This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a big slate for a Thursday night with eight games on tap, and although we have some double-digit favorites thanks in part to some tanking opponents, those games are offset by others that should be competitive. The injury report does continue to have some big names populating it, but the player pool remains very robust with 16 teams in action.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, 3/27 @ 10:45 a.m. EDT:
San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers (-14.5) (O/U: 236.5)
Dallas Mavericks at Orlando Magic (-7.5) (O/U: 218.5)
*Indiana Pacers (-12.5) at *Washington Wizards (O/U: 233.5)
Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat (-1.5) (O/U: 226.0)
*Los Angeles Lakers (-3) at Chicago Bulls (O/U: 235.0)
Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder (-10) (O/U: 239.0)
Houston Rockets (-13) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 228.0)
Portland Trail Blazers at Sacramento Kings (-6) (O/U: 225.5)
* - denotes team on second night of back-to-back set
As just alluded to, we're set for a pair of what could be two pretty non-competitive games in Pacers-Wizards and Rockets-Jazz, although Washington may have more fight in it than Utah these days. The Cavs are also big favorites over a Spurs team that's still trying to fight for a play-in spot, while the Grizzlies, even without Ja Morant, are capable of giving the Thunder a more difficult time than the 10-point spread implies.
The night looks pretty encouraging on the projected-totals end of things, considering quartet of games with figures of 233.5 or higher and another three above 225. Some of those numbers are attached to the projected blowouts, but there should certainly be room for plenty of standout individual performances.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Anthony Davis, DAL (adductor): QUESTIONABLE
If Davis is out, Caleb Martin (hip) or Naji Marshall could draw the start t power forward, while the rest of the starting five sees a bump in usage overall.
Josh Giddey, CHI (forearm): QUESTIONABLE
If Giddey can't suit up, Coby White could slide over to point guard or Jevon Carter could draw a spot start.
Evan Mobley, CLE (rest): OUT
With Mobley out, the likes of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell should see extra usage and Dean Wade and De'Andre Hunter could see the majority of minutes at power forward.
Amen Thompson, HOU (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Thompson can't play, Tari Eason is likely to draw a spot start at small forward.
Ja Morant, MEM (hamstring): OUT
In Morant's absence, Scotty Pippen will be set for another start at point guard and both Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson will be leading candidates for more opportunities.
Other notable injuries:
Lauri Markkanen, UTA (rest): OUT
John Collins, UTA (ankle): OUT
P.J. Washington, DAL (ankle): OUT
Jordan Clarkson, UTA (foot): OUT
Tre Jones, CHI (foot): OUT
Cole Anthony, ORL (toe): DOUBTFUL
Caleb Martin, CHI (hip): QUESTIONABLE
Malik Monk, SAC (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Jalen Williams, OKC (hip): QUESTIONABLE
Nikola Vucevic, CHI (back): QUESTIONABLE
Coby White, CHI (toe): PROBABLE
Trae Young, ATL (Achilles): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate: Luka Doncic ($11,600), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,400) and Anthony Davis ($10,400).
Doncic has seemingly hit his stride in Los Angeles, eclipsing 50 FD points in seven of the last eight games, including in two straight with LeBron James back on the floor.
Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't scored fewer than 44 FD points since way back on Feb. 7, giving him one of the safest floors on the slate even in a game where OKC is a double-digit favorite like Thursday.
Davis carries risk at his salary given his questionable tag and the fact he was limited to 26 minutes in his return Monday from a long absence before sitting out the second night of a back-to-back set Tuesday.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
LeBron James, LAL ($9,900)
LeBron had some early scoring troubles Wednesday but still finished with 41.1 FD points and connected on a game-winner, and he should be very popular Thursday with his salary dipping just under five figures.
Paolo Banchero, ORL ($9,800)
Banchero has been on an extended stretch of strong production that's seen him score over 46 FD points in six of his last seven games, which should lead to a high roster rate at his salary Thursday.
Trae Young, ATL ($9,300)
Young has posted 45 FD points or more in eight of his last 10 games and could be in for another very high workload in what should be a competitive game versus the Heat.
Tyrese Haliburton, IND ($9,200)
Haliburton has scored 44.6 to 68.7 FD points in his last four games, numbers that should lock in a high roster rate at his salary Thursday.
Alperen Sengun, HOU ($9,000)
Sengun always finds himself in plenty of lineups thanks to his center position and has scored 57.8 and 41.3 FD points in his last pair of contests.
Key Values
Jordan Poole, WAS vs. IND ($6,500)
Poole had a couple of duds in limited playing time in mid-March, but he's bounced back to average a solid 27.3 FD points over his last four games while shooting 56.4 percent, including 48.5 percent from three-point range on 8.5 long-distance shot attempts per contest. The veteran guard now faces a Pacers squad he hung 60.5 FD points on in his only prior meeting with them this season. Indiana has allowed 48.7 FD points per contest to point guards in the last seven games as well, furthering Poole's case at a salary he's proven amply capable of overdelivering on.
Kel'el Ware, MIA vs. ATL ($6,100)
Ware continues to hone his craft with plenty of minutes down the stretch, and the versatile rookie comes into Thursday's matchup averaging an impressive 33.1 FD points per game in his last six contests, a sample where he's putting up 14.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. Ware is averaging a solid 29.8 minutes per contest in that span as well, and he's facing a Hawks team he generated 29.6 FD points against in 29 minutes when he last saw them Feb. 26. Atlanta ranks No. 18 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to centers (33.0) and has conceded 56.3 percent shooting to the position, and the Hawks are also allowing an elevated 5.4 blocks and 52.7 total rebounds per road game.
Andrew Nembhard, IND at WAS ($5,600)
Nembhard is one of several value Pacers that are in good position to deliver strong returns against the hapless Wizards on Thursday. The third-year pro comes into the favorable matchup with strong production in four of his last five games, a stretch where he's scored over 30 FD points twice. Nembhard is shooting an improved 35.7 percent from behind the arc in that span as well, and Washington is allowing the fourth-most FD points per contest to shooting guards (45.5) in the last 15 games, as well as 38.4 percent three-point shooting to the position on the season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Keegan Murray, SAC vs. POR ($6,000); Bennedict Mathurin, IND at WAS ($5,800)
