This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Saturday nights can usually be counted on for mid-size slates, but tonight is a notable exception. With the NBA naturally ceding almost all of Super Bowl Sunday to the NFL, we have 10 games on tap. There's another debut of a big-name trade acquisition potentially on tap, and although there are a couple of potential lopsided affairs, the majority of the night appears to shape up as competitive.
Slate Overview
Memphis Grizzlies (-7) at Charlotte Hornets (O/U: 239 points)
Sacramento Kings (-2.5) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 223.5)
San Antonio Spurs at New Orleans Pelicans (-5.5) (O/U: 228.5)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers (-3.5) (O/U: 206)
Denver Nuggets at Toronto Raptors (-3.5) (O/U: 223.5)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Chicago Bulls (-11.5) (O/U: 219.5 points)
Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat (-10.5) (O/U: 221.5)
Los Angeles Clippers at Dallas Mavericks (-7) (O/U: 215.5 points)
Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors (-6.5) (O/U: 224.5)
Orlando Magic at Phoenix Suns (-16.5) (O/U: 223 points)
While less than half of Saturday night's games are between teams with winning records, there are still plenty of narrow spreads and potentially fruitful DFS environments. Even a game like Kings-Wizards, which could feature the Washington debut of Kristaps Porzingis, could certainly turn into a wire-to-wire affair.
Other matchups such as Grizzlies-Hornets, Spurs-Pelicans and Lakers-Warriors could certainly also see some strong individual performances given some of the big names involved. Then, the Nuggets-Raptors clash, which could turn out to be the marquee game of the night, should also see the top stars play heavy minutes, although Denver will be on the second night of a back-to-back set.
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.
James Harden, PHI (hamstring/trade acquisition): OUT
Harden will not make his 76ers debut Saturday, which should continue to ensure a significant role for Tyrese Maxey and another start for Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz.
LeBron James, LAL (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If James sits out, Stanley Johnson would likely enter the starting five, while Anthony Davis would see even more usage than usual.
Anthony Davis, LAL (wrist): PROBABLE
Davis is fully expected to play through his wrist injury and could have an even bigger role than usual if LeBron James (knee) and/or Russell Westbrook (back) sit out.
Russell Westbrook, LAL (back)
If Westbrook sits out a second straight game, Avery Bradley will likely remain in the starting five.
Fred VanVleet, TOR (groin): QUESTIONABLE
If VanVleet were to sit out, Dalano Blanton and Malachi Flynn would likely handle starting point guard duties, while the usage of the remaining first-unit members would see a notable bump.
Darius Garland, CLE (back): GTD
If Garland misses a second straight game, Caris LeVert should remain in the starting five, while Rajon Rondo could also see extra minutes off the bench.
Kristaps Porzingis, WAS (knee): GTD
If Porzingis does make his team debut, the big man could move right into a starting role at center.
Other notable injuries:
Kevin Durant, BKN (knee): OUT
Ben Simmons, BKN (personal): OUT
Paul George, LAC (elbow): OUT
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC (ankle): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (foot): OUT
Lonzo Ball, CHI (knee): OUT
Tyler Herro, MIA (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Norman Powell, LAC (turf toe): QUESTIONABLE
Draymond Green, GSW (back): OUT
Gordon Hayward, CHA (ankle): OUT
Spencer Dinwiddie, WAS (trade acquisition): GTD
Lauri Markkanen, CLE (ankle): OUT
Terence Davis, SAC (wrist): OUT
Monte Morris, DEN (concussion): OUT
LaMarcus Aldridge, BKN (ankle): OUT
Elite Players
We have 12 players with five-figure salaries on Saturday's slate -- 10 of which have a chance to suit up – Luka Doncic ($12,500), Joel Embiid ($12,000), Nikola Jokic ($11,700), LeBron James ($10,900), Ja Morant ($10,500), Dejounte Murray ($10,400), Stephen Curry ($10,300), Kyrie Irving ($10,200), Anthony Davis ($10,100) and Pascal Siakam ($10,000).
