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We get the NBA “work week” started with a solid seven-game Monday night slate, one that features a few potential high-scoring contests in Wizards-Raptors, Kings-Timberwolves and even Jazz-Mavericks, despite the defensive prowess of both those clubs.
There are also a couple of potential blowout scenarios to be wary of, but overall, the slate offers up plenty of appealing options across the salary scale with some of the most defensively deficient teams in the league taking the floor.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 4/5/21. I’ll be providing multiple player suggestions for players at guard, forward and center on FanDuel, aiming to highlight one option apiece at the high, middle and lower end of the salary scale. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
De'Aaron Fox, PG – at MIN ($9,300)
Fox offers a nice discount over the much higher-salaried Russell Westbrook (listed in the “Also Consider” section below), and he checks in averaging a robust 45.5 FD points per game over his last eight contests. The star point guard is shooting an impressive 52.1 percent over that stretch, and he’s notably averaged more points, rebounds and assists on the road while also putting up 20 shot attempts per contest when traveling (compared to 17.5 per home game). The Timberwolves also come in allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency (30.2 percent) to point guards and the fourth-most FD points per game (50.2) to the position, enhancing Fox’s case at a salary he’s already delivered over 5x return on in 18 games this season.
Chris Paul, PG – at HOU ($7,400)
Paul makes for an excellent mid-salary play against one of his old squads, a Rockets team that’s giving up the 10th-highest offensive efficiency (27.3 percent) to point guards, along with the eighth-most FD points per game (48.7) to ones. Paul has put up 42.2 to 49.0 FD points in four of the last six games, a sample during which he’s put up 13.0 shot attempts per contest and draining them at a 52.6 percent clip. There’s admittedly some risk in a blowout capping Paul’s minutes here, but Houston notably put up a good fight against Phoenix the one prior time the teams met before succumbing by a narrow 109-103 margin.
Theo Maledon, PG – vs. DET ($5,500)
Maledon could be a bit less rostered than he otherwise would have been had he not shot just 1-for-12 over 22 minutes against the Trail Blazers on Saturday night. However, prior to that game, the rookie had averaged 33.5 FD points over the previous four contests on the strength of 20.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steal across 32.0 minutes. Maledon’s efficiency is admittedly nowhere near ideal – he’s shooting just 37.3 percent for the season – but he’s draining 37.0 percent of his three-point attempts as well and is facing a Pistons team allowing the seventh-most FD points per game (50.5) to point guards in the last 15 contests, as well as the seventh-highest three-point percentage (37.6) overall on the season.
Also consider: Russell Westbrook ($11,000); Luka Doncic ($10,300); Derrick White ($5,700)
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FanDuel DFS Forwards
Julius Randle, PF- at BKN ($9,000)
Randle has already lambasted the Nets for an average of 55.2 FD points over two games this season, and Brooklyn checks in allowing the sixth-most FD points per game (45.7) to power forwards, and the ninth-highest offensive efficiency (82.2 percent) to frontcourt players. The Nets are also ranked in the bottom 10 of the league with 48.7 points in the paint allowed per contest, while Randle checks in having scored at least 40 FD points in nine of his last 11 games and shooting a career-best 41.6 percent from behind the arc for the season. The Nets will bring a notable bump in pace for the Knicks as well, which makes Randle all the more appealing due to some of the extra possessions he should get to work with.
OG Anunoby, SF – vs. WAS ($7,000)
Anunoby has been a mid-salary fantasy goldmine since returning from a six-game absence due to health and safety protocols, averaging 37.3 FD points across his first eight contests back on the strength of 18.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 block per game. The fourth-year wing is averaging 34.8 FD points per 36 minutes with Kyle Lowry (foot) off the floor as well, and a matchup versus a Wizards squad that’s allowing the fifth-most FD points per game (43.6) to small forwards and fifth-highest three-point percentage (38.3) overall certainly plays to his strengths. Washington’s league-high pace of play (107.5 possessions per game) also augments Anunoby’s case as well, considering he could have approximately five more possessions than average to work with based on current pace numbers for each squad.
Kevin Love, PF – at SA ($4,600)
Love appears to finally be over his calf issues, as he’s been able to play consecutive games in which he’s logged 20 and 23 minutes. The veteran’s shot has been rusty (7-19 FG) during that sample, but he’s still averaged 22.9 FD points over that pair of contests. Love could see his minutes bump up into the mid-to-high 20s Monday against the Spurs, and he could draw another start at center if Jarrett Allen remains in concussion protocol as appears likely. San Antonio slots in just outside the bottom 10 of the league with 32.3 percent offensive efficiency allowed to centers, and the Spurs are also giving up an elevated 57.0 FD points per game to fives in the last seven games. It’s also worth noting San Antonio allows Western Conference-high 39.6 percent three-point shooting on its home floor, which certainly could open up another path to fantasy production for the floor-spacing Love.
Also consider: Christian Wood ($8,000); Jerami Grant ($6,400); Buddy Hield ($5,800)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Karl-Anthony Towns– vs. SAC ($11,000)
Towns carries the highest salary at his position, but he’s well worth it Monday. The multi-talented big man is on quite the tear, scoring 50.4 to 67.3 FD points in the last six games while averaging 29.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.7 blocks over that span. Then, he draws a premium matchup for centers, as the Kings are surrendering the sixth-most FD points per game (55.6) to fives for the season, partly the byproduct of yielding the most rebounds (16.8), third-most assists (4.3) and sixth-most points (23.4) to the position. Given his sky-high usage, the fact the Kings allow NBA-high 34.9 percent offensive efficiency to centers, and that Towns’ numbers with one day of rest between games are his best of any time interval, he makes for an excellent play.
Moses Brown — vs. DET ($6,800)
Brown has actually seen his salary drop a bit over recent games despite posting his fourth double-double in six games versus the Blazers across just 23 minutes Saturday night. Brown is averaging a solid 30.4 FD points in his five starts since Al Horford was shut down for the season, and he’s posted over 35 FD points in four of his last seven contests overall. The Pistons have been vulnerable to centers all season and check in allowing the sixth-most points in the paint (51.2) per road game – an area of the floor where just under 75.0 percent of Brown’s scoring occurs -- along with 53.3 FD points per game to fives for the season. Finally, consider Detroit’s 44.7 percent shooting on the road and the Thunder’s own pedestrian 45.6 percent shooting at home both portend plenty of extra opportunities on the glass for Brown.
Chris Boucher – vs. WAS ($5,000)
Boucher found himself in the starting five Friday against the Warriors and generated 36.2 FD points in just 25 minutes. While it remains to be seen if the big man will work with the first unit again Monday, he’d also averaged a solid 27.6 FD points over his previous 18 games, coming off the bench in 16 of those contests. The Wizards are excellent targets, as they’ve given up the fourth-highest offensive efficiency (34.5 percent) to centers, along with the most FD points per game (58.7) to the position on the season. Boucher has also thrived without Lowy on the floor this season, averaging 46.1 FD points per 36 minutes under those circumstances.
Also consider: Richaun Holmes ($7,500); Deandre Ayton ($7,000); Mason Plumlee ($6,000)
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