Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter/X & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries

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NBA DFS & Props Shows w/ Tyler Wiemann

NBA DFS & Prop shows will be posted on the LineStar YouTube page (linked above) later this afternoon!

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

A jam-packed Monday slate arrives with eight games lined up on DraftKings and, with the inclusion of the lone late game (ATL/LAC), FanDuel will feature nine games. This slate will feature six games with a total over 232 points, and five of those games currently own a single-digit spread. So we’ll be expecting several competitive shootouts this evening. The injury report isn’t too extensive, but nearly every team has at least one impact player who is either out or listed as “questionable” to play tonight. Let’s jump into it! Best of luck!

Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads

Today’s Key Injuries 🚑

^{Note: NBA injury reports can be fickle and often update throughout the day. Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}

^{Additional Note: Players who have yet to play this season will be excluded from the injury report, unless they have either a probable, questionable, or doubtful injury designation, with some amount of chance to make their season debut.}

• Trailblazers: B. Wesley - OUT, M. Thybulle - OUT

• Magic: J. Suggs - OUT

• Lakers: A. Reaves - Questionable, G. Vincent - OUT

• Hornets: L. Ball - OUT, M. Bridges - Probable, B. Miller - OUT

• Wizards: B. Coulibaly - OUT

• Pistons: A. Thompson - Questionable, T. Harris - OUT, I. Stewart - OUT, C. LeVert - Questionable

• Cavs: L. Nance Jr. - Questionable

• Heat: B. Adebayo - OUT, D. Smith - Probable

• Spurs: D. Harper - OUT, L. Kornet - Questionable

• Bulls: J. Giddey - Questionable, P. Williams - Probable

• Bucks: K. Porter Jr. - OUT, T. Prince - OUT

• Mavs: A. Davis - Questionable, D. Gafford - Questionable, D. Lively II - Doubtful

• Timberwolves: T. Shannon Jr. - OUT

• Jazz: T. Hendricks - Questionable, K. Anderson - Questionable

• Pelicans: Z. Williamson - OUT, J. Poole - OUT, Y. Missi - Questionable

• Suns: J. Green - OUT

Late Game Injury Report (FanDuel Main Slate Only)

• Hawks: T. Young - OUT, J. Johnson Questionable, N. Alexander-Walker - Questionable

• Clippers: K. Leonard - OUT, B. Beal - Questionable, J. Miller - Questionable (would be season debut)

Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Plays

Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

SG Donovan Mitchell, CLE | DK: $9.2k, FD: $9k | at MIA

Spida has been on a heater, averaging 34.0 PPG and 1.66 FPPM on a 32.1% USG% across the Cavs’ last four games. On a slate where we have quite a few games with high totals, this Cavs/Heat matchup stands out among the rest, given its massive 247.5 over/under, which I believe is the highest total we’ve seen so far this season. The Heat continue to push the tempo, leading the NBA in pace, and the Cavs aren’t too far behind at 7th in pace. The Heat have also ranked 25th in DvP versus starting shooting guards, so it’s a strong individual matchup for Mitchell.

PG Jrue Holiday, POR | DK: $7.6k, FD: $6.9k | at ORL

Holiday continues to be the engine that makes this Trailblazers offense go. He’s averaging 17.4 PPG, 8.2 APG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.7 STL/gm through nine games this season and fell one rebound shy of putting up a triple-double in Portland’s last game on Saturday. The Trailblazers will be catching the Magic on the second leg of a back-to-back, and this matchup owns both a strong total (235.5) and the narrowest spread (POR +1.5) on the slate. Starting PGs have also averaged 42.2 FPPG against the Magic this season, so we can feel pretty good about Holiday once again at his current price points.

PG Collin Gillespie, PHX | DK: $5.2k, FD: $5k | vs. NOP

Now in his third NBA season, Gillespie is starting to carve out a meaningful role off the bench. His minutes have steadily climbed, and he’s producing career highs across the board -- averaging double-digit points while knocking down 38.2% of his threes on 6.8 attempts per game and 2.6 makes per game. With Jalen Green sidelined again, Gillespie should continue to see an expanded role in the Suns’ rotation. He’s still expected to come off the bench, but he has averaged 1.10 FPPM this season and owns a 26-minute projection tonight, putting him firmly in play as a worthy value option. Gillespie may also pick up a few additional minutes in garbage time. The Pelicans, who have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, are sizable 8.5-point underdogs on the road.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Luka Doncic, LAL at CHA (Boost if Reaves is out)

SG Anthony Edwards, MIN at UTA

SG Stephon Castle, SAS at CHI

SG Norman Powell, MIA vs. CLE

PG De’Aaron Fox, SAS at CHI

PG Tre Jones, CHI vs. SAS (Boost if Giddey is out)

PG/SG Tre Mann, CHA vs. LAL (Preferred if starting again)

PG Jeremiah Fears, NOP at PHX

SG/SF Anthony Black, ORL vs. POR (Preferred if starting again)

SG/SF Ayo Dosunmu, CHI vs. SAS (Boost if Giddey is out)

