This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
A compact three-game Sunday night main slate brings us some unique challenges in terms of finding viable value plays. Fortunately, there are just enough cost-saving options to work with on the abbreviated schedule, as several players are priced at a level that still renders them bargains relative to some of their very impressive recent production. Let's examine where you can save salary and still reap the benefits on Sunday night's slate:
POINT GUARD
Tony Parker, CHA at NY ($3,700): Parker has exploded for over 36 fantasy points in two of his last four games, with the most recent instance coming against the Nuggets on Thursday. The veteran point guard had double-digit scoring efforts in four of his last six games overall, and although there's always the risk of a dud, his price is very enticing relative to some of the recent upside he's flashed. The Knicks also come in allowing 44.5 fantasy points per game to point guards, and Parker's minutes have been consistently in the upper teens-low 20s on the majority of nights recently.
Patty Mills, SA vs. UTA ($3,700): Mills is another veteran that's priced right and is capable of racking up production in a hurry. Parker's former teammate has eclipsed 20 fantasy points in two of his last four contests, and on six other occasions over the 10 games prior to that stretch as well. He'll face a Jazz squad that's allowed 46.3 fantasy points per contest to ones, along with the third-most points (25.5) and fourth-most rebounds (6.6) to the position. Moreover, Utah is also yielding the third-highest shooting percentage (46.9) to point guards, while Mills checks in with an impressive 39.3 percent success rate from three-point range and averaging a solid 8.0 shot attempts across 25.0 minutes this season.
SHOOTING GUARD
Danny Green, TOR vs. MIL ($4,500): Green's production has been up and down, but he's priced accordingly for that type of inconsistency. He's still highly capable of the occasional solid offensive performance, as he most recently demonstrated in a three-game stretch where he scored 20.8 to 32.5 fantasy points on the strength of three double-digit scoring efforts. Sunday presents as a favorable scenario for similar production, as the Bucks come in allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to two-guards (43.4), as well as the second-most rebounds (6.7), third-most assists (5.1), seventh-most steals (1.7), and, perhaps most important when considering Green, the sixth-most made threes (3.1) to shooting guards. In turn, Green is posting his best three-point shooting percentage (42.5) since the 2012-13 season, making him an excellent match for Milwaukee's vulnerability.
Malik Monk, CHA at NY ($3,700): Monk is another member of the Hornets backcourt rotation that's been showing well lately, as he's posted 14.7 to 20.5 fantasy points in his last three games, and also eclipsed 20 in two other contests over the prior six. The 2017 first-round pick is averaging a solid 19.6 minutes off the bench and is capable of filling in at both guard spots. He's been seeing plenty of time at two-guard lately, making the matchup against the Knicks a solid one. New York comes in allowing 40.6 fantasy points per game to twos, along with the fourth-most assists (5.1) and seventh-most steals (1.7).
SMALL FORWARD
Davis Bertans, SA vs. UTA ($3,600): Bertans is likely to see run with the first unit again Sunday as a result of Dante Cunningham's highly questionable status due to an abdominal injury. The young big has started over Cunningham in some recent games anyhow, and he's scored 14.7 to 24.2 fantasy points over his last three contests. It's worth noting the Jazz are nowhere near as bad a matchup for power forwards as in past years, either, as they'll come in allowing 46.1 fantasy points per game to fours, along with the most steals (2.4) to the position. Bertans is posting a career-best 48.0 percent success rate from the field (including 44.9 percent from distance), giving him some nice offensive upside at his price.
Mario Hezonja, NYK vs. CHA ($3,500): Hezonja has admittedly had his share of clunkers, but it's still surprising to see him at minimum price considering his current starting role at small forward. The Hornets have allowed 42.0 fantasy points per game to threes, while Hezonja has a 37.5 fantasy-point outing on his ledger over the last five games, and he scored a solid 19.5 versus the Nets on Saturday night. Even that latter figure is a solid one relative to his price, and he certainly makes for a viable option if you're going to purposely go for min-priced player considering the lowest score is dropped on FanDuel.
POWER FORWARD
Derrick Favors, UTA at SAN ($5,300): Favors has been coming off the bench in recent contests, and the move to the second unit seems to agree with him. The savvy veteran has taken advantage of often going against inferior competition, as he's scored 25 to 41 fantasy points in his last three games. Favors also has two 20-plus tallies and one 30 fantasy-point effort on his resume over the last seven games overall. The Spurs have allowed 45.6 fantasy points per game to fours, along with the fourth-most points (23.7) per contest to the position. They're also yielding the ninth-most points in the paint per game (49.9, including 50.7 over the last three), while Favors is scoring 69.6 percent of his points in that area of the floor.
Frank Kaminsky, CHA at NY ($3,800): Kaminsky is finally starting to find some consistency, as he's scored 22.2 to 31.1 fantasy points in four of his last eight games. While his minutes and production do tend to still fluctuate while coming off the bench, his very affordable price certainly accounts for it. What's more, he'll draw a premium matchup for power forwards Sunday, as the Knicks have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to the position (50.9), along with the most points (25.7), and bottom-five or bottom-10 figures in assists (4.1), made threes (2.5) and blocks (1.6) to power forwards as well.
CENTER
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR vs. MIL ($5,100): Valanciunas' minutes continue to mostly be steady irrespective of whether comes off the bench and draws a spot start, and he'll come into Sunday having outpaced his current price on several occasions lately. The veteran big man scored 38.6 and 36.6 fantasy points versus the Sixers and Nets, respectively, over his last two contests, and he also has fantasy-point totals of 22, 31 and 43.6 in three other games over his last nine overall. The Bucks come into Sunday's game allowing 49.0 fantasy points per contest to fives, along with the fourth-most assists (4.3). Valanciunas should see minutes in the high teens at minimum, which will afford him enough time to potentially generate a solid return at a cost that's still reasonable relative to his upside.
