This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a six-game slate Thursday night that chock full of marquee teams, including the defending champs in an intriguing interconference battle. The injury report is relatively light but is packing some star power, making it especially prudent to monitor news leading up to lock.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads and totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, 1/2 @ 11:00 a.m. EST:
Boston Celtics (-4) at Minnesota Timberwolves (O/U: 220.0)
Indiana Pacers at Miami Heat (-1.5) (O/U: 223.5)
Los Angeles Clippers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-9.5) (O/U: 218.0)
Brooklyn Nets at Milwaukee Bucks (-14) (O/U: 218.5)
Philadelphia 76ers at Golden State Warriors (-3) (O/U: 217.0)
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers (-9) (O/U: 223.5)
With the exception of the Nets-Bucks clash, we have what shapes up to be a competitive night Thursday if point spreads are any indication. Even with the Blazers-Lakers battle could play out closer than what spreads imply, considering Anthony Davis could miss the game for Los Angeles.
Projected totals don't paint as encouraging a picture, as they are decidedly on the low side. The fact that some top defensive squads are in action naturally plays a role, as does the possibility some big names are out of action.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Anthony Davis, LAL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Davis has been playing through his ankle issue for weeks, but if the Lakers opt to sit him on the first night of a back-to-back set Thursday, LeBron James will be set for plenty of extra usage, while Jaxson Hayes and the newly acquired Dorian Finney-Smith could be candidates for center minutes.
Joel Embiid, PHI (foot/rest): GTD
Embiid rested on the first day of a back-to-back set Wednesday, but if he's sidelined again Thursday, Guerschon Yabusele and Andre Drummond figure to be his replacements at center while Tyrese Maxey and Paul George enjoy bumps in usage.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (shoulder): QUESTIONABLE
If Brown can't play Thursday, Jayson Tatum's usage will shoot up even further, while Sam Hauser will likely draw a start at small forward.
Stephen Curry, GSW (thumb): QUESTIONABLE
If Curry is unavailable, Dennis Schroder could shift over to the starting point guard role while Buddy Hield draws a start at shooting guard.
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Porzingis is unable to play, Al Horford and Luke Kornet are likely to hold down the fort at center for Boston.
Other notable injuries:
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee): OUT
Chet Holmgren, OKC (hip): OUT
Kelly Oubre, PHI (hand): OUT
Jerami Grant, POR (face): OUT
Brandin Podziemski, GSW (abdomen): OUT
Terry Rozier, MIA (suspension): GTD
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (knee): PROBABLE
Khris Middleton, MIL (ankles): PROBABLE
Draymond Green, GSW (back): PROBABLE
Cam Thomas, BKN (hamstring): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate: Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,700), Anthony Davis ($11,500), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,200), Joel Embiid ($10,500) and Jayson Tatum ($10,300).
Antetokounmpo returned from a four-game absence Tuesday against the Pacers and shook off a sluggish first half to post 55.9 FD points over 34 minutes, but there is some blowout risk attached to his game Thursday.
Assuming Davis is available, he'll be looking to exceeded 60 FD points for the third straight game against a Blazers team he scored 64.7 FD points against over 32 minutes on Dec. 8.
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 55.6 to 73.4 FD points in four of his last five games and scored 40 actual points in three of those contests.
Embiid scored 61 and 48.3 FD points in his last two games before sitting out for rest Wednesday, and assuming he is healthy Thursday, he'll be coming off two full days off.
Tatum may be taking the floor without both Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, and he already checks in having exceeded 50 FD points in three of his last four games.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
LeBron James, LAL ($9,600)
James is over a recent illness and could potentially operate without AD on Thursday, and he checks in with more than 55 FD points in three of his last four games.
Damian Lillard, MIL ($9,200)
Lillard scored 60.2 FD points two games ago, and although he turned in a dud in Giannis Antetokounmpo's return to action Tuesday, he should still remain popular on the mid-sized slate due to his upside.
Tyrese Haliburton, IND ($8,800)
Haliburton scored 51.7 FD points two games ago and carries that type of ceiling any time he takes the floor, which should keep him popular at his salary.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($8,600)
Maxey has recorded 48 to 64.8 FD points in four of his last five games, which should keep him in plenty of lineups Thursday even if Embiid plays.
Tyler Herro, MIA ($8,200)
Herro has scored over 40 FD points three of the last five games and just narrowly missed doing so in his most recent contest Wednesday (39.2), which should help his roster rate remain high.
Key Values
Jonathan Kuminga, GSW vs. PHI ($6,900)
Kuminga has been outstanding over the last three games, averaging 49.9 FD points on the strength of 28.7 points (50.0 percent shooting), 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals per contest. Those numbers have come despite Stephen Curry playing in two of those games, and there's a chance the superstar guard sits out Thursday due to a thumb sprain. Kuminga sports a team-high 29.9 percent usage rate and averages 38.8 FD points per 36 minutes with Curry off the floor, and the 76ers are also ranked No. 28 in offensive efficiency allowed to power forwards (28.7) and allow 49.8 percent shooting to the position.
D'Angelo Russell, BKN at MIL ($6,400)
Russell was a hit in his first regular-season game as a member of the Nets since March 10, 2019, recording 42.4 FD points across 26 minutes off the bench while shooting a blistering 9-for-13 from the floor and sporting a 29.3 percent usage rate Wednesday against the Raptors. The veteran guard appears set for a significant role in his second go-around in Brooklyn if that debut is any indication, and Russell has amply proven capable of outpacing his current salary when he's tasked with expanded offensive responsibility. The Bucks also shape up as a good matchup, ranking No. 28 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to point guards (30.4) and allowed 49.8 FD points per contest to the position on the season.
Toumani Camara, POR at LAL ($5,300)
Camara returned from a one-game absence due to a foot sprain Monday and turned in 31.5 FD points against the 76ers on the strength of a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double. It marked the second-year pro's fourth tally of greater than 30 FD points in the last seven games, a stretch during which Camara is averaging 25.2 FD points per contest overall. The Lakers come into Thursday allowing 48.0 percent shooting to small forwards, including 37.2 percent from three-point range, while ranking No. 22 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to the position (24.9). Los Angeles has also conceded the third-most FD points per game to threes (44.9), furthering Camara's case.
