This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a three-game slate Tuesday, one that features a pair of Game 5s that will dislodge 2-2 ties and a third that could result in a series-clinching win. The latter, the Celtics-Nets tilt in Brooklyn, is projected by oddsmakers to be the most lopsided of the night with a double-digit spread in favor of the hosts; however, the other two games project for excellent DFS environments, particularly a Blazers-Nuggets clash in Denver that sees the home squad favored by a 2.5-point margin as of Tuesday morning.
Slate Overview
Here's a closer look at the two games with projected totals over 220 points on Tuesday's slate:
Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets (Projected total: 231.5 points)
The Nets racked up 141 points in Game 4, which was preceded by 130 and 119-point tallies in the prior pair of contests. Brooklyn's Big Three appears to have hit its stride now that they've finally had a string of games together, and the Celtics project to be down both Kemba Walker and Robert Williams again, making them even more susceptible. Boston put up 125 and 126 points the last two games, so even with a short-handed roster, the Celtics could also do their share to reach the projected total as they try to stave off elimination.
Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets (Projected total: 226.0 points)
The Blazers put together their best defensive performance of the series in Game 4 by holding the Nuggets to just 95 points on 34.0 percent shooting. Nikola Jokic went just 7-for-18 from the floor in that contest, while on the other side, Damian Lillard went an uncharacteristic 1-for-10. Assuming both superstars are much closer to their normal numbers, this total could easily be within reach, especially if the Blazers' Norman Powell, who posted a team-high 29 points in Game 4, keeps his hot hand as well. It's worth noting one team scored at least 120 points in each of the first three games of the series, and the Nuggets and Blazers average 117.2 and 116.9 points per game in the home/road split that applies to them, furthering the notion there could be plenty of scoring.
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.
Anthony Davis, LAL (groin)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Davis is legitimately questionable due to the groin strain that forced his exit from Game 4. If he were to sit out, Markieff Morris and Kyle Kuzma would likely be the biggest beneficiaries, while LeBron James would enjoy an even bigger role than usual.
Chris Paul, PHO (shoulder)/ Status: PROBABLE
Paul appears to be working through a shoulder contusion suffered in Game 1, as this is his first probable tag of the series. He also displayed improved 7-for-15 shooting in Game 4.
Kemba Walker, BOS (knee)/ Status: DOUBTFUL
With Walker likely out with a left knee bone bruise, Jayson Tatum will be in line for even higher usage than usual, while Payton Pritchard and Tremont Waters would be the beneficiaries in terms of minutes at point guard.
Other notable injuries:
Robert Williams, BOS (ankle)/ Status: GTD
Will Barton, DEN (hamstring)/ Status: OUT
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, LAL (knee)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Robert Williams, BOS (ankle)/ Status: DOUBTFUL
Jeff Green, BKN (foot)/ Status: OUT
Elite Players
We have seven players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate: James Harden ($11,100), Jayson Tatum ($10,800), Kevin Durant ($10,600), Nikola Jokic ($10,500), Damian Lillard ($10,300), Anthony Davis ($10,200) and LeBron James ($10,000).
Harden has scored at least 65 FD points in each of the last two games while producing a double-double in each, and he appears to be worth every bit of the highest salary on the slate.
Tatum appears primed for another massive workload with Walker out, and he responded to those conditions in Game 4 by accumulating 40 points.
Durant has been unstoppable the entire series, averaging 57.4 FD points while shooting 55.6 percent, including 45.5 percent from three-point range. While all three Nets players have some blowout risk attached, Durant has already proven capable of scoring well over 50 FD points with a workload under 30 minutes in this series.
Jokic is likely to bounce back after his aforementioned Game 4 dud, as he'd scored over 50 FD points in Games 1-3. The fact he's also back home would seemingly make him an even better candidate for a resurgence.
Lillard should also be set for a better night than his 1-for-10 tally in Game 4, and he averaged 57.8 FD points on 50.0 percent three-point shooting over the first two games of the series at Ball Arena.
Finally, Davis' health plays into the fortunes of both him and James. If Davis were to be available and playing without restrictions, he'd be an interesting but still risky play given his injury history. Meanwhile, James would benefit from a Davis absence, but he's a highly viable play irrespective of his teammate's availability after averaging 43.1 FD points with AD fully available in Games 1-3.
A player with a salary in the high four figures capable of delivering an elite score is Kyrie Irving ($9,600), who responded to a so-so first three games of the series by posting 60.2 FD points in Game 4. Irving has been the least consistent of the Big Three thus far in the series but his salary reflects as much, and he's certainly capable of exploding for a ceiling game any time he takes the floor.
Expected Chalk
CJ McCollum, POR ($7,800)
McCollum is averaging 34.3 FD points over the first four games of the series and should continue to be a popular choice for those looking for some safety at shooting guard.
Deandre Ayton, PHO ($7,800)
Ayton is arguably playing his best basketball of the season, averaging 40.1 FD points on 19.8 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.
Devin Booker, PHO ($7,500)
Booker is shooting just 36.0 percent over the last three games, but his salary has come down and he should still be extremely popular on the small slate.
Jusuf Nurkic, POR ($7,500)
Nurkic carries a reasonable salary for a player averaging 35.1 FD points over the first four games of the series, and he should once again be heavily involved in Game 5.
Chris Paul, PHO ($7,500)
Paul would be a popular choice anyway on a three-game slate, but even moreso after bouncing back from three rough performances by posting 44.1 FD points over 32 minutes in Game 4.
Key Values
Evan Fournier, BOS at BKN ($5,500)
Fournier has had a bit of a rollercoaster series shooting-wise, but he has managed to score 20.2 to 28.0 FD points in his first four games against the Nets. With Walker likely to sit out again, Fournier will have an opportunity to take some extra shots, and he's averaging a solid 29.5 FD points per 36 minutes with Walker, Williams and Jaylen Brown off the floor this season. The Nets are also allowing 51.5 FD points per game over the last 10 to players with shooting guard designations, furthering Fournier's case at a salary he certainly has the talent to deliver at least a 5x return on.
Jae Crowder, PHO vs. LAL ($5,500)
Crowder was a significant contributor out of his starting power forward spot in Game 4, posting 40.4 FD points on the strength of a 17-point, seven-rebound effort. That performance marked a third straight increase in his FD point total, as after opening the series with a modest 18.3 tally, he'd posted 24.2 and 26.6 FD points in Games 2 and 3, respectively. Crowder could also have the advantage of not having to worry about Davis down low, and the Lakers already come in allowing 61.5 FD points per game to players with power forward designations over the last five contests.
Monte Morris, DEN vs. POR ($4,700)
Morris has scored 21.5 to 31.7 FD points in the last three games of the series, and he's shot 50.0 percent in two of the four contests against Portland thus far. He's seeing solid playing time off the bench, logging no fewer than 22 and as many as 30 minutes in the series. That should continue in Game 5, and the matchup couldn't be better when considering the Blazers are giving up the highest offensive efficiency to point guards (30.4 percent), along with the fourth highest to second-unit players (46.3 percent). Additionally, Portland has allowed 53.7 FD points per game to players with PG designations in the last five.
