This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a six-game slate on tap Thursday night, and there appear to be several competitive games on tap. The Clippers-Celtics, Cavaliers-Pacers and Grizzlies-Raptors battles seem to be strong candidates in that regard. However, given how unpredictable the NBA has often been this season, each contest certainly has a chance to remain close.
Slate Overview
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There is only one double-digit favorite Thursday in the Mavericks, which play host to the Rockets. However, Houston has already beaten Dallas once this season and lost by only six points in the second meeting between the teams.
If projected totals are any indication, scoring will be solid but not extraordinarily high – all games with the exception of the Thunder-Hornets clash are at 227.5 points or fewer as of early Thursday.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Tyrese Haliburton, IND (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Haliburton were to sit out, the usage for the remaining members of Indiana's first unit would see a notable boost, while T.J. McConnell would likely draw a start at point guard.
Fred VanVleet, TOR (back): QUESTIONABLE
If VanVleet were to sit out, Malachi Flynn could see a start at point guard, and the usage of the likes of OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam would see even more of a boost.
Kelly Oubre, CHA (hand): DOUBTFUL
If Oubre were to sit out, Bryce McGowens and Jalen McDaniels would potentially see extra minutes off the bench.
RJ Barrett, NYK (finger): OUT
Cam Reddish or Quentin Grimes could be primary beneficiaries in Barrett's absence.
Jalen Brunson, NYK (hip): QUESTIONABLE
If Brunson were to sit out, Miles McBride or Immanuel Quickley could slot into a starting role at point guard, while the rest of the starting five would see elevated usage.
Other notable injuries:
Devin Vassell, SAN (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Keldon Johnson, SAN (back): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate – Luka Doncic ($12,400), Jayson Tatum ($11,000), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,800), Pascal Siakam ($10,500) and Ja Morant ($10,100).
Doncic is coming off a historic 60-point, 21-rebound, 10-assist triple-double that netted a jaw-dropping 105 FD points in his most recent contest against the Knicks, and he also scored 76.6 three games ago versus the same Rockets team he'll face Thursday.
Tatum has scored 57.6 to 64.9 FD points in three of his last four games and could well overdeliver on his salary again Thursday in what could be a wire-to-wire battle versus the Clippers.
SGA has 72 and 61.2 FD points in his last two games and should be heavily involved in what will likely be one of the highest-scoring games of the night.
Siakam just put up his latest 50-FD-point performance Tuesday night against the Clippers (58.3), and he's also posted totals of 63 and 75.3 FD points within his last four contests.
Morant has totals of 44.2 to 53.4 FD points in three of his last four and could be facing a depleted Raptors backcourt that may be without Fred VanVleet (back).
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Tyrese Haliburton, IND ($9,600)
If Haliburton is announced as available, he should be in plenty of lineups after scoring 39.1 to 58.9 FD points in three of his last four games.
Julius Randle, NYK ($9,500)
Randle should be very popular after scoring 49.6 to 58.6 FD points in his last four games, with three straight tallies of more than 50.
Paul George, LAC ($9,100)
George has scored 35.6 to 62.3 FD points in has last four and should remain a fixture in many lineups Thursday.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,000)
Ball has overdelivered on his current salary in multiple games recently, scoring 45 or more FD points in five of his last six.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($8,800)
Brown has scored 50.2 FD points or more in four of his last six games, which should help keep his rostering rate high Thursday.
Key Values
Mason Plumlee, CHA vs. OKC ($6,400)
Plumlee scored 43.6 FD points against the Warriors on Tuesday night, pushing his season average to 29.4 FD points per contest. The veteran big man also eclipsed 30 FD points in three of the previous five contests, and he now draws a matchup against a Thunder squad that's ranked in the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency rating allowed to centers (32.7) and surrendered 55.7 FD points per game to the position as well. OKC has also yielded the fifth-most points in the paint per game (52.7), an area of the floor where just under 75 percent of Plumlee's scoring emanates from this season.
Quentin Grimes, NYK at SA ($6,200)
Grimes should see a bump in usage Thursday, with RJ Barrett already ruled out with a finger injury and Jalen Brunson questionable due to a hip issue. Grimes is coming off having scored a career-high 33 points in Tuesday's overtime loss to the Mavericks, leading to 43.2 FD points. He'd also exceeded 25 FD points in seven of the previous 13 games. Grimes is averaging 28.3 FD points per 36 minutes with Barrett off the floor this season, and he's facing a Spurs team that's surrendered the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating to two-guards (23.9), along with 39.1 percent shooting from three-point range and the third-most FD points per game (44.2) to the position as well.
Jalen Williams, OKC at CHA ($5,600)
Williams makes for an intriguing play on the opposite side of the Thunder-Hornets clash, as he's shooting 51.1 percent overall and has scored 24.9 to 39.3 FD points in six of his last 13 games. The Hornets are good targets to facilitate strong production, as Charlotte allows the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (28.4) and the fourth-most FD points per contest to the position in the last seven games (49.5). The Hornets also concede an NBA-high 55.7 rebounds per game at home, while Williams has pulled down at least seven boards in three of his last four in his frontcourt role.
ALSO CONSIDER: Immanuel Quickley, NYK at SA ($6,000); Mike Muscala, OKC at CHA ($3,900)
