Monday's NBA DFS main slate has seven games on DraftKings and FanDuel, so the few cheap plays with real minutes will be in almost every cash lineup. Dallas at Miami is the best place to score, with a 241.5 total and the fastest projected pace on the board. In Indiana, Ivica Zubac is doubtful with a sprained ankle, and that hands the center minutes to Jay Huff at $3,500.
At a Glance
- Cash core: Jay Huff, Ajay Mitchell, Chet Holmgren, Jayson Tatum
- Best GPP pivot: Donovan Mitchell ($8,500), low-owned with 35 minutes in both of his games
- Best cheap play: Terrence Shannon Jr. ($3,500), 20 to 23 minutes off the bench every night
- Check before lock: Anthony Edwards (questionable, knee). If he sits, Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland get his minutes
- Late swap: Atlanta at Houston, tips at 8:30 PM ET
Last Night
| Call | Player | Salary | Minutes | DK Pts | Pts per $1K | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash core | Cade Cunningham | $9,500 | 33 | 55.50 | 5.8x | Solid |
| Cash core | John Collins | $4,800 | 34 | 35.25 | 7.3x | Hit |
| Cash core | Jaylen Brown | $7,900 | 40 | 29.50 | 3.7x | Miss |
| Cash core | Paul Reed | $4,200 | 23 | 25.50 | 6.1x | Solid |
| GPP pivot | Anthony Edwards | $9,600 | 28 | 30.75 | 3.2x | Miss |
| Avoid | Adem Bona | $3,100 | 25 | 30.25 | 9.8x | Wrong call |
Season record: Cash core: 11 of 20 at or above the slate average, 5.4x per $1K against a 5.1x slate average. GPP pivots: 6 of 15 at or above the slate average, 4.7x per $1K against a 5.0x slate average. Avoids: 2 of 10 right, 6.1x per $1K against a 5.1x slate average.
John Collins was the best call on Sunday, with 35.25 points at $4,800. Jaylen Brown was the worst: he played 40 minutes and still scored only 29.5. The Adem Bona avoid was wrong too, and our avoids are 2 of 10 this season, so from today I only list an avoid when the numbers give me a clear reason.
The slate average counts every player who played 20+ minutes. Full results are on the NBA DFS results page.
All Games
| Game | Tip (ET) | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Away Total | Home Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIN at CLE | 7:00 PM | CLE -5.5 | MIN +170 / CLE -205 | 232.5 | MIN 113.5 | CLE 119.0 |
| WSH at CHA | 7:00 PM | CHA -2.5 | WSH +114 / CHA -135 | 227.5 | WSH 112.5 | CHA 115.0 |
| CHI at BOS | 7:30 PM | BOS -14.5 | CHI +525 / BOS -750 | 231.5 | CHI 108.5 | BOS 123.0 |
| DAL at MIA | 7:30 PM | MIA -7.5 | DAL +230 / MIA -285 | 241.5 | DAL 117.0 | MIA 124.5 |
| IND at MIL | 8:00 PM | IND -4.5 | IND -180 / MIL +150 | 238.5 | IND 121.5 | MIL 117.0 |
| PHX at OKC | 8:00 PM | OKC -10.5 | PHX +320 / OKC -410 | 220.5 | PHX 105.0 | OKC 115.5 |
| ATL at HOU | 8:30 PM | HOU -4.5 | ATL +170 / HOU -205 | 229.5 | ATL 112.5 | HOU 117.0 |
Green is the best scoring spot on the slate, yellow is the middle and red is the weakest. A green spread means a close game.
Dallas at Miami and Indiana at Milwaukee are green on the total and on both team totals. Phoenix at Oklahoma City has the lowest total and a double-digit spread, so I'm staying away from that game.
