This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a much larger slate than usual for a Sunday with eight games on tap. Oddsmakers are projecting a lower-scoring ledger, with the Hornets-Suns the notable outlier. Part of the reason is certainly a slew of big-name absences due to both COVID-19 and conventional injuries.
Slate Overview
Portland Trail Blazers at Memphis Grizzlies (-4.5) (O/U: 219.5 points)
San Antonio Spurs (-4.5) at Sacramento Kings (O/U: 226.5 points)
Miami Heat (-7) at Detroit Pistons (O/U: 207.0 points)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks (-3.5) (O/U: 220.5 points)
Denver Nuggets (-8) at Brooklyn Nets (O/U: 217.0 points)
Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago Bulls (-5.5) (O/U: 214.0 points)
New Orleans Pelicans at Philadelphia 76ers (-6) (O/U: 213.5 points)
Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves (-3.5) (O/U: 214.5 points)
Charlotte Hornets at Phoenix Suns (-8) (O/U: 231.0 points)
Despite the majority of contests expected to be on the lower-scoring end of the spectrum, the positive is most are also projected to be competitive. The complete absence of double-digit spreads is always a welcome sigh for DFS purposes, as it implies we should get normal workloads out of the more prominent players.
There should also be an opportunity for some complementary producers to step up given multiple stars already confirmed or possibly out. The injury report also plays a part in some of the aforementioned betting lines, with the absences of James Harden and Kevin Durant making Brooklyn an eight-point home underdog the prime example.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following is a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate, including those carrying injury designations that aren't listed in this section.
Joel Embiid, PHI (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Embiid were to sit, Andre Drummond would draw the start at center while the usage of the remaining members of the 76ers' starting five would see a sizable boost.
Anthony Davis, LAL (knee): OUT
With Davis out several weeks, Carmelo Anthony should see a larger role while the already elevated usage of Russell Westbrook and LeBron James should notably increase.
James Harden, BRO (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
In Harden's ongoing absence, Cam Thomas could start at point guard, though Patty Mills could also shift to primary ball handler.
Kevin Durant, BRO (ankle): OUT
With Durant sidelined, Blake Griffin (knee) would start at power forward if healthy with the possibility Kessler Edwards or newcomer James Ennis share the duties at the four if Griffin is also unavailable.
Luka Doncic, DAL (ankle): OUT
Jalen Brunson should be the lead point guard without Doncic while the usage of the remaining members of the starting five would see a bump.
LeBron James, LAL (abdomen): PROBABLE
James is fully expected to play through his probable designation and will be primed for elevated usage with Davis out.
Trae Young, ATL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Should Young sit, Delon Wright would likely start at point guard while the rest of the Hawks' starting five would see a significant rise in usage.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (back): OUT
In Butler's ongoing absence, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent should keep enjoying elevated roles.
Devin Booker, PHO (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Booker remains out, Landry Shamet should get another start at two-guard.
Other notable injuries:
Jerami Grant, DET (thumb): OUT
Zach LaVine, CHI (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
De'Aaron Fox, SAC (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
CJ McCollum, POR (chest): OUT
Bam Adebayo, MIA (thumb): OUT
Anthony Edwards, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Evan Mobley, CLE (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Blake Griffin, BRO (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Richaun Holmes, SAC (eye): QUESTIONABLE
Tyrese Maxey, PHI (quadriceps): QUESTIONABLE
Tyler Herro, MIA (quadriceps): QUESTIONABLE
Kyrie Irving, BRO (personal): OUT
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to be active for Sunday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($11,400), LeBron James ($11,000), Joel Embiid ($10,500) and Trae Young ($10,000).
Jokic hasn't been below 48.5 FD points in his last eight games and is averaging 56.3 for the season. The big man also faces a significantly depleted Nets frontcourt, with the one caveat the possibility of a blowout in Denver's favor curtailing his minutes.
James is expected to play through his probable designation as noted earlier and will take the floor without AD, a scenario where he sports a 29.9 percent usage rate.
Embiid's status will have to be monitored carefully throughout the day, but would be in a favorable matchup if he can go against a Pelicans team ranked in the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency allowed to centers.
Young's health will also have to be monitored, but he checks in running hot with four tallies of over 50 FD points over the last five contests.
Expected Chalk
In addition to the players just mentioned in the previous section, other likely chalk plays include:
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN ($9,900)
Towns has dropped over 50 FD points in his last two, which should keep him very popular in what is also a favorable matchup against the Mavs.
Russell Westbrook, LAL ($9,700)
Westbrook carries a 29.4 percent usage rate without Davis on the floor, which should help elevate his popularity despite a trio of sub-30-FD-point efforts from three of his last five appearances.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,600)
Ball scored 40.3 FD points against the Blazers in his first game back from COVID-19 protocols Friday while logging 28 minutes, setting aside any concerns about his conditioning.
Kristaps Porzingis, DAL ($8,700)
Porzingis boasts a 30.4 percent usage rate and averages 48.4 FD points per 36 minutes without Doncic on the floor, which should help make the big man extremely popular.
DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($8,500)
DeRozan should be in plenty of lineups in his return from a three-game absence with a ceiling north of 50 FD points and a team-high 36.7 percent usage rate while averaging 47.2 FD points per 36 minutes with Zach LaVine off the floor.
Key Values
Norman Powell, POR at MEM ($6,300)
Powell just posted 50.7 FD points on this same Grizzlies squad two games ago and is averaging 33.2 over his last six while logging a hefty 40.8 minutes during that span. The sharpshooting veteran is hitting an impressive 40.3 percent from distance with a 25.1 percent usage rate with CJ McCollum off the floor this year. The Grizzlies are allowing the second-highest three-point shooting percentage (37.4) and give up the ninth-most FD points per game to small forwards (40.4).
Seth Curry, PHI vs. NOP ($5,800)
There's a chance Curry takes the floor without Embiid, a scenario where he's averaging just under 30 FD points per 36 minutes. The Pelicans are also allowing the NBA's fourth-highest three-point shooting percentage on the road (37.8), while Curry is posting personal bests across the board, including a career-high 51.6 percent shooting percentage. He also has produced a pair of tallies over 40 FD points in his last five outings and has already delivered over 5x his current salary on 11 occasions this season.
Cameron Payne, PHO vs. CHA ($5,400)
Payne has been a steady contributor off the Suns' bench and has posted over 20 FD points 11 times, including three over 30. The veteran is struggling with efficiency overall, but he'll draw a matchup that should facilitate one of his better performances as the Hornets are allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to backcourt players (48.4 percent) and fourth highest to second-unit players (44.5 percent). Charlotte's also giving up an Eastern Conference-high 48.6 percent shooting on the road, including 37.7 percent from three-point range.
ALSO CONSIDER: Gabe Vincent, MIA at DET ($5,800); Cameron Johnson, PHO vs. CHA ($5,400)
