This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
CLE at CHI: Cavs undefeated, 11-0; Bulls 1-3 at home
WAS at HOU: Wizards on four-game slide; Rockets 3-2 at home
SAC at SAS: Kings 4-2 on road; Spurs 3-2 at home
BKN at NOP: Nets 1-4 on road; Pelicans on four-game slide
LAC at OKC: Clippers on four-game win streak; Thunder 4-1 at home
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Injuries to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
CLE - Max Strus (ankle): OUT
CHI - Jalen Smith (illness): Questionable; Lonzo Ball (wrist): OUT
WAS - Carlton Carrington (leg): Questionable
HOU - Steven Adams (knee): Questionable; Fred VanVleet (hamstring): OUT
SAC - Malik Monk (ankle): OUT
SAS - Malaki Branham (ankle): Questionable; Tre Jones (ankle), Jeremy Sochan (thumb): OUT
BKN - Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle): Questionable
NOP - Zion Williamson (hamstring), Jordan Hawkins (back), Herbert Jones (shoulder), CJ McCollum (thigh), Dejounte Murray (hand): OUT
OKC - Isaiah Hartenstein (hand), Chet Holmgren (hip), Jaylin Williams (hamstring): OUT
Elite Players
Guards
Jordan Poole, Wizards 
($7,800) at Rockets
Poole bounced back from his lowest-scoring game of the season to deliver 24 points on 8-for-19 shooting in his last outing. He is averaging 21.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game and faces a favorable matchup against the Rockets, who will be without their starting point guard, Fred VanVleet. The Rockets also give up the league's eighth-most points per game to opposing point guards.
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers 
($8,100) at Bulls
Mitchell topped 40 DK points in two of his last five outings but failed to surpass 30 in the other three games. Nonetheless, he has a good chance to shine against the Bulls, who are giving up the league's fourth-most points per game, including the sixth-most three-pointers to opposing shooting guards.
Forwards/Centers
DeMar DeRozan, Kings 
($7,700) at Spurs
DeRozan is coming off a season-best 34-point performance and is averaging 26.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals over the last four games. He is likely to keep up the strong play by using his veteran savvy to out-maneuver the Spurs' younger wing defenders. He also has a good opportunity to pad his stats on the glass, as the Spurs are giving up the league's third-most rebounds to opposing small forwards.
Jalen Williams, Thunder 
($7,800) vs. Clippers
Williams does well to make an impact across the stat sheet and is coming off an impressive outing, where he finished with 20 points, three rebounds, four assists, a steal and a season-high four blocks. He must continue to step up for his shorthanded squad, especially on the defensive end with the absence of Chet Holmgren.
Alperen Sengun, Rockets 
($7,900) vs. Wizards
Sengun turned in a season-high 27 points to go with 10 rebounds, two assists and a block for a total of 45.5 DK points in his last outing. He is averaging 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.6 blocks over the last five games and should thrive against the Wizards, who are giving up the league's third-most points per game to opposing centers. He is also likely to see a few more scoring and assist opportunities in the absence of Fred VanVleet.
Expected Chalk
De'Aaron Fox, Kings ($8,500) at Spurs
Fox is coming off his third double-double of the season and is averaging 25.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals over the last five games. He faces a challenging matchup against a solid Spurs defense, but he should find the chance to pad his stats as they also give up the league's third-most steals per game to opposing point guards. Additionally, he may have to make a more concerted effort to lead the way in scoring if Victor Wembanyama can neutralize Domantas Sabonis in the paint.
Mid-Range Money
Jalen Green, Rockets ($7,400) vs. Wizards
Green surpassed 30 DK points in two of the last three games and is averaging 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists over that span. He faces an advantageous matchup against the Wizards, who are giving up the league's third-highest field-goal percentage to opposing shooting guards, and he must look to step up offensively in the absence of Fred VanVleet.
Keldon Johnson, Spurs 
($5,900) vs. Kings
Johnson saw at least 30 minutes of playing time in each of the last two games and should continue to get a boost in the absence of Jeremy Sochan. Johnson also surpassed 30 DK points in three of the last five outings, including a season-high 25-point scoring display.
Nic Claxton, Nets 
($5,700) at Pelicans
Claxton is expected to pick up a fourth consecutive start after he averaged 7.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 blocks across the last three games. He is also up for a favorable matchup against a shorthanded Pelicans' frontcourt.
Value Picks
Ben Simmons, Nets ($4,800) at Pelicans
Simmons was sidelined with a back injury in the last game but is expected to be good to go against the Pelicans. Despite his ineffectiveness in the scoring column, he is doing a good job across other areas of the stat sheet, averaging 6.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.
Aaron Wiggins, Thunder ($4,000) vs. Clippers
Wiggins is up for a second consecutive start for the shorthanded Thunder after he totaled 17.0 DK points in 18 minutes of action in the last game. He is shooting an average of 48.2 percent from the field this season and has a good chance to pad his stats against the Clippers, who are giving up the league's fifth-most turnovers per game.