Injury Report
| Impact | Player | Status | Role in doubt | Who benefits (with to without) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Anthony Edwards (MIN G) | Questionable, knee | 34.5 MIN, 31.7% USG, 27.8/5.1/3.6 | Bones Hyland (G, $3,400): MIN 14.1 to 21.0, USG 19.9% to 22.0%; Ayo Dosunmu (G, $5,400): MIN 27.3 to 33.6, USG 18.8% to 22.0%; Jaden McDaniels (F, $6,100): MIN 31.5 to 33.7, USG 18.3% to 21.9% |
| 8 | Kon Knueppel (CHA G) | Out, hamstring | 31.5 MIN, 22.4% USG, 18.3/5.3/3.3 | Tidjane Salaun (F, $3,200): MIN 15.1 to 20.3, USG 15.4% to 12.3%; Brandon Miller (F, $7,700): MIN 30.3 to 33.3, USG 28.1% to 33.6%; Moussa Diabate (F, $5,400): MIN 25.9 to 28.0, USG 11.4% to 13.3% |
| 8 | Jalen Williams (OKC G) | Out, ankle | 27.8 MIN, 25.9% USG, 16.5/4.5/5.0 | Brooks Barnhizer (F, $3,000): MIN 5.8 to 10.6, USG 9.7% to 12.3%; Ajay Mitchell (G, $4,600): MIN 25.0 to 27.2, USG 19.2% to 24.8%; Jared McCain (G, $4,000): MIN 16.8 to 19.0, USG 20.7% to 25.3% |
| 7 | Santi Aldama (DAL F) | Out, knee | 27.8 MIN, 20.1% USG, 14.0/6.7/2.9 | Cooper Flagg (F, $8,800); P.J. Washington (F, $5,800) |
| 7 | Nic Claxton (CHI C) | Out, hamstring | 27.8 MIN, 17.8% USG, 11.7/6.9/3.7 | None listed |
| 7 | Naji Marshall (DAL F) | Out, illness | 29.4 MIN, 20.8% USG, 15.2/4.6/3.4 | Moussa Cisse (C, $3,300): MIN 11.7 to 23.7, USG 14.6% to 14.1%; John Poulakidas (G): MIN 14.1 to 25.8, USG 13.8% to 17.1%; Dwight Powell (F): MIN 13.9 to 19.5, USG 8.5% to 10.8% |
| 7 | Mark Williams (PHX C) | Out, shoulder | 23.6 MIN, 17.4% USG, 11.5/7.9/1.0 | Khaman Maluach (C, $5,100): MIN 5.0 to 13.3, USG 18.3% to 13.0%; Rasheer Fleming (F, $3,000): MIN 9.1 to 15.1, USG 17.4% to 16.0%; Jalen Green (G, $6,600): MIN 24.4 to 30.3, USG 34.1% to 30.6% |
| 6 | Ivica Zubac (IND C) | Doubtful, ankle | 22.9 MIN, 21.1% USG, 10.6/7.9/1.6 | Jay Huff (C, $3,500): MIN 17.0 to 22.7, USG 21.1% to 17.8%; Kobe Brown (G, $3,000): MIN 20.8 to 25.4, USG 15.4% to 16.1%; Andrew Nembhard (G, $5,900): MIN 29.0 to 33.0, USG 20.3% to 20.0% |
Questionable: check before lock
- Anthony Edwards is questionable with a knee injury after playing 28 minutes last night. If he plays, he's a top GPP pivot at $9,300 that almost nobody will roster. If he sits, Ayo Dosunmu at $5,400 and Bones Hyland at $3,400 pick up the most minutes.
- Cason Wallace is doubtful with a shoulder injury for Oklahoma City. If he sits, Kenrich Williams at $3,000 has played big minutes in the games Wallace missed.
Full report, updated all day: NBA injury report for DFS
Games to Target
Dallas at Miami: 241.5 total, MIA -7.5
Team totals: DAL 117.0, MIA 124.5. Pace: DAL 10th, MIA 2nd, ratings still lean on last season, an up-in-pace game.
Injury report: Naji Marshall (Out, illness), Santi Aldama (Out, knee), Cooper Flagg (Probable, shoulder).
Expected starters: DAL: Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, Max Christie, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford. MIA: Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo.
The angle: This is the highest total on the slate and the fastest projected game on our NBA pace stats. It's a GPP game for me: none of my cash core plays here, and Flagg and Bam are low-owned.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo ($9,900) opened with 35 and 36 points in 30 and 33 minutes before a quiet 14 in 25 minutes against Charlotte. We now have him for about 27 minutes, down from this morning. He carries real foul trouble risk and the spread is 7.5, so the fourth quarter could be short. Dallas is without two forwards in Aldama and Marshall, so I still like him in GPPs, but he is not in my cash core.
- Davion Mitchell ($5,400) has played 33, 33 and 37 minutes and dropped 22 points and 10 assists against Charlotte on Saturday. He runs the offense in the fastest game on the board. I like this spot a good bit.
- Cooper Flagg ($8,800) missed Saturday with the shoulder and is now probable, and he put up 32 points in 33 minutes against Houston in the opener. With Aldama and Marshall both out, usage should funnel through him and Kyrie. He's low-owned for a player with this ceiling. I love him in GPPs.
- Kyrie Irving ($6,800) hit five threes for 24 points in just 25 minutes against Indiana, then sat out Saturday. Dallas has a 117.0 team total with two forwards missing. He's solid at this price.
- Bam Adebayo ($7,900) went 20/8/4 in 39 minutes against Charlotte, but he also had a 4-point dud in 23 minutes against Detroit. Few people will play him. He's a GPP-only play for me.
