This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a modest four-game slate on tap Saturday night as the end of 2023 approaches. In addition to the limited player pool that presents, there are also plenty of big names littering the injury report, making it a particularly important night to stay abreast of the latest news leading up to lineup lock.
Slate Overview
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One piece of good news tied into Saturday's slate is found in the spreads, which all sit at four points or less as of early Saturday. Two of the four games also have totals of over 240 points, which certainly is remarkable and gives us a good roadmap for where to concentrate our lineup-building efforts.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Joel Embiid, PHI (ankle): OUT
With Embiid out again, Paul Reed should draw another start at center while the likes of Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris see elevated opportunity.
Luka Doncic, DAL (quadriceps): QUESTIONABLE
If Doncic were to sit out, Dante Exum and Jaden Hardy could be primary beneficiaries, and the entire first unit will see elevated usage.
Anthony Davis, LAL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Davis can't play, LeBron James (knee) will be in for a big increase in opportunity and Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood could handle center duties.
LeBron James, LAL (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If LeBron doesn't suit up, D'Angelo Russell would be in line to jump back into the starting five.
Kyrie Irving, DAL (heel): DOUBTFUL
In Irving's likely absence, Tim Hardaway should remain on the first unit for Dallas.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Towns sits out again, Naz Reid could draw a spot start.
Other notable injuries:
Zach LaVine, CHI (foot): OUT
Nikola Vucevic, CHI (hip): OUT
Draymond Green, GSW (suspension): OUT
Bruce Brown, IND (knee): OUT
Patrick Williams, CHI (knee): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Saturday's slate – Luka Doncic ($12,600), Anthony Davis ($11,500) and Tyrese Haliburton ($10,900).
If Doncic can gain clearance from his quad injury, he'll look to extend a stretch that's seen him score 63.4 to 96.7 FD points in his last three games.
Assuming Davis plays through his ankle injury as usual, he'll try to build on a stretch in which he's scored no fewer than 51.3 FD points since Nov. 27.
Haliburton is back to producing some elite DFS scores, as he's tallied 55.2 to 63.6 FD points in the last three games after scoring 38.8 FD points or fewer in four of the previous five contests.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,800)
Edwards' tallies of 56 and 59.6 FD points in two of his last three games and another potential absence by Karl-Anthony Towns should keep Edwards very popular Saturday.
LeBron James, LAL ($9,700)
If LeBron plays through his calf injury, he should remain popular on a small slate despite a pair of sub 40-FD-point tallies in his last two games.
Andre Drummond, CHI ($9,000)
Drummond will draw another start with Nikola Vucevic still sidelined by his thigh injury, and the big man should be rostered highly after scoring 68.5 FD points two games ago in his first start and because he won't have to deal with Joel Embiid's defense down low.
Jalen Brunson, NYK ($9,000)
Brunson has provided multiple performances worthy of a five-figure-salary player and has at least 40.4 FD points in four straight games.
DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($8,600)
DeRozan should continue enjoying elevated usage with Vucevic and Zach LaVine still out and comes in having scored no fewer than 36.3 FD points and as many as 51.9 in seven straight.
Key Values
Trayce Jackson-Davis, GSW vs. DAL ($5,600)
Jackson-Davis has been taking full advantage of an expanded role recently, averaging 28.7 FD points across his last six games on the strength of 10.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 blocks per contest. Jackson-Davis has a trio of double-doubles in three of his last five contests as well, and the Mavericks check in allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (34.9) and 60 FD points per game to the position in the last seven games. With Jackson-Davis likely to continue enjoying a solid bench role Saturday and his salary still very reasonable, he's very much in play on the small slate.
Immanuel Quickley, NYK at IND ($5,600) (UPDATE: With Quickley traded to the Raptors on Saturday morning, pivot to Tim Hardaway, who's listed below in the "Also Consider" section)
Quickley has been offering some strong returns off the bench again this season, and he comes into Saturday having scored 23.5 to 28 FD points in four of his last five games. Zooming out to his last eight contests overall, Quickley is shooting a blistering 54.4 percent, including 48.6 percent from three-point range. The Pacers make for good candidates to continue facilitating strong numbers Saturday, as Indiana is allowing 47.2 percent shooting to backcourt players, as well as 49.8 percent shooting, including 40.1 percent from behind the arc, to second-unit players.
Rui Hachimura, LAL at MIN ($4,900)
Hachimura has popped for some rewarding performances off the bench of late, posting 23.6 to 34.2 FD points in three of his last four games. The floor-stretching big has averaged 23.2 FD points while shooting 50.0 percent across his last eight contests overall, and he could be set to deliver a good return on investment again Saturday, especially if he draws a second straight start. The Timberwolves could be without Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) again Saturday, and Hachimura has already proven capable of exceeding 25 FD points on multiple occasions with enough minutes.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tim Hardaway, DAL at GSW ($6,600)
