The best game on Monday’s NBA slate was the last, as Miami and Sacramento required two overtime periods to determine a winner. The Kings won 123-118, with DeMar DeRozan scoring the home team’s final nine points. From a fantasy standpoint, both teams boasted low-rostered players who stepped up when their respective teams needed them most.
SG/SF Keon Ellis (15%), making his fourth straight start (the last two for De’Aaron Fox), played 49 of a possible 58 minutes and finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals, one block, and three 3-pointers. He was efficient, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 2-of-3 from the foul line, and the 17 points are the most Ellis has scored in a game since November 18 (33 vs. Atlanta). A top-75 player in 9-cat formats over the past two weeks, he’s worth holding onto until Fox returns. And there’s a chance that Ellis will have value even after the Kings welcome back their star point guard.
On the other side was SF Jaime Jaquez Jr. (13%), who has been one of the Heat wings who have proven incapable of providing consistent fantasy value for most of the season. However, he had a big night in Sacramento, recording his first triple-double and finishing with 16 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, five steals, and one blocked shot in 46 minutes.
Jaquez replaced Duncan Robinson in the starting lineup on Monday, and while the triple-double with five steals isn’t the norm, he’s undoubtedly capable of impacting multiple categories. Miami plays three more games during Week 11, beginning with the Warriors on Tuesday. The schedule and Jimmy Butler’s suspension make Jaquez worth holding onto for the rest of the week.
Let’s look at a few of Monday’s other top pickups:
PG/SG Scotty Pippen Jr. (30%), Memphis Grizzlies
Ja Morant remains out, which means Pippen still has streaming value. He finished Monday’s win over Dallas with a complete stat line: 18 points, five rebounds, four assists, five steals, one block, and three 3-pointers in just 28 minutes. Even with Memphis only playing two more games during Week 11 (Thursday and Saturday), Pippen is worth holding onto (or adding) due to the absences of Morant and Desmond Bane.
SG/SF Kelly Oubre Jr. (30%), Philadelphia 76ers
Oubre returned to the 76ers lineup after missing three games with a sprained left hand, and the southpaw was productive in Monday’s loss to the Suns. Shooting 9-of-18 from the field and 7-of-9 from the foul line, Oubre finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, and one 3-pointer in 38 minutes. With Joel Embiid (foot) out, there were opportunities for others to step up, and Oubre was one of the few who did. Philadelphia plays three more games during Week 11, and matchups with Washington (Wednesday) and New Orleans (Friday) look especially appealing concerning Oubre’s fantasy value.
PG Cole Anthony (17%), Orlando Magic
After shooting 5-of-12 from the field in Sunday’s loss to the Jazz as Jalen Suggs’ replacement in the starting lineup, Anthony excelled against the Knicks the following night. He shot 9-of-18 from the field and 3-of-4 from the foul line, finishing with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and three 3-pointers. On a night when many players struggled to consistently knock down shots until Orlando got going during the fourth quarter, Anthony (renowned for his inefficiency at this point) had no such issues. While the Magic don’t play again until Thursday, they play three games during the final four days of Week 11.
PG/SG Keon Johnson (16%), Brooklyn Nets
The Nets have been hit hard by injuries recently, and D’Angelo Russell and Ben Simmons joined Cameron Johnson and Cam Thomas on the sideline for Monday’s game against the Pacers. Keon Johnson didn’t have the best stat line, finishing with 12 points, four rebounds, five assists, four steals, two 3-pointers, and five turnovers, but this pick is about the opportunity. We’ll see what happens with Russell and Simmons for Wednesday’s game against the Pistons, but Keon will be well worth the risk if those two remain out. Also, he’s a player who should have added value during the “silly season.”
SF Ryan Dunn (13%), Phoenix Suns
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer made two changes to his starting lineup for Monday’s game in Philadelphia, with Dunn and Mason Plumlee replacing Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic (who returned from a three-game suspension). While Dunn’s line (15 points, four rebounds, one assist, and three 3-pointers in 27 minutes) doesn’t make him an automatic add in most leagues, the rookie’s performance against the 76ers should keep him in the starting lineup for at least one more game. And that doesn’t even consider Royce O’Neale still being out with a sprained ankle.
SG/SF Tim Hardaway Jr. (5%), Detroit Pistons
Without Jaden Ivey, the Pistons were also without Ausar Thompson for Monday’s game against Portland. While most of the streaming focus was on Malik Beasley, and rightfully so, have we been overlooking Hardaway? His season-long fantasy value hasn’t been good, as he’s essentially a points and 3-pointers option. However, Ivey and Thompson being out opens things up for Hardaway in the short term. He shot 10-of-15 from the field on Monday, finishing with 26 points and six 3-pointers. Managers needing production in the other categories can avoid Hardaway, but his value as a fantasy specialist will be boosted if Thompson misses time beyond Monday.
SG/SF Naji Marshall (5%), Dallas Mavericks
Marshall returned from a four-game suspension on Monday and was immediately placed in the starting lineup. The Mavericks are without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, with the latter expected to be re-evaluated in one week. Marshall didn’t shoot the ball well in Dallas’ loss to the Grizzlies, going 5-of-15 from the field, but he finished with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers in 33 minutes. Marshall will have room to impact the Mavericks offensively as a scorer and playmaker with the team’s two stars unavailable. He’s worth rolling the dice on.