- Moussa Cisse ($3,300) has played 7, 1 and 3 minutes this season. His minutes doubled in the games Marshall missed, and that is why he looks cheap now. I'd only take that bet in a GPP.
Matchups to target: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Davion Mitchell, Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving
Matchups to avoid: None
Indiana at Milwaukee: 238.5 total, IND -4.5
Team totals: IND 121.5, MIL 117.0. Pace: IND 7th, MIL 17th, ratings still lean on last season, a neutral game.
Injury report: Ivica Zubac (Doubtful, ankle), Ben Sheppard (Out, knee).
Expected starters: IND: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Jay Huff. MIL: Ryan Rollins, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner.
The angle: A close game with the second highest total, and it's the other cash game because Jay Huff is the cheapest center with real minutes.
- Jay Huff ($3,500) took over when Zubac left after 7 minutes last night and gave Indiana 14 points, 3 blocks and two threes in 21 minutes. With Zubac doubtful, he should play about 25 minutes, and you can follow that on the NBA rotations and minutes tracker. Indiana is on a back-to-back, and if Zubac plays after all, Huff loses the role. Check Indiana before lock. He's still the lock of the night in cash.
- Tyrese Haliburton ($8,300) has gone 23/2/12, 18/6/7 and 24/4/10 in 31 to 34 minutes. Indiana has a 121.5 team total, the highest on the road tonight. The back-to-back is the only worry. I like him.
- Andrew Nembhard ($5,900) put up 18/2/9 in 34 minutes in the opener. His minutes go from about 29 to 33 when Zubac sits. He's solid in both formats.
- Tyler Herro ($6,900) scored 34 on 24 shots against Chicago and had 24 and 9 against Washington before a 13-point game on Saturday. He has taken 21, 24 and 14 shots. He's popular, and in cash I'm fine with that.
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. ($5,900) has scored 22, 19 and 21 with at least seven rebounds every night. You won't find a safer floor in the mid range. I'll have plenty of him.
- Myles Turner ($5,200) went scoreless in 20 minutes on Saturday. We have him for about 22 minutes tonight, well under the 32 and 30 he played in his first two games. I'd pass.
Matchups to target: Jay Huff, Tyrese Haliburton, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Matchups to avoid: Myles Turner
Minnesota at Cleveland: 232.5 total, CLE -5.5
Team totals: MIN 113.5, CLE 119.0. Pace: MIN 14th, CLE 4th, ratings still lean on last season, a neutral game.
Injury report: Anthony Edwards (Questionable, knee), Donte DiVincenzo (Out, Achilles).
Expected starters: MIN: LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, Rudy Gobert. CLE: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen.
The angle: This is the GPP game: a solid total, a single-digit spread and the least ownership of any good game on the slate.
- Anthony Edwards ($9,300) is questionable with a knee injury after playing 28 minutes and scoring 26 last night. He had 45 points and nine threes against Miami in the opener. We only have him for about 13 minutes because of the tag, and the market is much higher on him than we are. If he's in, he's the best GPP pivot off Giannis and Tatum.
- Donovan Mitchell ($8,500) put up 32/10/3 against Philadelphia and 22/5/4 against Brooklyn, 35 minutes both nights. Cleveland has a 119.0 team total and he took 19 and 15 shots. Foul trouble is the one risk. I love him for GPPs.
- Evan Mobley ($8,000) went 20/10/4 with three blocks in 35 minutes against Brooklyn. Minnesota is on a back-to-back, so the second half could open up. I'm in on him.
- LaMelo Ball ($7,800) has played 29, 23 and 17 minutes, the last one in a blowout win. Foul trouble is the risk here too. He's a GPP play.
- Terrence Shannon Jr. ($3,500) has scored 10, 13 and 15 off the bench in 20 to 23 minutes. His bench role has held steady. I like him as a punt.
- Jaden McDaniels ($6,100) has the highest foul trouble risk on the slate, and that kills a $6,100 forward. He gains minutes if Edwards sits, but I still do not like him in this spot at all.
Matchups to target: Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Terrence Shannon Jr.
Matchups to avoid: Jaden McDaniels
Game to fade: Phoenix at Oklahoma City. It's the lowest total on the slate at 220.5, a slow game, with Oklahoma City favored by 10.5 on a back-to-back. Ajay Mitchell and Chet Holmgren are still fine cash plays because of the injuries, but I'm not stacking this game.
