This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a big nine-game slate Saturday night after multiple smaller ledgers, giving us more options to work through than we have during the week. There are two major confirmed absences in the form of Luka Doncic (ankle) and Kemba Walker (knee), but otherwise, the injury landscape isn't problematic by any stretch. There are also several games with high projected totals, as some of the most defensively vulnerable teams in the league (Wizards, Hawks, Nets) are in action.
As usual, we'll proceed to break down the positional outlook below, along with possible chalk plays and some likely under-owned bargains that could help you round out your lineups with a couple of superstars.
Before delving into the slate, a reminder that FanDuel has reverted to its previous format of NOT dropping the lowest scoring in lineups after a one-year experiment with that feature. Therefore, it will be important to be prudent with each selection, as each player's total will count toward your final score.
Without further ado, let's take a more comprehensive look at Saturday's slate!
Slate Overview
Here's a closer look at the three games on Saturday's slate with the highest projected totals:
Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards (Projected total: 242.0 points)
As just alluded to, these are two teams that can both generate and facilitate plenty of scoring. The Wizards are allowing the most points per game (121.0) and are scoring the fourth-most (115.7 PPG). Meanwhile, Brooklyn is both scoring (110.2 PPG) and giving up (112.1 PPG) their fair share of points, and this matchup makes multiple pieces from each team, particularly superstars Kyrie Irving and Bradley Beal, especially appealing.
Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks (Projected total: 237.0 points)
Despite the absence of Luka Doncic (ankle), this game still carries considerably high scoring expectations. The Mavericks proved they could still rack up some scoring without Doncic on Friday night against the Rockets, with Kristaps Porzingis leading the way with 35 points. Dallas will be in an excellent matchup Saturday, as the Hawks come in with the fourth-lowest defensive efficiency rating (1.097) and are allowing 122.0 points per game on the road.
Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers (Projected total: 228.5 points)
Despite the Jazz's well-earned defensive reputation, this game still carries the third-highest total of the night. The two teams combined for 236 points the first time they met up this season and the Blazers also rank in the bottom-10 in points per game allowed (114.9). Portland has been even more vulnerable lately (120.0 points per game given up over the last three), while Utah is averaging a solid 111.2 per contest.
Other Projected High-Scoring Game of Note: Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings (Projected total: 226.5 points)
Positional Breakdown
Point guard will naturally suffer from Luka Doncic's absence due to an ankle injury, but there's still plenty available if you want to pay up at one spot (Damian Lillard, Trae Young, Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving). Kemba Walker (knee) is another late-breaking absence that weakens the depth at the position some, but with nine games on the slate, there's still plenty to pluck from here.
Shooting guard is in good shape until you get into the sub-$6K range, where you have the confirmed absences of Josh Richardson (hamstring) and RJ Barrett (ankle) and the potential one for Evan Fournier (back). However, there are strong plays throughout the salary scale otherwise, beginning with Bradley Beal and DeMar DeRozan up top.
Small forward is also in solid shape, although Carmelo Anthony's likely absence due to a personal matter and the ankle injury plaguing De'Andre Hunter does have the potential to thin out the sub-$6K range to an extent. However, this is a position where you can get some big savings once you come down from LeBron James ($11K), as Tobias Harris is the next most expensive option at just $6.8K.
Power forward has a pair of notable names in LaMarcus Aldridge (thumb) and Al Horford (knee) sporting injury tags, but both could potentially suit up Saturday. Otherwise, the position is in good shape beginning with Anthony Davis at the top and featuring a very solid mid-tier containing Jayson Tatum ($7.5K), whose salary doesn't account for the elevated usage he'll see in the absence of Kemba Walker (knee).
Center may have the best health landscape of all the spots Saturday, and you also won't have to break a bank to roster a strong option. Joel Embiid is the most expense selection at $9.2K, and the trio of players in the $8K range (Rudy Gobert, Hassan Whiteside, Nikola Vucevic) could all outperform their salaries, especially with Whiteside and Vucevic potentially benefitting from the possible absences of Carmelo Anthony (personal) and Evan Fournier (back), respectively.
Notable 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 (usually late morning Eastern time), 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.
Luka Doncic, DAL
Doncic will miss multiple games after suffering a right ankle sprain in Thursday's practice.
Kristaps Porzingis, DAL
Porzingis will sit out Saturday's game for rest.
Carmelo Anthony, POR
Anthony is questionable due to a personal matter that already cost him Friday's game.
P.J. Washington CHA
Washington is questionable with an ankle sprain.
Aldridge is questionable with a thumb sprain that's cost him two games.
Kendrick Nunn, MIA
Nunn is probable with Achilles soreness.
Evan Fournier, ORL
Fournier is questionable with a back injury.
Elfrid Payton, NYK
Payton will not play due to a one-game suspension for his role in a fight against the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Frank Ntilikina, NYK
Ntilikina will not play due to a groin injury.
Reggie Bullock, NYK
Bullock is questionable due to an illness.
Rui Hachimura, WAS
Hachimura is questionable to return from the groin injury that's cost him 22 games, and he'll be on a minutes restriction if he does take the court.
Jordan McRae, WAS
McRae will not play due to an ankle injury.
