This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a solid nine-game slate Tuesday night, featuring a notable number of contests with elevated offensive expectations. For a ledger of this size, the injury report is also refreshingly light on big names. There's also one possible return from injury that would make a big impact, as Anthony Davis has a chance to jump back into action following a month-plus absence.
Slate Overview
Denver Nuggets (-7.5) at Detroit Pistons (O/U: 219.0 points)
Los Angeles Clippers at Washington Wizards (-4.5) (O/U: 216.0 points)
Charlotte Hornets at Toronto Raptors (-3.5) (O/U: 221.5 points)
New Orleans Pelicans at Philadelphia 76ers (-9) (O/U: 215.5 points)
Los Angeles Lakers (-2.5) at Brooklyn Nets (O/U: 226.0 points)
Sacramento Kings at Boston Celtics (-8.5) (O/U: 219.0 points)
San Antonio Spurs (-3) at Houston Rockets (O/U: 235.5 points)
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (-3.5) (O/U: 211.5 points)
Minnesota Timberwolves (-3) at Portland Trail Blazers (O/U: 227.5 points)
The point spreads portend a night of competitive action, with no double-digit projected advantages and a robust crop of small spreads. Additionally, the game projected to be the most lopsided, the Pelicans-76ers tilt, could see that number shrink by at least a couple of points if Brandon Ingram is confirmed available for New Orleans. The same could also hold true for the Kings-Celtics contest if De'Aaron Fox can overcome his ankle injury and suit up for Sacramento.
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 serves as 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.
Anthony Davis, LAL (knee): PROBABLE
Davis is expected to suit up for the first time since Dec. 17, but he'll very likely be on a minutes restriction. LeBron James' usage should remain elevated.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Fox sits out another contest, Terence Davis and Buddy Hield should both benefit from extended opportunity, while Harrison Barnes is likely to see a bump in usage.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (ankle): GTD
If Ingram is forced to sit out, Garrett Temple will likely draw another start, and the usage of the remainder of the starting five should also see an appreciable bump.
Klay Thompson, GSW (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Thompson sits out with knee soreness, Jordan Poole should remain in the starting lineup at shooting guard.
Gordon Hayward, CHA (foot): QUESTIONABLE
If Hayward sits out another contest, Cody Martin is likely to draw another start.
Other notable injuries:
Kevin Durant, BKN (knee): OUT
Kyrie Irving, BKN (persona): OUT
Damian Lillard, POR (abdominal): OUT
Jerami Grant, DET (thumb): OUT
Patrick Beverley, MIN (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Will Barton, DEN (hamstring): PROBABLE
Draymond Green, GSW (calf): OUT
Seth Curry, PHI (ankle): OUT
Larry Nance, POR (knee): OUT
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate: Nikola Jokic ($11,800), Luka Doncic ($11,400), Joel Embiid ($11,200), LeBron James ($10,700), James Harden ($10,500) and Dejounte Murray ($10,300).
Jokic scored over 60 FD points for the fourth straight game Sunday and is now averaging 57 FD points per contest on the season.
Doncic exploded for 70.7 FD points in his most recent contest Sunday against the Grizzlies, and he's also scored over 60 in two other games over the last four. He scored 46.4 FD points over 34 minutes against the Warriors in his one prior encounter with them this season.
Embiid is now averaging over 52 FD points per contest for the season after scoring 62.6 to 77.4 FD points over the last three games.
James appears set to get Anthony Davis back on the floor with him, but he enters with a floor in the low 40s in terms of FD points and is averaging 52.6 FD points per contest for the season.
Harden will be playing without either Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant and sports a 34.5 percent usage rate under such circumstances, as well as an average of 53.3 FD points per 36 minutes.
Murray has scored 46.8 to 64 FD points in the last three games, a stretch during which he's churned out a pair of triple-doubles. He also exploded for 69.5 FD points across 37 minutes in his one prior game against Houston this season.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Stephen Curry, GSW ($9,800)
Curry is likely to take the floor again without Klay Thompson and had scored 41.6 to 58 FD points in three of the last four games.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN ($9,500)
Towns will be an integral part of the game with the second-highest projected total of the night and has scored over 40 FD points in 11 of the last 12 games.
Pascal Siakam, TOR ($9,100)
Siakam draws a premium matchup against a Hornets team that's allowed the fourth-highest offensive efficiency to centers, and he's scored 44.2 to 58.2 FD points in six of the last eight games.
Jayson Tatum, BOS ($9,100)
Tatum racked up 51 points against the Wizards on Sunday on his way to 72.5 FD points, and he'll be in a very appealing matchup against a Kings team that's allowed an NBA-high 117.7 points per road contest.
Key Values
Tyrese Maxey, PHI vs. NOP ($5,900)
Maxey has now scored over 30 FD points in five of his last six games after totaling 30.8 against the Spurs on Sunday. His salary remains unchanged, and he faces a Pelicans squad allowing the second-highest offensive efficiency to point guards (27.3 percent), along with the third-most FD points per game to the position (49.6). New Orleans is also yielding the third-highest three-point percentage on the road (37.4), while Maxey checks in shooting a blistering 52.2 percent from behind the arc over the last six contests.
Montrezl Harrell, WAS vs. LAC ($5,400)
Harrell logged just seven minutes against the Celtics in Sunday's lopsided loss, but he'd averaged 28.1 FD points across 23 minutes over the prior six games. The big man should have a bit of extra motivation facing his old Clippers squad Tuesday, a team that's allowed some huge performances to Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid recently and is now surrendering the ninth-highest offensive efficiency to centers (32.5 percent). L.A. is also giving up 52 FD points per contest to fives, and the third-most points in the paint per contest (49.5).
Patty Mills, BKN vs. LAL ($5,200)
Mills is averaging 28.8 FD points per 36 minutes with Irving and Durant off the floor this season, and he checks into Tuesday's marquee interconference matchup shooting 45.0 percent from three-point range over the last eight contests. Mills has scored over 25 FD points in five of those games as well, and the Lakers come in ranked in the bottom half of the league in defensive efficiency while surrendering 38.6 FD points per contest to small forwards. Mills is also averaging a team-high 4.4 made threes per 36 minutes without his pair of star teammates available, brightening his prospects further at his very reasonable salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Ivica Zubac, LAC at WAS ($5,800); Keldon Johnson, SA at HOU ($5,200)
