This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a solid six-game Sunday evening slate that already has a pair of games with particularly elevated projected totals while featuring a trio of rather large spreads. We also have a relatively light injury report, but some of the names are significant and will certainly shape some lineup decisions.
Slate Overview
Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks (-1) (O/U: TBD)
Brooklyn Nets (-9) at Oklahoma City Thunder (O/U: 213.0 points)
Golden State Warriors (-5) at Charlotte Hornets (O/U: 224.5 points)
Phoenix Suns (-8.5) at Houston Rockets (O/U: 222.0 points)
Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets (-7.5) (O/U: TBD)
Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Clippers (-3.5) (O/U: 218.0 points)
As just alluded to, we could end up with a mix of lopsided contests and very competitive games if oddsmakers have a good read on the slate. One of those missing a projected total is due to Damian Lillard's absence for the Trail Blazers, which also could make the Portland-Denver tilt a much more non-competitive affair than it would have been.
Meanwhile, the presence of the Rockets and Thunder on the slate can be both a curse and a blessing. While the teams can make for excellent targets for DFS purposes, they also could cause the high-end players on both of their opponents - the Nets and Warriors - to play less minutes than usual if the games turn into the blowouts they're projected to be.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following is a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (ankle)/ Status: PROBABLE
Giannis is projected to return after a one-game absence, although his status bears monitoring with his status changing from probable to out Friday shortly before tip-off.
Damian Lillard, POR (abdomen)/ Status: OUT
Without Lillard, it will likely lead to a start at point guard for Anfernee Simons, while CJ McCollum, Norman Powell and Jusuf Nurkic should all see elevated usage.
Khris Middleton, MIL (COVID-19 protocols)/ Status: OUT
In Middleton's expected ongoing absence, Pat Connaughton should continue to start at small forward.
Nikola Vucevic, CHI (COVID-19 protocols)/ Status: OUT
WIth Vucevic sitting, Tony Bradley and Alize Johnson should once again hold down the fort at center.
Deandre Ayton, PHO (lower leg)/ Status: DOUBTFUL
As Ayton's likely to continue missing time, JaVale McGee and Frank Kaminsky should continue handling center duties.
Other notable injuries:
Kyrie Irving, BRO (personal)/ Status: OUT
Bogdan Bogdanovic, ATL (ankle)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
George Hill, MIL (back)/ Status: PROBABLE
De'Andre Hunter, ATL (wrist)/ Status: OUT
P.J. Washington, CHA (elbow)/ Status: OUT
Michael Porter, DEN (back)/ Status: OUT
Brook Lopez, MIL (back)/ Status: OUT
Marcus Morris, LAC (knee)/ Status: OUT
Nicolas Claxton, BRO (illness)/ Status: OUT
Abdel Nader, PHO (knee)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Sunday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($11,000), Stephen Curry ($10,300), Kevin Durant ($10,100) and Paul George ($10,000).
Jokic returned from his one-game suspension with a vengeance Friday against the Hawks by posting 60.8 FD points across 35 minutes. He's also been over 50 FD points in six straight contests.
Curry is averaging 49 FD points per contest and has recorded tallies of 52.3 and 86.4 FD points in two of his last three, a reminder of his massive upside. Golden State is also a relatively modest five-point favorite over the Hornets and the game carries the highest projected total of the night.
Durant faces a bit of risk in terms of potential limited minutes if Brooklyn's status as heavy favorites turns out to be accurate, but he's scored over 43 FD points in five of his last six outings.
George is averaging 48.7 FD points per game. And although he "only" posted 35.8 FD points yesterday against the T-Wolves, it came over 26 minutes. The reduced workload should have George relatively refreshed for what could be a wire-to-wire showdown with the Bulls.
Expected Chalk
In addition to the players just mentioned in the previous section, other likely chalk plays include:
James Harden, BRO ($9,600)
Harden is averaging 43.6 FD points and is coming off a season-high 63 FD points against the Pelicans on Friday, so he should find himself in plenty of lineups.
Trae Young, ATL ($9,200)
The Hawks are in an outright free fall, but Young averaging 41.6 FD points and scoring 44.1 to 47.5 FD points in three of his last four should line up for heavy rostering.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,000)
Ball has compiled 63.7 and 59.9 FD points in two of his last three games and should be heavily rostered as part of a matchup with the highest projected total.
Chris Paul, PHO ($8,500)
Paul posted 50.8 FD points in his most recent contest against the Grizzlies, his third over 50 in the last six appearances. Those figures combined with a still very reasonable salary should certainly raise his profile on the mid-sized slate.
CJ McCollum, POR ($7,500)
McCollum sports a 31.9 percent usage rate without Damian Lillard on the floor, and that combined with his salary should certainly make him one of the more popular plays on the slate.
Key Values
Luguentz Dort, OKC vs. BRO ($5,500)
Dort has scored 35 and 37.5 FD points in his last two games. And although he also scored over 20 FD points in six other contests, his efficiency has been holding him back from similar production. That's been the difference over those games, as Dort has shot 54.8 percent over that span. The Nets could potentially coax another fruitful performance, considering they're allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency to two-guards (22.0 percent), along with 37.4 FD points per game to the position.
Grayson Allen, MIL at ATL ($5,500)
Allen has been thriving without Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez in the starting five by averaging 33.5 FD points per 36 minutes without those teammates on the floor. Both project to remain out, giving Allen a decent chance of extending a stretch that's seen him drop 25 to 37 FD points across his last five outings. The opposing Hawks could be facilitators having allowed the sixth-most FD points per game to two-guards (42.4) along with a robust 3.6 made threes per contest and 47.8 percent shooting to SGs.
LaMarcus Aldridge, BRO at OKC ($5,200)
The Thunder is allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to frontcourt players (84.5 percent) and the highest in the paint (67.8 percent), which immediately starts to paint a picture of a potentially rewarding night for Aldridge. The veteran big man has also scored between 20.7 to 35.4 FD points in five of his last six, a stretch where he's shooting 52.7 percent - including 60.0 percent from distance. OKC is surrendering an NBA-high 60.9 FD points per game to centers, furthering the notion Aldridge could deliver at least a 5x return on current salary for the fifth time this season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Anfernee Simons, POR at DEN ($4,200)
