There’s a lot less drama in the NBA’s Eastern Conference now that the Bulls and Wizards have been eliminated. Only a few seeds remain to be determined. The West is a different story, with three teams battling for the final two spots. Two of them meet in the best of nine Monday games.
The tired, banged-up Mavericks threw in the towel after a 12-point third quarter vs. the Clippers yesterday. Charlie Villanueva $3000 and Dwight Powell $3000 played most of the fourth. Meanwhile, The Jazz romped in Denver despite Derrick Favors $6600 (knee) being a late scratch. Rudy Gobert $5200 was brilliant (16 PTS, 14 REB, 6 BLK) and Trey Lyles $3400 added 22 points (including 4-of-8 from deep) and six boards. Even in a defensive struggle, if Favors sits out again, Gobert and Lyles are DFS bargains.
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The last time the Rockets played a back-to-back, they lost to Phoenix, a big reason they’re in ninth place. They blew out the Lakers at home on Sunday; tonight in Minnesota won’t be as easy but it’s another must-win for James Harden $10900 and Dwight Howard $6000. The Timberwolves have a bright future with Karl-Anthony Towns $8900 and Andrew Wiggins $6500 leading the way. In their last two wins, Nemanja Bjelica $3700 has been outstanding off the bench.
Oklahoma City can beat the Lakers by 40. The question is, will they? Russell Westbrook $10300 and Kevin Durant $9700 both rested last Wednesday, then played normal minutes in Saturday’s upset loss in Sacramento. The strong possibility of garbage time makes them somewhat risky at those prices.
There are a number of bargains with upside on the lottery teams. DeMarcus Cousins is shut down and Rajon Rondo $8000 has played once in ten days. Darren Collison $6100 and Rudy Gay $7200 led the Kings against the Thunder in their final home game. The Suns just scored over 120 in two straight road victories. Mirza Teletovic $5600, Alex Len $5400 and Archie Goodwin $3500 are solid value plays.
Chicago can rest their exhausted veterans and give backups extra run. Bobby Portis $3500, Justin Holiday $3100, Christiano Felicio $3000, Aaron Brooks $3000 are all cheap. Washington should start Ramon Sessions $4600 again after yesterday’s double-double. Marcus Thornton $3000, an afterthought while the games mattered, played 31 minutes and scored 16 points as they upset the Hornets.
Milwaukee at Orlando could be high-scoring but Giannis Antetokounmpo $10200 is getting expensive. With Victor Oladipo (concussion) doubtful, both Evan Fournier $4900 and Mario Hezonja $3300 gain value.
It’s a stars-and-scrubs kind of player pool. There are so many inexpensive options it’s hard to choose. Our sample lineup includes Gobert and Lyles, but if Favors returns, we’ll do some juggling. As the season winds down, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of real-life rotation changes.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Russell Westbrook $10300 | Darren Collison $6100 | Ramon Sessions $4600 |
| SG | James Harden $10900 | Evan Fournier $4900 | Mario Hezonja $3300 |
| SF | Kevin Durant $9700 | Mirza Teletovic $5600 | Marcus Thornton $3000 |
| PF | Paul Millsap $8600 | Amir Johnson $4700 | Trey Lyles $3400 |
| C | Karl-Anthony Towns $8900 | Rudy Gobert $5200 | Christiano Felicio $3000 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.