This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
ATL vs. TOR (-3.5), O/U: 223.5
LAC (-2.5) vs. IND, O/U: 229.5
LAL vs. CHA (-1.5), O/U: 208.5
OKC vs. UTA (-16.5), O/U: 223.5
BOS vs. POR (-1), O/U: 228
MIA vs. PHX (-3.5), O/U: 216
The LAC-IND game will be a popular target as it features the highest total on the slate and the Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard. Paul George will see all the usage he can handle in a matchup against his old team, while the Pacers are still without Myles Turner and their star players have favorable salaries on a slate with no five-figure studs.
The ATL-TOR matchup is another good target. Keep an eye on the status of Trae Young, who is listed as questionable, as his absence would lead to Brandon Goodwin being the chalkiest player on the slate. If Young plays however, he's one of the more appealing spend-up options. The Raptors are still without Fred VanVleet, and Kyle Lowry's salary is too cheap following his return from injury.
Injuries to Monitor
Kawhi Leonard (foot): OUT
Leonard will miss a second consecutive game due to foot soreness. Luke Kennard started at small forward last time out.
Trae Young (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Young missed Sunday's game with a bruised calf and is listed as questionable. Brandon Goodwin got the start at point guard and played 37 minutes in Young's absence.
Fred VanVleet (hip): OUT
VanVleet will miss a sixth consecutive game due to strained hip flexor. Kyle Lowry and Gary Trent will start in the backcourt.
Victor Oladipo (knee): OUT
Oladipo will miss at least the next three games as he's set to undergo further evaluations on his knee. Kendrick Nunn got the start at point guard last time out.
Myles Turner (ankle): OUT
Turner will miss a fourth consecutive game tonight dealing with a sprained ankle. Edmond Sumner has been starting at forward while Domantas Sabonis has moved to center.
Aleksej Pokusevski (arm): OUT
Pokusevski had to leave Saturday's game early due to sore arm and has been ruled out for tonight. Darius Bazley will likely start at power forward in his place.
Jordan Clarkson (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Clarkson has missed three consecutive games due to a sprained ankle and is listed as questionable for tonight. Joe Ingles has seen an expanded role in his absence.
Elite Players
Guard:
Trae Young ($9,100)
Damian Lillard ($9,500) and Donovan Mitchell ($9,400) are the most expensive guards on the slate. Lillard is basically unplayable at his current salary as he's only topped 40 DK points once in the past five games. Mitchell is fine, but his salary has reached its highest point in 10 games and Mike Conley should return after resting Monday, and the matchup against the Thunder seems likely to be a blowout. Young is listed as questionable after sitting out Sunday with a bruised calf. He's put up at least 50 DK points in two of his last three games and the Hawks have a nice matchup against Toronto.
Paul George ($8,700)
George will face his old team, the Pacers, without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup. He's topped 50 DK points in three consecutive games and his salary is too low for the usage he's likely to see. I'd expect him to be popular and rightfully so, as he's my preferred spend-up option on the slate.
Center:
Domantas Sabonis ($8,800)
Sabonis has scored 47.75 and 53.25 DK points in back-to-back games since returning from injury. Low-30s minutes have kept him from hitting a ceiling game, but it's rare to see him with a salary under $9K and Myles Turner is still out, so I'd expect plenty of run and usage tonight if the game against the Clippers stays competitive. It makes a lot of sense to pair him with PG13.
Forward:
Jimmy Butler ($9,300) and Jayson Tatum ($9,200)
Butler and Tatum are two players I normally wouldn't prioritize at those salaries, but they are the most expensive forwards on the slate and both of them have the upside to be the night's high scorer. Tatum is coming off a monster game Friday that saw him drop 53 real points on his way to 75.5 DK points, and the Celtics have a favorable matchup against the Trail Blazers. Butler continues to be consistent as he's scored at least 43 DK points in five consecutive games, and he should get a usage bump with Victor Oladipo out for what should be a competitive matchup against the Suns. If choosing between the two, I would lean toward Tatum based on matchup and ceiling potential.
Expected Chalk
Kyle Lowry ($7,600)
Lowry scored 41.25 DK points in 37 minutes Sunday in his first game back following a two-week absence due to a foot infection. His salary is too low for tonight's matchup against the Hawks and he gets a bump in usage as well with Fred VanVleet still out. He's even easier to afford relative to the slate as no player has a salary above $9,500. I'd expect him to be quite popular on a six-game slate.
Brandon Goodwin ($3,500), if Trae Young is out
If Young sits again tonight I'd expect Goodwin to be the most popular player on the slate. He put up 35.5 DK points in 37 minutes when he got the start in Young's absence Sunday.
Value Picks
Jaylen Brown ($7,800)
Brown's salary is bit depressed and the Celtics are in a nice spot against the Trail Blazers. He's coming off a 58 DK point outburst last week and his upside is even more valuable with the lack of elite spend-up options on this slate.
Chris Boucher ($6,900)
Boucher is still too cheap if he's going to see at least 30 minutes, but his playing time has been anything but safe under Nick Nurse this season. His considerable upside makes him well worth the risk in a favorable matchup against the Hawks.
Bogdan Bogdanovic ($6,800)
Bogdanovic has topped 40 DK points in two of his last three games as he continues to take upwards of 20 shots per night. It doesn't hurt that Danilo Gallinari is out, and he would get a nice bump if Trae Young were to sit again for tonight's matchup against the Raptors.
Malcolm Brogdon ($6,700)
Brogdon is coming off his best game of the season Sunday as he scored 62.75 DK points and finished one rebound shy of a triple-double. I'd expect that makes him a bit more popular tonight despite his inconsistency.
Dennis Schroder ($6,500)
Schroder's salary has reached its lowest point in 10 games, and now he's too cheap for his role as creator and scorer in the absence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The problem has been that the Lakers have been getting blown out a lot, but they actually have a chance to win tonight against the Hornets.
Marcus Morris ($5,000) and Nicolas Batum ($4,500)
Morris and Batum will both see expanded roles again with Kawhi Leonard ruled out. Both had nice games Sunday and I'd expect them to be relatively popular value plays in a favorable matchup against the Pacers.
