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After ceding the spotlight to the NBA on Super Sunday, the NBA is back at full force with an exciting nine-game slate Monday night. The Association naturally has its own milestone event coming up, as there are only four more nights of action prior to the commencement of All-Star Weekend.
None of the games Monday are between teams with winning records, but there could still be plenty of strong individual performances from players all across the salary scale. There are some big names on the injury report as well, but we'll take advantage of that fact by focusing on some of their teammates that have salaries not quite commensurate to their expanded roles.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 2/14/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Stephen Curry - PG, GSW at LAC (10,400 DK; $9,700 FD)
Curry gets a third crack at a Clippers team he's thrived against this season, putting him in play despite the heavy investment required to roster him. Curry has averaged over 60 fantasy points on each site in his first two meetings versus Los Angeles this season, shooting 59.6 percent, including 57.7 percent from three-point range, in those games. The Clippers have been vulnerable to point guards all season, but particularly in recent games, as they've allowed over 58 fantasy points per game on each site to ones in the last seven contests. The fact Golden State will be on the road Monday could also help Curry's production, considering the game could be much more competitive than if it were at Chase Center.
Donovan Mitchell - SG/PG, UTA vs. HOU ($9,200 DK; $8,800 FD)
Mitchell has been sharp since returning from his concussion, shooting 46.4 percent, including 39.5 percent from three-point range. The sharp-shooting wing scored over 30 fantasy points in just 23 minutes against the Rockets in his first encounter with them this season and should have a chance for an even more fruitful performance Monday if he plays an allotment of minutes much closer to his season average of 33.3. Houston has allowed the sixth-highest offensive efficiency to two-guards (22.6 percent), along with over 43 fantasy points per game to the position on each site over the last 15 games.
Cam Thomas - SG, BKN vs. SAC ($5,700 DK; $7,100 FD)
Kyrie Irving will be unavailable as usual for the Nets' home game Monday, which should lock in ample playing time for Thomas. The emerging rookie has been outstanding with extended opportunity in the last five games, shooting 50.0 percent while averaging 23.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals. Thomas will be poised to potentially overdeliver on his modest salaries once again Monday, as the Kings have allowed the second-highest offensive efficiency to shooting guards (24.4 percent), the ninth highest to small forwards (22.9 percent) and the second highest to second-unit players (46.1 percent). Sacramento is also tied for the fifth-highest three-point shooting percentage allowed (36.5), while Thomas is shooting an improved 35.5 percent from distance in his last five.
Also consider: Fred VanVleet, TOR at NOP ($8,800 DK; $8,600 FD); Klay Thompson, GSW at LAC ($6,800 DK; $6,700 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
DeMar DeRozan - SF/PF, CHI vs. SAS ($10,200 DK, $10,400 FD)
DeRozan has been on a multi-week tear that's seen him average 33.6 points, 5.9 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals across his last 14 games. The veteran is shooting a stellar 57.6 percent over that span, and a matchup against his old Spurs squad could well yield more of the same. DeRozan scored over 50 fantasy points in his one previous encounter against San Antonio, and the Spurs come in allowing over 45 fantasy points per game to PFs on either site for the season. What's more, DeRozan will be taking the floor without Zach LaVine (knee) in addition to Lonzo Ball (knee), a scenario in which he sports a 38.5 percent usage rate and averages 48 DK/47 FD points per 36 minutes.
Darius Bazley - SF/PF, OKC at NYK ($6,400 DK; $6,600 FD)
Speaking of dominant runs, Bazley has been on one in his own right, albeit nowhere near as extensive as DeRozan's. Nevertheless, Bazley has averaged an impressive 14.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals across his current six-game starting stint, and he's averaged over 30 fantasy points per game during that sample. The Knicks ranks just inside the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency allowed to power forwards (25.7 percent), and they've also given up over 43 fantasy points per game to the position on the season.
Keldon Johnson - SF/PF, SAS at CHI ($5,800 DK; $5,800 FD)
Johnson makes for a good power forward play in his own right on the other side of the Spurs-Bulls matchup, as Chicago has been an absolute sieve against fours all season. The Bulls are allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency to power forwards (28.2 percent), along with over 47 fantasy points per game on each site to the position for the season. For his part, Johnson has been more productive than his very appealing salaries would imply, as he's averaging 17.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists across his current 16-game starting stint while shooting 50.0 percent, including 41.8 percent from three-point range.
Also consider: Aaron Gordon, DEN vs. ORL ($5,800 DK; $6,400 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Vucevic - CHI vs. SAS ($9,800 DK; $9,900 FD)
Vucevic has been nearly as prolific as DeRozan in instances where both LaVine and Ball have been off the floor, posting a 28.4 percent usage rate and averaging 47.4 DK/46.7 FD points per 36 minutes in that scenario. The big man has scored over 45 fantasy points on both sites in each of his last three games as well, and the Spurs present an excellent opportunity for him to churn out another fruitful performance. San Antonio has yielded the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to centers (33.5 percent) while also giving up over 55 fantasy points per game to the position. The Spurs are also conceding the third-most rebounds per road game (56.0), further enhancing Vucevic's case.
Jonas Valanciunas - NOP vs. TOR ($7,700 DK; $6,800 FD)
Valanciunas touched up the Raptors for 47.3 DK/44.9 FD points in his first encounter with them this season, and he comes into Monday's game having posted nine double-doubles in his last 16 games alone. Toronto has allowed over 54 fantasy points per game to centers over the last seven as well, and the Raptors are ranked No. 21 in offensive efficiency allowed in the paint (58.2 percent) while also giving up a good bit more points in that part of the floor on the road (46.8 per game) than at home (42.5). Meanwhile, Valanciunas is scoring over 60.0 percent of his points in the paint, making him a particularly good candidate to exploit that vulnerability.
Also consider: Nicolas Claxton, BKN vs. SAC ($4,500 DK; $4,000 FD)
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