PG/SG Dru Smith, MIA vs. CLE

SG/SF Javonte Green, DET vs. WAS

FanDuel Main Slate Only

PG/SG James Harden, LAC vs. ATL

PG/SG Dyson Daniels, ATL at LAC (Boost if J. Johnson and/or NAW are out)

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL | DK: $11.7k, FD: $12.5k | at DAL

Giannis will once again be a standout stud option to target. He is 2nd in the league in scoring (33.8 PPG) and 5th in rebounding (12.3 RPG). He has popped for a couple of 80+ DKFP games already this season and could be in line for another one of those monster performances tonight. The Mavs, who are banged-up in the frontcourt, have surrendered 55.6 PPG in the paint (T-3rd most) and have posted the 3rd-lowest Rebounding% (47.0%). They’ve also ranked 29th versus starting PFs this season. A 30-point double-double for Giannis seems like the floor expectations in this spot, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he goes for 40+ points again, either.

SF/SG Kon Knueppel, CHA | DK: $6.3k, FD: $6k | vs. LAL

With injuries to multiple key players (LaMelo Ball & Brandon Miller), Kon Knueppel has stepped up in a big way over the last three games. In that span, he is averaging 24.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 3.3 APG, resulting in an excellent 1.21 FPPM. The rookie is sinking 40.5% of his three-pointers this season, and nearly 65% of his shot attempts have come from beyond the arc (8.2 3PA/gm). He’ll likely continue to let it fly from three-point land as the Lakers have seen the 8th-highest opponent three-point rate in the NBA. Knueppel has also been relatively immune to reduced minutes in blowouts and just logged a season-high 40 minutes on Friday despite the Hornets losing that game by nearly 20 points. Charlotte is an 8.5-point home underdog tonight, and if they end up hanging close with Luka Doncic and the Lakers, Knueppel will likely be a major reason for that.

PF/C Derik Queen, NOP | DK: $4.8k, FD: $4.9k | at PHX

Rookie Derik Queen has emerged as a key player off the bench for the Pelicans, and he has scored double-digit figures in three straight while showing off his all-around game. Over that stretch, he’s averaged 12 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, adding seven steals and two blocks, and has averaged an outstanding 1.46 FPPM. After dropping their first six, the Pelicans have won two of their last three -- and increased minutes for Queen have been a big part of that turnaround. Getting him under $5K still feels like a buying window, especially with his dual PF/C eligibility. With Zion Williamson and Jordan Poole sidelined once again, the recent usage and opportunity boosts should continue to funnel in Queen’s direction.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF Evan Mobley, CLE at MIA

PF Deni Avdija, POR at ORL

PF Julius Randle, MIN at UTA

SF Franz Wagner, ORL vs. POR

SF/SG Jaime Jaquez Jr., MIA vs. CLE

SF Jaden McDaniels, MIN at UTA

PF/C Nikola Jovic, MIA vs. CLE

SF/PF Ronald Holland II, DET vs. WAS (Preferred if starting again)

FanDuel Main Slate Only

SF/PF Zaccharie Risacher, ATL at LAC (Preferred if J. Johnson is out)

SF/PF Derrick Jones, LAC vs. ATL

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Jalen Duren, DET | DK: $7.7k, FD: $8.1k | vs. WAS

Duren has been a mainstay in these newsletters over the last week or so, and, with the Pistons thin in the frontcourt (Tobias Harris & Isaiah Stewart are both out), he’ll remain firmly on the radar. Across his last five starts, Duren is averaging 24.0 PPG, 13.6 RPG, and a hefty 1.47 FPPM. He has gone over 50 DKFP/FDFP in four of those five games and will be in another smash spot this evening. The Wizards have ranked 29th versus starting centers this season and are allowing the 2nd-most PPG in the paint (56.0) while ranking 22nd in Rebounding%.

C Rudy Gobert, MIN | DK: $6k, FD: $5.8k | at UTA

Gobert hasn’t provided a consistent DFS floor, but he has popped for some big games that well exceed expectations for a guy with these sort of price tags. He’s been particularly effective lately, averaging a double-double (12.6 PPG, 11.4 RPG) and 1.11 FPPM over his last five starts. He projects for 32.0 minutes this evening and should have no major issues against a Jazz frontcourt that will play the remainder of the season without their primary rebounding and rim-protecting presence, Walker Kessler, whose season was cut short due to a torn labrum.

Other Centers to Consider

C Victor Wembanyama, SAS at CHI

C Alex Sarr, WAS at DET

C Jarrett Allen, CLE at MIA

C Jusuf Nurkic, UTA vs. MIN

FanDuel Main Slate Only

C Ivica Zubac, LAC vs. ATL

C/PF Kristaps Porzingis, ATL at LAC

🔥 Props AI 🔥

In LineStar’s ongoing mission to improve, innovate, and help you reel in some cash, we have rolled out Props AI for NBA – available for LineStar Premium users! This tool can help you find value and mispriced odds on player props from sportsbooks and, more specifically, for PrizePicks, UnderDog Fantasy, and other prop apps/sites!

That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter/X or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!