This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Tuesday brings us a solid six-game slate, although the fact the Pistons saw their contest against the Nuggets on Monday postponed due to an inconclusive COVID-19 test does put their matchup against the Jazz in at least some question. Otherwise, we don't have a very extensive injury report, and with the likes of the Blazers, Warriors, Nets and Warriors on the slate, there are going to be some very appealing games for DFS purposes.
Slate Overview
Here's a closer look at the games with the three highest projected totals on Tuesday's slate:
Los Angeles Clippers at Brooklyn Nets (Projected total: 241.5 points)
This extremely elevated number isn't necessarily a surprise, given the offensive capability of both squads and Brooklyn's considerable defensive issues at the moment. The Nets are allowing the fourth-most points per game (117.7) and are playing at the NBA's third-fastest pace (107.1 possessions per game). The latter figure represents a substantial increase in possible possessions for the Clippers, which average a Western Conference-low 100 per contest. On the other side of the floor, Brooklyn has scored between 128 and 147 points in five of the last seven games, and the Nets are now averaging an NBA-best 122.2 points after putting up an average of 141.7 in their last three. The Clippers are an excellent defensive squad (106.7 points per game allowed), but the offensive upside of the Nets' big three and the pace at which this game is likely to be played should lead to plenty of scoring.
Portland Trail Blazers at Washington Wizards (Projected total: 240.5 points)
The Wizards continue to both facilitate and produce some hefty point totals, and the Trail Blazers have the offensive firepower to take advantage of Washington's defensive deficiencies. The Wizards are allowing an NBA-high 121.8 points per game, including 124.4 per home contest. Washington is also playing at an NBA-high 108.1 possessions per contest, which is a very nice bump for a Blazers team that averages a much more pedestrian 103.5 per game. Portland is allowing the sixth-most points per game (115.9) in its own right as well while giving up 47.3 percent shooting on the road, so there are no shortage of metrics pointing toward another busy night for the Capital One Arena scoreboard.
Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors (Projected total: 224.5 points)
The Celtics will be without Marcus Smart (calf), who's averaging a career-high 13.1 points per game, but they will have their Big Three of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown at full health. Boston is averaging a solid 111.8 points per game, while the Warriors are slightly above them with 112.4 per contest, including 115.4 per home game. The Celtics are also giving up the fifth-highest road shooting percentage (47.8), and with the Dubs averaging a Western Conference-high 106.8 possessions per game, both teams' highly skilled shooters should have plenty of chances to showcase their skills.
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.
Aaron Gordon, ORL (ankle)/ Status: OUT
Gordon is projected for a multi-week absence, and both Khem Birch and Gary Clark should be immediate beneficiaries of extra minutes at power forward. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Magic's starting five should also see a bump in usage.
Patrick Beverley, LAC (knee)/ Status: OUT
Beverley's ongoing absence Tuesday should afford Reggie Jackson another start at point guard.
Nicolas Batum, LAC (groin)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If Batum is forced to sit out a second straight game, Patrick Patterson is likely to draw another start at power forward.
Jonas Valanciunas, MEM (COVID-19 protocols)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If Valanciunas is unable to be cleared for Tuesday's game, Xavier Tillman is likely to draw another start at center.
Marcus Smart, BOS (calf)/ Status: OUT
Smart is projected to miss multiple weeks, and Jeff Teague could be a primary beneficiary of his absence Tuesday.
Norman Powell, TOR (quadriceps)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Powell has been upgraded from doubtful, but if he were to ultimately miss a third straight game, Terence Davis could draw another start at small forward since OG Anunoby also remains out.
OG Anunoby, TOR (calf)/ Status: OUT
Anunoby's ongoing absence and Powell's questionable status could lead to Davis drawing another start at small forward and slightly elevated usage rates for other members of the starting five.
Other notable injuries:
Grayson Allen, MEM (COVID-19 protocols)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Derrick Jones, POR (foot)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Raul Neto, WAS (groin)/ Status: OUT
Payton Pritchard, BOS (knee)/ Status: OUT
Eric Paschall, GSW (back)/ Status: PROBABLE
Elite Players
Although there are only six games on the docket Tuesday, there are five players with five-figure salaries in Kevin Durant ($11,200), Bradley Beal ($10,800), James Harden ($10,500), Damian Lillard ($10,200) and Russell Westbrook ($10,000). The Beal-Lillard-Westbrook trio, while virtually impossible to roster together and still not take excessive risk at other spots, are all in a tantalizing situation in a Blazers-Wizards clash that carries a total in excess of 240 points. Durant and Harden face a tougher defensive matchup in the form of the Clippers, but that should certainly be a wire-to-wire battle that should afford both superstars plenty of minutes.
