This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a compact four-game slate Tuesday after Monday's big 11-game extravaganza. Three of the four contests could offer appealing DFS environments, considering the Wizards are facing the Hornets, and both the 76ers-Nuggets and Hawks-Suns battles could be wire-to-wire affairs or close to it. The injury report isn't extensive by any means but there are still a couple of major names, including one who's already been ruled out.
Slate Overview
Here's a closer look at the two games likeliest to have the highest projected totals:
Charlotte Hornets at Washington Wizards (Projected total: OTB as of early Tuesday morning)
The Hornets are averaging a solid 113.1 points per road game and allow the fifth most per contest (115.9) when traveling as well. Meanwhile, the Wizards are allowing an NBA-high 119.3 points per game, and the fact they played a wire-to-wire battle versus the Pacers on Monday could potentially make them even more vulnerable defensively. Another potential absence by Bradley Beal (hip) would theoretically hurt Washington's offensive prospects, but thanks to a monster performance by Russell Westbrook, the Wizards just racked up 132 points against Indiana.
Philadelphia 76ers at Denver Nuggets (Projected total: 220.5 points)
Joel Embiid's ongoing absence dings the 76ers' offensive outlook to an extent, but Philly does have 129- and 134-point tallies without the big man thus far. The Sixers are still playing at the fourth-fastest pace (105.0 possessions per contest) and scoring the ninth-most points (114.8), while Denver is even more prolific with 116.6 points per home contest. However, both teams rank in the top 10 in points per game allowed and defensive efficiency, so this total could be just about right.
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 serves as 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.
Joel Embiid, PHI (knee)/ Status: OUT
In Embiid's ongoing absence, Dwight Howard should continue logging starter's minutes at center.
Bradley Beal, WAS (hip)/ Status: GTD
If Beal misses a second straight game, Russell Westbrook would presumably be rostered at astronomical levels after his outstanding performance Monday night.
Serge Ibaka, LAC (back)/ Status: GTD
In Ibaka's ongoing absence, Ivica Zubac should draw another start at center.
Terrence Ross, ORL (knee)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If Ross remains out, Dwayne Bacon should continue starting at shooting guard.
Other notable injuries:
Malik Monk, CHA (foot)/ Status: PROBABLE
Davis Bertans, WAS (calf)/ Status: OUT
Patrick Beverley, LAC (knee)/ Status: OUT
De'Andre Hunter, ATL (knee)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Cam Reddish, ATL (Achilles)/ Status: OUT
Lou Williams, ATL (trade acquisition)/ Status: OUT
Gary Clark, DEN (trade acquisition)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have only two healthy players with five-figure salaries on the slate, Nikola Jokic ($11,300) and Russell Westbrook ($11,000).
Jokic posted "only" 39.8 FD points over 29 minutes against the 76ers in his one prior meeting with them. Embiid wasn't available for the 76ers in that contest either, meaning Jokic was often matched up versus Dwight Howard, as will be the case again Tuesday. Meanwhile, Westbrook put together a jaw-dropping 35-point, 21-assist, 14-rebound triple-double Monday without Bradley Beal available and could be set for another ultra-high usage night, albeit on the second game of a back-to-back, if his backcourt mate sits out again with his hip injury.
There are also several players with salaries in the high four figures that have the ability to deliver elite scores, including Kawhi Leonard ($9,600), Bradley Beal ($8,800), Paul George ($8,700) and Trae Young ($8,700).
Leonard and George will both be in very favorable matchups against the Magic, but there will certainly be a blowout risk with Orlando having just traded away their three best players at the deadline. Beal's status will have to be monitored closely, but if he's active and playing without restrictions, he does draw a favorable positional matchup against the Hornets. Young will have a tough matchup against Chris Paul and the Suns, and he's already fallen short of providing a 5x return on his current salary in seven of the last nine games.
Expected Chalk
Likely chalk plays include the 76ers' Dwight Howard, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris with Embiid still out; the Clippers' Ivica Zubac with Ibaka out again; and the Magic's Chuma Okeke based on his success in his first two starts at power forward.
Key Values
Rui Hachimura, WAS vs. CHA ($5,700)
While he was naturally overshadowed by Westbrook, Hachimura turned in an excellent performance Monday in his own right, posting 37.1 FD points across 36 minutes. That was an extension of a recent strong stretch of play for Hachimura, who'd also recorded over 30 FD points in four other games over his last seven. The Hornets make for good targets Tuesday, as they'll enter the contest allowing the seventh-highest offensive efficiency (26.4 percent) to power forwards on the season, along with 41.9 FD points per game to the position over the last five. Additionally, Hachimura was already averaging 33.4 FD points per 36 minutes without Beal prior to Monday's production, and the latter could miss another game Tuesday due his hip injury.
Chuma Okeke, ORL at LAC ($5,300)
Okeke has scored 26.7 and 40.2 FD points in his first two starts at power forward following the trade of Aaron Gordon, contributing nicely across the board with averages of 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals over that period while shooting 53.8 percent, including 58.3 percent from distance. The second-year big is shooting an impressive 41.3 percent from behind the arc overall, and he's averaging 27.0 FD points per 36 minutes this season with the departed Nikola Vucevic, Gordon and Evan Fournier off the floor. The Clippers have been tough against power forwards all season, but they are allowing 8.5 FD points more per game to power forwards over the last five games than the 30.3 they're giving up to the position for the season.
Devonte' Graham, CHA at WAS ($5,300)
Graham is back in the starting lineup in the wake of LaMelo Ball's wrist injury, and he's responded with 26.2 to 31.7 FD points in the last three games. The second-year wing is shooting an impressive 48.8 percent, including 48.6 percent from three-point range, over that span, and he draws a matchup that could well help keep him hot. As mentioned earlier, the Wizards could be missing Beal again Tuesday, and they already come in allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency (25.4 percent) to shooting guards, including the second-highest three-point shooting percentage (41.6) to the position. Washington is also giving up the fourth-most FD points per game (55.8) to two-guards over the last 10 contests, and they'll bring a significant bump in pace courtesy of the NBA-high 108.6 possessions per home game they average.