Doncic has scored 65.7 to 75.3 DK points in his last three games, the high end of that range coming against the same Clippers team he'll face Saturday.
Embiid exploded for another massive effort of over 60 DK points Friday against the Thunder -- his fourth time in the last six games eclipsing that total.
Jokic draws a very favorable positional matchup against the Raptors and just hit the triple-double bonus for the fourth time in the last seven games Friday night.
James' status will have to be monitored due to his ongoing knee issue, but if he plays, he should naturally have a prime role against a Warriors team he scored 61.3 DK points against in the first meeting this season.
Morant scored 57.8 DK points against the Hornets in the first meeting this season and had been over 46 DK points in 10 straight games before scoring 39 against the Pistons on Thursday.
Murray posted 50 DK points in 33 minutes in his one prior meeting with the Pelicans and is averaging 49.3 per game for the season.
Curry bounced back from a down game against the Jazz to score 57 DK points his last time out against the Knicks and dropped 58 on the Lakers in the first meeting this season.
Irving will naturally have a mammoth role with Harden gone and has scored 59.8 and 48.3 DK points in his last two games.
Davis scored 57.8 DK points in his first game against the Warriors and would be in line for a significant usage bump if James and/or Westbrook are out.
Siakam has averaged 50 DK points in his last seven games and is putting up 45.8 per home game this season.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($9,800)
DeRozan has scored no fewer than 46.5 DK points since Jan. 19 and is averaging 53.5 over his last six, which should keep him very popular Saturday.
Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,600)
Sabonis was outstanding in his first game with the Kings, posting 48.5 DK points in 33 minutes against the Timberwolves.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,400)
Ball just racked up 60.3 DK points in 38 minutes against the Bulls, and he'll be facing a Grizzlies team Saturday that he already scored 38.3 DK points against in 32 minutes in the first meeting.
Jimmy Butler, MIA ($9,300)
Butler bounced back from a rare down game against the Wizards to post 52 DK points Thursday night versus the Pelicans. He also recorded 55 DK points in 37 minutes versus the Nets in the first meeting this season.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($7,800)
Fox just scored 46.5 DK points in his first game with Sabonis – his third straight with at least that total -- and he's only seen a $100 salary increase.
Key Values
Darius Bazley, OKC at CHI ($5,800)
Bazley was in the starting lineup at power forward Friday against the 76ers and delivered nicely, posting a 14-point, 15-rebound double-double that also included an assist, a steal and a block. It was the latest in a series of strong performances for the second-year big, who also scored 24 to 35.8 DK points in the seven games prior to Friday. The Bulls make for potentially good facilitators of another strong performance, considering Chicago has allowed the fourth-highest offensive efficiency to power forwards (28.3 percent), along with the third-most DK points per game to the position (48.5).
Cam Thomas, BKN at MIA ($5,400)
Thomas was impressive while drawing a spot start Thursday with James Harden having been traded earlier in the day, recording 37.5 DK points in 36 minutes against the Wizards. The rookie first-round pick has now scored 28.8 to 41 DK points in his last four games overall while shooting 51.4 percent, and he should be in line for another turn with the first unit Saturday. The Heat have also allowed the 12th-highest offensive efficiency to shooting guards (21.4 percent), along with an elevated 43.6 DK points per game to the position in the last seven games.
Steven Adams, MEM at CHA ($5,200)
Adams has seemingly hit his stride over the last 13 games, eclipsing 30 DK points on four occasions and eclipsing 25 in two other occasions. The big man has pushed his DK-point average to 26.1 with that surge, and he already trampled the Hornets for 34 DK points in 28.2 minutes in the first meeting this season. Charlotte continues to be just as vulnerable to centers, allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to the position (33.2 percent) and an Eastern Conference-high 59.1 DK points per game to fives as well. The Hornets have also yielded the second-highest offensive efficiency in the paint (62.0 percent), an area of the floor where Adams is scoring just under 76.0 percent of his points.
ALSO CONSIDER: Luguentz Dort, OKC at CHI ($6,500); Thomas Bryant, WAS vs. SAC ($4,200)
