This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a solid mid-sized six-game slate Sunday evening, one that appears set to be evenly balanced between high-scoring contests and more defensive-centric battles if oddsmakers have projected totals pegged accurately. As has been the norm for some time now, there are several COVID-related absences combining with conventional injuries to thin out the player pool some, but there are still plenty of solid options across the salary cap from which to choose.
Slate Overview
Miami Heat (-4) at Sacramento Kings (O/U: 221.0 points)
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers (-3) (O/U: 214.5 points)
Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics (-11.5) (O/U: 215.5 points)
Dallas Mavericks (-8.5) at Oklahoma City Thunder (O/U: 209.5 points)
Phoenix Suns (-2.5) at Charlotte Hornets (O/U: 230.5 points)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers (-8) (O/U: 224.5 points)
As with the projected totals just alluded to, spreads are also evenly split between narrow and elevated. In the case of both the Mavericks-Thunder and Timberwolves-Lakers, the favorites carry notably larger numbers than they otherwise would thanks to big-name absences on the underdog's side.
One of the most entertaining contests and purveyor of the best DFS environment may well be the Suns-Hornets clash that also carries the highest projected total of the slate by far. Both squads have almost all of their top players healthy – Deandre Ayton is the one exception if Miles Bridges is able to suit up for Charlotte – and the Hornets play very fast, score plenty and also concede an NBA-high 116.1 points per contest.
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 is 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.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
In Towns' expected absence, Naz Reid and Greg Monroe could handle the majority of minutes at center.
LeBron James, LAL (abdomen): PROBABLE
James is fully expected to play through his ongoing abdomen issue and should see even more elevated usage than usual with Anthony Davis (knee) out.
Jayson Tatum, BOS (COVID-19 protocols): QUESTIONABLE
Tatum will walk back into a very favorable matchup against the Magic if he does return, while Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford should see particularly elevated usage if he remains out.
Kristaps Porzingis, DAL (rest): DOUBTFUL
Porzingis is expected to sit out, which should afford the returning Luka Doncic even more usage than usual and Maxi Kleber a start at power forward.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
With Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined, Theo Maledon and Ty Jerome will likely handle the bulk of point guard duties, while the returning Josh Giddey should see plenty of usage.
Miles Bridges, CHA (conditioning): QUESTIONABLE
If Bridges is unable to go, Jalen McDaniels will likely draw another start at power forward.
Anthony Edwards, MIN (conditioning): QUESTIONABLE
Edwards was able to play 31 minutes in his return from COVID-19 protocols Friday, but had conditioning issues. If he's able to play today, his usage should be particularly elevated while he's on the floor considering Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell are both expected to remain out.
Other notable injuries:
Paul George, LAC (elbow): OUT
Anthony Davis, LAL (knee): OUT
Cole Anthony, ORL (ankle): OUT
Malcolm Brogdon, IND (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Deandre Ayton, PHO (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
D'Angelo Russell, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Darius Garland, CLE (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Richaun Holmes, SAC (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Bam Adebayo, MIA (thumb): OUT
Robert Williams, BOS (toe): QUESTIONABLE
Dewayne Dedmon, MIA (knee): OUT
Elite Players
We have two players with five-figure salaries slated to be active on Sunday's slate – LeBron James ($11,400) and Luka Doncic ($10,000).
James is now averaging 52.6 FD points per contest for the season after rattling off scores of 61.8 to 77.8 FD points over his last five contests. His usage rate without Anthony Davis on the floor now stands at 32.0 percent and he's averaging 56.2 FD points per 36 minutes in that scenario.
Doncic will be making his return after a 10-game absence due to an ankle injury and COVID protocols. Conditioning, which has sometimes been an issue for Doncic even when healthy, could certainly limit him to an extent after such a long layoff. He had picked up some steam before his absence by averaging 47.8 FD points over his last eight games.
Expected Chalk
In addition to the players just mentioned in the previous section, other likely chalk plays include:
Russell Westbrook, LAL ($9,700)
Westbrook has scored over 50 FD points in two of his last three outings and sports a 29.3 percent usage rate without Anthony Davis on the floor, with both factors likely to keep him very popular on a modest slate.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,300)
Ball just produced his best outing (47.9 FD points) since his return from the protocols and is well-rested coming into a matchup against the Suns that carries the highest projected total of the night.
Jimmy Butler, MIA ($9,200)
Butler has scored 65.1 and 50.2 FD points in his last two games that, when combined with the favorable matchup against the Kings, should make him extremely popular.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($8,600)
Brown has been a virtual lock for at least 35 FD points over the last two-plus weeks and boasts a mammoth 36.0 percent usage rate without Jayson Tatum (questionable) on the floor.
Kevin Love, CLE ($7,500)
Even with the recent returns of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, Love has still been spectacular with FD-point tallies between 32.5 and 53.2 in his last six appearances. With the latter total having come in his most recent contest, Love should certainly find himself in plenty of lineups.
Key Values
Josh Giddey, OKC vs. DAL ($6,400)
As alluded to earlier, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols, which should set up the returning Giddey for particularly elevated usage. The talented rookie sports a 22.9 percent usage rate and averages 35.3 FD points per 36 minutes without his teammate on the floor, and he should be the top offensive option against the Mavericks. Giddey averaged 35.2 FD points per contest over his last six games before going into health and safety protocols and Dallas checks in allowing 38 FD points per contest to small forwards over the last 15.
Omer Yurtseven, MIA at SAC ($6,200)
Yurtseven has been outstanding in the ongoing absences of Bam Adebayo (thumb) and Dewayne Dedmon (knee), scoring 21.9 to 39.6 FD points over his last six games, a sample that includes four tallies over 30. The big man has rattled off three double-doubles as well, and conditions could hardly be better for another successful outing. The Kings have allowed the fourth-highest offensive efficiency to centers (34.2 percent) and seventh-most FD points per game to the position (55.5) as well. Moreover, Sacramento is conceding an NBA-high 52.8 points in the paint per game, while Yurtseven is scoring 83.2 percent of his points in that part of the floor during his rookie campaign.
Jalen Smith, PHO at CHA ($5,300)
Another big man facing a highly permeable frontcourt is Smith, who's slated to draw another start with both Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee in COVID-19 protocols. The rookie has thrived with extended opportunity over the last three games, scoring 26.8 to 34.8 FD points while averaging 15.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.0 block across 27 minutes per contest. Smith even brings some floor spacing to the table (33.3 percent three-point shooting in that span) and will face a Hornets squad allowing Eastern Conference-high 35.4 percent offensive efficiency and an NBA-high 59.0 FD points per contest to centers, along with the second-most rebounds per game (56.8).
ALSO CONSIDER: Marcus Smart, BOS vs. ORL ($5,900)
