This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA serves us up a solid seven-game slate Tuesday night, one that features several games with robust projected totals and particularly intriguing Jazz-Celtics, Knicks-76ers and Pelicans-Trail Blazers matchups. The injury report does have some notable names on it, although luckily, but there is also one notable projected return in the form of Bam Adebayo.
Slate Overview
Here's a closer look at the three games with the highest projected totals on Tuesday's slate:
New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers (Projected total: 238.5 points)
There seems to be little chance these two teams don't pile up the points Tuesday, considering the Pels are allowing 115.5 points per contest, with the Trail Blazers are right behind them with 115.4 per game surrendered. Both squads also rank in the bottom 10 in shooting percentage allowed (Portland- 47.8 percent/ New Orleans- 47.4 percent) and in points scored (Pels- 115.7 PPG/ Blazers- 114.9 PPG), all numbers that are ingredients for a shootout. Finally, consider the two teams racked up 250 points in their first meeting of the season, which only helps further case for this as a prime candidate for highest-scoring game of the night.
Utah Jazz at Boston Celtics (Projected total: 228.0 points)
The Jazz have rarely been associated with high totals in recent seasons, but Utah is playing a bit faster this season and has actually averaged 108.7 possessions over its last three, a significant bump from their 102.2 season figure. The Jazz are also allowing nearly seven more points per road game (111.3) than they do at home (104.7), while the Celtics give up 111.0 points per contest overall. Each team also brings offensive firepower, as the Jazz are averaging the third-most points per game (116.6), while Boston ranks in the top half of the league with 114.2 points per home contest.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers (Projected total: 225.0 points)
The Timberwolves are giving up an NBA-high 119.1 points per road game, along with a Western Conference-high 48.6 percent success rate from the floor when traveling. The T-Wolves are also averaging a Western Conference-high 107.0 possessions per game, yet another factor in facilitating robust scores for the opposition. The Lakers also went into Monday night's game versus the Warriors averaging 113.7 points per home game, and while Minnesota has struggled offensively without its starting backcourt, they've been impressive thus far in the second half with an average of 123.3 points per contest in the last three.
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.
Returning from long-term absence: CJ McCollum, POR (foot)
Joel Embiid, PHI (knee)/ Status: OUT
Embiid's ongoing absence should lead to another start for Tony Bradley and ample minutes for Dwight Howard off the bench. The usage for the remaining healthy members of the 76ers' starting five should naturally also remain elevated.
John Wall, HOU (knee)/ Status: OUT
With Wall out again Tuesday, Kevin Porter should once again see plenty of run as the likely point guard, while Victor Oladipo should also enjoy elevated usage.
Clint Capela (heel)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If Capela is out Tuesday and Onyeka Okongwu (hip) also sits out, John Collins could shift over to center once again and see increased usage along the lines of Sunday's game against the Cavaliers.
Bam Adebayo, MIA (knee)/ Status: PROBABLE
Adebayo's return will likely lead to Kelly Olynyk's usage taking a hit down low, while other members of the starting five not named Jimmy Butler could also see at least a small downturn in opportunity.
Tyler Herro, MIA (shoulder)/ Status: PROBABLE
Herro should be able to play through his shoulder issue and is coming off a stellar 40.1 FD-point outing versus the Cavaliers on Sunday.
Al Horford, OKC (rest)/ Status: OUT
Horford's absence should lead to a starting opportunity for Moses Brown, who's scored over 24 FD points in each of his last three games. Isaiah Roby should also see increased run in a likely bench role.
Other notable injuries:
Christian Wood, HOU (ankle)/ Status: DOUBTFUL
D'Angelo Russell (quadriceps)/ Status: OUT
Malik Beasley (suspension)/ Status: OUT
Derrick Rose, NYK (COVID-19 protocols)/ Status: GTD
De'Andre Hunter, ATL (knee)/ Status: OUT
Cam Reddish, ATL (Achilles)/ Status: OUT
Darius Bazley, OKC (shoulder)/ Status: OUT
Kevin Love, CLE (calf)/ Status: DOUBTFUL
Theo Maledon, OKC (ankle)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Elfrid Payton, NYK (hamstring)/ Status: GTD
Luguentz Dort, OKC (toe)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
David Nwaba, HOU (wrist)/ Status: OUT
Marc Gasol (COVID-19 protocols)/ Status: OUT
Ben McLemore, HOU (ankle)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Eric Gordon, HOU (groin)/ Status: OUT
Andre Drummond, CLE (team decision)/ Status: OUT
Patrick Beverley, LAC (knee)/ Status: OUT
Danuel House, HOU (knee)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
P.J. Tucker, HOU (team decision)/ Status: OUT
Garrett Temple, CHI (ankle)/ Status: OUT
Onyeka Okongwu, ATL (hip)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
While there are four players with five-figure salaries Tuesday, there are only three that are playable with Joel Embiid out – Jimmy Butler ($11,000), LeBron James ($10,400) and Damian Lillard ($10,100).