There are also several players with salaries in the high four figures that have the ability to deliver elite scores, including Kawhi Leonard ($9,600), Kyrie Irving ($9,500), Jayson Tatum ($9,500), Stephen Curry ($9,400) and Rudy Gobert ($9,100). From that group, Leonard and Irving are in a very appealing game environment against each other, while Tatum could see even more usage than usual with Marcus Smart (calf) out of action. Gobert draws an excellent positional matchup against Mason Plumlee and the Pistons.
In addition to the players cited, Nikola Vucevic ($8,800), Fred VanVleet ($8,800) and Jaylen Brown ($8,700) could also be in position to offer elite-level scores partly due to a key absent teammate (Vucevic, Brown) and very good backcourt matchup (VanVleet).
Expected Chalk
With a relatively modest injury report and 12 teams in action there should be a fair amount of differentiation among tournament rosters. With respect to injury-created chalk, the healthy members of the Magic's starting five should see fairly heavy rostering due to Aaron Gordon's absence, while the same would be true for some of the more prominent Grizzlies, especially young big Xavier Tillman ($5,400), should Jonas Valanciunas remain in health and safety protocols for at least one more game.
Key Values
Kyle Anderson, MEM at IND ($5,800)
Anderson has pushed his FD-point season average to 29.9 following yet another strong effort Monday, one in which he posted 34.1 FD points over 25 minutes against the Spurs. That marked Anderson's seventh game over 30 FD points this season, a sample that includes a pair 40-plus totals. The versatile wing, who boasts career bests in points (13.1) and rebounds (7.1) over his first 15 games, has particularly improved his three-point shot this season after a pair of seasons at a sub-30.0 percent success rate from deep, as he's draining 37.3 percent of his shots from behind the arc. The opposing Pacers have allowed 55.1 FD points per game to small forwards over the last 10 games as well, and they're also allowing elevated 44.8 percent shooting from behind the arc to threes.
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA vs. DET ($5,700)
Bogdanovic has shaken off his season-long shooting slump over the last two games, draining 62.1 percent of his attempts (including 57.1 percent from three-point range) on his way tallies of 34.0 and 35.8 FD points against the Mavericks and Nuggets, respectively. While the veteran wing still has plenty of work to do to get his shooting from in front of the arc up to par, he draws a solid matchup with which to continue his upward trajectory Tuesday. The opposing Pistons allow the seventh-highest offensive efficiency overall, as well as the second-highest shooting percentage (50.0) to small forwards. Meanwhile, Bogdanovic checks in shooting an outstanding 46.5 percent from three-point range over his last 10 games and has scored 27.1 FD points or more in four of the last six contests.
Daniel Theis, BOS at GS ($4,500)
Theis is shooting a career-best 61.7 percent, including an impressive 38.9 percent from three-point range, and has produced totals of between 27.9 and 44.1 FD points in four of his last six games. The floor-spacing big man is seeing minutes in the mid-20s at minimum on most nights, and Tuesday, he'll face a very fast-paced Warriors squad that should help afford him some extra possessions and that is depleted down low. Impressive rookie James Wiseman is out for at least a week with a wrist injury, and Golden State checks in allowing the third-most FD points per game (43.7) to centers over the last 10 contests while also ranking in the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency allowed to the position (32.2 percent) for the season. Finally, with Marcus Smart (calf) out of action for Boston, there's also a chance Theis takes on a bit more responsibility.
ALSO CONSIDER: Brandon Clarke, MEM at IND ($6,400); Jordan Clarkson, UTA vs. DET ($5,800); Reggie Jackson, LAC at BKN ($5,500); Jeremy Lamb, IND vs. MEM ($5,300); Moritz Wagner, WAS vs. POR ($4,800); Terrence Ross, ORL vs. TOR ($4,700); Khem Birch, ORL vs. TOR ($4,500)
