NBA Monday: Joel Embiid leads daily fantasy basketball plays
Monday won't bring the busiest of slates, with six games upcoming in the NBA. There are some matchups of note, including the 76ers hosting the Bulls. The Warriors will also try to snap their 11-game road losing streak when they take on the Rockets in Houston. Let's discuss some options to consider on Yahoo, as well as some players to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Kelly Oubre, CHA vs. IND ($25): Oubre finally had an off night, scoring 11 points on 2-for-12 shooting from the field Friday against the 76ers. Before that, he had averaged 25.4 points and shot 47.7 percent from the field across seven games since moving into the starting lineup. Both the Hornets and the Pacers rank inside the top 10 in the league in pace of play, so Oubre should have plenty of opportunities to bounce back.
T.J. McConnell, IND at CHA ($17): The Pacers will play without Tyrese Haliburton (knee) again Monday. He has missed four straight games, leaving McConnell with an expanded role. He hasn't disappointed, scoring at least 28.6 Yahoo points each time. With this game likely having an up-tempo pace, McConnell is very appealing at this cheap salary.
Guard to Avoid
Immanuel Quickley, NY vs. MIN ($23): The Knicks are finally healthy at point guard since Jalen Brunson returned Saturday against the Nuggets. He jumped right back into the swing of things, logging 32 minutes. Quickley reverted to the second unit, scoring 16.6 Yahoo points over 26 minutes. With Brunson healthy again, Quickley's role off the bench could lead to another modest stat line.
FORWARDS
Jaden McDaniels, MIN at NY ($18): McDaniels has increased his production down the stretch, averaging 15.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 three-pointers over the last 13 games. The Timberwolves need his increased scoring, especially if Anthony Edwards (ankle) misses his second straight game. With Edwards out Saturday against the Raptors, McDaniels scored 29.7 Yahoo points over 31 minutes.
Jordan Nwora, IND at CHA ($15): After being buried on the bench with the Bucks, Nwora has had significant playing time with the Pacers. He has been productive, averaging 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.9 steals over the last 10 games. He is yet another player with a cheap salary who could shine in this potentially high-scoring game.
Forward to Avoid
Gordon Hayward, CHA vs. IND ($20): Even with how fantasy-friendly this matchup should be, avoiding Hayward might be wise. He has struggled down the stretch, scoring 23.6 Yahoo points or fewer in four of the last five games. He averaged only 8.2 shot attempts despite logging 30 minutes per game over that five-game span.
CENTERS
Joel Embiid, PHI vs. CHI ($57): Embiid owns the Bulls. In 12 career games against them, he has provided 29.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.6 blocks. He has also scored at least 52.2 Yahoo points in eight straight games as he pushes to win the MVP award. With plenty of appealing value options at guard and forward, rolling with Embiid at his hefty salary is still feasible.
Xavier Tillman, MEM vs. DAL ($17): For those who want to fade Embiid, don't overlook Tillman. He's locked in as the Grizzlies' starting center and has a favorable matchup against a Mavericks team that doesn't have much size up front. Tillman has faced them twice over the last couple of weeks, scoring 27.6 and 29.0 Yahoo points, respectively.
Center to Avoid
Nikola Vucevic, CHI at PHI ($31): The Bulls need to ride Vucevic, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan if they are going to make the play-in tournament. The problem for Vucevic here is that he'll be facing Embiid. That means the potential for foul trouble. Despite Vucevic scoring at least 30.0 Yahoo points in six straight games, this matchup makes him a risky option.