This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for another significantly COVID-impacted slate tonight with many of the 16 teams carrying key absences. The confirmed and potential casualties certainly add a healthy dose of uncertainty to the night from a DFS perspective, but they also open up potential value to take advantage as plenty of players with salaries nowhere near their current roles.
Slate Overview
Milwaukee Bucks (-12.5) at Orlando Magic (O/U: 214.5 points)
Philadelphia 76ers (-7) at Toronto Raptors (O/U: 211.5 points)
Washington Wizards at Miami Heat (-6) (O/U: 208.5 points)
New York Knicks (-5.5) at Minnesota Timberwolves (O/U: 212.5 points)
Los Angeles Lakers (-5) at Houston Rockets (O/U: 228.5 points)
Cleveland Cavaliers (-5.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U: 214.5 points)
Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors (-7) (O/U: 216.5 points)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Sacramento Kings (-5.5) (O/U: 219.5 points)
Scoring expectations are relatively tempered with so many big names out of action or likely to sit, a development that naturally thins out the top of the player pool. Nevertheless, there's still a solid amount of top-shelf options available and enough role players stepping up to help keep games competitive. There are also a couple of returns from COVID-19 protocols that will reintroduce star power into our lineup options.
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.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
In Towns' expected absence, Nathan Knight and Greg Monroe could handle the majority of minutes at center.
LeBron James, LAL (abdomen): PROBABLE
James is fully expected to play through his ongoing abdomen issue and should see even more elevated usage than usual with Anthony Davis (knee) out.
Fred VanVleet, TOR (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
In VanVleet's absence, Dalano Blanton could operate as Toronto's starting point guard.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (Achilles): DOUBTFUL
If Ingram sits out, Garrett Temple would likely assume starting shooting guard duties.
Bradley Beal, WAS (COVID-19 protocols): QUESTIONABLE
Should Beal miss another contest, Corey Kispert could start at shooting guard while Spencer Dinwiddie should see elevated usage once more.
Draymond Green, GSW (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
In Green's absence, Otto Porter should receive the start at power forward.
Pascal Siakam, TOR (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
If Siakam is unable to go, Chris Boucher could draw the start at center for what will be a notably shorthanded roster.
Other notable injuries:
Zion Williamson, NOP (foot): OUT
Anthony Davis, LAL (knee): OUT
Kyle Lowry, MIA (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Anthony Edwards, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
D'Angelo Russell, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Cole Anthony, ORL (ankle): OUT
Josh Hart, NOP (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Scottie Barnes, TOR (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Jonas Valanciunas, NOP (illness): PROBABLE
Mo Bamba, ORL (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Chuma Okeke, ORL (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Jae'Sean Tate, HOU (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Evan Mobley, CLE (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
OG Anunoby, TOR (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Danny Green, PHI (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Gary Trent, TOR (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
Jordan Poole, GSW (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Aaron Gordon, DEN (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
There are five players with five-figure salaries slated to be active on Tuesday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($11,600), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,300), LeBron James ($10,900), Joel Embiid ($10,700) and Stephen Curry ($10,400).
Jokic is averaging 56.4 FD points per game and has racked up 61.4 and 72.4 in his last two contests.
Giannis should be particularly well-rested last having played Saturday and having missed the previous five due to COVID protocols. The big man left no doubt as to his conditioning by totaling 61.9 FD points across 29 minutes against the Celtics on Christmas Day.
James is unsurprisingly taking on an even more massive role than usual with Anthony Davis out and has produced over 60 FD points in the last two outings.
Embiid has dropped over 60 FD points in two of his last three and has a particularly favorable matchup against a significantly depleted Raptors frontcourt.
Curry is slated to take the floor without Draymond Green and Jordan Poole, a scenario where he boasts a 35.7 percent usage rate. He also checks in with back-to-back 50-FD-point tallies.
Expected Chalk
In addition to the players mentioned in the previous section, other likely chalk plays include:
Russell Westbrook, LAL ($9,800)
Westbrook has scored over 40 FD points in four straight and continues to shoulder extra responsibility with Anthony Davis sidelined.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC ($9,200)
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 43 to 63.2 FD points in his last four games, which should keep him very popular at his salary.
Julius Randle, NYK ($8,700)
Randle has posted over 40 FD points in three of the last six contests and offers a very reliable floor, which should keep him on plenty of rosters.
Jimmy Butler, MIA ($8,500)
Butler returned from his extended absence due in fine form against the Magic on Sunday with 44.7 FD points in 34 minutes.
Kemba Walker, NYK ($7,600)
Walker has scored between 39 and 66.8 FD points in his first four games since reentering the rotation, which should keep him very popular despite the progressively rising salary.
Key Values
Devonte' Graham, NOP vs. CLE ($6,300)
Brandon Ingram looks very likely to miss tonight with his Achilles injury while Josh Hart (ankle) could also sit. Graham boasts a solid 24.5 percent usage rate with both players off the floor this season and comes in having produced 31.4 to 44.8 FD points in four of the last five contests. He's also shot a blistering 46.0 percent from distance in that stretch and could once again be highly aggressive while trying to help make up for the potential absence of two fellow starters.
Andrew Wiggins, GSW vs. DEN ($5,800)
There's admittedly a bit of risk attached to Wiggins in terms of his potential workload since he'll be returning from COVID-19 protocols after a four-game absence, but he hasn't been away for a long time and carries a reduced salary. The veteran wing also sports a 24.1 percent usage rate and averages 31.3 FD points per 36 minutes with Draymond Green and Jordan Poole off the floor while delivering over 5x return on his current salary in 14 of 29 games - including three of the last four before being sidelined.
Jaylen Nowell, MIN vs. NYK ($4,000)
Nowell could very likely be one of the night's more popular value plays, but could certainly be worth eating the chalk for and differentiating elsewhere at his salary. The third-year pro went off for 42.7 FD points Monday against the Celtics with a slew of T-Wolves starters out of action and should once again handle a lot of minutes tonight under the same conditions. Nowell also has posted a pair of efforts over 24 FD points in the last five contests and is shooting an impressive 45.7 percent from distance this season, including 57.1 percent on an average of 4.2 attempts per game from behind the arc across the last five. His case is furthered with a usage rate is at 29.5 percent with Towns, Russell, Edwards and Patrick Beverley off the floor this year.
