This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're teed up for a six-game slate Sunday night full of postseason implications, with four head-to-head matchups between teams with winning records featured. That's typically good news for DFS purposes, as is the fact no line is bigger than 7.5 points. The short-term injuries are also relatively light, which keeps the player pool strong across the board.
Slate Overview
Golden State Warriors (-7.5) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 217.0 points)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Boston Celtics (-6) (O/U: 227.5 points)
Philadelphia 76ers at Phoenix Suns (-5) (O/U: 229.0 points)
Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Pelicans (-2.5) (O/U: 232.0 points)
Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks (-2.5) (O/U: 214.0 points)
Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets (-7) (O/U: 237.5 points)
There isn't one game on Sunday's ledger that doesn't carry postseason implications, as all 12 teams are still in play for a postseason spot and only one - the Suns - has anything locked up. The Wizards have the most remote chances with a 5.5-game deficit to the play-in level, but they are facing a Warriors team that's only 1-3 since Stephen Curry (foot) went down.
Meanwhile, the Lakers-Pelicans and Hornets-Nets clashes could offer among the best DFS environments of the night, as each offers a high-upside recipe of explosive, talented players and some questionable defensive play. The 76ers-Suns and Jazz-Mavericks meetings feature four stingier units, but just as many active offensive pieces.
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.
LeBron James, LAL (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If James were to sit out a second straight game, Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk would likely be the biggest beneficiaries.
Jayson Tatum, BOS (knee): PROBABLE
Tatum is fully expected to suit up and fill his usual high-usage role against the Timberwolves.
Stephen Curry, GSW (foot): OUT
In Curry's absence, Jordan Poole is expected to draw another start at point guard while the usage for the remainder of the starting five should see a sizable boost.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (knee): PROBABLE
Brown is fully expected to go and produce well against the Timberwolves.
Other notable injuries:
Brandon Ingram, NOP (hamstring): GTD
Kyle Kuzma, WAS (knee): OUT
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA (calf): OUT
John Collins, ATL (finger, foot): OUT
Ben Simmons, BKN (back/conditioning): OUT
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): OUT
Stephen Curry, GSW (foot): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (foot): OUT
Cameron Johnson, PHO (quadriceps): OUT
Al Horford, BOS (personal): OUT
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries on Sunday's slate – LeBron James ($11,400), Kevin Durant ($11,100), Joel Embiid ($11,000), Kyrie Irving ($10,800), Luka Doncic ($10,300) and Devin Booker ($10,000).
If James is available, he'll look to improve on a three-game stretch where he's scored between 57 to 71 FD points.
Durant only had to log 30 minutes on Saturday, leaving him relatively fresh going into a matchup against a Hornets team allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency to power forwards.
Embiid scored 62.5 FD points against the Lakers two games ago and subsequently tallied 48 in just 27 minutes versus the Clippers. He also posted 61 FD points over 33 minutes in the first meeting with the Suns.
Irving racked up 60.4 FD points two games ago and also only saw 30 minutes in the lopsided victory over the Heat, so he should be refreshed like Durant.
Doncic bounced back to score 48 FD points against the Timberwolves on Friday, and he's facing a Jazz team he totaled 73.7 against across 37 minutes during their last head-to-head.
Booker just went off for 78.8 FD points against the Nuggets on Friday night and has scored at least 46.8 FD points in six of the last seven.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
James Harden, PHI ($9,900)
Harden naturally offers the upside of a five-figure salary player and just dropped 62.5 FD points versus the Clippers on Friday.
Jayson Tatum, BOS ($9,400)
If Tatum suits up, he'll look to continue on a hot stretch that's seen him produce between 42 to 59.4 FD points in four of the last five games.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN ($9,300)
Towns has scored under 40 FD points in back-to-back appearances, but some of his recent spike performances should help keep him popular Sunday.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($8,700)
Ball has posted between 40.3 to 51.1 FD points in six of the last seven, which should keep him in plenty of lineups for the marquee matchup against Irving and the Nets.
Jonas Valanciunas, NOP ($8,500)
Valanciunas has accumulated between 40.2 to 60.1 FD points in four straight and has produced seven consecutive double-doubles. Combine that with a manageable salary and that should keep him highly rostered Sunday.
Other Likely Chalk: Jordan Poole, GSW ($7,700)
Key Values
Jose Alvarado, NOP vs. LAL ($5,600)
Alvarado has recently overdelivered on current salary by a significant degree, scoring 31.7 to 51.4 FD points in four of the last six games. The rookie has come off the bench in each, but he's still put up a well-balanced 10.7 points, 5.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals across 24.7 minutes. Sunday, Alvarado gets a crack at a Lakers squad that's allowed the fourth-highest offensive efficiency to backcourt players (50.1 percent). Additionally, Los Angeles has also been a bit more vulnerable on the perimeter of late by allowing 38.1 percent shooting from three-point range in the last three games, furthering Alvarado's case.
Andre Drummond, BKN vs. CHA ($5,500)
Drummond hasn't recorded under 20.6 FD points in three of his four meetings against the Hornets this season, and he posted 47.8 in only 24 minutes against them on March 8. Including that performance, he's averaged 30 FD points over his last seven with a near double-double average of 14.4 points and 9.7 rebounds. Charlotte continues to make for an excellent target for centers as well, allowing the sixth-highest offensive efficiency to fives (33.7 percent) and the sixth-most FD points per game to the position (55.9).
Gary Payton, GSW at WAS ($4,000)
Payton has registered between 20.5 and 28.2 FD points in his last two games while logging 27 and 30 minutes, and he should continue in his high-volume bench role Sunday in light of his production and Curry's ongoing absence. He's managed 32.6 FD points per 36 minutes with Curry off the floor this year, and it's also worth noting his old Wizards squad is giving up an elevated 39.6 percent success rate from behind the arc in the last three games while he's shooting 38.1 percent from distance since the start of last season.
