There are 10 games on the schedule Monday in the National Basketball Association, but beware of some pitfalls. Major stars like Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard will be sidelined due to injury, and some unlikely fantasy options are expected to step up and contribute. Ryan Anderson, Devin Ebanks and Danny Green might be guys who normally wouldn’t be must-haves, but they are on this night. As always, check Twitter and read the latest from the team’s local papers on questionable players before finalizing your lineups.
Washington Wizards at Charlotte Bobcats 7pm ET
Wizards PF/C Nene Hilario (foot) might be back at some point this week, according to The Washington Post, but it sounds like he is a no-go for Monday. In addition, PF Trevor Booker (foot) aggravated his foot injury in individual drills, so he is likely out. That’s good news for PF/C Kevin Seraphin ($124K), whose star continues to rise with the two big men out. SF Jan Vesely ($68K) is also expected to draw another start. Bobcats PG Kemba Walker ($106K) has managed to hit just nine of his past 34 field goal attempts over the past two games, but he remains one of the better fantasy options in Charlotte.
Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic 7pm ET
Magic C Dwight Howard (back) will miss Monday’s game against Detroit due to back issues, so don’t waste $185K on him. PF/C Ryan Anderson (ankle) is expected to play, and pick up the slack with the Manchild on the shelf. Anderson is a solid investment at $126K. Swingman Quentin Richardson (back) is also expected to play, although Q-Rich is just a marginal play at $65K. Pistons C Greg Monroe ($136K) should be solid with Howard out of the mix. He had 38 fantasy points in his last matchup against the Magic April 3, a game Howard also missed.
Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers 7pm ET
Pacers PF/SF Danny Granger ($163K) has managed 22 or more fantasy points in seven straight games. Pacers PF David West appears to be over his finger issues, as he has 22 fantasy points in back-to-back games. He played 33 minutes Saturday, his highest among of playing since in four games. Raptors PG Jose Calderon (eye) was able to play Sunday, and he posted 29 fantasy points in 36 minutes. He is once again a solid play at $120K. F James Johnson ($87K) was back from a two-game team-imposed benching for disciplinary reasons. He remains a shaky play, however. Swingman Gary Forbes (knee) had 10 fantasy points in his return Sunday after a three-game absence.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Milwaukee Bucks 8pm ET
Thunder SF Kevin Durant ($201K) is back atop the OKC salary list thanks to three straight performances with 32 or more fantasy points. He had been passed up briefly by PG Russell Westbrook ($191K), who is still averaging 33.7 fantasy points per game over the past three outings. Bucks PF/C Drew Gooden (back) is still reportedly dealing with tightness in his back, so he should be avoided at $109K. Swingman Carlos Delfino (groin) returned after a six-game absence, but had just eight fantasy points Saturday. He remains a shaky play. Avoid.
Los Angeles Clippers at Memphis Grizzlies 8pm ET
Clippers PG Mo Williams (toe) is nearing a return, but he will not play in this one. At $71K, he will be a good play when he is ready, but avoid him tonight. G Randy Foye has been a model of consistency lately, posting 20 or more fantasy points in six straight games, and he is averaging 28.5 fantasy points per game over the past two. He might be getting some company soon when Williams returns, but he is a safe play for this one. Grizzlies PF/C Zach Randolph said his back was a little sore after a Monday morning car accident, but it sounds like he will play. Still, it might be a good idea to err on the side of caution with $118K in salary on the line.
Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Hornets 8pm ET
Lakers SG Kobe Bryant (shin) will miss his second straight game, so avoid him at $179K. SF Devin Ebanks ($55K) is expected to start at shooting guard in place of Kobe, and is a sneaky play at another listed position. Ebanks had 15 fantasy points Saturday against Phoenix in 32 minutes played. G Ramon Sessions (shoulder) is expected to play, although it’s uncertain how effective he’ll be playing with a sprained AC join in his non-shooting shoulder. At $128K, he might not be worth the risk.
Phoenix Suns at Minnesota Timberwolves 9pm ET
The Suns have finally kicked off the training wheels from oft-injured veteran Michael Redd ($90K), and he has flourished lately. Redd has 18 or more fantasy points in four straight games, and is averaging 21.5 fantasy points per game during the span. SG Shannon Brown ($103K) ripped off 32 fantasy points against his former team, the Lakers, Saturday. He has 18 or more fantasy points in eight straight games. The status for PG Luke Ridnour (ankle) is uncertain. He has missed two straight games, so avoid him at $125K just to be on the safe side.
Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets 9pm ET
Nuggets SF Danilo Gallinari (thumb) was able to take part in the shootaround Monday morning, and he confirmed he will play. However, it might be a good idea to see how he makes it through one full game before taking a chance on him at $99K. SF Jordan Hamilton ($55K) had been fairly useful, but he will go back to the bench with Gallinari’s expected return. Warriors SG Brandon Rush ($80K) had 26 fantasy points Saturday against Denver in the first of a home-and-home, so he might be worth rolling the dice on again.
San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz 9pm ET
Jazz PG Earl Watson (knee) is unlikely to play in this one, as he told the Salt Lake Tribune that he “can’t even walk” after Sunday’s game in San Antonio. Swingman C.J. Miles (calf) was set to undergo an MRI Monday, so it appears he will be out too. Avoid him, even at the tempting price of $59K. Jazz PG Devin Harris (ankle) exploded for 65 fantasy points in two games since returning from an ankle injury. He is so hard to figure out this season, but is worth using at $95K while hot. There are indications that Spurs swingman Manu Ginobili ($94K) might not have made the trip to Salt Lake City, as head coach Gregg Popovich rests his veterans. While Pop wouldn’t offer any information, it was swingman Stephen Jackson ($82K), rested himself Sunday, who might have let the cat out of the bag when he said “see you when we get back” to Ginobili Sunday, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Make of that what you will, but Ginobili should be avoided just to be safe.
Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers 10pm ET
Rockets PG Kyle Lowry ($121K) played 18 minutes Sunday in his first game in nearly a month due to a bacterial infection. It’s uncertain if he’ll play Monday, and how many minutes he will play if so. However, it might be best to avoid him, since he is likely to play with some restrictions initially. PG Goran Dragic ($156K) posted 29 fantasy points Sunday despite Lowry’s return, and he has 27 or more fantasy points in each of his past 10 games. He remains a strong fantasy play due to his recent run of big-time production. Trail Blazers PF/C J.J. Hickson ($91K) has taken a giant step backwards over his past two games, posting just 29 total fantasy points.
Follow Us!