This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a massive 13-game slate before the NBA takes their customary day off on Thanksgiving. With a slate this large, taking multiple stabs with unique lineups is a great path to profitability.
SLATE OVERVIEW
PHO (-7) @ CLE O/U: 209
IND (-1.5) vs. LAL O/U: 218.5
CHA (-7) @ ORL (-7) O/U: 219.5
BKN (-1) @ BOS O/U: 216.5
CHI (-8.5) @ HOU O/U: 213.5
MEM (-3.5) vs. TOR O/U: 221.5
MIL (-14) vs. DET O/U: 214.5
MIA (-2) @ MIN O/U: 212.5
UTA (-12.5) @ OKC O/U: 208.5
WAS (-3.5) @ NOR O/U: 209.5
ATL (-3.5) @ SAS O/U: 220
GSW (-10.5) vs. PHI O/U: 218.5
POR (-2.5) @ SAC O/U: 224
INJURIES
CLE Darius Garland (neck) - QUESTIONABLE
Garland was balling it prior to this injury. If he can't make it, roll with Ricky Rubio ($5,400), and give Isaac Okoro ($4,700) additional run.
Caris LeVert (back) - QUESTIONABLE
Chris Duarte ($4,900) is the guy to target in LeVert's place.
ORL Cole Anthony (ankle) - OUT
ORL Gary Harris (hand) - QUESTIONABLE
Jalen Suggs ($5,600) and R.J. Hampton ($5,700) will be logging significant time in Orlando's backcourt.
BKN Joe Harris (ankle) - OUT
BKN Bruce Brown (hamstring) - OUT
Patty Mills ($4,800) continues to be a great option in this spot.
CHI Nikola Vucevic (COVID-19 Protocols) - OUT
CHI Alex Caruso (wrist) - QUESTIONABLE
Ayo Dosunmu ($3,900) has seen increased run in the backcourt but should only be a tournament flier. Derrick Jones ($4,200) is my top pivot for Vucevic currently.
TOR OG Anunoby (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
TOR Precious Achiuwa (shoulder) - QUESTIONABLE
You can get some value from Khem Birch ($4,700) in this spot, but Scottie Barnes ($6,500) is the guy expected to get more minutes here.
MEM Dillon Brooks (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
MEM De'Anthony Melton (groin) - OUT
Desmond Bane ($5,800) is worth a look. He's coming off an excellent 28-point game against Utah in this injury scenario.
DET Isaiah Stewart (suspension) - OUT
Usage should flow to Trey Lyles ($3,700) and Luka Garza ($3,500) amid Stewart's suspension, but these are both primarily punt GPP plays.
OKC Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) - OUT
With SGA out, your best bets are loading up on Josh Giddey ($6,000) and Luguentz Dort ($6,100).
PHI Joel Embiid (COVID-19 Protocols) - OUT
PHI Tobias Harris (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
PHI Seth Curry (back) - QUESTIONABLE
Harris could take the floor, but I'm all about Furkan Korkmaz ($4,600) if he doesn't play. Obviously, Andre Drummond ($7,800) is still in play with Embiid out, and Tyrese Maxey ($8,100) is a great addition regardless of Curry's status tonight. If Curry does suit up, I will take advantage of the brother vs. brother narrative against the Warriors.
ELITE PLAYERS
We'll consider the elite-player list at 14 players from the top down to $9,000. The player I will have the most exposure to is likely to be LaMelo Ball ($9,300). His salary is too cheap relative to his overall production, and with Orlando hurting in the backcourt, Ball could really pop. He's probably the most popular guy to gravitate to up top as I want to strive for uniqueness on such a large slate. I like where Ja Morant ($9,400) is today, as he was above 10k last week. Although it'll be tough to reach 5x value with him, the matchup against Toronto could yield a big total. Dejounte Murray ($9,700) is bound to get a bit lost in the elite column, but he's a nightly double-double threat who can easily beat value at this salary if his shot volume and assist rate are high. We faded a lot of big names in this section, but I think it's the best way to approach the slate tonight.
Also consider: Stephen Curry, GSW ($10,500) vs PHI
EXPECTED CHALK AND CORE TARGETS
Domantas Sabonis, IND ($8,400) vs. LAL
The Lakers appear to be back at full speed tonight, and although Sabonis has had some real clunkers of late, he's come back to life a bit with two games of 40 or more FDFP. If he can convert some put-backs and a few extra boards, he can quickly pay off this salary.
Malcolm Brogdon, IND ($7,700) vs. LAL
Brogdon hasn't been as consistent as managers would like after missing a week at the beginning of the month, but the upside for 40 or more FP is always there for the point guard, and he'll face a Lakers team that sits at the bottom of the league in backcourt defense. Brogdon will also have the advantage of playing at home for the holidays.
CJ McCollum, POR ($7,500) @ SAC
McCollum has a better chance than Damian Lillard ($8,800) to pay off his salary tonight, although I have no problem rostering either player. I prefer McCollum's recent run of production. Over the past five games, he's averaged 21.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds, and he's already laid down the hammer against Kings with 57 FDFP when they first met last month.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($7,300) vs. POR
Staying away from Fox is understandable, but his salary has reached a point where he will pay off value more frequently. Portland has one of the worst defenses in the league at the moment, and Fox has the upside potential to get to 40 FDFP if the gameflow works in his favor.
Also consider: Miles Bridges, CHA ($8,200) @ ORL, Mo Bamba, ORL ($6,800) vs. CHA, John Collins, ATL ($7,800) @ SAS
VALUE PLAYS
There's a cornucopia of value up in the injury section (especially at 5k and below), so be sure to add your best value plays above to these additional gems below FanDuel's median salary.
Saddiq Bey ($5,700) and Cory Joseph ($4,100), DET @ MIL
The Pistons have their work cut out for them against the Bucks. But Bey's continued production and Joseph's recent starting opportunity are great value options. Joseph is fascinating, as he's had more the 20 FDFP for four consecutive games and eclipsed 30 FDFP in his last game against Miami. His continued upward trajectory is encouraging. Bey's floor is a bit less reliable, but he has sufficient upside to hit 5x value at this salary.
Wendell Carter. ORL ($5,800) vs. CHA
One would expect Carter and Mo Bamba to be an either/or proposition, but I would gladly roster them both against Charlotte, who have nothing intimidating to offer under the basket currently. Kyle Kuzma is a great defender, but he'll be at a height disadvantage if he tries to drive inside. I target Carter because his salary has taken a hit over the past week, and the decrease could make him extremely popular tonight. Granted, he hasn't lit up the boxscore over the past week, but his upside could show up in this favorable matchup.
LaMarcus Aldridge, BKN ($6,000) @ BOS
I nailed the Aldridge pick Monday, and his low ownership brought me into a double-up in GPP formats for the night. He's a bit more expensive this time around, but I still think he has great value against the Celtics. He's coming off a 21/11 double-double against Cleveland.
Also consider: Andrew Wiggins, GSW ($6,400) vs. PHI, Buddy Hield, SAC ($5,600) vs. POR, Chuma Okeke, ORL ($4,000) vs. CHA
