This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
At first glance, Monday's five-game slate provides a few different avenues to go in your lineup build. It's one of those 'choose your own adventure' sort of slates where you can hang your hat on the Warriors, stack an interesting Nets/Celtics matchup, or build around Nikola Jokic. Or maybe do all three? I'll reveal all that and more below, but first, let's look at the relevant injuries on the board.
Jamal Murray (ankle) OUT: This is probably the most concerning injury on the slate. The Nuggets handled Philly without him two days ago, and the offense flowed through Nikola Jokic (more on him later). None of the backup guards popped the way you would have expected, and only Mason Plumlee ($4,600) experienced a bump in production. As a result, I think that a pivot to guys like Beasley or Morris won't yield a substantial total.
I usually omit ongoing injuries, but we should take a look at how David Fizdale handled Emmanuel Mudiay's (shoulder) absence. The only person who seemed to benefit was Tim Hardaway ($6,000), but with news of Frank Ntilikina (groin) staying home on this road trip, I think you have to go to the well with Trey Burke ($4,500) or Alonzo Trier ($5,300) as low-cost beneficiaries.
POINT GUARD
Our first decision is a dicey one. Building your core around one of these point guards would undoubtedly be a viable way to go, so I'll give you my preference, coupled with a lower-cost alternative.
Kyrie Irving, BOS vs. BKN ($10,500): Steph Curry facing an Oladipo-less Pacers team is enticing, but they still have one of the best defenses in the league. The Nets are a much softer opponent for Irving, but not by much. Most would be surprised that the Nets are only nine games back and true playoff contenders in the East and the Celtics are bunched in there in fifth place. You need to ignore Irving's line against Brooklyn three weeks ago – it was his first game back from injury, and his services weren't necessary. I think we'll see a big score tonight, with an assist-based double-double a definite possibility.
Darren Collison, IND vs. GS ($6,700): Without Oladipo, I think you have to start giving the underrated Collison some attention moving forward. He had a fairly reliable floor before Oladipo's exit, but there's little doubt that he'll be called on more as the season wears on. He's averaged 15.2 points and 6.8 assists over his last five games, so he isn't the sexiest pick. But if you are spending up elsewhere, he is relatively safe.
SHOOTING GUARD
D'Angelo Russell, BKN at BOS ($8,400): Without Spencer Dinwiddie around to siphon minutes, I think Russell is about as chalk as they come as a backcourt piece on Monday. Much like Irving, I would recommend ignoring his last stat line against Boston. He only saw 23 minutes of court time, and the Nets can't afford a repeat of that usage without Dinwiddie.
Tim Hardaway, NY at CHA ($6,000): I'm risking some high ownership by going this route, but as I said above, Hardaway saw the most significant bump without Mudiay in the lineup. I trust Fizdale about as much as I trust a late-night infomercial, but I think there's merit to giving Hardaway an extended look when you're ailing at point guard. He also might end up on the trading block, so it would behoove the Nets to showcase him.
SMALL FORWARD
Tobias Harris, LAC vs. ATL ($7,800): I think the reason you slide past Durant is similar to Curry. I do not doubt that they'll do well against Indiana's tough defense, but there are cheaper ways to get involved in that game if you feel you must have a piece. For my money, I'm looking at how Harris fared against the Hawks in their last matchup as a guide (24 points, eight rebounds). That's also been a reliable average for Harris over his previous five games. He did have a bit of a clunker against Dallas a week ago, but that's been his only below-average outing recently.
Bojan Bogdanovic, IND vs. GS ($5,700): As Indiana searches for solutions to the Oladipo dilemma, I think Bojan's number will be called on often to absorb some of the lost production. The sample size isn't big enough to determine who sees the biggest boost in this scenario, but he saw his highest minutes total in 10 games and scored a team-high 21 points without Oladipo in the lineup on Saturday. Right now he's a frontrunner as the clearest pivot.
POWER FORWARD
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. BKN ($6,500): It's a tale of two games for Tatum, as he followed up a mediocre outing against the Nets last month with a monster 34-point game a few weeks ago. His price is a little too good to pass up, as I feel like the options above him are a bit over-priced. The Celtics sport a thin rotation where the starters see premium minutes regularly, and since I think this game will be competitive, Tatum will have every opportunity to help his team out and post an excellent number.
Jaren Jackson Jr, DEN at MEM ($6,500): With JaMychal Green (knee) potentially sidelined, we should see an extended run from the rookie, who's been a pleasant surprise for the Grizzlies in what looks like a rebuilding season. His recent six-game average of 16.5 points and four rebounds leaves a bit to be desired, however. I should be honest and tell you that I may dive low and make this spot my must-drop, but I could also float Jackson out there in a GPP or two.
CENTER
OK. Let's talk about Nikola Jokic ($11,400) for a minute. His last two games have been stellar 70.6 and 68.2 FDFP performances. How can you possibly fade that? Well, hear me out. While his ceiling could sneak up and bite you at any moment, a quick look at his two-year history against Memphis reveals many poor outings where he's barely broken 30 FDFP. I'm also not a huge fan of Jokic when Murray isn't there to deliver the ball, although he did exceedingly well without him against the Sixers. You've also got to contend with Memphis' molasses-like pace, which will slow the Nuggets down considerably. This is the toughest call of the night. Rostering him takes a considerable number of my endorsements out of play and, well, that's why I'm fading him. If I see a big number from him tonight, it will definitely sting, but the potential for production is all over this slate at other spots.
DeMarcus Cousins, GS at IND ($6,500): As the Warriors find new and interesting ways to deploy their new toy, I think they'll find that Cousins will come in handy on Monday. No big man in recent Warriors history can stretch the floor like Cousins, and with Indiana ranking 18th against the long-range ball, we could see Cousins give us a few extra threes on the way to a double-double in this matchup.
Mason Plumlee, DEN at MEM ($4,600): Plumlee has had a run of two excellent games, and he's been a nice spark for the Nuggets, especially when Paul Millsap is off his shot. He's had two serviceable games against the Grizzlies, and while you could make a similar argument to Jokic here, you're spending about 7K less to absorb that risk – a different story entirely.
LOW-COST MUST DROP OF THE NIGHT: Tony Parker, CHA ($3,700) – Even with Kemba taking the floor, I think Parker will receive enough time to spell him. Dropping down here will relieve about 2K from the Collison pick, and although I think we could do a drop at small forward, you don't see a viable punt below 4K there.
