This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a seven-game main slate on tap Saturday night, and of the 14 teams in action, 10 of them will be on the second game of back-to-back sets. Additionally, due to a couple of different factors including key injuries, there are still several totals that are off the board.
Slate Overview
Brooklyn Nets (-5.5) at Charlotte Hornets (+5.5) (O/U: 230.5 points)
New Orleans Pelicans (+2.5) at Atlanta Hawks (-2.5) (O/U: TBD)
Boston Celtics (-4.5) at New York Knicks (+4.5) (O/U: 223.5 points)
Houston Rockets (+8) at Minnesota Timberwolves (-8) (O/U: TBD)
Oklahoma City Thunder (+7.5) at Milwaukee Bucks (-7.5) (O/U: 224.0 points)
San Antonio Spurs (+10.5) at Denver Nuggets (-10.5) (O/U: 236.0 points)
Portland Trail Blazers (+9) at Phoenix Suns (-9) (O/U: 216.0 points)
We have a slate with point spreads all across the spectrum Saturday night, and some of those figures could move closer to tip-off if certain key players are announced as available or confirmed to be sitting out. In the meantime, we have at least two projected totals of over 230 points as of early Saturday, which is certaintly encouraging for DFS purposes.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following serves as a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate, including those carrying injury designations that aren't listed in this section.
Trae Young, ATL (eye): QUESTIONABLE
If Young is unable to suit up, Aaron Holiday should be a primary beneficiary, while the usage of the remainder of the starting five should skyrocket.
Anfernee Simons, POR (foot): GTD
If Simons misses a second straight game, Keon Johnson could be a beneficiary in the form of some extra minutes while Justise Winslow would likely remain in the starting five.
Kyrie Irving, BKN (suspension): OUT
With Irving out, Patty Mills and Cam Thomas could be direct beneficiaries in the backcourt, while Kevin Durant's usage should be through the roof.
Damian Lillard, POR (calf): GTD
In Lillard's ongoing absence, Shaedon Sharpe could remain in the starting five.
Other notable injuries:
LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle): GTD
Mitchell Robinson, NYK (knee): GTD
Terry Rozier, CHA (ankle): GTD
Khris Middleton, MIL (wrist): OUT
Ben Simmons, BKN (knee): OUT
Gordon Hayward, CHA (shoulder): GTD
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries on Saturday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000), Nikola Jokic ($11,400), Kevin Durant ($10,600), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,500) and Jayson Tatum ($10,400).
Antetokounmpo scored over 50 FD points yet again Friday night and is averaging 61.1 FD points per game overall. While he'll be on the second game of a back-to-back and third game in four nights Saturday, he's shown no signs of slowing down yet.
Jokic scored 44.6 FD points over 35 minutes in his most recent contest against the Thunder on Thursday, and he's averaged just under 50 per game this season. He also has particularly favorable positional matchup Saturday against the Spurs.
Durant will once again take the floor without Irving and Simmons, a scenario in which he scored 56.3 FD points in 33 minutes on Friday, his fifth straight game over 50.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 54.7 FD points per game and hasn't been under 40 yet this season.
Tatum put up a season-high 64.4 FD points over 40 minutes against the Bulls on Friday night, extending the career-best start to his season that already includes four performances over 50 FD points.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Trae Young, ATL ($9,800)
If Young overcomes his questionable status, he should remain very popular despite back-to-back sub-40 FD-point tallies.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN ($9,300)
KAT has been over 40 FD points in six straight games, giving him a safe floor that should keep him very popular Saturday night.
Dejounte Murray, ATL ($9,100)
Murray has enjoyed a mostly spectacular start to his Hawks tenure and should be even more popular if Young is forced to sit out.
Zion Williamson, NOP ($8,800)
Williamson had a quieter game Friday with an abbreviated workload of 27 minutes, but he's still averaging 37.7 FD points per game and should continue to be in plenty of lineups Saturday.
Key Values
Nicolas Claxton, BKN at CHA ($6,000)
Claxton put up 39.3 FD points across 28 minutes in Friday's game against the Wizards while taking on a bigger role without Irving and Simmons, and the same circumstances will apply Saturday night. The matchup is already a premium one, considering the Hornets rank No. 25 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to centers (34.0), and Charlotte is also giving up the sixth-most rebounds (56.3) per contest. Moreover, the Hornets have allowed the seventh-most in the paints per game (53.0), while Claxton is scoring 90.3 percent of his points in that part of the floor.
Jamal Murray, DEN vs. SA ($5,800)
Murray's salary surprisingly remains under $6K despite the fact he's now scored 32.3 and 31 FD points in his last two games, and that he also posted 28.8 and 29.3 in two other games this season. Murray is back to essentially a normal workload, as he's logged over 30 minutes in each of the last pair of contests. The Spurs also rank No. 23 in offensive efficiency rating surrendered to point guards (28.8) and are giving up the sixth-most assists per contest (27.1), making this a stellar all-around matchup for Murray.
Justise Winslow, POR at PHO ($5,200)
Winslow could be back in the starting five again Saturday night with Anfernee Simons (foot) potentially set to miss another game, but he's been offering strong production even when coming off the bench. The veteran wing had already scored over 20 FD points on four occasions, including one tally over 30, before turning a starting opportunity Friday night into 39.3 FD points over 31 minutes against the same Suns squad he'll face again Saturday. With an ability to contribute across the stat sheet and multiple steals on four occasions already, Winslow is right back in play Saturday night at his very appealing salary.
