NBA DFS First Look & Optimal Lineup Picks Today

The Slate Starter is a daily first look at to get your daily fantasy basketball lineup-building process started before lock tonight. Each day, we will go through some of the best NBA DFS picks, top stacks and optimal lineup construction for DraftKings and FanDuel. Be sure to check Awesemo’s NBA Starting Lineups page, as it will be updated throughout the day as the NBA injury reports are released and breaking news surfaces. Let’s dive into some players who stand out as key options on Monday’s eight-game main slate.

Want to see how your lineup stacked up against yesterday’s winning NBA DFS lineups on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo? Check out Awesemo’s Optimal Lineup Review, which uses Fantasy Cruncher Rewind to analyze the winning plays from the night before.

DraftKings & FanDuel NBA DFS Lineup Advice Today

Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Indiana Pacers

It has been a disappointing season for Sabonis and the Pacers. He’s averaged 19.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, resulting in approximately four fewer fantasy points than he averaged last season.

However, Sabonis has picked up his play of late. He’s increased his production to 1.43 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 47.25 DraftKings points in nine of his past 12 games. That includes 54.25 DraftKings points in his last contest despite playing just 28.7 minutes in a blowout.

Sabonis could be looking at another larger workload than usual on Monday. Myles Turner remains out of the lineup with a long-term injury, and Malcolm Brogdon is also sidelined. Sabonis should own one of the top marks in our NBA Projections, and his fantasy prospects are great if this game stays competitive.

Bam Adebayo, PF/C, Miami Heat

Adebayo is a bit cheaper than Sabonis, particularly on DraftKings. He’s priced at just $7,500, which is simply too cheap for a player of his caliber. He’s had a comparable salary in just 25 previous games since the start of last season, and he’s averaged 41.27 DraftKings points in those contests.

Adebayo has been eased back into the Heat’s rotation following an extended absence, but he’s racked up at least 36 minutes in his past two games. Omer Yurtseven has also been placed in health and safety protocols, which could open up a few additional minutes for Adebayo on Monday. Kyle Lowry is still out due to personal reasons, so Adebayo could also be a bit more productive on a per-minute basis than usual.

Adebayo’s average ownership has been minimal since returning to the lineup, so it will be interesting to see what his ownership projection looks like vs. the Celtics. If it’s too low, he’ll own a nice leverage score in the Boom/Bust Probability tool.

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Josh Giddey, PG/SG, Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder were dealt a huge blow recently. It was announced that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be shut down through at least the All-Star break, which leaves the team without their top offensive option.

Luckily, Giddey is more than capable of running the show in his absence. He’s operated more as the team’s primary facilitator when SGA has been sidelined this season. He’s increased his assist rate by +16.2% in three full games without Gilgeous-Alexander, and he’s also increased his usage rate by +4.0%. That’s a sizable bump in both categories, so it’s not surprising that Giddey has averaged 43.47 FanDuel points in those contests.

The Thunder also benefit from a strong matchup vs. the Blazers on Monday. They rank just 29th in defensive efficiency, so the Thunder should be able to put more points than usual on the scoreboard. Giddey stands out as an of the top options of the day at just $5,700 on FanDuel.

Giddey could also be worth exploring in the player prop market. If his assist prop doesn’t reflect his increased upside sans Gilgeous-Alexander, the over could definitely have some merit. Make sure to take advantage of the Awesemo Player Prop tool, which highlights the most exploitable prop bets each day.

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