This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
While Saturday sports will revolve around all the NCAA action in Indianapolis, FanDuel will opt for a four-game slate and exclude the earlier games from their primary offering. The slate goes off at 8:00 p.m. ET.
SLATE OVERVIEW
SAC @ PHI (-7), O/U: 234.5
GSW @ MEM (-6), O/U: 222.5
SAS @ MIL(-10), O/U: 228.5
CHA @ LAC (-9.5), O/U: 230.5
It makes little sense to fade a game on this slate because it's possible to get pieces from every team, although you may not need a lot of exposure to the Grizzlies with so much value available elsewhere. Remember, on small slates, you need to get very contrarian to beat the field, and overall it's a better night for cash games or head-to-head contests. Small slates are good for building your bankroll but not as effective in hunting for the big score.
INJURIES
SAC Marvin Bagley (hand) - OUT
With Bagley out for at least a month, we've already seen the monstrous effect the absence has had on Richaun Holmes ($7,100), and it's also helping Harrison Barnes' ($5,900) rebound totals. Although he's a risky contrarian option, Hassan Whiteside ($4,500) will also see time now that he is off the injury report.
PHI Joel Embiid (knee) - OUT
PHI Seth Curry (ankle) - OUT
Dwight Howard ($5,000) is still the first man up as Embiid's replacement. And Shake Milton ($5,500) is the most favorable pivot from Curry.
GSW Stephen Curry (tailbone) - DOUBTFUL
Jordan Poole ($4,600) benefitted the most from Curry's absence in Friday's game. Andrew Wiggins ($5,200) also really turned it up in the backcourt on Friday with a season-high of 28 points.
CHA Cody Zeller (shoulder) - OUT
P.J. Washington ($6,600) is the sensible pivot for Zeller against the Clippers.
ELITE PLAYERS
We'll expand the elite range down into the mid-8k level due to the scarcity of high-priced options. At the top is Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,400), who plays the Spurs. With an above-average pace, there's plenty to support his inclusion. These two teams have yet to meet, but one would expect Giannis to put up a substantial rebound total and rack up significant points in this spot.
The Clippers and the Hornets haven't met yet either, but one can assume that Kawhi Leonard ($9,300) and Paul George ($7,600) will be in play. George's favorable salary is a better way to get involved in the game due to the cash savings. One can argue that Leonard has the more reliable floor, which makes him an elite cash target.
We also have Ben Simmons ($8,500) and Tobias Harris ($8,300) bunched right next to each other. They're playing against a shaky Sacramento defense, and although I'd usually pick one or the other, a Simmons/Harris stack showed up in my first optimal lineup tonight. Going with both players is undoubtedly a viable option.
Also consider: LaMelo Ball, CHA ($8,200) @ LAC
EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
Due to the small slate, we'll combine these two categories today and try to find the best options for filling out your core. Opting for Giannis and coupling him with a Simmons/Harris stack, a Leonard/George stack, or a combination of the two is the wisest way to begin your builds, so we need to find some reasonable options to fill out the rest. Some of those options already exist in the injury section, like Barnes, Holmes, Wiggins and Poole.
Jonas Valanciunas, MEM ($7,300) vs. GSW
As a primary scoring threat for Memphis in yet another game against the Warriors, it's reasonable to go along with his reliable floor in the second part of this tilt. His shot attempts were down on Friday, but his 16 rebounds were noteworthy, and he also played only 25 minutes, which is a bit below his seasonal average. The reduced time on the floor should have him fresh and ready to go on this back-to-back.
Jrue Holiday, MIL ($6,700) vs. SAS
The superlative game finally showed up for Holiday, as he put up 40 FP against the Sixers. As his minutes gradually increase, so does his production. Holiday logged a season-high 41 minutes in his last game, and the team has had a couple of days off to rest at home before Saturday's matchup. He's certainly worth considering against the Spurs.
Jakob Poeltl, SAS ($5,600) @ MIL
Poeltl deserves mention here because his salary is still well below where it should be when you consider LaMarcus Aldridge's departure from action as they wait for a trade deal. Those who have rostered Poeltl recently have been getting a great ROI relative to his salary since he's averaging 6.7x value over that span. That's hard to beat, and this budget pick can allow you to spend up at other positions.
Danny Green, PHI ($4,600) vs. SAC
At this salary, Green doesn't need to do much to reap 5x value. He put up 31 FP against the Bucks in Philly's last game, and the factors were three-fold. He saw 34 minutes, put up 15 shots, and 14 of them were from three-point range. You're not going to see that ratio often from Green, but he's a great three-point shooter. If he can split the difference in minutes played and log around 30 on Saturday, he should get enough opportunities to meet an ideal number relative to his salary.
Keldon Johnson, SAS ($4,800) @ MIL
Can we rely on Johnson after his masterful 23-and-21 double-double? He is on a back-to-back against a much tougher team, but that game could signify a return to the excellent numbers we saw earlier in the season. At this salary, even 30 FP would be a great value.
Marcus Morris, LAC ($3,700) vs. CHA
Morris is still entirely too cheap right now. Give the lineups a look to see if he starts, but even if Morris comes off the bench, the upside is there at this salary. The spread indicates a potentially lopsided outcome, in which case they'd lean on Morris if Leonard and/or George take an early seat.
