Kim Klement / Associated Press
Last year, the Toronto Raptors overtook the Milwaukee Bucks in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning their first NBA title. This year, the Bucks and Raptors will again be the No. 1 and 2. And maybe they could meet again in the Eastern Conference Finals.
We will have a preview of that match on Monday as Milwaukee and Toronto face off at Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Although both teams are stuck in the suits (so there will be nothing on the line), each is looking to continue tuning in ahead of the NBA playoffs.
That match is one of five seeding races to take place on Monday as teams continue to fight for position before the postseason kicks off on Aug.17. Of the 16 places in the playoffs, 15 teams have already secured seats, with only the final team in the Western Conference still to be decided.
Here’s a look at Monday’s schedule, followed by multi-player choices to consider starting in the daily fantasy lineups.
Program 10th August
Oklahoma City Thunder at the Phoenix Suns (-5.5), 2:30 pm ET
Dallas Mavericks (-3) at Utah Jazz, 3 pm ET, NBATV
Toronto Raptors to Milwaukee Bucks (-5.5), 6:30 PM ET, ESPN and ESPN +
Indiana Pacers to Miami Heat (-2.5), 8pm ET
Denver Nuggets to the Los Angeles Lakers (-5.5), 9 pm ET, TNT and Watch TNT
Probability courtesy of Vegas Insider. Non-national broadcasts can be streamed on the NBA League Pass.
Daily Fantasy Picks
Chris Paul, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder ($ 7,500 FanDuel; $ 8,200 DraftKings)
There aren’t a lot of great point guards to play with in the daily fantasy on Monday night. That’s why Paul is the best option, because he has been playing well lately and justifies the price it will take to play him.
Across the Thunder’s first five seeded matches, Paul averages 18.4 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game. He also got a solid performance in Sunday’s win against the Wizards, in which he had 13 points, nine assists, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
Oklahoma City is the number 5 seed of the Western Conference, but it still has the potential to move up or down the leaderboard, so it will have motivation to continue playing well (as well as preparing for the playoffs). And with a matchup against the scorching Suns, who are 5-0 in seeded matches, on Monday, the Thunder could play a competitive, high-scoring matchup, which should give Paul another chance to fill in the stats sheet.
Although Paul only took nine shots from the field in Sunday’s win over Washington, he will likely put more against Phoenix, which should lead to another record-breaking result. The 35-year-old point guard has been a reliable player all season and people should feel comfortable linking him to their daily fantasy lineups as the best option for Monday’s position.
Tim Hardaway, Jr., SG, Dallas Mavericks ($ 4,900 FanDuel; $ 5,600 DraftKings)
Ashley Landis / Associated Press
On Monday, the Mavericks will face Jazz, another Western Conference playoff team. However, Dallas will face some challenges against Utah, mainly due to the players he won’t have on the pitch for the seed match.
Luke Doncic (right ankle), Kristaps Porzingis (left knee) and Dorian Finney-Smith (left flank) were all barred for the Mavericks, meaning they will be without a trio of starters, including their two top scorers (Doncic and Porzingis). However, this could lead many other players to become big plays in daily fantasy lineups.
This includes Hardaway, Dallas’ third top scorer who has been a bit inconsistent since the resumption of the season. He scored 24 and 22 points in games against the Rockets and Kings, respectively, but scored eight or fewer points in the team’s other three games. His worst performance came against the Suns on August 2, when he only had two points on a 1 in 12 shot.
While Hardaway has not been consistently reliable, he will be relying on him to carry a large offensive load against the Jazz which means he should get plenty of shot attempts. And since the 28-year-old shooting guard is a bit owed for a good performance, it’s worth taking the risk and putting him in daily fantasy lineups at an affordable price.
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat ($ 7,600 FanDuel; $ 7,900 DraftKings)
Ashley Landis / Associated Press
It is no surprise that Adebayo has continued to play well for the Heat since the season resumed. The All-Star center hit big numbers during Miami’s seed matches, including Saturday against Phoenix, when he had 18 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal.
Adebayo is typically a solid daily fantasy game, but his Monday bout should help him put up even bigger numbers than usual. This makes it a must-play as a decent value center that might be able to power a formation.
The Heat will face the Pacers, who are without Domantas Sabonis (foot injury). So if Myles Turner gets into trouble, it could become even more difficult for Indiana to find a way to stop Adebayo on the post. And Adebayo should have no problem picking up a lot of rebounds.
Because Adebayo does more than just score and bounce, he is a strong player to have in a daily fantasy lineup with the numbers he posts in other stats. Getting that kind of production from the central location is invaluable and Adebayo should be ready for one of his best shows since the season resumed in the match between the Heat and the Pacers.
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