This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a six-game main slate Thursday, which comes in the wake of the 3 p.m. EST trade deadline. There has already been plenty of player movement in the days leading up to today, but many of the new faces in new places still aren't ready for their team debuts.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, Feb. 5 at 2:00 a.m. EST:
Washington Wizards at Detroit Pistons (-14.5) (O/U: 227.5)
Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic (-11.5) (O/U: 213.5)
Utah Jazz at Atlanta Hawks (-10) (O/U: 241.5)
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors (-9) (O/U: 225.5)
Charlotte Hornets at Houston Rockets (-3.5) (O/U: 217.5)
San Antonio Spurs (-6.5) at Dallas Mavericks (O/U: 223.5)
We have a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to betting metrics Tuesday. On the one hand, there's only one double-digit favorite and no other team with a projected advantage of greater than 8.5 points. However, there's only two games with projected totals over 230 points, albeit with both of those contests exceeding that threshold comfortably.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Cade Cunningham, DET (wrist): QUESTIONABLE
If Cunningham can't suit up, Marcus Sasser and Caris LaVert could handle most of the point guard minutes, while the rest of the starting five should see plenty of extra usage.
Josh Giddey, CHI (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Giddey can't suit up, Ayo Dosunmu is likely to remain in the starting five at point guard if he can play through his questionable tag.
Keyonte George, UTA (ankle): OUT
In George's absence, Isaiah Collier is likely to remain in the starting five, while the likes of Lauri Markkanen and Ace Bailey could see usage increases.
Jaren Jackson, UTA (trade acquisition): OUT
With Jackson still not ready to make his Jazz debut, Kyle Filipowski should still see most of the complementary minutes at power forward behind Lauri Markkanen.
Other notable injuries:
Onyeka Okongwu, ATL (mouth): QUESTIONABLE
Franz Wagner, ORL (ankle): OUT
P.J. Washington, DAL (head): OUT
Tre Jones, CHI (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
Kevin Huerter, CHI (back): QUESTIONABLE
Brandon Williams, DAL (lower leg): QUESTIONABLE
Tobias Harris, DET (hip): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate: Victor Wembanyama ($11,600), Jalen Johnson ($11,000), Cade Cunningham ($10,600) and Alperen Sengun ($10,100).
Wembanyama has three tallies of more than 62 FD points in the last six games, and he has a particularly favorable frontcourt matchup against the Mavericks on Thursday.
Johnson has erupted for 66.2 and 56.7 FD points in the last two games, and he hasn't been under 43 in seven consecutive contests.
Cunningham's status will bear monitoring due to his wrist injury, but if he's available, he'll look to exceed 44 FD points for the seventh straight contest.
Sengun has been a bit up and down with his production of late, but he's averaging 45.6 FD points per contest for the season and carries upside north of 60 FD points.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Cooper Flagg, DAL ($9,500)
Flagg has scored over 56 FD points in three straight – including two tallies of more than 60 – which should certainly lead to a high roster rate at his salary.
Scottie Barnes, TOR ($9,200)
Barnes has eclipsed 44 FD points in seven of the last eight games, which should ensure his continued popularity Thursday.
Paolo Banchero, ORL ($9,100)
Banchero has seen a bit of a downturn the last two games, but his favorable matchup against the Nets and the fact he scored over 45 FD points in the three games prior should keep him highly rostered.
Amen Thompson, HOU ($9,000)
Thompson boasts a very safe floor despite his outlier Wednesday against the Celtics, and his average of 44.7 FD points over the previous nine contests should get him into plenty of lineups.
Michael Porter, BKN ($8,300)
Porter's sky-high usage and scoring acumen should make him a very appealing play at his salary.
Key Values
CJ McCollum, ATL vs. UTA ($6,200)
McCollum was part of the earliest big-name trade ahead of the deadline, and he's proven a highly effective fit on the Hawks' second unit. The veteran guard is averaging 30.7 FD points over his first 11 games in Atlanta, despite the fact he's averaging a relatively modest 27.7 minutes per contest. McCollum is shooting a crisp 48.0 percent, including 39.5 percent from three-point range, in that span, and he now gets a crack at a Jazz squad that's allowing an NBA-high average of 56.8 FD points to point guards in the last 30 games. Utah is surrendering the most points (29.5) and assists (10.0) per game to PGs in that span as well, brightening McCollum's outlook even further in what should be a fast-paced game overall.
Jabari Smith, HOU vs. CHA ($6,100)
Smith has flashed a safe floor for the majority of games this season, and even in a tough game for his Rockets on Wednesday against the Celtics, he still managed to churn out 24.3 FD points. Smith came into the contest averaging 31.8 FD points over the prior 14 games, a sample during which he averaged a well-balanced 14.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals. Smith's offensive efficiency still has plenty of room for improvement, but the Hornets are allowing the eighth-most points (23.6) and 45.6 FD points per game to power forwards in the last 30 games while also surrendering 47.3 percent shooting overall on the season.
Isaiah Stewart, DET vs. WAS ($5,000)
Stewart's production can certainly fluctuate, making him ideally suited as a salary-saving tournament play. The big man is averaging 23.0 FD points in the last 15 games, but he's eclipsed 26 FD points on five occasions in that stretch to include tallies of 30.5 and 45.1. The latter pair of totals came in favorable matchups against the Bulls and Warriors, and Thursday's opponent presents an even more appealing scenario. The Wizards are surrendering an Eastern Conference-high 92.4 offensive efficiency rating to frontcourt players, as well as an Eastern Conference-high 59.2 FD points per contest to centers in the last 15 games. Washington is also conceding the second-highest offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players (50.3) and yielding an NBA-high 56.5 rebounds per game, helping make an airtight case for the big man.
ALSO CONSIDER: Julian Champagnie, SAN at DAL ($4,900)
