This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have an interesting seven-game slate on tap Tuesday night, one that features projected totals across the spectrum and also includes an injury report with plenty of big names on it. Some of those prominent players are already ruled out, but there are plenty of others whose status will be decided throughout the day. Consequently, it will be a particularly important day to keep up with the latest news on RotoWire leading up to lineup lock.
Slate Overview
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, 3/12 @1:00 a.m. ET:
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks (-6) (O/U: 210.5)
Washington Wizards (-2) at Memphis Grizzlies (O/U: 218)
Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-7) (O/U: 239.5)
Houston Rockets (-3.5) at *San Antonio Spurs (O/U: 223.5)
*Boston Celtics (-6.5) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 234.0)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Clippers (-6) (O/U: 215.0)
Milwaukee Bucks (-2.5) at Sacramento Kings (O/U: 237.0)
*denotes team on second night of back-to-back set
As alluded to earlier, projected totals seem to paint a picture of the haves and have nots when it comes to DFS-worthy games Tuesday. The trio of contests with figures well north of 230 points shape up as particularly attractive, while a trio of others project as much more defensive-centric contests. Spreads are fairly tight across the board, however, portending a night of tight games that might partly be a byproduct of some of the potential absences at play.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Anthony Edwards, MIN (shoulder): QUESTIONABLE
If Edwards can't play, Mike Conley and Jaden McDaniels could see big bumps in usage, especially with Karl-Anthony Towns also out and Rudy Gobert questionable.
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (groin): QUESTIONABLE
If Leonard is unable to go, Amir Coffey and Norman Powell could be among the most direct beneficiaries, although James Harden could especially thrive with Paul George also listed as questionable and in danger of missing in his own right.
Jaren Jackson, MEM (hip): OUT
In Jackson's absence, Jake LaRavia and Santi Aldama could be the most direct beneficiaries.
Alperen Sengun, HOU (ankle): OUT
With Sengun out, the rest of the Rockets starting five should see notable bumps in usage, while Jock Landale is likely to draw a start at center.
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (hamstring): OUT
With Porzingis and Jrue Holiday both confirmed out, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should see their already elevated usage skyrocket.
Rudy Gobert, MIN (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Gobert can't play, Naz Reid should see a spot start.
Paul George, LAC (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If George doesn't play, Norman Powell could be due to a spot start.
Other notable injuries:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (knee): PROBABLE
Joel Embiid, PHI (knee): OUT
Julius Randle, NYK (shoulder): OUT
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (knee): OUT
Jrue Holiday, BOS (knee): OUT
Vince Williams, MEM (knee): OUT
Lauri Markkanen, UTA (quadriceps): OUT
OG Anunoby, NYK (elbow): QUESTIONABLE
Khris Middleton, MIL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Tuesday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,900), Victor Wembanyama ($11,400), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,300), Domantas Sabonis ($11,100) and Jayson Tatum ($10,000).
Antetokounmpo has scored over 60 FD points in three of the last four games, including two straight, and his matchup against the Kings projects to be a highly competitive one that affords him plenty of minutes.
Wembanyama appeared to be fully recovered from his recent ankle injury in his return against the Warriors on Monday, posting 54.3 FD points across 31 minutes.
SGA should benefit from his matchup against the ultra-fast-paced Pacers, and he checks in averaging 53.7 FD points across the last 12 games.
Sabonis will be an integral part of a Bucks-Kings clash with a projected total just under 240 points and a narrow spread, and he comes in with three straight 60+ FD-point tallies.
Tatum will be taking the floor without Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, a scenario in which he's generated a team-high 34.6 percent usage rate and averaged 49.5 FD points per 36 minutes.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,900)
If Edwards can play through his shoulder injury, he should be very popular after scoring 52.9 FD points in his most recent game and 67.7 three games ago.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($9,700)
Fox draws a favorable positional matchup against the Bucks and has scored over 54 FD points in two of his last three games.
James Harden, LAC ($8,600)
Harden could potentially take the floor without both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, which would make him extremely popular at his salary.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($8,300)
Brown should be one of the primary beneficiaries of the absences of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, as he's averaging 44.1 FD points per 36 minutes without them on the floor this season.
Fred VanVleet, HOU ($8,000)
VanVleet has scored between 41.3 and 51.8 FD points in three of his last five games, and he averages 42.1 FD points per 36 minutes without Alperen Sengun on the floor this season.
Key Values
Josh Giddey, OKC vs. IND ($6,600)
Giddey has endured a downturn in most categories this season, but he's finally started to come around in recent games. The third-year wing has scored in double digits in five straight, a span in which he's shooting a blistering 57.7 percent, including 40.0 percent from behind the arc, and averaging 31.3 FD points across 24.4 minutes per contest. Giddey could be in good position to continue his hot streak Tuesday, as the Pacers are averaging the second-most possessions per game (105.6) and allowing 49.0 percent shooting to two-guards. Indiana is also conceding 43.7 FD points per game to the position in the last 30 games, furthering Giddey's case.
GG Jackson, MEM vs. WAS ($5,700)
The Grizzlies sport what might be the longest injury report in recent memory Tuesday, meaning Jackson should be in line for all the minutes he can handle. The rookie is coming off having scored a career-high 30 points against the Thunder on Sunday, a performance that saw him log 38 minutes and record 43.7 FD points. It was the third performance of over 40 FD points of Jackson's brief career, and he'll be primed for another big night against a Wizards team that's allowed the third-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (30.7), along with an NBA-high 55.2 FD points per contest to the position in the last 30 games.
Jock Landale, HOU at SAN ($5,100)
Landale is set to draw the start Tuesday for Alperen Sengun, and the young big could be in position to significantly outpace his salary against a Spurs team surrendering a Western Conference-high 37.4 offensive efficiency rating to centers. Landale scored 24 FD points in just 17 minutes against the Kings on Sunday, and he put up 21.2 in just 10 minutes versus the Suns on Feb. 29. With a much bigger workload on tap against another one of his old squads Tuesday – and San Antonio allowing an NBA-high 68.2 FD points per contest to centers in the last seven games – Landale is a very viable value option.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jake LaRavia, MEM vs. WAS ($5,600); Norman Powell, LAC vs. MIN ($5,500); Luke Kennard, MEM vs. WAS ($4,700)
