This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Monday's slate features five games, with several teams playing the second half of a back-to-back set. There are a couple spots where you can get the best player at his respective position for well under $7K. Also, Kyle Lowry (TOR) , Nikola Pekovic (MIN), and Goran Dragic (MIA) are dealing with nagging injuries. If they are held out Monday, it opens the door for you to nab some solid players on the cheap.
Monday's Value Plays
Point Guard
Greivis Vasquez, TOR, $4,100:The Raptors rested Kyle Lowry on Saturday and then proceeded to lose to the Knicks. One report from TSN indicates that Lowry could be rested again Monday against Philadelphia as the Raptors try to get him healthy for the playoff push. If that's the case, Vasquez deserves a look. He put up solid numbers in his spot start against the Knicks, finishing with 14 points, six assists, and three rebounds. In 17 starts this season, Vasquez is averaging roughly 11 points, four assists, and three rebounds. While those numbers aren't staggering, they're not bad for a player at $4,100. If Lowry is rested for Monday's game, Vasquez should get another start and draws a very favorable matchup.
Mario Chalmers, MIA, $5,100*:
*if Goran Dragic, who missed the shootaround, is out.
Shooting Guard
Jamal Crawford, LAC, $5,700: Crawford had a shaky outing Sunday by his standards, going just 6-for-18 from the floor and 1-for-6 from beyond the arc. There's reason to believe that Crawford will bounce back Monday against Minnesota, though. The last time Crawford had a subpar shooting performance (4-15 FG against MEM last Monday), he went 10-for-17 from the floor in his next outing, finishing with 24 points against Houston. His February splits (20 ppg, 42% FG, 33% 3Pt) were either his best or second-best numbers in a month this season, and he put up five more field goal attempts per game in February than he did in January. When you mix in the fact that Matt Barnes is questionable for this game with a hamstring injury and J.J Redick had precautionary X-rays on his knee after Sunday's game, Crawford becomes a very appealing option at shooting guard for Monday at under $6K.
Henry Walker, MIA, $4,200: Walker was recalled from the D-League on a 10-day contract right after the All-Star break, but didn't make his first appearance until last Monday. In four games as a member of the Heat, Walker has scored in double figures in each game and exceeded 20 minutes in each outing as well. He moved into the starting lineup Saturday and heaved up 16 shots but only connected on three of them, including 2-for-11 from three-point range. Although he's shooting just 34 percent in his stint with Miami, he has been getting a lot of looks, especially from three. Walker is a risky play, one you should only make if he's starting, but he only has so much time to impress the Heat before they make the decision to sign him to another deal. Keep an eye on the situation ahead of tip-off, but if he starts again, he draws a favorable matchup against a Phoenix team that is allowing the second-most FanDuel points to opposing shooting guards over the last 10 games.
Small Forward
Andrew Wiggins, MIN, $6,600: The options at small forward are pretty limited Monday, with several of the top options either nicked up, playing the second half of a back-to-back, or both. Therefore, Wiggins has a good shot to be the top scoring player at his position Monday. He gets a good matchup against the Clippers, who are allowing the second most points to opposing small forwards over the last 10 games. Wiggins could be in line for an even bigger night if Matt Barnes is out for L.A.
Power Forward
Dirk Nowitzki, DAL, $6,300:Similar to the small forward options for Monday, the crop of power forwards is pretty lackluster. There's a pretty steep drop-off behind Nowitzki, which leaves him as one of the cheapest viable options out there. As far as the other power forwards are concerned, Dante Cunningham's recent production as a starter makes him an interesting option, but he's still a risky play. Nowitzki is probably the safest play at power forward on Monday, and it won't cost you too much to get him on your roster.
Center
Gorgui Dieng, MIN, $5,900: Dieng saw a lot of minutes on Saturday thanks to Kevin Garnett being ejected and Nikola Pekovic exiting the game with ankle soreness. Dieng finished the game with 13 points and nine rebounds in 39 minutes on the floor. Pekovic injured his ankle in November, and it sidelined him for two months. Since returning, he has reported recurring soreness in the ankle after games. If Saturday's aggravation of the ankle injury keeps Pekovic out of Monday's tilt, Dieng will likely fill in at center for Minnesota. Although the matchup with the Clippers isn't ideal, neither was his matchup against the Grizzlies, and he managed 26.8 FanDuel points. Keep an eye on Pekovic's status ahead of tip-off, and if he's out, Dieng should outperform his price tag.
Omer Asik, NOP, $4,900 Asik is still under $5K on FanDuel somehow, making him a great option if you're looking to save at center. In the last five games(aka the time that Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson have been sidelined), Asik has averaged 28.6 FD points. Compare that to his 17.8 FD point average in the five games before Davis and Anderson's injuries and you see, well, you get the idea. As long as Davis and Anderson are out, Asik provides a great return on a sub-$5K price tag.
