This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Although there is an all-day slate available, the bulk of the available Saturday contests are in the seven-game main slate, which excludes the PHI/MIN matchup.
SLATE OVERVIEW
ATL (-4.5) vs. NYK O/U: 217.5
BKN (-2.5) vs. PHO OU: 220
MIA (-1.5) @ CHI O/U: 213
CLE (-7) vs. ORL O/U: 203.5
CHA (-6) @ HOU O/U: 223
DAL (-7.5) vs. WAS O/U: 210.5
UTA (-12.5) vs. NOR O/U: 216
INJURIES
ORL Cole Anthony (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
If Anthony misses again, we should see increased output from Jalen Suggs ($5,800) and R.J. Hampton($5,600).
CHA Mason Plumlee (calf) = QUESTIONABLE
P.J. Washington's ($4,700) return is great news for the Hornets, who are already thin in the frontcourt.
HOU Jalen Green (hamstring) - OUT
Expect an increased run for Armoni Brooks ($3,800) and Garrison Mathews ($3,900) during what could be an extended absence for Green.
ELITE PLAYERS
For Saturday's slate, it is safe to ring the bell for the top three guys on the slate. The matchups for James Harden ($10,000), Kevin Durant ($10,300) and Luka Doncic ($10,500) are all excellent, and I prefer them in the order you see here in print. All three players have 11k value but are all well below that number, making them highly viable.
Moving further down, we see LaMelo Ball ($9,500), who is still a good play at 9.5k. He's hard to ignore in a very favorable matchup against the Rockets. My final endorsement in the elite rage is Trae Young ($8,900), who will bring up the pace of this potentially slow matchup on his own against the Knicks.
Also consider: Rudy Gobert, UTA ($9,100) vs. NOR
EXPECTED CHALK + CORE TARGETS
Chris Paul ($8,300) and Devin Booker ($7,700), PHO vs. BKN
I like the Phoenix backcourt against the Nets tonight in what should be a hotly contested affair between two of the best teams in the league. Although Booker is obviously at the better salary, Paul has been on fire of late, hitting 50 percent of his shots to go along with two straight double-doubles this week. Booker also played exceptionally well against the Knicks and Cavs, averaging 43 FP over the two-game span.
Zach LaVine, CHI ($8,000) vs. MIA
Although there isn't much separation between LaVine and DeMar DeRozan ($8,500) on other sites, the $500 difference on FanDuel is just enough to give LaVine the edge compared to what could be identical production against the Heat. While I think both players are excellent options, LaVine's floor has been a bit more reliable at just under 40 FP per game over his past six contests. DeRozan is also close to that six-game average, but his output has fluctuated slightly over the past week, and LaVine has the edge on shot volume in recent games.
John Collins, ATL ($7,700) vs. NYK
Those who pass on Collins continue to miss out on a potentially less-popular target who can deliver on a nightly basis. He's a bit more expensive on FanDuel than elsewhere, but Collins will try to build on his excellent 21/8 outing against the Grizzlies in the team's return to Atlanta after a back-to-back. Despite some superb interior talent, the Knocks have struggled off the glass, which should give Collins and Clint Capela ($7,800) a bit more opportunity under the basket.
Tyler Herro ($7,400) and Kyle Lowry ($6,700), MIA @ CHI
Although I found Jimmy Butler to be a bit too expensive, I like the rest of the firepower available in this matchup, especially in the backcourt. Herro struggled with his shot in his last game, but the 40-FP potential is always there for Herro, especially when he can find the bottom of the basket from long range. Lowry is appropriately priced if you discount his massive 40-FP game against Detroit earlier in the week, but his total is also a great example of upside in the Miami backcourt. Since we are discussing the dueling guards this game, it's a good time also to mention Lonzo Ball ($6,800), who continues to perform well at a discount.
Also consider: Bam Adebayo, MIA ($7,900) @ CHI
VALUE PLAYS
Although our injury section is a bit slimmer than usual, there is still a lot of value present, especially in Houston's backcourt, where various players could contribute.
Ricky Rubio, CLE ($6,400) vs. ORL
Rubio continues to rack up great stat lines in Cleveland's revamped backcourt. His shot escapes him occasionally, but if he can match accuracy with his usually respectable assist totals, he has an excellent chance to match value at this reasonable salary.
Willy Hernangomez, NOR ($5,300) @ UTA
Despite Jonas Valanciunas' presence, something curious has occurred in the Pelicans' frontcourt, so I looked at gameflow to investigate. Hernangomez has come out of nowhere to be the primary guy spelling JoVal over the past couple of games after being a non-factor for most of the season. He's also contributing around 23 minutes worth in that role. The Pelicans have ridden Valanciunas pretty hard, but Hernangomez's recent run of production should keep him in the rotation moving forward.
Kelly Oubre, CHA ($5,000) @ HOU
There's no telling if it will continue, but the blowout potential of tonight's game could help Oubre continue his excellent play off the bench in recent days. He's topped 30 FP in two straight contests, and if this game gets out of hand, we could see a lot more of Oubre on the court.
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA ($5,000) vs. NOP
I didn't need to look at the numbers for Bojan because his involvement was pretty apparent while watching him play in the first leg of this tilt against the Pelicans. A closer look reveals other outings of 30 FP or more over the past two weeks. Although we can get verifiable totals on both sides of this repeat game, Bojan's price is one of the most favorable to reach.
