This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a compact five-game slate on tap Saturday night that is highlighted by a 76ers-Bucks showdown in Milwaukee and also features Hawks-Heat and Timberwolves-Kings battles. Fortunately, the injury report is very light overall and most of the players on it are either on the Pistons or Spurs, which still gives us a solid player pool to work with.
Slate Overview
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Saturday's betting landscape is particularly interesting, as there is one double-digit favorite in the Cavaliers and the remaining four games sport lines of 5.5 points or less as of early Saturday. Meanwhile, projected totals are relatively encouraging from a DFS perspective, as three games sport figures of 228.5 points or more as of early Saturday.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Bojan Bogdanovic, DET (Achilles): OUT
In Bogdanovic's absence, Hamidou Diallo is likely to draw a start at small forward, and the remainder of the starting five could enjoy elevated usage.
Keldon Johnson, SAN (foot): DOUBTFUL
In Johnson's likely absence and that of Doug McDermott, Keita Bates-Diop is projected to draw another start at small forward.
Other notable injuries:
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (calf): OUT
Isaiah Stewart, DET (hip): OUT
Jalen Duren, DET (ankle): OUT
Devin Vassell, SAN (knee): OUT
Alec Burks, DET (foot): OUT
Kyle Lowry, MIA (knee): OUT
Malaki Branham, SAN (back): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Saturday's slate – Joel Embiid ($11,700), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,600) and Donovan Mitchell ($10,000).
Embiid scored 49.1 FD points across 35 minutes in his most recent contest Thursday against the Mavs, and he recorded 64.2 FD points versus the Bucks the last time he faced them Nov. 18.
Antetokounmpo has scored 48.8 and 59.6 FD points in two games against the 76ers this season and has posted 63 FD points or more in six of the last 13 contests overall.
Mitchell fully participated in Friday's practice after tweaking a groin injury against the Celtics on Wednesday, and he's racked up 54.3 to 57.3 FD points in five of the last seven contests.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
James Harden, PHI ($9,900)
Harden offers the upside of a five-figure-salaried player and is averaging 47.7 FD points partly on the strength of 42.0 percent shooting from three-point range in the last 11 contests.
Trae Young, ATL ($9,700)
Young put up 49.9 FD points in just 29 minutes against the Blazers on Friday and hasn't scored less than 42.6 in any contest since Jan. 30.
Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,500)
Sabonis dropped 48.5 FD points across 34 minutes against the Clippers on Friday night despite the return of De'Aaron Fox from a one-game absence, and he's put up at least 40 in nine of the last 10 overall.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($9,300)
Fox showed no ill effects from his wrist issue in Friday's return versus the Clippers, racking up 52.9 FD points across 34 minutes. He'd also scored 52.6 and 78 in the two games prior, which should keep him very popular on the small slate. He also faces a Timberwolves team that allows the seventh-most points per game to opposing point guards.
Jimmy Butler, MIA ($8,800)
Butler should be on plenty of rosters at his salary, considering he just compiled 56.1 FD points in 33 minutes against the Knicks on Friday and generated 58.7 three games ago versus Philadelphia.
Key Values
Jeremy Sochan, SAN vs. HOU ($6,100)
Sochan went off for 47.1 FD points across 31 minutes against the Pacers on Thursday, and he could be in an excellent position to overdeliver on his modest salary again Saturday, considering both the matchup and the fact both Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are expected out for San Antonio. The Rockets allow the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (27.8), along with 48.7 percent shooting to the position. Houston is also conceding 44.4 FD points per game to fours on the season, and Sochan is averaging 34 FD points per 36 minutes with his pair of teammates off the floor.
Jaden McDaniels, MIN at SAC ($5,800)
McDaniels slumped to 18.8 FD points against the Lakers on Friday night, but he averaged 24.7 FD points in 11 February games while shooting 52.6 percent, including 40.5 percent from three-point range. That stretch included four games of over 30 FD points, and the Kings went into Friday's action allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating to small forwards (23.4), along with the third-most FD points per contest to the position on the season (42.9). Sacramento is also tied for the fifth-highest three-point shooting percentage allowed at home (37.4), furthering McDaniels' case.
Hamidou Diallo, DET at CLE ($5,500)
Diallo could draw a start at small forward Saturday with Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles) sidelined, and the defensive-minded wing averages 35.8 FD points per 36 minutes without his teammate on the floor. Diallo has flashed some nice upside this season by scoring over 30 FD points on eight occasions despite not drawing a start, and he's shooting a career-high 58.0 percent overall across 54 contests. Cleveland has been tough against threes all season, but Diallo could certainly offer a nice return with extended opportunity.
ALSO CONSIDER: De'Andre Hunter, ATL at MIA ($5,600); Keita Bates-Diop, SAN vs. HOU ($5,300)
