This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Following a league-wide day off Wednesday, the Association roars back Thursday with a massive 13-game slate that's more typical of a Friday night. With such a massive player pool, even an injury report that does have quite a few big names on it doesn't really make a significant dent, and we'll have no shortage of game environments to focus on for DFS purposes.
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.
Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, 12/19 @ 11:00 a.m. EST:
Oklahoma City Thunder (-6.5) at Orlando Magic (O/U: 211.0)
Utah Jazz at Detroit Pistons (-4.5) (O/U: 227.0 )
Charlotte Hornets (-4) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 226.0)
Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics (-15) (O/U: 242.0)
Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors (-3.5) (O/U: 218.5)
Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies (-2.5) (O/U: 236.5)
New Orleans Pelicans at Houston Rockets (-9) (O/U: 217.0)
Atlanta Hawks at San Antonio Spurs (-1) (O/U: 234.0)
Los Angeles Clippers at Dallas Mavericks (-4.5) (O/U: 223.5)
Indiana Pacers at Phoenix Suns (-6.5) (O/U: 235.0)
New York Knicks at Minnesota Timberwolves (-2.5) (O/U: 215.0)
Denver Nuggets (-8.5) at Portland Trail Blazers (O/U: 235.5)
Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings (-4.5) (O/U: 229.0)
As is always the case with such an extensive selection of games, there's a bit of everything when it comes to the betting lines. Somewhat surprisingly, we're only dealing with one true projected blowout, and the there are encouragingly eight games with spreads of 4.5 points or fewer as of Thursday morning.
Projected totals are similarly encouraging, considering the six games with totals of 229 or higher, including four of 234 or more. There's also solid 226- and 227-point tallies on the board, boosting the chances for a night that's going to be replete with very useful individual performances.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Luka Doncic, DAL (heel): OUT
In Doncic's absence, the usage for any other member of the starting five should see a nice bump, while Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie could handle the majority of minutes at point guard.
Kyrie Irving, DAL (shoulder): QUESTIONABLE
Irving will be in for a major usage bump if he can suit up considering Doncic's absence, but if Kyrie also sits out, Grimes could draw the start at shooting guard.
Domantas Sabonis, SAC (back): QUESTIONABLE
If Sabonis can't play, De'Aaron Fox and DeMar DeRozan will see even more run than usual while Alex Len and Isaac Jones would likely handle center minutes.
LeBron James, LAL (foot): QUESTIONABLE
If LeBron sits out, Anthony Davis' usage will shoot even higher and Cam Reddish could draw a start at power forward.
Alperen Sengun, HOU (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Sengun can't play, Jock Landale could handle the bulk of center minutes while Jabari Smith likely sees a big bump in usage in the frontcourt.
Ja Morant, MEM (back): QUESTIONABLE
If Morant can't suit up, Scotty Pippen would be set for a start at point guard.
Other notable injuries:
Paolo Banchero, ORL (oblique): OUT
Kyle Kuzma, WAS (ribs): OUT
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Jakob Poeltl, TOR (groin): OUT
Cam Thomas, BKN (hamstring): OUT
Jaden Ivey, DET (knee): DOUBTFUL
Marcus Smart, MEM (shoulder): DOUBTFUL
Brandon Miller, CHA (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Josh Giddey, CHI (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (heel): QUESTIONABLE
Christian Braun, DEN (back): QUESTIONABLE
Deandre Ayton, POR (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Trae Young, ATL (Achilles): PROBABLE
Tobias Harris, DET (thumb): PROBABLE
Bradley Beal, PHO (knee): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Thursday's slate: Nikola Jokic ($12,400), Anthony Davis ($11,400), Victor Wembanyama ($11,300), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,200) and Jayson Tatum ($10,000).
Jokic bounced back from an extremely rare down performance against the Clippers two games ago to record 60.3 FD points against the Kings on Monday, his sixth game in the last seven over 60 FD points.
Davis has recorded 64.7 to 67.2 FD points in three of his last four games and could be taking the floor without LeBron James again Thursday.
Wembanyama has posted over 52 FD points in each of his last two games, tallying seven blocks in his most recent contest against the Timberwolves.
SGA has recorded 66.1 and 67.6 FD points in his last two games discounting the Emirates NBA Cup Final, but he has a tough defensive matchup in a game with the lowest projected total of the night.
Tatum typically has a floor of at least 40 FD points and comes into Thursday with the rare benefit of three consecutive days off after a very busy first month-plus of the Celtics' title-defense season.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,900)
If Sabonis is cleared to play, he should be very popular after recording over 60 FD points in back-to-back games.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,800)
Ball provided 48 FD points in just 25 minutes in his return from injury against the Sixers on Monday and should be highly rostered Thursday given his upside.
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK ($9,700)
KAT should have some extra incentive against his old squad, and because he comes in having put up 52.9 to 63.3 FD points in four straight games.
Cade Cunningham, DET ($9,600)
Cunningham draws a very appealing matchup against the Jazz and has scored 55.8 to 63.5 FD points in three of his last four contests, factors that should vault him into plenty of lineups Thursday.
James Harden, LAC ($9,400)
Harden continues to carry the Clippers offensively on most nights and is averaging 44.5 FD points per game, which should keep him robustly rostered at his salary.
Key Values
Payton Pritchard, BOS vs. CHI ($6,100)
It seems hard to fathom now, but Pritchard was once a sub-$4K player who was very erratic in his production from game to game. He's been a revelation this season, putting himself firmly in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year honors while boosting his scoring by almost seven full points per game and shooting a career-best 43.5 percent from three-point range. Pritchard has already scored 30 or more FD points in 10 of 26 games, and he comes in having provided 34.2 to 45.8 FD points in three straight. The Bulls just conceded 41.9 FD points to Pritchard across 29 minutes on Nov. 29, and Chicago checks in allowing the second-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (33.5) and fourth highest (47.0) to second-unit players, furthering Pritchard's case.
Gradey Dick, TOR vs. BKN ($6,000)
Dick has also developed into a reliable contributor for the Raptors in his second season, increasing his scoring average by a full 10 points per game over his rookie campaign and averaging 27 FD points per contest on the season. The talented wing has scored over 31 FD points in eight of 22 games, including twice within the last four contests. Thursday, he faces a Nets team that's allowed 38.0 percent three-point shooting to two-guards, along with the fourth-most FD points per game to the position in the last 15 contests (45.9).
Quentin Grimes, DAL vs. LAC ($3,900)
Grimes is likely to draw a start at point guard Thursday with Doncic ruled out, and the fourth-year pro has averaged 15.0 points (on 51.3 percent shooting, including 44.7 percent from distance), 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals across 28.1 minutes per game in eight turns with the first unit this season. Grimes is averaging 32.6 FD points per 36 minutes with Luka off the floor this season, and if Irving also sits out, Grimes will be in even more position to thrive. Spencer Dinwiddie should also benefit from Doncic's absence Thursday and is listed below, but Grimes has proven more capable of consistently capitalizing during past absences in Dallas' backcourt.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jusuf Nurkic, PHO vs. IN ($5,900); Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL vs. LAC ($4,200)
