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What you need to know for Monday's games
A nine-game Sunday schedule in the NBA included a welcome mix of star performances and big games from lesser-known players. At the intersection of these archetypes, RJ Barrett of the Toronto Raptors stood out with a season-high 37 points in a drubbing of the Golden State Warriors. Recently acquired from the New York Knicks, Barrett, who is a free agent in 40% of ESPN men's basketball leagues, could finally have found his basketball home back in his native country.
Some truly surprising statistical showings surfaced on Sunday, as well, with the Portland Trail Blazers turning to Australian big man Duop Reath (1.4% rostered) in the wake of Deandre Ayton's injury. Registering three blocks and three 3-pointers in yesterday's overtime win over Brooklyn is a rare outcome for a depth center, suggesting he has some fantasy upside in the coming games.
The short-handed Orlando Magic pulled off a home upset of the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday afternoon thanks in part to Caleb Houstan's (0.2%) career-high 25 points and seven triples for a team badly in need of backcourt scoring. Time will tell if his role and production are sustainable, but the opportunities should be there.
One last note from Sunday is a knee injury suffered by Cade Cunningham. It's unclear what the significance of this knee strain means, but fantasy managers can be proactive by adding Killian Hayes until more information is revealed.
Looking at Monday's six-game slate, a look at the injury report reveals superstars Jimmy Butler and Damian Lillard won't be on the floor in their respective matchups.
Butler's absence combined with Caleb Martin listed as doubtful for Monday's tilt with the Houston Rockets drives interest in rising rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. (32.2%), a popular streaming candidate over the past month. As for Lillard, Cameron Payne is also out, removing an obvious pivot for managers, although Malik Beasley (8.5%) is likely to loft plenty of shots as a result.
You know a game is friendly for fantasy purposes when it approaches a total of 250 points, Two matchups on the slate Monday night offer help flesh out the streaming tier for Monday night in what should be high-scoring affairs between Oklahoma City Thunder and Washington Wizards and the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers.
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.
Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Washington Wizards (32.2%)
Back to delivering versatile lines as a point forward for the Wizards, Avdija has at least four dimes in four of the past five games and a double-double in three of the past five games. Minutes are rarely limited given the team's lack of forward depth, aiding his case against the Thunder.
Bennedict Mathurin, SG/SF, Indiana Pacers (19.5%)
Now that the Pacers are in contention for a playoff berth, heavy minutes aren't always there for Mathurin. That said, he has regained a big role in the rotation lately with savvier shot selection and just scored 20 points with nice peripheral production against the Boston Celtics over the weekend.
Luguentz Dort, SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder (17.5%)
If there is ever a matchup for Dort to collect stocks (steals and blocks) and make shots from beyond the arc, it's against the porous Washington Wizards. The point total is based on Washington's leaky defense, setting this two-way force up with real fantasy potential.
Malik Beasley, SG, Milwaukee Bucks (11.0%)
The aforementioned absences of Lillard and Payne makes Beasley the key floor-spacer for a team that likes to feed the perimeter from the post with the likes of Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even if he doesn't make the cut for your fantasy roster(s), scoring and shooting props could prove savvy for this heat-check guard.
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.
Chicago Bulls at Charlotte Hornets
7 p.m. Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
BPI Projection: Bulls in the 5th highest-scoring game of the slate.
