This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid:
Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs
The Jazz at the Hawks should also be a low-scoring game, but the Grizz return home after a six-game road trip to face the Spurs with a handful of players well-rested. Marc Gasol, Tony Allen and Chandler Parsons each sat Saturday against the T-Wolves, so they'll all be playing on about three days rest. Memphis didn't have any lapses on defense during the trip, though, holding four of six opponents to under 100 points. The Spurs will be without Pau Gasol, and LaMarcus Aldridge is banged up having returned from a knee injury Saturday.
Offense to Use:
Washington Wizards vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James and the Cavaliers haven't exactly played inspired basketball lately despite winning four of five games. Many of those opponents (Knicks, T-Wolves, Nets) are mediocre, plus they recently lost to the Mavericks, Kings and Pelicans, allowing at least 104 points in each of those games. But this pick is more of a testament to the Wizards' hot streak — seven straight wins with at least 105 points in each game. John Wall ($10,500) is the big gun for Washington, but the Wizards also sport plenty of valuable players for under $7,000 in Bradley Beal, Markieff Morris, Otto Porter and Marcin Gortat.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Mavericks
Second game: Clippers, Thunder
DAILY PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
Eric Bledsoe, PG, PHO at NO ($7,900): The Suns-Pelicans matchup will feature one of the highest (if not the highest) over/under for Monday's 11-game slate. This makes Bledsoe one of the premier cash-game players considering he comes in just under $8,000. He's averaging 26.2 points per game in his past six, shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are allowing the fifth most points to point guards in DraftKings, and Bledsoe doesn't just provide points via scoring. He has at least four assists and four rebounds in six straight games.
Yogi Ferrell, PG, DAL at DEN ($6,000): Fresh off signing a two-year deal with the Mavericks, Ferrell will look to continue his impressive play against the Nuggets, who are allowing the third most points to point guards in DraftKings. He's played at least 36 minutes in four straight games, and scored 32 points with five assists against the Trail Blazers on Friday. Despite his impressive stretch, he's still extremely cheap given his place in the Mavericks' offense, making him an ideal cash-game play.
Shabazz Muhammad, SG/SF, MIN vs. MIA ($4,300): With Zach LaVine out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, the T-Wolves will likely need Muhammad to step up and provide additional scoring in his absence. He's done a decent job at that already, scoring in double figures in five straight games, peaking with 18 points and seven rebounds against the Nets on Jan. 28. Muhammad has shot the ball well from distance, making at least two 3-pointers in seven of 10 games.
Paul George, SF/PF, IND vs. OKC ($7,800): With an 11-game slate, particularly for large tournaments, you're going to want to shy away from using some of the elite forwards. George still falls under that category, but at a premier price. He's scored at least 45.0 DraftKings points in five of his past seven games, and is averaging 25.2 PPG in his past six. He's going to fill up the stat sheet, providing plenty of rebounds on top of surprising assist totals. George has at least three assists in seven straight games.
Ersan Ilyasova, PF, PHI at DET ($6,300): The 76ers are pretty depleted on offense. Joel Embiid is out with a knee injury, Robert Covington is questionable with a hand injury (though he's likely to play), and Jahlil Okafur is unlikely to go because of a knee injury. This will essentially thrust Ilyasova into a featured role, where he's done well recently, scoring 20-plus points in back-to-back games. He's scored at least 28.5 DraftKings points, topping out at 51.0, in seven of his past 10 games.
Channing Frye, PF/C, CLE at WAS ($4,600): Frye has the hot hand for the Cavaliers, as surprising as that may sound. He's shooting 10-for-23 from beyond the arc in his past three games, averaging 15.0 PPG in that span. He isn't playing a ton of minutes, but is providing nice production off Cleveland's bench, and will be needed for additional offense in a game the Cavaliers may struggle in. He's done most of his damage at home, but two of the past three games have been on the road. Frye is a solid lineup-filler for tournaments.
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. DAL ($9,000): Jokic is a candidate to bounce back against the Mavericks despite them allowing the fewest DraftKings points to centers this season. He had just 11 points in 15 minutes nursing a hip injury against the Spurs on Saturday, but has torched Dallas this season. In two games against the Mavericks, Jokic is averaging 27.0 points, 14.0 rebounds and is shooting 79.3 percent from the field — which equates to an average of 58.0 DKPPG.
Steven Adams, OKC at IND ($5,800): With Enes Kanter out of the lineup after breaking his forearm, the Thunder have leaned on Adams as their primary center. He was always the starter, except now he isn't splitting time with Kanter and is seeing more consistent touches on offense. He's averaged a double-double the past six games (11.5 points, 10.2 rebounds), and as long as he stays out of foul trouble against the Pacers, should provide a nice return on investment.
Lavoy Allen, IND vs. OKC ($3,700): Opposite Adams will likely be Allen, who stepped into the starting lineup Saturday against the Pistons with Thaddeus Young (wrist) out. He had 18 points, 11 rebounds and three assists (42.75 DraftKings points) in 32 minutes. Should he draw another start, Allen would be one of the ideal cash-game plays, and may have even earned additional minutes off the bench considering his strong performance over the weekend.
