This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Today's early games will be excluded, so we will tackle the five-game slate that kicks off at 3 p.m. ET.
SLATE OVERVIEW
TOR(-4) vs. SA O/U: 220.5
BKN (-7.5) vs. ATL O/U: 228.5
MEM (-6.5) vs. GS O/U: 225
LAC (-1) @ DEN O/U: 220.5
PHO (-8.5) vs. CHA O/U: 218.5
I've given a nod to a player on almost every team tonight with the exception of Charlotte. I think Deandre Ayton's return will even the score for the Suns after enduring a tough loss to Charlotte earlier in the season. Paul George's absence obviously opens up some value for the Clippers so I like several options on that roster. And though I will only mention one Grizzly in my endorsements tonight, Memphis's roster is certainly worth exploring against the Warriors.
INJURY SITUATIONS TO MONITOR
Kyrie Irving (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE
Multiple reports suggest Irving will return to action today, although he will most likely be on some sort of minutes restriction after missing 26 games. I think I'll most likely stay away from this development and I'll have to pass on Spencer Dinwiddie ($7,500) until we get a better idea of how the minutes will be split.
Trae Young (hamstring) QUESTIONABLE
Although a hamstring injury can be unpredictable, Young looked fine on Friday while dealing with the issue. I doubt he'll want to miss this game, especially with the imminent return of Irving. If he misses for some reason, Brandon Goodwin ($3,100) would be the likely starter.
Paul George (hamstring) OUT
George isn't with the team in Denver so he is definitely out. Every Clippers starter will need to step up in his absence. While Kawhi Leonard ($9,000) is an obvious elite add, Lou Williams ($6,500), Montrezl Harrell ($6,100) and even Patrick Beverley ($4,800) saw big boosts with George sidelined. The addition of JaMychal Green (knee) to the injury report should only enhance the boost for the aforementioned players.
ELITE PLAYERS
Young and Leonard are worth mentioning again, especially Young, who really enjoys playing the Nets. He's averaged a whopping 63 DKFP over two games against Brooklyn.
Devin Booker, PHO ($8,400) vs. CHA
Booker hasn't dipped below 40 DKFP since Dec. 22 against the Nuggets, and he's currently on an excellent five-game run where he's averaging 48 DKFP per game. Charlotte will inflict a bit of a slower pace on the Suns, but they otherwise present a favorable situation for almost any backcourt player - over the past five games, the Hornets have allowed guys like Terence Davis and Jeremy Lamb to walk all over them.
John Collins, ATL ($8,000) @ BKN
With Alex Len likely limited tonight, I expect Collins to take on an increased load in the Hawks' frontcourt against the Nets. His suspension prevented him from facing Brooklyn in their previous two matchups, and his presence should help to halt the 0-5 skid they've endured in this series.
DeMar DeRozan, SA ($7,900) @ TOR
The revenge aspect of this game is a fairly dependable one, as DeRozan beat his projections in the two times he faced his former team last season. While dealing DeMar for Leonard helped Toronto win the title last year, that one-year rental is over. And with Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam out, I predict DeRozan will have yet another excellent game in his former home.
EXPECTED CHALK AMD OTHER TARGETS
Ja Morant, MEM ($7,400) vs. GS
Morant is sure to be a DFS favorite moving forward, as his 22/14/7 line two days ago was a culmination of all of his skills clicking on the same night. The Murray State product is helping to lead the team into playoff contention, and they need to lock in potentially easy games like this one against the Warriors to help in that effort. If the Grizzlies have their way against Golden State as expected, Morant should be able to turn in a value-crushing number.
Ricky Rubio, PHO ($6,800) vs. CHA
Rubio should be another favorite to come off the board on Sunday, as he blitzed the Hornets for almost 40 DKFP during their last matchup. The assist specialist is usually able to match his prolific dime-dropping with a respectable rebound number, which keeps his floor relatively steady. Although his price is a little high relative to his season average, the defensive matchup clicks all the boxes.
Jamal Murray, DEN ($6,400) vs. LAC
Murray and company will host the Clippers at high altitude on Sunday. And while I know I've front-loaded this article with a flood of guard talent, Murray must be considered when you look at his recent run of games. Although he struggled against Houston for a 23 DKFP score, he's gone as high as 52 DKFP over his past ten games and is sitting right around 40 DKFP per game over his last five contests. Murray is a very efficient defensive player and one of the best rebounding point guards in the league, and Paul George's absence will certainly open up some lanes for the Nuggets.
VALUE PLAYS
Terence Davis, TOR ($5,700) vs. SA
Norman Powell's return to full health might rain on the Terence Davis parade tonight, but I'm willing to bet the rookie's 50 DKFP explosion against Charlotte was enough to give Davis more playing time in Fred VanVleet's (hamstring) absence. Patrick McCaw ($5,000) will likely factor into this scenario as well, and at first glance this situation looks to be filled with variance. Despite the muddy waters, I just can't seem to shake Davis's arrival, and I'm compelled to give him some serious exposure in my GPP lineups.
Jarrett Allen, BKN ($5,500) vs. ATL
Allen reached nearly 7x value against the Hawks in their last matchup. And while John Collins' return has bolstered Atlanta's interior game, Allen's 6-11 frame is an almost universal size mismatch and it looks like Alex Len might not make the court tonight - which will make Allen difficult to contain. I'll freely admit I've knocked his defensive ability a lot in his first two seasons, but his 17 double-doubles this year are becoming difficult to ignore.
Glenn Robinson III, GS ($4,400) @ MEM
Someone has to put up some points for the Warriors, and Robinson is the number I'll be calling out of that group today. His numbers have trended up steadily from 23 DKFP to almost 30 DKFP over the last three games, and the Grizzlies have been especially forgiving against small forwards, especially recently. DeRozan, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kawhi have all taken advantage of Memphis's defensive liability at this position in recent games, so we could definitely see a boost for Robinson tonight.
Omari Spellman, GS ($4,100) @ MEM
Another guy that's made an impact in San Francisco is Spellman, who's on a five-game average of 28.6 DKFP per contest. With totals of 34 and 42 DKFP over the past ten games, his potential ceiling is certainly visible, and it's really just a matter of how much damage he can inflict with the limited minutes he's receiving. If he can get 25 minutes or more, I'm confident he'll beat value at this price.
