This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
In almost six years of covering the NBA, I can't remember ever seeing a 15-game slate. Well, here it is! It's going to be a jam-packed Monday for the NBA.
SLATE OVERVIEW
CHA (-3) vs.WAS O/U:221
ORL (-4.5) vs. HOU O/U: 226
DET (-2) vs. OKC O/U: 223
NOP (-5.5) @ IND O/U: 235.5
PHO (-1) @ PHI O/U: 217
MIL (-2.5) @ ATL O/U: 226.5
MIA (-7) vs. POR O/U: 220.5
CHI (-4.5) vs. TOR O/U: 221
BOS (-4) @ MEM O/U: 230.5
MIN (-4.5) vs. NYK O/U: 229
DEN (-7) @ SAS O/U: 231
DAL (-6.5) vs. BKN O/U: 214
GSW (-7.5) vs. SAC O/U: 230
UTA (-3) vs. LAL O/U: 229
CLE (-1) @ LAC O/U: 220
With slates this size, contest strategy changes quite a bit. Fielding multiple lineups in tournaments is the way to go, and I would max-entry 150-entry GPPs at a budget you can afford. Not only is it fun to watch, but you can get into many favorable spots without feeling like you're missing value. Except for OKC/DET, we hit someone in every game on this slate.
INJURIES
WAS Bradley Beal (COVID-19 Protocol) - QUESTIONABLE
If Beal isn't cleared, we should expect Will Barton ($4,400) to step up and have a more prominent role.
CHA Gordon Hayward (shoulder) - OUT
CHA Dennis Smith (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Kelly Oubre is expected to be the primary fill-in for Hayward. The Hornets are thin behind Smith, but it should be James Bouknight ($3,900) who sees increased action if Smith is out.
OKC Aleksej Pokusevski (shoulder) - OUT
Darius Bazley ($4,500) should be your primary pivot in this spot.
PHO Cameron Johnson (knee) - OUT
Torrey Craig ($4,500) appears to be seeing more time in Johnson's absence.
PHI James Harden OUT
PHI Joel Embiid (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
With Harden out for approximately one month, Tyrese Maxey ($8,000) and De'Anthony Melton ($5,600) are your best long-term pivots. Montrezl Harrell ($3,600) gets a boost if Embiid is absent.
ATL Trae Young (shin) - QUESTIONABLE
Justin Holiday ($3,500) would probably join the starting lineup if Young sits, but it would mostly become a smash spot for Dejounte Murray ($9,000).
POR Damian Lillard (calf) - QUESTIONABLE
POR Anfernee Simons (foot) - DOUBTFUL
Shaedon Sharpe ($4,300) and Justise Winslow ($4,900) were the backcourt starters in the last game, but checking in with RotoWire later in the day will help confirm this trend.
MIA Tyler Herro (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
We'll identify some elite Miami talent in a moment, but Gabe Vincent ($4,000) would be a decent budget pivot in Herro's absence.
TOR Pascal Siakam (adductor) - OUT
Siakam will be out until after Thanksgiving, and it's a bit too early to say who will benefit most. I would begin by giving Chris Boucher ($5,300) and Precious Achiuwa ($4,400) a bit more exposure.
NYK Mitchell Robinson (knee) -OUT
Look for Isaiah Hartenstein ($5,200) to start, but this is will continue to be a plum situation for Julius Randle ($7,200), who is at a favorable salary Monday night.
MIN Rudy Gobert (COVID-19 Protocol) - OUT
Any number of shifts could occur here, but for budget calls, I like Naz Reid ($3,900).
ELITE PLAYERS
With such a huge player pool, we have to make some strict endorsements or the article could go on forever. At the very top, Luka Doncic ($11,800) against the Nets is my favorite call. Assuming Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,600) returns, I also like his spot against the Hawks. LeBron James ($10,100) against the Jazz is the final $10k-plus endorsement.
Moving down, I think Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,600) is worth considering due to the Gobert absence, and we already gave a nod to Murray if Young is out. Finally, in the $8k range, Jrue Holiday ($8,400) and Jaylen Brown ($8,300) are my favorite calls. I am also fine with a conditional nod to Jimmy Butler ($8,500), who will get a good usage bump if Herro is out again.
Also consider: Kevin Durant, BKN ($10,500) @ DAL, Terry Rozier, CHA ($7,900) vs. WAS
EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS
Kristaps Porzingis, WAS ($7,600) @ CHA
I like Porzingis' salary as it continues to move south, and while the decrease is warranted, it's never a bad idea to take a gamble on a talent like him opposite the Hornets. With a good size and skill advantage in this spot, I will gladly risk this cap hit. He also has dual eligibility, which is a nice bonus.
Chris Paul, PHO ($7,600) @ PHI
Now that I think about it, Devin Booker ($8,600) is a good call here too, but I like Paul a bit better with Philly in a vulnerable spot, especially if Embiid sits. Paul should be able to get ahead of the Sixers' zone defense and distribute to his playmakers, resulting in another double-digit assist total.
Fred VanVleet, TOR ($7,200) @ CHI
VanVleet's salary continues to drop, but he returned to action with a huge 30-point game and I honestly think you are getting a steal by grabbing him at this price point. The entire roster will need to step up in Siakam's absence, and a lot of that responsibility will fall upon the Raptors' floor general.
Jarrett Allen, CLE ($6,600) @ LAC
Allen's salary is sinking into a favorable range, and I don't understand why. His numbers range from double-doubles to 20-plus points nightly, and I don't mind him opposite Ivica Zubac in this spot. This is a hard number to fade.
Kyle Kuzma, WAS ($6,500) @ CHA
Kuzma is coming off a double-double and is usually going to give you solid numbers all the way down the stat line. I wouldn't stack him with Porzingis as the pool is just too deep for it, but if you're going to pick one spot in your lineup for some Wizards exposure, you have to consider Kuzma.
Also consider: John Collins, ATL ($6,400) vs. MIL, Jamal Murray, DEN ($5,900) @ SAS
VALUE PLAYS
Refer back to our massive Injuries section for some excellent value additions.
Jalen Green, HOU ($5,900) @ ORL
While technically a game-time call, Green is expected to play and I like this spot against the Magic. His value's almost entirely dependent on a hot shooting hand, so a big number beyond the arc is what you're hoping for. Green can run it up quickly, so don't be disappointed if you see a low point total early in the game.
Bennedict Mathurin, IND ($5,700) vs. NOP
Mathurin continues to impress with some excellent shooting performances, and he is very similar to Green in that he needs a hot hand to be relevant. Luckily, ice-cold nights have been the exception for Mathurin, and he's coming off an excellent 23-point showing against the Heat.
Klay Thompson, GSW ($5,500) vs. SAC
If you haven't noticed already, there's a lot of budget guard talent to be had. We have to be mindful of Thompson's back-to-back activity, but he is cleared to play Monday and we should get value-beating numbers at this salary. All you need here is about 27 FDFP, and he's exceeded that number in three consecutive games.
We will round out the article with some value adds to consider:
SF/PF Kyle Anderson, MIN ($3,600) vs. NYK
PF/C Al Horford, BOS ($5,100) @ MEM
PG Tre Jones, SAN ($5,700) vs. DEN
SF/PF Royce O'Neale, BKN ($4,800) @ DAL
