This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid:
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks
This has more to do with each team's offense rather than the T-Wolves' overall defense, which hasn't been as bad over a four-game losing streak. Both Minnesota and Dallas are in the bottom five of the NBA, so expect a lot of ugly basketball in this game. Back to the T-Wolves defense -- Minnesota is allowing 98.5 points per game during the streak, holding three of four opponents to under 100 points. The Mavericks are dead last in the League in scoring on the road (94.6 points per game).
Offense to Use:
Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Bulls' offense has shown signs of life on a three-game winning streak, averaging 115.6 points largely because of the play of Jimmy Butler. The All-Star forward is carrying the team, putting up 33.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game. This pick has more to do with Chicago's resurgence than Oklahoma City's ineptitude on defense (which doesn't really exist). The Thunder aren't a terrible defensive team, but aren't among the top 10 in the NBA and shouldn't scare you away from eyeing some of the Bulls' cheap bench players.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Bulls
Second game: None
Jimmy Butler, SG/SF, CHI vs. OKC ($9,300): As mentioned above, Butler is making up for the majority of the Bulls' offense and will see a high usage percentage against the Thunder. He's gone three straight games with at least 20 attempts from the field and two of three with 20-plus free throw attempts. Perhaps the most surprising part of Butler's game has been 3-point shooting, which has been hot the past two games (7-of-16). The Thunder also turn the ball over 14.3 times per game, meaning Butler has a high likelihood of posting multiple steals.
Jrue Holiday, PG, NO at NYK ($6,600): Chances are the majority of lineups will feature Russell Westbrook, so it may be wise to fade him in tournaments. Holiday offers an affordable guard on the upswing, having scored at least 28.0 DraftKings points in nine straight games. He posted 40.5 fantasy points against the Knicks at home on Dec. 30 and his assist totals have been up above his season mark (8.6 the past five games; 7.1 on the season). Holiday also has at least a steal in eight straight games and has been hot from distance (46.7 percent over past five games).
Michael Carter-Williams, CHI vs. OKC ($4,800): MCW isn't a terrible punt play in tournaments as the Bulls starting point guard. Rajon Rondo has been dropped from the lineup having sat the past four games and doesn't appear to be a threat to Carter-Williams' minutes. The Bulls will need MCW's defense to try and contain Westbrook, so his playing time shouldn't be as low as it was in Saturday's win against the Raptors (16 minutes). Prior to that game, Carter-Williams had back-to-back contests with double-digit points for a combined 51.50 DraftKings points.
Anthony Davis, PF/C, NO at NYK ($11,100): If you're going to pay up, Davis is probably your best bet, particularly in cash games. He's had at least 51.0 DraftKings points in four straight games, with 51.5 against the Knicks at the end of 2016. New York has been getting torched by opposing centers this season, allowing 52.26 to the position per game, according to RotoGrinders. It's helpful that Davis has dual position eligibility as one of the top lineup anchors on the three-game slate Monday.
Gorgui Dieng, PF/C, MIN vs. DAL ($5,700): Ugly basketball can only mean one (sort of) thing. Rebounds! The Mavericks have gotten outmuscled on the boards this season, allowing 44.1 per game with the worst differential in the NBA (-5.6). Dieng has gone four straight games with at least eight rebounds and would be a candidate to hit the double-double bonus for the T-Wolves. He may not have much of a ceiling but is a solid cash-game play with a high floor and affordable price tag.
Mindaugas Kuzminskas, SF, NYK vs. NO ($3,100): Kuzminskas is beginning to solidify a role in the Knicks' rotation as a player who can provide some bursts of offense off the bench. His minutes are low (13.3 per game over past six) but he's made the most of his limited playing time by averaging 9.7 points during that stretch while shooting 57.9 percent from the floor and 45 percent from distance. Like MCW, the Lithuanian rookie is a nice tournament play if you're considering Westbrook or Davis.
Steven Adams, OKC at CHI ($6,000): Adams has seen his price rise $1,000 over the past five games. He's hitting his stride just in time for a matchup against the Bulls, who make for a soft matchup. Adams was .5 fantasy points away from going four straight with at least 30 and has at least 16 points in three of four games. Being away from OKC hasn't affected Adams' numbers (his splits are practically identical) and he's got 10 blocks in the past four games.
Andrew Bogut, DAL at MIN ($3,200): Bogut is starting at center for the Mavericks and doesn't provide any offense, but does record plenty of rebounds. More of a risky tournament play, Bogut will need to come close to a double-double to hit tournament value. He's coming off his first double-digit rebounding game (11) since Dec. 3 in a tough loss at Atlanta on Saturday and has a block in six straight.