Top Plays by Position
| Pos | Rank | Player | Matchup | Salary | Min | Field | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | 1 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC vs PHX | $9,800 | 40 | Popular | GPP |
| PG | 2 | Tyrese Haliburton | IND at MIL | $8,300 | 31 | Popular | Cash |
| PG | 3 | Cooper Flagg | DAL at MIA | $8,800 | 28 | Mid | GPP |
| SG | 1 | Donovan Mitchell | CLE vs MIN | $8,500 | 34 | Mid | GPP |
| SG | 2 | Paul George | BOS vs CHI | $6,800 | 29 | Popular | Cash |
| SG | 3 | Tyler Herro | MIL vs IND | $6,900 | 27 | Popular | GPP |
| SF | 1 | Jayson Tatum | BOS vs CHI | $9,500 | 33 | Chalk | Cash |
| SF | 2 | Kevin Durant | HOU vs ATL | $7,400 | 35 | Popular | Cash |
| SF | 3 | Brandon Miller | CHA vs WSH | $7,700 | 31 | Popular | GPP |
| PF | 1 | Jalen Johnson | ATL at HOU | $9,400 | 33 | Mid | GPP |
| PF | 2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIA vs DAL | $9,900 | 27 | Popular | GPP |
| PF | 3 | Anthony Davis | WSH at CHA | $8,700 | 33 | Mid | GPP |
| C | 1 | Bam Adebayo | MIA vs DAL | $7,900 | 29 | Mid | GPP |
| C | 2 | Isaiah Hartenstein | OKC vs PHX | $4,900 | 28 | Popular | Cash |
| C | 3 | Jarrett Allen | CLE vs MIN | $6,300 | 26 | Low | GPP |
| Pos | Rank | Player | Matchup | Salary | Min | Field | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | 1 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC vs PHX | $10,100 | 36 | Popular | Cash |
| PG | 2 | Tyrese Haliburton | IND at MIL | $8,200 | 31 | Chalk | Cash |
| PG | 3 | Jamal Murray | DEN vs GS | $8,100 | 38 | Popular | Cash |
| SG | 1 | Donovan Mitchell | CLE vs MIN | $8,600 | 34 | Mid | GPP |
| SG | 2 | Tyler Herro | MIL vs IND | $7,500 | 32 | Low | GPP |
| SG | 3 | Dyson Daniels | ATL at HOU | $6,800 | 31 | Low | GPP |
| SF | 1 | Jayson Tatum | BOS vs CHI | $9,900 | 34 | Chalk | Cash |
| SF | 2 | Cooper Flagg | DAL at MIA | $9,300 | 30 | Popular | GPP |
| SF | 3 | Kevin Durant | HOU vs ATL | $7,900 | 34 | Mid | GPP |
| PF | 1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIA vs DAL | $11,200 | 31 | Mid | GPP |
| PF | 2 | Jalen Johnson | ATL at HOU | $9,700 | 33 | Mid | GPP |
| PF | 3 | Anthony Davis | WSH at CHA | $10,300 | 33 | Low | GPP |
| C | 1 | Nikola Jokic | DEN vs GS | $12,000 | 37 | Chalk | Cash |
| C | 2 | Alperen Sengun | HOU vs ATL | $8,300 | 31 | Popular | Cash |
| C | 3 | Bam Adebayo | MIA vs DAL | $7,700 | 30 | Mid | GPP |
The FanDuel slate also has Warriors at Nuggets and Grizzlies at Jazz, so Nikola Jokic tops the FanDuel centers and Jamal Murray shows up at point guard. Tatum is chalk on both sites. Anthony Davis is $8,700 on DraftKings and $10,300 on FanDuel, so I want him on DraftKings.
Min is projected minutes. Field is how popular the player should be: Chalk, Popular, Mid or Low.
Every projection lives on today's NBA DFS projections, and you can build around these in the free NBA lineup optimizer.
Final Thoughts
For cash, I'm starting with Jay Huff, Ajay Mitchell, Chet Holmgren and Jayson Tatum. The field agrees on all four, and the cheap guys get their minutes from injuries. Each one carries a risk. Indiana and Oklahoma City play the second night of a back-to-back, and Oklahoma City is favored by 10.5 and Boston by 14.5, so a blowout could cut the fourth quarter for Ajay, Chet and Tatum. Huff loses his role if Zubac plays.
For GPPs, Donovan Mitchell is my favorite pivot off the Tatum chalk at a similar price. If Anthony Edwards is in, he's the bigger swing. Terrence Shannon Jr. is the cheap piece I like most.
Before lock, check Edwards and Cason Wallace, and confirm Zubac is out for Indiana. Indiana, Minnesota and Oklahoma City are all on the second night of a back-to-back, so watch for rest news. Atlanta at Houston tips last at 8:30 PM ET, which is your late swap window.
More slates in the NBA DFS articles archive.
Tools used for this slate
Every number in this playbook comes off the free BankrollSZN NBA tools: today's NBA DFS projections, the free NBA lineup optimizer, the NBA injury report for DFS, the NBA rotations and minutes tracker, and NBA pace stats.