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What you need to know for Monday's games
It's not March, but it is tournament time. The NBA's in-season tournament experiment has been entertaining and we now enter the knockout phase with Monday's two-game slate featuring the Indiana Pacers hosting the Boston Celtics and the Sacramento Kings hosting the New Orleans Pelicans.
Looking ahead to his unique week in the league, we've compiled a list of strategies and streaming targets given that each team plays two games this week (the tournament's title game is not considered a regular season outcome).
Monday night's Eastern Conference in-season tournament quarterfinal has some interesting fantasy ingredients. The Pacers rank first in both pace and offense and yet 29th in defense, leading to a robust total of 240.5 points. The main injury news for this matchup is the absence of Kristaps Porzingis for Boston due to a calf injury. This vaults Al Horford into streaming territory.
It looks like Tyrese Haliburton will be good to go for the Pacers after missing the team's most recent game. It's worth monitoring if forward Obi Toppin will be active, as he has been stellar of late with a blend of scoring and block production that is unique to his skill set. Another glue guy from the Pacers makes Monday's stream team as well.
The nightcap in Sacramento includes two teams have ranked in the top 10 in offensive rating over the past 10 games, aiding a 235.5-point total. The Pelicans have several young wings that are worthy of fantasy attention in Herbert Jones, Dyson Daniels and Trey Murphy III.
Monday's Stream Team
This segment nominates three key streaming options ahead of that day's action. A streamer, by our standards, is a player available in at least half of ESPN men's basketball leagues.
Herbert Jones, SF/PF, New Orleans Pelicans (47.9%)
Jones is a truly special defensive presence. He ranks sixth in total steals and 24th in total blocks entering this week. The Pelicans don't ask a ton from Jones on offense, but he's capable with the ball in his hands and given the elite defensive results, the bar is low for him to prove helpful. If Jones is already rostered, look to Trey Murphy III (16.4%), as he's ramping his way back to a big role. Even in limited minutes, he can do damage.
Al Horford, C, Boston Celtics (22.4%)
The injury to Porzingis vaults Horford into a starting role Monday night. It helps that the Indiana Pacers don't have much size in the frontcourt, ranking 24th in rebounding percentage. That should allow Horford to flirt with double-double production. The expected high pace should afford Horford more passing volume from the high post, where he can rack up assists to the Celtics' collection of shooters.
Obi Toppin, PF, (9.2%), Indiana Pacers
Toppin is topping out as a resourceful fantasy contributor lately. He has 47 points and five blocks over his past two games and while it's tough to assume he will sustain that level of production against a top Celtics defense, his two-way potential is intriguing nonetheless.
Bruce Brown, SG/SG, Indiana Pacers (21.6%)
Brown has scored least 10 points in eight straight games, including a season-high 30 points in a blowout victory over the Miami Heat Saturday. Brown brings just enough rebounding, passing, and steal production to be a glue guy for the Pacers and your fantasy roster this evening.
Malik Monk, SG/SF, Sacramento Kings (27.1%)
Monk is the key scoring source for the Kings' second unit. He has averaged nearly 21 points across the past week. With the ability to add assists and defensive production, there's more than just buckets with Monk.
Projections and Injury Reports
Fantasy projections powered by ESPN Analytics.* Projections assume all players who are listed as GTD will play. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Players available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues are listed in italics.
Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers
7:30 p.m. Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
BPI Projection: Celtics by 3.1 in the highest-scoring game of the slate.
Injury Report:
Celtics: Kristaps Porzingis, (OUT - Calf)
Pacers: Obi Toppin, (GTD - Ankle); Tyrese Haliburton, (GTD - Illness); Jalen Smith, (OUT - Heel)
Celtics projections:
Jayson Tatum, SF/PF: 48.4 FPTS (28.3 pts, 8.6 reb, 4.5 ast, 3.1 3PM)
Jaylen Brown, SG/SF: 39.6 FPTS (23.5 pts, 5.1 reb, 4.1 ast, 2.5 3PM)
Jrue Holiday, PG/SG: 33.0 FPTS (14.1 pts, 7.5 reb, 5.1 ast)
Derrick White, PG/SG: 30.6 FPTS (14.4 pts, 4.0 reb, 4.6 ast, 2.1 3PM)
Sam Hauser, SF: 17.5 FPTS (8.5 pts, 3.6 reb, 0.9 ast, 2.4 3PM)
Payton Pritchard, PG: 15.3 FPTS (6.6 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast)
Luke Kornet, C: 12.3 FPTS (5.0 pts, 4.6 reb, 0.6 ast)
Pacers projections:
Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG: 42.4 FPTS (21.3 pts, 3.3 reb, 8.2 ast, 3.1 3PM)
Myles Turner, C: 27.8 FPTS (15.3 pts, 8.2 reb, 1.2 ast, 2.0 blk)
Bruce Brown, SG/SF: 23.3 FPTS (11.3 pts, 4.0 reb, 2.3 ast)
Buddy Hield, SG/SF: 22.6 FPTS (10.9 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.4 ast, 2.5 3PM)
Obi Toppin, PF: 21.2 FPTS (11.5 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.1 ast)
Bennedict Mathurin, SG/SF: 19.1 FPTS (12.0 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.4 ast)
Aaron Nesmith, SF: 16.3 FPTS (8.9 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.0 ast)
New Orleans Pelicans at Sacramento Kings
10 p.m. Golden 1 Center, Sacramento
BPI Projection: Kings by 1.1 in the 2nd highest-scoring game of the slate.
Injury Report:
Pelicans: Matt Ryan, (OUT - Elbow); Larry Nance Jr., (OUT - Ribs)
Kings: Chris Duarte, (GTD - Knee); Alex Len, (OUT - Ankle)
Pelicans projections:
Brandon Ingram, SF/PF: 42.8 FPTS (25.8 pts, 4.8 reb, 5.3 ast)
Zion Williamson, PF: 38.2 FPTS (23.6 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.1 ast)
CJ McCollum, PG/SG: 32.7 FPTS (16.9 pts, 3.5 reb, 4.3 ast, 2.7 3PM)
Jonas Valanciunas, C: 29.6 FPTS (13.6 pts, 9.0 reb, 2.3 ast, 1.3 blk)
Herbert Jones, SF/PF: 23.9 FPTS (10.4 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.6 ast)
Trey Murphy III, SG/SF: 22.2 FPTS (11.9 pts, 2.7 reb, 1.2 ast, 2.2 3PM)
Dyson Daniels, PG/SG: 18.4 FPTS (7.3 pts, 3.6 reb, 2.3 ast)
Kings projections:
De'Aaron Fox, PG: 50.5 FPTS (29.5 pts, 4.9 reb, 5.9 ast, 3.0 3PM)
Domantas Sabonis, PF/C: 41.7 FPTS (18.5 pts, 10.9 reb, 6.4 ast)
Keegan Murray, SF/PF: 27.1 FPTS (13.1 pts, 5.7 reb, 1.4 ast, 2.2 3PM)
Kevin Huerter, SG/SF: 23.3 FPTS (10.0 pts, 4.0 reb, 2.4 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Harrison Barnes, SF/PF: 22.9 FPTS (11.1 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.3 ast)
Malik Monk, SG/SF: 22.3 FPTS (12.1 pts, 2.7 reb, 3.2 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Trey Lyles, PF: 15.9 FPTS (7.4 pts, 5.1 reb, 1.0 ast)