This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a six-game FanDuel main slate on tap Saturday night, one that has a fairly robust injury report but also features two expected big-name returns. There are only two teams on the second night of back-to-back sets as well, so fatigue shouldn't play an inordinately large role.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Saturday, 3/16 @4:00 a.m. ET:
Portland Trail Blazers at *New Orleans Pelicans (-13.5) (O/U: 212.5)
*Charlotte Hornets at Philadelphia 76ers (-10) (O/U: 207.5)
Brooklyn Nets at Indiana Pacers (-9) (O/U: 228.0)
Oklahoma City Thunder (-9) at Memphis Grizzlies (-6.5) (O/U: 219.5)
Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls (-10) (O/U: 226.5)
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers (-3.5) (O/U: 236.5)
*denotes team on second night of back-to-back set
Spreads are tilting toward the elevated end of things Saturday night, as the trio of double-digit lines aren't exactly ideal for DFS purposes. We also have three games with projected totals under 220 points, but the fact the other three sport figures north of 226 helps offset that to an extent.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
LeBron James, LAL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If James can't play through his questionable tag, Taurean Prince should see a start at small forward while Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell will be due for big bumps in usage.
Jaren Jackson, MEM (quadriceps): QUESTIONABLE
If Jackson can't suit up, Trey Jemison could handle a bulk of the center minutes.
Stephen Curry, GSW (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Curry returns as some reports indicate he will, Chris Paul will return to a second-unit role.
Coby White, CHI (hip): DOUBTFUL
In White's likely absence, Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter could likely handle the majority of point guard minutes.
Desmond Bane, MEM (ankle): PROBABLE
Bane is expected to return from his two-month-plus absence but could be on a minutes limit of some sort due to the extended layoff.
Other notable injuries:
Anthony Davis, LAL (Achilles): PROBABLE
Anfernee Simons, POR (knee): PROBABLE
Deni Avdija, WAS (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Tobias Harris, PHI (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Draymond Green, GSW (back): QUESTIONABLE
Santi Aldama, MEM (elbow): QUESTIONABLE
Vince Williams, MEM (knee): DOUBTFUL
Jerami Grant, POR (hamstring): DOUBTFUL
Tyus Jones, WAS (back): DOUBTFUL
LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle): OUT
Malcolm Brogdon, POR (elbow): OUT
Marvin Bagley (back): OUT
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Saturday's slate – Anthony Davis ($11,500), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,200) and LeBron James ($10,000).
Davis scored 91.5 FD points two games ago and has been a lock for a double-double of late, and he posted 52.5 FD points in 32 minutes against the Warriors in his most recent meeting with them.
SGA has scored at least 50.1 FD points in four of the last five games, but there could be some blowout risk against the Grizzlies even if Desmond Bane returns for Memphis as expected.
Assuming LeBron plays through his questionable tag, he'll look to extend his streak of 44.2 FD points or more to 10 games. It's also worth noting he posted 75 FD points in 47 minutes on the strength of a 36-point, 20-rebound, 12-assist triple-double against the Warriors last time he faced them Jan. 27.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Zion Williamson, NOP ($9,100)
Williamson has scored 46.3 to 57.4 FD points in five straight games, which should keep him very popular at his salary Saturday.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($8,700)
Maxey will take the floor without Joel Embiid and potential Tobias Harris, which should help keep the guard highly rostered Saturday.
Deandre Ayton, PHO ($8,600)
Ayton has been on a tear, scoring 40.5 to 60.3 FD points in four consecutive contests, and he should therefore be in plenty of lineups Saturday.
Jordan Poole, WAS ($6,500)
Poole's salary, his trio of tallies of 35+ FD points in the last six games, and the likely absence of Tyus Jones should all make the former very popular Saturday.
Key Values
Alex Caruso, CHI vs. WAS ($6,100)
Caruso checks in running hot, scoring over 35 FD points, including a pair of 40+ FD-point tallies, in four of the last six contests. The veteran guard is shooting 48.1 percent, including a blistering 48.5 percent from three-point range, over the entirety of that span, and he could be poised for another standout effort Saturday. Coby White is likely to sit out another game Saturday, and Caruso is averaging 38.6 FD points per 36 minutes without his teammate on the floor this season. Additionally, the Wizards are allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency rating to small forwards (25.6), along with an NBA-high 46.7 FD points per contest to threes on the season.
Grant Williams, CHA at PHI ($5,800)
Williams came through nicely as a value option Friday night despite the Hornets sub-100-point effort, posting 31.7 FD points across 32 minutes off the bench. Williams is now averaging 27.8 FD points across his last nine games overall, shooting a crisp 51.1 percent over that span. The floor-spacing big man should continue to serve as a key source of scoring for an injury-hampered, non-contending Hornets squad, and he faces a 76ers team that's yielding 55.3 FD points per contest to centers in the last 30 games.
Bilal Coulibaly, WAS at CHI ($5,300)
While Jordan Poole should be a primary beneficiary of Tyus Jones's expected absence Saturday, Coulibaly could also leverage that development into a strong performance relative to salary. The rookie seventh overall pick already comes in averaging 25.9 FD points over the last four games, having posted double-digit scoring efforts in each of those contests. Coulibaly is also averaging 27.6 FD points per 36 minutes without Jones on the floor, and the Bulls are allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency rating to two-guards (24.6) along with 42.3 FD points per contest to the position over the last 15 games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Dalano Banton, POR at NOP ($5,100)
