This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for the smallest Thursday slate we've had in quite a while, as there are only two games on the docket. However, there will be plenty of star power taking the floor, considering the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic are in action.
Slate Overview
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In all, there are three games with double-digit lines on FanDuel Sportsbook as of early Tuesday, with the 16-point line attached to the Hornets-Kings game particularly concerning. In terms of projected totals, there are four games with figures of over 230 projected points, which is encouraging in terms of the potential for standout individual performances.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Zach Collins, SAN (ankle): OUT
Draymond Green, GSW (suspension): OUT
Jae Crowder, MIL (groin): OUT
Malaki Branham, SAN (ankle): DOUBTFUL
Reggie Jackson, DEN (calf): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have two players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Thursday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,100) and Nikola Jokic ($11,900).
Antetokounmpo is in the midst of a remarkable run that's seen him score at least 60 FD points in five straight games, and he draws an intriguing matchup against Victor Wembanyama on Thursday. However, Giannis will also be on his third game in four nights, and he's played at least 35 minutes in three straight, with the last two games coming against the fastest-paced team in the league in the Pacers.
Jokic has scored a disappointing-by-his-standards 40.5 and 38.2 FD points in his last two games, but he scored 51.8 FD points in 39 minutes in the first meeting against the same Warriors squad he'll face Thursday.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Victor Wembanyama, SAN ($9,500)
Wembanyama would be popular under any circumstance on such a small slate, but his roster rate should be through the roof in his first career matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Stephen Curry, GSW ($8,700)
Curry's salary remains very reasonable for his upside, which he finally flashed again in his most recent matchup against the Magic on Tuesday when he posted 60.4 FD points across 35 minutes.
Damian Lillard, MIL ($8,600)
Lillard draws a very favorable positional matchup against a Spurs team allowing an NBA-high 32.2 offensive efficiency rating to point guards, which should keep highly rostered on the small slate.
Jamal Murray, DEN ($8,500)
Murray has scored 42 FD points or more in six of his last seven games, numbers that should help usher him into plenty of lineups at his salary Thursday.
Key Values
Trayce Jackson-Davis, GSW vs. DEN ($5,700)
Jackson-Davis is projected for a third consecutive start Thursday after scoring 29.2 and 23.8 FD points in his first two turns with the first unit Saturday and Tuesday. The rookie big is actually on a nice run that dates back to mid-December, as he's averaged 28.1 FD points over his last eight games on averages of 11.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks per contest. The matchup against Nikola Jokic isn't exactly ideal, but Denver does check in allowing a robust 58.9 FD points per game to centers in the last 15 contests.
Tre Jones, SAN vs. MIL ($5,000)
Jones appears set for a potential start at point guard Thursday with Malaki Branham listed as doubtful due to an ankle injury. Jones has yet to run with the first unit this season, but he's still delivered at least a 5x return on his current salary in eight of 29 games and at least 4x in five other instances. One of the latter occasions came against this same Bucks team he'll face Thursday, as he posted 23.7 FD points over 24 minutes on 7-for-11 shooting on Dec. 19. Milwaukee is allowing an Eastern Conference-high offensive efficiency rating to point guards (31.5), along with the fourth-most FD points to the position in the last 15 games (54.8).
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, DEN at GSW ($4,800)
Caldwell-Pope is strictly a tournament play due to his erratic production, but he does carry some solid upside for his salary. The veteran wing is averaging 21.4 FD points per game on the season and has tallies of 27.6, 28.9 and 34.3 FD points in three of his last seven games alone. KCP is enjoying his second-best season from three-point range thus far (41.5 percent shooting), and he's averaged 27.7 FD points across 36 minutes in two games versus the Warriors this season. Golden State has been vulnerable to two-guards as well, surrendering the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating (24.5) to the position for the season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Julian Champagnie, SAN vs. MIL ($4,400)
