This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After some modestly sized slates throughout the week, we have a big eight-game Saturday night on tap. There is an injury report of commensurate length, however, so the news will bear monitoring ahead of 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 Saturday, Jan. 17 @ 12:00 p.m. EST:
Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons (-12.5) (O/U: 226.5)
Phoenix Suns at New York Knicks (-2.5) (O/U: 226.5)
Boston Celtics (-3.5) at Atlanta Hawks (O/U: 229.5)
Oklahoma City Thunder (-10.5) at Miami Heat (O/U: 235.5)
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs (-6) (O/U: 229.5)
Charlotte Hornets at Golden State Warriors (-7) (O/U: 234.5)
Washington Wizards at Denver Nuggets (-12.5) (O/U: 231.5)
Los Angeles Lakers at Portland Trail Blazers (-3.5) (O/U: 223.5)
While projected totals don't necessarily jump off the page Saturday, we have an array of narrow spreads, with the exception of a couple of heavy favorites, that portend plenty of competitive games. That's naturally good news on the DFS front if it comes to pass, as both prominent players and the value options that may have expanded roles due to all the injuries should have a very good chance of secure minutes.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Luka Doncic, LAL (groin): OUT
In Doncic's absence, LeBron James should be the biggest beneficiary, while the likes of Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia should be in line for plenty of additional opportunities as well.
Deni Avdija, POR (back): DOUBTFUL
In Avdija's likely absence, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan should see significant boosts in usuage.
Anthony Edwards, MIN (foot): GTD
If Edwards remains out Saturday, Mike Conley could remain in the starting five and Julius Randle should continue to see even more usage than usual.
Devin Booker, PHO (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Booker can't play Saturday, Royce O'Neale may remain in the starting five, while the likes of Grayson Allen and Dillon Brooks could see sizable usage boosts.
Jalen Brunson, NYK (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Brunson remains sidelined Saturday, Miles McBride could draw another start at point guard and OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns will be in line to absorb some extra usage.
Other notable injuries:
Nikola Jokic, DEN (knee): OUT
Austin Reaves, LAL (calf): OUT
Isaiah Hartenstein, OKC (calf): OUT
Bilal Coulibaly, WAS (back): OUT
Jaime Jaquez, MIA (knee): OUT
Bennedict Mathurin, IND (thumb): OUT
Payton Pritchard, BOS (ankle): DOUBTFUL
Stephon Castle, SAN (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Jrue Holiday, POR (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Dyson Daniels, ATL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Tyler Herro, MIA (toe): QUESTIONABLE
Deandre Ayton, LAL (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Ausar Thompson, DET (heel): PROBABLE
Jamal Murray, DEN (ankle): PROBABLE
Cade Cunningham, DET (wrist): PROBABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (hamstring): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have six players with a five-figure salary that have a chance to play on Saturday's slate: Cade Cunningham ($10,800), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,700), Jalen Johnson ($10,400), Victor Wembanyama ($10,300), Jamal Murray ($10,200) and Deni Avdija ($10,000).
Cunningham scored just 29.3 FD points over 38 minutes in his return from a wrist injury Thursday, but he has a very appealing matchup against the Pacers that should allow him to bounce back.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored just 29.4 FD points in a tough matchup against the Rockets on Thursday, but he draws a much more favorable matchup Saturday against a fast-paced and defensively vulnerable Heat team.
Johnson has surprisingly been under 30 FD points in two straight games, and the matchup against the Celtics on Saturday remains tough.
Wembanyama was back over 40 FD points against the Bucks on Thursday, but he's still topped out at 27 minutes since his return from injury.
Murray has scored at least 39.9 FD points in seven consecutive contests, and the matchup against the Wizards on Saturday is very favorable.
Avdija appears unlikely to play because of his doubtful tag due to a back injury.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($9,600)
Brown is averaging 44.8 FD points per game for the season and draws a favorable matchup against the Hawks, which should keep him highly rostered Saturday.
LeBron James, LAL ($9,400)
James will see even more usage than usual with Luka Doncic sidelined and already checks in having scored over 51 FD points in five of the last six games.
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK ($9,200)
KAT has eclipsed 41 FD points in three of the last five games alone and may take the court without Jalen Brunson again, which should ensure he's on plenty of rosters.
Stephen Curry, GSW ($9,000)
Curry has scored over 41 FD points in five of the last seven games and should be in a DFS-friendly environment against the Hornets.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($8,700)
Ball will be going toe to toe with Curry and has a pair of 54-plus FD-point tallies within his last four games, excellent upside for his current salary.
Key Values
Grayson Allen, PHO at NYK ($6,100)
Allen will naturally be all the more appealing at his salary if Devin Booker is sidelined, but the veteran wing has plenty of upside under any scenario. Allen drew a spot start Thursday and thrived, going off for 46 FD points across 31 minutes in a tough matchup against the Pistons. He's averaged 28.1 FD points in the six games since returning from a knee injury, despite shooting just 39.8 percent overall in that span. Allen could well remain on the first unit at small forward Saturday even if Booker returns, and the Knicks check in allowing the fourth-most FD points per game to threes in the last 15 contests (48.7), along with the third-most made three-pointers per game overall (14.6) on the season.
Ajay Mitchell, OKC at MIA ($5,600)
Mitchell has been offering valuable multi-faceted production off the Thunder bench, most recently averaging 28.6 FD points, 14.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 steals across 26.3 minutes per game. The second-year guard is shooting 52.0 percent overall, eclipsing 29 FD points on five occasions during that stretch. Mitchell's matchup against the Heat on Saturday suggests another productive night, given Miami's accelerated pace of play and the fact it surrenders the 12th-highest offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players (45.0), along with the third-most FD points per game to point guards in the last 15 contests (55.0).
Neemias Queta, BOS at ATL ($5,300)
Queta has been offering consistent complementary scoring and rebounding production down low for the Celtics, most recently churning out 28.5 FD points per game over his last 10 on the strength of 10.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per contest. Queta is seeing a solid 25.6 minutes per game during that span as well while averaging just 2.8 fouls per contest, so there shouldn't be any danger of limitations for his playing time on that front. The Hawks make for excellent targets as well, considering they're allowing the second-most FD points to centers in the last 15 games (58.0), along with the seventh-most rebounds (55.4) and sixth-most points in the paint (54.1) per home game. In turn, Queta is scoring 87.0 percent of his points in the paint and is seeing a robust 16.5 rebounding chances per game.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jake LaRavia, LAL at POR ($5,600); Julian Champagnie, SAN vs. MIN ($5,400)
