This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're teed up for a five-game slate Thursday night, and while we're saddled with a somewhat limited player pool, the injury report appears relatively light. Additionally, it could be a reasonably competitive night based on matchups, setting up a potentially entertaining night of DFS competition.
Slate Overview
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Of the three games on the board at FanDuel Sportsbook as of late Wednesday night, two have lines of 3.5 and 2.0 points. The remaining two contests still to be posted, Wizards-Knicks and Grizzlies-Timberwolves, could also have reasonably competitive lines, considering the visitors will each have a rest advantage.
There are already two totals of over 245 points as of Wednesday night, and given the defensive issues and fast pace of the Wizards, the Washington-New York clash should also carry a robust figure once it's posted.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Tyrese Haliburton, IND (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Haliburton is able to return from his four-game absence, he could walk back into an even bigger role than usual with several other members of the starting five carrying questionable tags.
Pascal Siakam, IND (not injury related): GTD
If Siakam is available after his trade to Indiana, he should jump right into the starting power forward role. However, if he's not able to suit up, Jalen Smith could be in for a start at the four.
Other notable injuries:
Jakob Poeltl, TOR (ankle): OUT
Daniel Gafford, WAS (concussion): OUT
Bruce Brown, TOR (knee/trade acquisition): OUT
Andre Drummond, CHI (back): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,000), Tyrese Haliburton ($10,700) and Domantas Sabonis ($10,300).
Gilgeous-Alexander has been under 40 FD points in his last two games and was likely affected by a knee sprain in his most recent outing against the Clippers on Tuesday, but he could be in better condition Thursday after a day of rest.
If Haliburton is able to make his return from a hamstring injury, he could be set for even more usage than usual due to other potential absences on the Pacers' starting five.
Sabonis has scored 62.1 and 52.9 FD points on the strength of triple-doubles in his last two games, extending his streak of games with at least a double-double to 23 straight.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,300)
Edwards has posted 53.8 and 42 FD points in his last two games, further ensuring he should be highly rostered on a small slate.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($9,200)
Fox bounced back from a series of sub-par games with tallies of 46.9 and 49.4 FD points in his last two games, restoring his appeal and likely making him very popular at his salary.
Lauri Markkanen, UTA ($9,100)
Markkanen will head into Thursday with an extra day of rest due to the Jazz's game being postponed Wednesday, and he's produced totals of 46.4 FD points or more in five of the last six games.
Jalen Brunson, NYK ($8,900)
Brunson generated 42.1 FD points in 36 minutes against the Rockets on Wednesday after a two-game absence due to a calf injury, his sixth time in the last seven games over 40 FD points.
Jaren Jackson, MEM ($8,300)
Jackson should continue to enjoy a hefty usage rate with so many key members of the first unit sidelined, and he's coming off having scored 45.5 FD points in 33 minutes against the Warriors under those circumstances on Monday.
Key Values
Keegan Murray, SAC vs. IND ($6,600)
Murray came back from playing just 19 minutes against the Bucks due to a hip issue on Sunday to record 32.3 FD points against the Suns on Monday night, his fourth straight game with a normal workload that he's produced at least that amount. Murray is shooting 52.0 percent, including 42.3 percent from behind the arc, during nine January games overall, and he could be facing a significantly short-handed Pacers team Thursday. Indiana already comes in allowing an NBA-high 33.1 offensive efficiency rating to power forwards, along with the most FD points per game to the position (53.4).
Vince Williams, MEM at MIN ($6,500)
Williams has taken advantage of a Grizzlies first unit that's lost several playmakers to put together some stellar performances, scoring 28.2 to 44.4 FD points in four of the last five games. That includes back-to-back 40-plus FD-point tallies, and he's shooting 40.7 percent from three-point range during the entirety of that span as well. The Timberwolves are allowing 36.4 percent three-point shooting to small forwards, as well as the fifth-most FD points per game to threes in the last seven games (44.95), boosting Williams' prospects at a salary that may still not be high enough for his upside.
Alex Caruso, CHI at TOR ($5,700)
Caruso has stepped up his production since mid-December, averaging 26 FD points per contest on averages of 10.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks across his last 14 games. Part of that boost came while Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic were out with injuries, but the veteran guard has kept up the solid numbers since their returns with tallies of 28.1, 29.7 and 41.2 FD points in three of the last four games. The Raptors make for good targets, considering they're surrendering 41.1 percent three-point shooting to two-guards, along with 42.5 FD points per game to the position in the last 30 games.