Injury Report:
Bulls: Alex Caruso, (GTD - Neck); Nikola Vucevic, (GTD - Groin); Patrick Williams, (GTD - Ankle); Zach LaVine, (GTD - Foot); Torrey Craig, (OUT - Heel); Lonzo Ball, (OUT - Knee)
Hornets: Frank Ntilikina, (OUT - Lower Leg); Mark Williams, (OUT - Back); P.J. Washington, (OUT - Foot); Gordon Hayward, (OUT - Calf); LaMelo Ball, (OUT - Ankle)
Bulls projections:
DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF: 39.9 FPTS (23.5 pts, 3.7 reb, 4.9 ast)
Coby White, PG/SG: 36.7 FPTS (19.2 pts, 4.6 reb, 4.9 ast, 2.8 3PM)
Nikola Vucevic, C: 31.4 FPTS (14.7 pts, 8.5 reb, 3.1 ast)
Zach LaVine, SG/SF: 29.2 FPTS (15.4 pts, 3.8 reb, 3.2 ast, 2.1 3PM)
Andre Drummond, C: 26.7 FPTS (12.2 pts, 11.5 reb, 0.8 ast)
Ayo Dosunmu, SG: 20.6 FPTS (10.5 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.7 ast)
Alex Caruso, PG/SG: 12.8 FPTS (5.0 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.6 ast)
Hornets projections:
Terry Rozier, PG/SG: 46.2 FPTS (25.9 pts, 3.6 reb, 6.8 ast, 2.8 3PM)
Miles Bridges, SF/PF: 39.2 FPTS (21.7 pts, 6.6 reb, 3.6 ast, 2.1 3PM)
Brandon Miller, SG/SF: 20.8 FPTS (12.7 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.2 ast)
Nick Richards, C: 20.3 FPTS (9.6 pts, 7.4 reb, 1.1 ast)
Cody Martin, SF: 19.5 FPTS (10.0 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.7 ast)
Ish Smith, PG: 11.7 FPTS (5.1 pts, 1.7 reb, 2.5 ast)
Bryce McGowens, SG: 11.2 FPTS (6.5 pts, 2.0 reb, 1.1 ast)
Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m. Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
BPI Projection: Celtics in the highest-scoring game of the slate.
Injury Report:
Celtics: Jayson Tatum, (GTD - Ankle); Kristaps Porzingis, (GTD - Eye); Sam Hauser, (GTD - Shoulder)
Pacers: Andrew Nembhard, (GTD - Back); Bruce Brown, (GTD - Knee); Isaiah Jackson, (GTD - Finger)
Celtics projections:
Jayson Tatum, SF/PF: 46.0 FPTS (26.4 pts, 7.6 reb, 4.5 ast, 3.0 3PM)
Jaylen Brown, SG/SF: 37.1 FPTS (22.0 pts, 4.9 reb, 3.7 ast, 2.4 3PM)
Jrue Holiday, PG/SG: 30.4 FPTS (13.7 pts, 6.2 reb, 4.5 ast)
Kristaps Porzingis, PF/C: 30.0 FPTS (17.4 pts, 6.7 reb, 1.4 ast, 1.7 blk)
Derrick White, PG/SG: 28.4 FPTS (12.9 pts, 3.4 reb, 4.6 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Al Horford, PF/C: 16.7 FPTS (5.4 pts, 5.9 reb, 1.8 ast)
Payton Pritchard, PG: 13.8 FPTS (5.3 pts, 2.8 reb, 2.1 ast)
Pacers projections:
Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG: 49.5 FPTS (24.2 pts, 4.4 reb, 9.4 ast, 3.3 3PM)
Myles Turner, C: 25.2 FPTS (14.3 pts, 6.8 reb, 0.9 ast, 2.2 blk)
Obi Toppin, PF: 23.3 FPTS (11.4 pts, 5.2 reb, 1.3 ast)
Bruce Brown, SG/SF: 23.1 FPTS (11.3 pts, 4.0 reb, 2.5 ast)
Bennedict Mathurin, SG/SF: 22.3 FPTS (14.8 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.6 ast)
Jalen Smith, PF/C: 21.6 FPTS (11.3 pts, 6.7 reb, 1.2 ast)
Aaron Nesmith, SF: 20.9 FPTS (12.3 pts, 3.8 reb, 0.9 ast)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Washington Wizards
7 p.m. Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
BPI Projection: Thunder in the 3rd highest-scoring game of the slate.
