This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're teed up for a giant ledger by typical Saturday standards, as there are nine games in total, with FanDuel offering a full slate that includes the early Spurs-76ers game. We have our first set of back-to-back sets of the season to factor in, as a total of 10 teams on the schedule were also on the floor Friday night. However, with it being so early in the season, the fatigue factor should be less pronounced than it otherwise would be.
Slate Overview
San Antonio Spurs (+13) at Philadelphia 76ers (-13) (O/U: 224.5 points)
Boston Celtics (-8) at Orlando Magic (+8) (O/U: 216.0 points)
Detroit Pistons (-1) at Indiana Pacers (+1) (O/U: 229.5 points)
Houston Rockets (+13) at Milwaukee Bucks (-13) (O/U: 231.5 points)
Cleveland Cavaliers (-1.5) at Chicago Bulls (+1.5) (O/U: 219.5 points)
Toronto Raptors (+2.5) at Miami Heat (-2.5) (O/U: 215.0 points)
Memphis Grizzlies (+5) at Dallas Mavericks (-5) (O/U: 220.5 points)
Oklahoma City Thunder (+8.5) at Denver Nuggets (-8.5) (O/U: 226.0 points)
Los Angeles Clippers (-3) at Sacramento Kings (+3) (O/U: 225.0 points)
It remains to be seen if scoring will be suppressed on teams that also played Friday, but based on early-season results, some vulnerable defensive squads are in action. The Rockets, Spurs, Pacers and Kings could be excellent teams to target, especially since San Antonio and Indiana played in a wild 135-134 wire-to-wire affair Friday night and Houston was in a similar battle with the Grizzlies.
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.
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (rest): OUT
Leonard, who logged 21 minutes off the bench in the Clippers' season opener Thursday, will be held out for rest management purposes. Paul George should enjoy some extra usage as a result, while Norman Powell, Luke Kennard and Terance Mann should also be beneficiaries.
Darius Garland, CLE (eye): OUT
Garland's absence should boost Donovan Mitchell's usage even higher, while Raul Neto should draw a start at point guard.
Khris Middleton, MIL (wrist): OUT
In Middleton's absence, Grayson Allen and Jevon Carter should remain in the starting lineup.
Jamal Murray, DEN (GTD): REST
Murray is likely to be back in the starting point guard role after sitting out Friday's game against the Warriors for rest.
Zach LaVine, CHI (knee): Available
LaVine is set for his season debut after missing the first two games of the 2022-23 campaign.
Myles Turner, IND (ankle): OUT
In Turner's absence, Terry Taylor could draw another start at center.
John Wall, LAC (rest): OUT
In Wall's absence for maintenance purposes, Terance Mann should see some extra minutes off the bench behind Reggie Jackson.
Other notable injuries:
Jalen Smith, IND (mouth): GTD
Jalen Suggs, ORL (ankle): GTD
Dillon Brooks, MEM (thigh): GTD
Jae'Sean Tate, HOU (ankle): GTD
Otto Porter, TOR (hamstring): GTD
Chris Boucher, TOR (hamstring): GTD
Alec Burks, DET (foot): GTD
Markelle Fultz, ORL (toe): OUT
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Saturday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,500), Nikola Jokic ($11,100), Luka Doncic ($10,800) and Jayson Tatum ($10,600).
Antetokounmpo started the season off with 59.6 FD points across 36 minutes against the 76ers on Thursday and will remain in an even higher-usage role than usual against the very vulnerable Rockets with Khris Middleton (wrist) out.
Jokic exploded for 50.4 FD points in the upset win over the Warriors on Friday night and will find himself in a winnable matchup once again with the Thunder.
Doncic started off the season in trademark fashion with 53.8 FD points across 36 minutes in a tough matchup against the Suns and will be set for what should be a fast-paced showdown against Ja Morant on Saturday.
Tatum has scored 58.4 and 48 FD points in his first two games of the season and should have a favorable matchup against the Magic.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Ja Morant, MEM 
($9,900)
Morant would be highly popular under any circumstance, but even more so after scoring 71.8 FD points in 31 minutes against the Rockets on Friday.
Joel Embiid, PH 
I ($9,900)
Embiid tumbled to 32.9 FD points against the Bucks after scoring 48.5 on Opening Night against the Celtics, but he should naturally be in plenty of lineups anyhow against the defensively vulnerable Spurs.
James Harden, PHI ($9,800)
Harden has put together a throwback performance over his first pair of games, scoring 52.1 and 61.1 FD points while shooting 57.9 percent.
DeMar DeRozan, CHI 
($9,800)
DeRozan just missed what would have been a game-winning three-point attempt against the Wizards on Friday, but the fact he's averaging 57 FD points over the first two games should certainly keep him in plenty of lineups.
Paul George, LAC 
($9,000)
George will take the floor without Kawhi Leonard, boosting his usual popularity even further.
Pascal Siakam, TOR 
($8,600)
Siakam has been outstanding over the first two games with 42.7 and 64.9 FD points, and the latter performance, which came Friday night, should make him particularly popular Saturday.
Key Values
Ivica Zubac, LAC at SAC ($6,600)
Zubac, who put up career highs across the board last season, opened the new campaign with a dominant 14-point, 17-rebound double-double that included five blocks that netted 45.9 FD points. The big man now takes aim at the Kings, which annually seem to be one of the best matchups for centers. Sacramento allowed the second-highest offensive efficiency to fives last season (35.5 percent), and Zubac generated tallies of 27.4, 32.4 and 33.7 FD points in three of four games against Sacramento last season.
Jaden Ivey, DET 
at IND ($6,300)
Ivey has gotten his pro career off to an impressive start, averaging 32.3 FD points while logging 31 and 29 minutes in his first two contests. The rookie fifth overall pick has shot at least 50 percent in both games as well and boosted his assist tally to nine against the Knicks on Friday night after mustering four in the opener versus Orlando. He now gets a crack at a Pacers team that just gave up 137 points to the Spurs on Friday night and that allowed 37.3 percent three-point shooting to two-guards a season ago. Indiana then allowed a 54.8 percent success rate from distance to San Antonio on Friday night, including a 4-for-7 tally to shooting guard Devin Vassell.
Bennedict Mathurin, IND 
vs. DET ($5,000)
Speaking of the Pacers, Mathurin has gotten off to about as impressive a start as his rookie counterpart Ivey, producing 33.4 and 35 FD points in his first pair of NBA regular-season contests. Mathurin generated 26 points over just 28 minutes Friday against the Spurs, and he'll be facing a Pistons squad that gave up the fourth-highest offensive efficiency to two-guards last season (23.1 percent). Detroit also allowed the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to second-unit players (45.0 percent) a year ago, and Mathurin should continue to see plenty of run Saturday.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tyler Herro, MIA 
vs. TOR ($6,200); Tre Jones, SAN 
at PHI ($5,500)
