts Monday.
There is nothing exciting about playing Deron Williams, except for maybe his price on DraftKings. Williams has had at least 10 points and five assists in each of the games he has played without Kyrie Irving.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Brian Roberts | CHA | A | MIL | 39 | 9.3 | 85% | 0.4 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0 | 0.5 | 39% | 17.70% | 6.3 | 6.8 | 6.5 | $3,500 | $3,000 | $10 |
| Elfrid Payton | ORL | A | CHI | 80 | 29.5 | 70% | 0.5 | 12.7 | 4.7 | 6.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 47% | 21.50% | 28.9 | 30.5 | 29.2 | $7,400 | $7,400 | $33 |
| Brandon Jennings | WAS | A | DET | 58 | 24.6 | 76% | 1.2 | 8.6 | 2.6 | 4.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 38% | 18.20% | 19.3 | 21 | 19.9 | $3,600 | $3,500 | $10 |
| Deron Williams | CLE | A | MIA | 40 | 29.3 | 82% | 1.6 | 13.1 | 2.6 | 6.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 43% | 22.30% | 25.3 | 27.4 | 26.1 | $3,500 | $4,600 | $10 |
| Brandon Jennings | WAS | A | DET | 58 | 24.6 | 76% | 1.2 | 8.6 | 2.6 | 4.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 38% | 18.20% | 19.3 | 21 | 19.9 | $3,600 | $3,500 | $10 |
| Isaiah Thomas | BOS | H | BKN | 74 | 34 | 91% | 3.3 | 29.2 | 2.7 | 5.9 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 46% | 34% | 40.7 | 43.8 | 42.3 | $8,800 | $8,300 | $45 |
Shooting Guard
Jeremy Lamb had 17 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes Saturday, and he could see even more playing time if Kemba Walker joins Marco Belinelli on the sideline. Nicolas Batum played 41 minutes Saturday and took a team-high 23 shots. In the only game Walker missed this season, Batum played 36 minutes and took 19 shots. Batum may be the safest play of the day.
If John Wall and/or Otto Porter Jr. are out, Tomas Satoransky could be a strong punt play who will be far less-owned than Brandon Jennings or even Brian Roberts. Satoransky had 12 points, nine assists and four rebounds in 31 minutes the last time John Wall sat, and that kind of upside is nothing to sneeze at.
James Harden is showing no signs of slowing down, and while I still worry Houston will decide to only play him 25 minutes, there aren’t many options if you want to pay up beyond Nicolas Batum.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Jeremy Lamb | CHA | A | MIL | 60 | 18.2 | 85% | 0.7 | 9.5 | 4.3 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 46% | 22.80% | 17.4 | 18.2 | 17.7 | $4,400 | $4,000 | $10 |
| Nicolas Batum | CHA | A | MIL | 75 | 34.4 | 86% | 1.8 | 15.4 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 41% | 22.30% | 32.2 | 34.7 | 33.1 | $6,600 | $7,100 | $25 |
| Tomas Satoransky | WAS | A | DET | 55 | 12.2 | 68% | 0.1 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 42% | 11.80% | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.1 | $3,500 | $3,000 | $10 |
| James Harden | HOU | A | LAC | 79 | 36.5 | 85% | 3.2 | 29.3 | 8.1 | 11.3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 5.8 | 44% | 34.40% | 54 | 59 | 55.7 | $12,100 | $12,300 | $62 |
Small Forward
LeBron James and Gordon Hayward are out, and Jimmy Butler is probably overpriced now that Dwyane Wade has returned. Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard could be great, or they could each play fewer than 30 minutes (or both). If I’m paying up at small forward, it will be for Paul George. George is averaging 31.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals over his last 10 games, and there is no reason to think he will slow down while the playoffs hang in the balance.
Kelly Oubre Jr. got the start Saturday and had 12 points and six rebounds in 33 minutes with Otto Porter Jr. out. Oubre would be a solid cash game play if Porter is out again, though Bojan Bogdanovic would have more GPP appeal considering he has scored 20+ points four times since joining Washington.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Bojan Bogdanovic | WAS | A | DET | 55 | 26.9 | 87% | 1.8 | 14.2 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 44% | 22.90% | 20.3 | 22.2 | 21.2 | $3,500 | $4,000 | $11 |
| Kelly Oubre | WAS | A | DET | 77 | 20 | 76% | 0.7 | 6.3 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 43% | 14.40% | 12.2 | 13.1 | 12.6 | $3,900 | $4,100 | $10 |
| Paul George | IND | A | PHI | 73 | 35.8 | 90% | 2.6 | 23.5 | 6.6 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 3 | 46% | 28.90% | 37.2 | 40.3 | 38.5 | $9,900 | $9,900 | $45 |
Power Forward
Channing Frye is averaging 12.7 points and 7.0 rebounds over the last three games with Tristan Thompson out. Frye remains a nice value on FanDuel, and he is a pretty decent play on DraftKings as well.
Aaron Gordon is averaging 20.8 points and 9.2 rebounds over his last five games. Richaun Holmes may be safer, and cheaper, but he cannot match Gordon’s ceiling.
Speaking of ceiling, Monday is a good night to pay up for another guy who can jump through the ceiling: Blake Griffin. Like Gordon, Griffin has been fantastic lately, averaging 28.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists over his last five games.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Channing Frye | CLE | A | MIA | 72 | 18.9 | 84% | 1.8 | 9 | 3.9 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 46% | 19.20% | 15.9 | 17.3 | 16.8 | $3,700 | $4,600 | $10 |
| Richaun Holmes | PHI | H | IND | 55 | 20.5 | 69% | 0.5 | 9.6 | 5.4 | 1 | 0.7 | 1 | 1 | 56% | 18.60% | 20 | 21 | 20.3 | $6,100 | $5,800 | $20 |
| Aaron Gordon | ORL | A | CHI | 78 | 28.6 | 71% | 0.9 | 12.5 | 4.9 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 45% | 20% | 22.8 | 24.1 | 23.3 | $6,300 | $6,600 | $24 |
| Blake Griffin | LAC | H | HOU | 59 | 34.2 | 76% | 0.6 | 21.7 | 8.1 | 4.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 49% | 28.10% | 39.2 | 41.1 | 39.5 | $9,300 | $8,400 | $43 |
Center
Kelly Olynyk had his second double-double of the season Saturday, and he has a decent shot at another Monday. Olynyk should see more playing time if Amir Johnson is out again, and the Nets have allowed the fifth-most rebounds in the NBA since the All-Star break.
The Rockets have allowed the third-most points and second-most rebounds in the NBA since the All-Star break. You can pay up for Hassan Whiteside if you want, but DeAndre Jordan is significantly cheaper and he may be safer as well.
Ian Mahinmi has a chance to play 25+ minutes, as Marcin Gortat will have his minutes limited. Mahinmi is a bit riskier than Channing Frye, but he could put up similar numbers (minutes the three-pointers) and Mahinmi is much cheaper on DraftKings.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Kelly Olynyk | BOS | H | BKN | 73 | 20.6 | 73% | 0.9 | 9 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 52% | 18.80% | 18.4 | 19.7 | 18.8 | $4,500 | $4,600 | $10 |
| DeAndre Jordan | LAC | H | HOU | 79 | 31.8 | 48% | 0 | 12.6 | 13.8 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 71% | 15.30% | 34 | 35.4 | 34 | $8,200 | $7,300 | $31 |
| Ian Mahinmi | WAS | A | DET | 30 | 17.8 | 57% | 0 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 59% | 14% | 14.5 | 15.3 | 14.5 | $3,700 | $3,300 | $10 |