This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a typically abbreviated three-game ledger on tap Thursday night, with a pair of potential blowouts and one game that could be a true showcase for DFS production based on both teams' star power. As of early Thursday, the injury report is light overall, which is particularly important on such a small slate.
Slate Overview
Brooklyn Nets (+2.5) at Portland Trail Blazers (O/U: 222 points)
San Antonio Spurs (+7) at Sacramento Kings (O/U: 238 points)
Detroit Pistons (+9) at Los Angeles Clippers (O/U: 217.5 points)
The Nets-Trail Blazers matchup may be the most intriguing of the night, as Brooklyn just gave up 153 points to the Kings on Tuesday night and has been one of the most challenging teams to get a handle on this season. Meanwhile, the Spurs-Kings battle has no shortage of DFS potential, considering the offense each squad has proven capable of generating this season and the fact San Antonio particularly can be prone to defensive lapses (NBA-high 119.5 points per game allowed).
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.
Kyrie Irving, BKN (suspension): OUT
In Irving's ongoing absence, Edmond Sumner should draw another start at point guard.
Paul George, LAC (hand): QUESTIONABLE
If George were to sit out, the usage of the remainder of the starting five would naturally shoot up, and Norman Powell would likely reenter the starting five at small forward.
Jusuf Nurkic, POR (thigh): QUESTIONABLE
If Nurkic sits out, Drew Eubanks should handle a bulk of center minutes.
Cade Cunningham, DET (lower leg): OUT
In Cunningham's absence, Cory Joseph and Killian Hayes should handle the bulk of point guard duties.
Other notable injuries:
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee): OUT
Isaiah Stewart, DET (toe): OUT
Keegan Murray, SAC (back): QUESTIONABLE
Luke Kennard, LAC (calf): DOUBTFUL
Justise Winslow, POR (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have two players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate – Kevin Durant ($11,500) and Domantas Sabonis ($10,200).
Durant continues to be the dependable night-to-night component on the unpredictable Nets, scoring no fewer than Tuesday's 41.8 FD points in any game this season. With Kyrie Irving still out due to suspension Thursday, KD's usage rate should remain higher than usual.
Sabonis exploded for 61.4 FD points against the Warriors two games ago and has already been over 40 on eight occasions overall this season. He draws a very favorable positional matchup against the Spurs on Thursday.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Paul George, LAC ($9,400)
If George can play through his hand injury, he should remain very popular on the small slate despite falling short of 5x his current salary in two of his last four games.
Damian Lillard, POR ($9,000)
Lillard has averaged 43.7 FD points over his last three games and will have a very favorable matchup Thursday against a Nets team that's been very poor defensively, especially when Irving has been out.
Jerami Grant, POR ($8,400)
Grant has ramped up his production over the last three games with an average of 49.3 FD points over that span, which should keep him in plenty of lineups Thursday.
Key Values
John Wall, LAC vs. DET ($6,000)
Wall makes for an intriguing play whether or not Paul George is available Thursday. The veteran point guard has settled well into a bench role that typically affords him minutes in the low-to-mid-20s. The multi-time All-Star is averaging 26.1 FD points per game and putting up a well-rounded 13.0 points, 5.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals, and the matchup lines up for one of his higher-percentile performances Thursday. The Pistons are allowing an NBA-high 30.5 offensive efficiency rating to point guards and an NBA-high 51.3 offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players as well. Detroit is also conceding 7.4 steals per road game, giving Wall another source of complementary fantasy production that could boost his point tally nicely.
Marvin Bagley, DET at LAC ($5,700)
Bagley should draw another start at center for Isaiah Stewart (toe) on Thursday after posting 23 FD points over 29 minutes while filling in for him against the Raptors on Monday night. The big man certainly has the upside to outpace his current salary. Even though Monday's game only marked his second of the season due to injury, Bagley was encouragingly able to log a solid workload. Bagley can also space the floor occasionally and take on even more scoring responsibility, with Cunningham still out of action for Detroit.
Marcus Morris, LAC vs. DET ($5,500)
Morris makes for a solid play whether or not George takes the floor Thursday, as his salary is one he's already delivered over a 5x return on in seven games this season. The veteran has scored over 30 FD points in three of his last five games alone, and he's shooting a stellar 52.9 percent, including 40.5 percent from distance, over his last six contests overall. Morris is even facilitating at the second-highest rate of his career (2.3 APG), and the Pistons come in allowing NBA-high 32.1 offensive efficiency to power forwards, along with the third-most points (25.9), third-most rebounds (11.7), fourth-most assists (4.6) and most blocks (2.2) per game to the position.
ALSO CONSIDER: Kevin Huerter, SAC vs. SAN ($6,100); Harrison Barnes, SAC vs. SAN ($5,500)