Kevon Looney, GSW
Looney is questionable with the abdomen injury that's cost him the last 18 games.
Al Horford, PHI
Horford is probable with the knee soreness that cost him Thursday's game.
Tony Bradley, UTA
Bradley is questionable with a knee sprain that cost him Thursday's game.
De'Andre Hunter, ATL
Hunter is questionable due to a sprained left ankle.
Alex Len, ATL
Len is out due to the hip injury that's already cost him the last two games.
Bruno Fernando, ATL
Fernando is questionable with the calf injury that's cost him the last two games.
DeAndre' Bembry, ATL
Bembry is out with the hand injury that's already cost him five games.
Marvin Bagley, SAC
Bagley is out due to a foot injury that's cost him the last five games.
Notable Longer-Term Injuries/Absences: Jonathan Isaac, ORL; Al-Farouq Aminu, ORL; Josh Richardson, PHI; Stephen Curry, GSW; Klay Thompson, GSW; Jusuf Nurkic, POR; Skal Labissiere, POR; Zach Collins, POR Moritz Wagner, WAS; Garrison Mathews, WAS; Josh Richardson, PHI; Ante Zizic, CLE; Justise Winslow, MIA; Jabari Parker, ATL; Chandler Parsons, ATL; Richaun Holmes, SAC; RJ Barrett, NYK
Elite Players
We have a quartet of five-figure salaries on the slate, although one of them, Luka Doncic (ankle), will not play. The other three – LeBron James ($11K), Anthony Davis ($10.3K) and Damian Lillard ($10.2K) – will all be worthwhile on their own merits, but none are a must-have based on positional scarcity alone.
However, a pair of guards in the $9K range – Trae Young ($9.9K) and Bradley Beal ($9.6K) – could be poised for performances worthy of a higher salary, and Young becomes one of the top elite PG options with Doncic out. Kyrie Irving is another that certainly fits that bill, and at a price of just $8.9K, a matchup against the Wizards, and coming off a 54-point performance, he could be one of the steals of the night.
Expected Chalk
Injuries shouldn't dictate too much of a bump in any one particular player's ownership, but typically popular plays like Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Trae Young and Bradley Beal should continue to see extremely elevated ownership, given their participation in games with some of the highest projected scoring tallies of the night and their respective individual matchups.
Key and Likely Underowned Values
Damion Lee, GS at CLE ($4,200)
Lee's recent returns have been inconsistent enough that he should see low ownership on a large slate like Saturday's. However, the second-year guard certainly possesses a ceiling that far outpaces his current salary, as Lee has scored over 25 FanDuel points on 13 occasions this season, including six tallies of more than 30 and one over 50. The Cavaliers are certainly the type of defensively inefficient squad that could coax one of Lee's best performances out of him, considering they've allowed the highest shooting percentage (48.9), highest three-point percentage (41.5 percent) and highest offensive efficiency rating (25.9) to shooting guards. Lee is averaging career highs in multiple categories this season, and although he's struggled with efficiency, his price doesn't require him to be at his sharpest to offer a worthwhile return.
Caris LeVert, BKN at WAS ($4,000)
LeVert's price is worthy of a double take, considering both his ceiling and his matchup. The young wing has struggled of late, which is responsible for his price dip. LeVert is shooting an abysmal 31.6 percent across his last seven games, which has helped lead to four tallies of 17.1 FanDuel points or fewer. However, he's also scored between 23.0 and 30.2 FanDuel points in his other three during that stretch, and he's posted over 20 FanDuel points in 14 games overall this season (including five tallies over 30). The Wizards rank in the bottom-10 in the league in offensive efficiency rating surrendered to both small forwards (24.0) and opposing second units (45.0), also surrendering the highest shooting percentage (48.1) to bench players. Despite his struggles, LeVert is still locked into a role that's affording him minutes in the low 20s nightly, which gives him enough of a platform for a strong return on his current price.
Wilson Chandler, BKN at WAS ($3,700)
The Wizards are such an inviting matchup, I'm including two Nets in today's low-owned value suggestions. Chandler stands to benefit from the same vulnerability the Wizards have exhibited toward opposing second units that was just described in LeVert's entry, and it's also worth noting Washington has allowed the fifth-highest offensive efficiency rating (27.2), along with the second-highest shooting percentage (50.4) to the position. The Wizards also come in tied with the Bulls for the lowest rebounding rate (48.0 percent) in the league, upping Chandler's prospects at his near-minimum price.
Other Likely Low-Owned Value Play to Consider: Seth Curry, DAL vs. ATL ($4,800); J.J. Barea, DAL vs. ATL ($3,800)
Other likely higher-owned value plays to consider: T.J. Warren, IND ($5,900); Buddy Hield, SAC ($5,900); Draymond Green, GSW ($5,800); Aaron Gordon, ORL ($5,600); Taurean Prince, BKN ($5,400) Mitchell Robinson, NYK ($5,400); Ish Smith, WAS ($5,000); Thomas Bryant, WAS ($5,000); Tristan Thompson, CLE ($4,900); Bogdan Bogdanovic, SAC ($4,800); Jordan Clarkson, UTA ($4,500); Isaiah Thomas, WAS ($4,300); Cam Reddish, ATL ($4,300); Dennis Smith, NYK ($3,500)
