Tuesday's 11-game NBA slate presents a deep DFS player pool, making lineup construction heavily reliant on NBA injury reports, starting lineups and late-breaking NBA news. With multiple high totals and tight spreads, leveraging NBA player projections, stats and depth charts is key when using a lineup optimizer for NBA DFS builds. This breakdown integrates core fantasy basketball strategy, projections and matchup context to identify elite plays, chalk and value options. Staying updated on NBA injuries and lineup changes is essential for maximizing upside in DFS contests.
FanDuel Main Slate NBA Games Today
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 1:00 a.m. ET:
- Philadelphia 76ers (-9) at Indiana Pacers (O/U: 235.5)
- Dallas Mavericks (-1.5) at Brooklyn Nets (O/U: 224.5)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (-1) at Toronto Raptors (O/U: 217.5)
- Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks (-13.5) (O/U: 236.5)
- Miami Heat (-5.5) at Milwaukee Bucks (O/U: 228.5)
- New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers (-4) (O/U: 231.5)
- Golden State Warriors (-1.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U: 223.5)
- Charlotte Hornets (-8.5) at Chicago Bulls (O/U: 229.5)
We have a very favorable betting landscape by the numbers Tuesday, with only one double-digit favorite and a rare three games with spreads of less than two points. Additionally, the five games with projected totals north of 228 points tee up the possibility of plenty of strong individual performances that will be highly useful for DFS purposes.
NBA Injuries Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Joel Embiid, PHI (lower leg): QUESTIONABLE
If Embiid sits out again, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona should handle the majority of minutes at center, while the rest of the starting five will see enhanced usage.
Cooper Flagg, DAL (foot): OUT
In Flagg's ongoing absence, Brandon Williams and Tyus Jones will likely handle point guard duties, while P.J. Washington and Max Christie will likely see increased usage.
Pascal Siakam, IND (wrist): DOUBTFUL
In Siakam's likely absence, Micah Porter and Kobe Brown are likely to handle the majority of power forward minutes, and the rest of the starting five should see enhanced usage.
Chet Holmgren, OKC (back): QUESTIONABLE
If Holmgren can't suit up, Aaron Wiggins and Kenrich Williams will likely handle the majority of the minutes at power forward.
Other notable injuries:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (calf): OUT
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC (abdomen): OUT
Trae Young, WAS (knee): OUT
Stephen Curry, GSW (knee): OUT
Alex Sarr, WAS (hamstring): OUT
Trey Murphy, NOP (shoulder): OUT
Aaron Nesmith, IND (ankle): OUT
Draymond Green, GSW (back): QUESTIONABLE
Andrew Nembhard, IND (back): QUESTIONABLE
Elite NBA DFS Players
We have two players with five-figure salaries who are healthy enough to play on Tuesday's slate – Jalen Johnson ($11,300) and Tyrese Maxey ($10,700).
Johnson has scored over 45 FD points in eight consecutive games, and he draws an especially appealing matchup Tuesday against the Wizards.
Maxey has eclipsed 50 FD points in two straight games and could once again take the floor without Joel Embiid on Tuesday.
Expected NBA DFS Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Donovan Mitchell, CLE ($9,700)
Mitchell has been thriving with James Harden next to him in the backcourt, and he should be highly popular in a game that could feature one of the most competitive environments of the night.
Scottie Barnes, TOR ($9,600)
Barnes is off the injury report after missing Sunday's game due to a personal issue, and he's exceeded 50 FD points in two of his last three games.
Kevin Porter, MIL ($9,400)
Porter has exceeded 43 FD points in six of the last seven games, and with Giannis Antetokounmpo out again Tuesday, the former should remain very popular.
James Harden, CLE ($9,100)
Harden has averaged 39.8 FD points in his first six games in Cleveland, which should lock in his popularity Tuesday.
Jalen Brunson, NYK ($9,000)
Williamson will take the floor without Trey Murphy once again Saturday, a scenario in which he posted 37.4 FD points Friday.
Key NBA DFS Values
Brandin Podziemski, GSW at NOP ($6,500)
Stephen Curry (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) will remain out Tuesday, while Draymond Green and De'Anthony Melton could also sit out due to lower-back tightness and a knee issue, respectively. Consequently, Podziemski, who's already running hot coming into Tuesday's favorable matchup, could well prove to be a strong value at his salary. Podziemski has put up a well-rounded line of 12.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals across 28.2 minutes over his last 15 contests, numbers that have netted an average of 30.2 FD points in that span. He's also posted tallies of 27.1 and 33 FD points in his first two meetings with New Orleans this season, and the Pelicans check in allowing the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating to backcourt players (52.9) on the campaign.
CJ McCollum, ATL vs. WAS ($6,200)
McCollum has consistently delivered for the Hawks since coming over in a trade from the same Wizards squad he'll face Tuesday. The veteran is averaging a crisp 31 FD points in his last 18 games, a span during which he's shot 39.0 percent from three-point range. McCollum's old teammates continue to serve as good targets from a DFS perspective, as Washington checks in allowing 122.9 points per road game on 48.3 percent shooting. The Wizards are also allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to backcourt players (54.3), along with an Eastern Conference-high 51.6 figure to second-unit players. The Wizards are also conceding the sixth-most made threes per contest (14.5), which dovetails nicely with McCollum's offensive profile.
Max Christie, DAL at BKN ($5,100)
Christie is enjoying a career-best campaign that's partly the byproduct of a host of key absences, all of which will persist Tuesday. The fourth-year guard is averaging 26.5 FD points in his last 13 games, and he's shooting a career-best 42.7 percent from behind the arc on the season. Christie draws a matchup Tuesday against a Nets squad that does play at a plodding pace, but that's also allowed 37.4 percent three-point shooting on the season, and the ninth-most FD points per game to shooting guards in the last 15 contests (43.9). Christie boasts upside that's deserving of a higher salary, considering he's delivered over a 5x return on his current figure in 25 of 51 games, just under half his contests.
ALSO CONSIDER: Miles Bridges, CHA at CHI ($6,600)