From that group, Butler, despite his excellent performances recently, could be a tad overpriced with Bam Adebayo returning to the lineup. The $11K investment required to roster Butler is one that he's unsurprisingly only been able to deliver a 5x return on in seven of 25 games, and three of those instances have come in Adebayo absences. Brown and Lillard could be much better point-per-dollar plays, as each is in an excellent matchup and come at a savings over Jimmy Buckets.
There are also several players with salaries in the high four figures that have the ability to deliver elite scores, including Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,700), Zach LaVine ($9,400), Julius Randle ($9,200), Trae Young ($9,000), Jayson Tatum ($8,900) and Rudy Gobert ($8,800).
From that group, Towns should continue sporting an even more massive usage rate than usual with Russell and Beasley still out, while LaVine has an appealing positional matchup versus the Thunder. Young will face a Rockets backcourt missing John Wall, but he could see a good bit of Victor Oladipo's defense. Nevertheless, if Clint Capela misses the game with his heel injury, Young would likely see more than enough usage to make up for any occasional matchup problems. Finally, Gobert is notably coming off a massive 24-point, 28-rebound double-double against the Warriors on Sunday, but the Celtics are actually ranked in the top 10 with 34.6 FD points per game surrendered to centers.
Expected Chalk
Tony Bradley and Dwight Howard could both be popular value options against the Knicks with Embiid out, while Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris should also see plenty of clicks on their names. Anthony Edwards should also continue to find himself in plenty of lineups, although he'll draw a tough matchup against the Lakers and has seen his salary rise to $7K thanks to some excellent performances recently. The Rockets' Kevin Porter and Victor Oladipo should also continue to be rostered fairly heavily with Wall out again, and the same would apply to John Collins if Capela is sidelined.
Key Values
Lauri Markkanen, CHI vs. OKC ($5,500)
Markkanen has scored 28.2 to 29.8 FD points in his first three games since returning from a shoulder injury, a span during which he's averaged 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.0 assist across 31.0 minutes. That type of production makes Markkanen's mid-$5K salary somewhat surprising and highly appealing, and the positional matchup only enhances his potential value Tuesday. The Thunder check in allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency (27.5 percent) to power forwards for the season, as well as the sixth highest in the paint (59.5 percent). Additionally, OKC is giving up the third-most FD points per game (48.7) to fours, including 57.8 per contest over the last three with Darius Bazley (shoulder) out of action.
Aleksej Pokusevski, OKC at CHI ($4,500)
Speaking of Bazley's ongoing absence, Pokusevski should be in for another start at the four for the Thunder on Tuesday after posting 32.1 and 44.0 FD points in two of his first three turns with the first unit in Bazley's stead. The seven-footer was particularly impressive Sunday against the Grizzlies with a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double, and Tuesday, he gets a crack at a Bulls squad that's allowed 51.0 percent shooting to PFs on the season and that's also ranked in the bottom half of the league with 45.9 FD points per game surrendered to fours.
Tony Bradley, PHI vs. NYK ($3,500)
Dwight Howard and Bradley figure to split up minutes pretty evenly while Embiid remains out, but the former's salary is $1,700 greater. Meanwhile, Bradley's bare-minimum figure is nowhere near commensurate to what should be a starting role against a Knicks team that's surrendering the fifth-highest offensive efficiency (33.2 percent) to centers, along with the fifth-most FD points (40.3, most blocks (2.5) and ninth-highest shooting percentage (57.0) to the position. Bradley has scored 29.0 and 19.6 FD points across two starts in Embiid's stead thus far while playing over 20 minutes in each, and he's done a good job of avoiding any foul trouble in both contests.
Other value plays to consider: Montrezl Harrell, LAL vs, MIN ($6,600); John Collins, ATL at HOU ($6,500); Dennis Schroder, LAL vs. MIN ($6,200); Wendell Carter, CHI vs. OKC ($5,500); Carmelo Anthony, POR vs. NOP ($5,300); Dwight Howard, PHI at NYK ($5,200); Jaylen Nowell, MIN at LAL ($4,500); Moses Brown, OKC at CHI ($4,200)
