This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a five-game game Tuesday night slate, one that sets up well for DFS purposes by the numbers considering all projected totals are at 223 points and higher. The injury report isn't overly prohibitive in terms of potential/confirmed short-term absences, either, giving us a fairly solid player pool to work from.
Slate Overview
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.
In addition to the aforementioned elevated totals, it's also worth noting Tuesday's slate doesn't feature a game with a spread higher than 7.5 points. The fact that Devin Booker is a potential absentee is responsible for keeping Phoenix's projected advantage over the Wizards at that figure in what would otherwise be a double-digit spread scenario.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Nikola Jokic, DEN (knee): PROBABLE
Jokic appears very likely to handle his usual starting role following his jaw-dropping triple-double against the Hornets on Sunday that netted 88.4 FD points across 39 minutes.
Devin Booker, PHO (groin): QUESTIONABLE
If Booker were to sit out, Landry Shamet and Damion Lee would likely be the biggest beneficiaries while the usage for the remainder of the starting five would be elevated.
Jamal Murray, DEN (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Murray were to sit out, Bones Hyland and Ish Smith could be direct beneficiaries.
Kyle Lowry, MIA (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Lowry were to sit, Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo could handle the majority of point guard minutes.
Other notable injuries:
Stephen Curry, GSW (shoulder): OUT
Andrew Wiggins, GSW (groin): OUT
Desmond Bane, MEM (toe): OUT
Kelly Olynyk, UTA (ankle): GTD
Jimmy Butler, MIA (knee): PROBABLE
Klay Thompson, GSW (knee): PROBABLE
Donte DiVincenzo, GSW (illness): DOUBTFUL
Michael Porter, DEN (heel): DOUBTFUL
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate: Nikola Jokic ($12,500), Ja Morant ($10,700), Devin Booker ($10,400) and Jimmy Butler ($10,000).
As mentioned earlier, Jokic just exploded for nearly 90 FD points in his most recent game and also has tallies of 78.4 and 81.8 over his last four games.
Morant was ejected from the Grizzlies' most recent game after only 16 minutes but has eclipsed 50 FD points in three of his last four normal-length games.
Booker is looking like a game-time decision to suit after missing Monday's contest, but he's coming off having put up 70 FD points over 42 minutes in his most recent game Saturday.
Butler is projected to play through his probable designation and has scored 40.9 to 59.5 FD points in each of the last three games.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Kristaps Porzingis, WAS ($9,600)
Porzingis has been at 40.4 FD points or higher in nine of the last 10 games and encouragingly put up 48.7 in his most recent game despite Bradley Beal's return to action.
Bam Adebayo, MIA ($9,300)
Adebayo has scored 36.1 to 51.9 FD points in his last three games and should remain very popular as a big man with dual position eligibility on a small slate.
Julius Randle, NYK ($9,000)
Randle has put up 43.3 to 64.9 FD points in five of the last six games, which should make him very popular at his reasonable salaries.
Jordan Poole, GSW ($8,300)
Poole went off for 52.2 FD points in 34 minutes while filling in for Stephen Curry on Sunday and should remain in plenty of lineups Tuesday while undoubtedly logging elevated usage as the primary ball handler.
Tyler Herro, MIA ($8,200)
Herro could be in line to shift to point guard in the possible absence of Lowry and already checks in having scored 40.6 to 53.2 FD points in his last three.
Key Values
Jalen Duren, DET vs. UTA ($5,800)
Duren is in the midst of an especially productive six-game stretch where he's averaged 30.1 FD points on the strength of 9.2 points, 13.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists across 29 minutes per contest, drawing starts in each of the last five in the process. The rookie big now faces a Jazz team that's allowed the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers for the season (33.9), along with the second-most FD points per game to the position (58.8). Additionally, Utah checks in ranked in the bottom five in points (25.4), rebounds (16.3), assists (4.2) and steals (1.5) allowed to fives, and the Jazz have conceded an NBA-high 55.8 points in the paint per game.
Walker Kessler, UTA at DET ($5,500)
Kessler makes for an intriguing frontcourt play on the other side of the Jazz-Pistons clash, especially with Kelly Olynyk (ankle) potentially set to sit out. The rookie has scored 27.7 FD points across 25 minutes while drawing a spot start for Olynyk on Monday against the Cavs, and he recently scored between 32.1 and 39.9 FD points on four occasions in an eight-game sample spanning Nov. 30 through Thursday, offering a glimpse at the enticing upside he possesses at his modest salary. The Pistons make for good targets as well, as Detroit is allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (33.9), along with over 53 FD points per game to the position.
Max Strus, MIA vs. CHI ($5,200)
Strus gets a crack at one of the most porous perimeter defenses in the league Tuesday, with the Bulls allowing an Eastern Conference-high 37.9 percent success rate from three-point range on the season. Strus' skill set dovetails nicely with that vulnerability, considering he's taking a career-high 8.1 three-point attempts per contest and has recorded multiple threes in 12 of the last 15 games. The fourth-year pro comes into Tuesday's game with consecutive 24.3 FD-point tallies, and he's delivered at least a 5x return on his current salary in 11 of 29 games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Patrick Williams, CHI at MIA ($4,500)