Injury Report:
Thunder: None reported
Wizards: Delon Wright, (GTD - Quadriceps); Landry Shamet, (GTD - Hamstring)
Thunder projections:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG/SG: 57.0 FPTS (29.8 pts, 6.1 reb, 5.9 ast)
Jalen Williams, SG/SF/PF: 34.9 FPTS (17.8 pts, 3.4 reb, 4.0 ast)
Luguentz Dort, SG/SF: 24.2 FPTS (11.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.3 ast)
Josh Giddey, PG/SG/PF: 22.8 FPTS (10.3 pts, 5.8 reb, 3.5 ast)
Chet Holmgren, PF/C: 20.6 FPTS (11.5 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.1 ast)
Cason Wallace, PG/SG: 15.6 FPTS (8.3 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.0 ast)
Isaiah Joe, SG: 13.8 FPTS (7.3 pts, 1.6 reb, 0.8 ast)
Wizards projections:
Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF: 34.4 FPTS (20.2 pts, 5.7 reb, 3.8 ast, 2.4 3PM)
Jordan Poole, PG/SG: 26.1 FPTS (15.8 pts, 2.1 reb, 3.2 ast, 2.1 3PM)
Tyus Jones, PG: 25.8 FPTS (10.6 pts, 2.6 reb, 3.9 ast)
Deni Avdija, SF/PF: 24.5 FPTS (10.3 pts, 5.6 reb, 3.2 ast)
Daniel Gafford, PF/C: 22.0 FPTS (9.4 pts, 7.0 reb, 1.2 ast, 1.6 blk)
Bilal Coulibaly, SG: 19.4 FPTS (10.8 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.1 ast)
Corey Kispert, SG/SF: 15.2 FPTS (8.9 pts, 1.3 reb, 1.2 ast)
Houston Rockets at Miami Heat
7:30 p.m. Kaseya Center, Miami
BPI Projection: Heat in the 6th highest-scoring game of the slate.
Injury Report:
Rockets: Nate Hinton, (GTD - Ankle); Dillon Brooks, (OUT - Oblique); Tari Eason, (OUT - Lower Leg); Victor Oladipo, (OUT - Knee)
Heat: Caleb Martin, (GTD - Ankle); Jimmy Butler, (OUT - Foot); Dru Smith, (OUT - Knee)
Rockets projections:
Alperen Sengun, C: 45.1 FPTS (24.4 pts, 9.2 reb, 5.0 ast)
Fred VanVleet, PG: 39.6 FPTS (18.4 pts, 3.9 reb, 7.6 ast, 3.0 3PM)
Jalen Green, SG: 32.2 FPTS (20.3 pts, 5.0 reb, 3.2 ast, 2.4 3PM)
Jabari Smith Jr., PF/C: 31.4 FPTS (15.5 pts, 9.8 reb, 1.5 ast)
Jae'Sean Tate, SF/PF: 16.3 FPTS (7.4 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.2 ast)
Amen Thompson, SG: 15.5 FPTS (7.9 pts, 3.7 reb, 1.2 ast)
Aaron Holiday, PG: 14.7 FPTS (7.7 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.6 ast)
Heat projections:
Bam Adebayo, C: 40.8 FPTS (22.6 pts, 10.8 reb, 4.2 ast)
Tyler Herro, PG/SG: 40.3 FPTS (23.2 pts, 5.4 reb, 4.5 ast, 3.0 3PM)
Jaime Jaquez Jr., SF: 26.6 FPTS (16.2 pts, 5.8 reb, 1.4 ast)
Kevin Love, PF/C: 22.0 FPTS (9.1 pts, 6.4 reb, 2.4 ast, 1.9 3PM)
Duncan Robinson, SG/SF: 21.4 FPTS (10.9 pts, 2.5 reb, 2.4 ast, 2.4 3PM)
Kyle Lowry, PG: 19.7 FPTS (7.3 pts, 3.2 reb, 3.4 ast)
Nikola Jovic, SF: 16.0 FPTS (7.5 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.7 ast)
Utah Jazz at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m. Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee
BPI Projection: Bucks in the 2nd highest-scoring game of the slate.
