This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
With MLB taking center stage thanks to Opening Day on Thursday, we have just a two-game slate in the NBA. Nevertheless, it's a pair of marquee matchups on tap, which should still allow for an intriguing night of DFS play despite the limited player pool.
Slate Overview
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The Bucks and Nuggets are 3.5-points and 7-point home favorites, respectively, as of very early Thursday. However, the potential absence of Nikola Jokic could naturally narrow that number and open up several other plays as well.
The totals for both games are encouraging for DFS purposes, as each is over 230 points as of early Thursday.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Nikola Jokic, DEN (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Jokic were to sit out, the usage for the remainder of the starting five would naturally increase significantly, with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter likely among the biggest beneficiaries. Zeke Nnaji and Thomas Bryant would likely share most of the minutes at center.
Other notable injuries:
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Khris Middleton, MIL (injury management): GTD
Robert Williams, BOS (injury management): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,200), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000) and Jayson Tatum ($11,000).
If Jokic can play through his calf injury, he'll look to score over 60 FD points for the fourth time in the last five games and will face a Pelicans team he already has tallies of 69.7 and 71.1 FD points against this season.
Antetokounmpo produced 74.4 FD points against the Pacers on Wednesday and produced 63.1 FD points against the Celtics in one of two prior meetings this season.
Tatum is averaging 49.9 FD points across 12 March games and went off for 64.9 FD points against the Bucks on Christmas Day, his one prior game against Milwaukee this season.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($9,400)
Brown is averaging 44.9 FD points across his last 13 games, a stretch where he's eclipsed 52 FD points on five occasions.
Brandon Ingram, NOP ($9,200)
Ingram has scored 41.2 to 61.2 FD points in five straight games, which should help keep him popular on the small slate.
Jamal Murray, DEN ($7,900)
Murray's roster rate will be through the roof if Jokic is ruled out, but he should still be popular after posting 33.9 FD points or more in seven straight.
Jrue Holiday, MIL ($7,400)
Holiday's tally of 72.6 FD points against the Spurs on Wednesday night and his reasonable salary should be more than enough to make him highly rostered on the small slate. The veteran point guard also averages 4.2 FanDuel points more per 36 minutes with Middleton off the floor, so it will be worth keeping an eye on Middleton's status for Thursday.
Key Values
Marcus Smart, BOS at MIL ($6,000)
Smart has scored 25.6 to 34.9 FD points in four of his last five games, and he produced a respectable 23.7 in the other contest during that span. The veteran guard has produced at least a 5x return on his current salary in 24 games this season, and Milwaukee has also allowed an elevated 50.4 FD points per contest to ones in the last 15 games.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, DEN vs. NOP ($5,000)
Caldwell-Pope's production goes through its fair share of fluctuations, but he does have excellent upside for a player of his salary. The veteran wing has delivered over 5x his current salary on 24 occasions this season, including a 40.5 FD-point effort against these same Pelicans back on Jan. 31. New Orleans checks in allowing over 40 FD points per game to shooting guards in the last 30 contests and 36.2 percent three-point shooting to the position overall. KCP is also averaging 25.8 FD points per 36 minutes with Jokic off the floor, something to keep in mind if the big man is indeed ruled out.
ALSO CONSIDER: If Jokic is out: Bruce Brown, DEN vs. NOP ($5,400); Thomas Bryant, DEN vs. NOP ($4,100); Zeke Nnaji, DEN vs. NOP ($4,000)