Injury Report:
Jazz: None reported
Bucks: Cameron Payne, (OUT - Concussion); Damian Lillard, (OUT - Personal); Jae Crowder, (OUT - Groin)
Jazz projections:
Lauri Markkanen, SF/PF: 37.4 FPTS (21.3 pts, 7.2 reb, 1.8 ast, 3.0 3PM)
Collin Sexton, PG/SG: 25.7 FPTS (14.6 pts, 2.8 reb, 3.3 ast)
John Collins, PF: 22.7 FPTS (12.7 pts, 7.0 reb, 0.9 ast)
Jordan Clarkson, SG: 21.0 FPTS (11.0 pts, 2.9 reb, 4.2 ast)
Kris Dunn, PG: 18.0 FPTS (7.1 pts, 3.6 reb, 3.4 ast)
Keyonte George, PG/SG: 17.9 FPTS (9.9 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.2 ast)
Walker Kessler, C: 17.8 FPTS (8.1 pts, 6.9 reb, 0.8 ast, 2.3 blk)
Bucks projections:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF/C: 54.2 FPTS (33.8 pts, 11.2 reb, 6.0 ast, 1.4 blk)
Khris Middleton, SF: 34.4 FPTS (17.5 pts, 5.8 reb, 5.0 ast)
Bobby Portis, PF/C: 25.4 FPTS (13.4 pts, 7.4 reb, 1.1 ast)
Brook Lopez, C: 24.7 FPTS (13.1 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.1 ast, 1.8 3PM, 2.9 blk)
Malik Beasley, SG: 23.8 FPTS (12.4 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.2 ast, 2.9 3PM)
MarJon Beauchamp, SG: 15.9 FPTS (9.0 pts, 4.2 reb, 1.0 ast)
Pat Connaughton, SG/SF: 13.6 FPTS (5.2 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.4 ast)
Phoenix Suns at LA Clippers
10:30 p.m. Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
BPI Projection: Clippers in the 4th highest-scoring game of the slate.
Injury Report:
Suns: Bol Bol, (GTD - Ankle); Eric Gordon, (GTD - Knee); Nassir Little, (GTD - Knee); Damion Lee, (OUT - Knee)
Clippers: Moussa Diabate, (OUT - Hand)
Suns projections:
Kevin Durant, SF/PF: 49.9 FPTS (32.1 pts, 7.0 reb, 6.6 ast, 1.8 3PM)
Devin Booker, PG/SG/PF: 47.0 FPTS (28.4 pts, 5.4 reb, 6.8 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Bradley Beal, PG/SG: 31.8 FPTS (19.2 pts, 4.4 reb, 3.8 ast, 1.9 3PM)
Jusuf Nurkic, C: 27.9 FPTS (12.7 pts, 9.5 reb, 3.2 ast)
Grayson Allen, SG: 27.2 FPTS (11.7 pts, 4.9 reb, 3.0 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Keita Bates-Diop, SF: 12.9 FPTS (6.0 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.0 ast)
Chimezie Metu, C: 11.9 FPTS (5.1 pts, 4.4 reb, 0.6 ast)
Clippers projections:
Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF: 45.1 FPTS (26.1 pts, 5.8 reb, 3.7 ast, 2.1 3PM)
Paul George, SG/SF/PF: 39.5 FPTS (22.3 pts, 5.1 reb, 4.1 ast, 3.0 3PM)
James Harden, PG/SG: 38.0 FPTS (16.8 pts, 4.9 reb, 7.6 ast, 2.4 3PM)
Ivica Zubac, C: 27.5 FPTS (13.1 pts, 9.9 reb, 1.4 ast, 1.5 blk)
Russell Westbrook, PG: 22.9 FPTS (10.1 pts, 5.1 reb, 4.1 ast)
Norman Powell, SG/SF: 17.7 FPTS (10.9 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.0 ast)
Joshua Primo, SG: 15.0 FPTS (5.7 pts, 2.4 reb, 3.3 ast)