This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a solid seven-game slate Tuesday night, one that does have some big names on the injury report but more than enough options to make up for any potential absences. We also have multiple defensively vulnerable teams in action, upping the chances of a high-scoring night that's beneficial for DFS purposes.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Tuesday, 1/14 @ 11:00 a.m. ET:
Oklahoma City Thunder (-11.5) at Philadelphia 76ers (O/U: 218.5)
Cleveland Cavaliers (-8) at Indiana Pacers (O/U: 232.5)
Phoenix Suns (-3.5) at Atlanta Hawks (O/U: 235.5)
New Orleans Pelicans at Chicago Bulls (-1.5) (O/U: 241.5)
Sacramento Kings at Milwaukee Bucks (-2) (O/U: 228.5)
Denver Nuggets (-3.5) at Dallas Mavericks (O/U: 233.0)
Brooklyn Nets at Portland Trail Blazers (-5.5) (O/U: 218.0)
With the exception of the Thunder-76ers battle, it appears we have a very competitive night on tap Tuesday if point spreads are any indication. The games involving the Hawks and Bulls could particularly be very good sources of DFS production, considering the defensive deficiencies of each team and the combination of very narrow spreads with elevated totals.
In fact, the projected totals paint a very optimistic picture overall, considering more than half the slate carries a figure north of 230 points, a relatively rare occurrence that portends a night that could supply us with ample individual performances that play a part in tournament-winning lineups.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Joel Embiid, PHI (foot): OUT
In Embiid's ongoing absence, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George should continue to be the primary beneficiaries in terms of elevated usage, while Guerschon Yabusele is likely to draw another start at center.
Trae Young, ATL (Achilles/illness): QUESTIONABLE
If Young can't play, Dyson Daniels or Vit Krejci could draw a start at point guard while the entire first unit will see a sizable bump in opportunity.
Kyrie Irving, DAL (back): QUESTIONABLE
If Irving remains out, Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy will likely absorb most of the minutes at shooting guard.
Jalen Johnson, ATL (shoulder): OUT
In Johnson's ongoing absence, Vit Krejci could draw another start at power forward.
Tyrese Haliburton, IND (hamstring): DOUBTFUL
In Haliburton's likely absence, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell could handle the majority of point guard minutes, while the remainder of the first unit will have increased opportunities.
Other notable injuries:
Luka Doncic, DAL (calf): OUT
Brandon Ingram, NOP (ankle): OUT
Chet Holmgren, NOP (hip): OUT
Malik Monk, SAC (groin): QUESTIONABLE
D'Angelo Russell, BKN (shin): QUESTIONABLE
Coby White, CHI (neck): QUESTIONABLE
Cameron Johnson, BKN (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Jerami Grant, POR (face): QUESTIONABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (calf): PROBABLE
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (knee): PROBABLE
Nikola Jokic, DEN (illness): PROBABLE
Jamal Murray, DEN (knee): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,900), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,400) and Domantas Sabonis ($10,100).
Jokic returned from a three-game absence due to an illness to post 82.9 and 59.1 FD points in the last two contests, with the latter total coming against the same Mavericks team he'll face again Tuesday.
Antetokoumpo has scored over 55 FD points in five of the last seven contests and has close to the same ceiling as Jokic at over $1K less in salary.
SGA has put up over 52 FD points in four of the last five games alone and faces a 76ers team that will once again be without Embiid.
Sabonis has posted no less than 50 FD points in three straight games, and he should be in for another heavy workload Tuesday in what could be a wire-to-wire battle against the Bucks.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Trae Young, ATL ($9,600)
If Young is cleared to play, he should be very popular considering he just saw a streak of five consecutive games of over 45 FD points snapped his last time on the floor, a stretch that included three tallies over 50.
Kevin Durant, PHO ($9,500)
KD's ultra-safe floor and the reasonable salary relative to that which he carries should keep him highly rostered Tuesday.
Devin Booker, PHO ($9,400)
Booker checks in on a hot streak that's seen him average 51.4 FD points over his last four games while shooting 52.3 percent in that sample.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($9,300)
Maxey has scored 44.3 to 57.2 FD points in his last four games and will once again take the floor without Joel Embiid, which should keep him very popular.
Zach LaVine, CHI ($8,500)
LaVine will be an integral part of the game with the highest projected total of the night and comes into Tuesday averaging 49.2 FD points over his last six games, both factors that should keep him very highly rostered at his salary.
Key Values
Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL VS. DEN ($6,600)
Dinwiddie will once again operate without Luka Doncic on Tuesday, affording the former primary ball-handling duties once again. Dinwiddie has settled in nicely over the last several games in Doncic's stead, averaging 36.2 FD points on the strength of 17.3 points, 7.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds across his last three contests. Dinwiddie has also had tallies of 31.6 and 43.6 FD points during his current run of starts, and he just put up 36.8 FD points Sunday against the same Nuggets squad he'll face Tuesday via a 16-point, 10-assist double-double. Denver ranks No. 19 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to point guards (26.8) and has allowed 51.2 FD points per contest to the position in the last 15 games, furthering Dinwiddie's case.
Shaedon Sharpe, POR vs. BKN ($6,300)
Sharpe continues to play at a career-best level offensively in his third season, now averaging 18.3 points per contest after scoring at least 20 points in four straight games. Sharpe is shooting a blistering 46.4 percent from behind the arc during that span, and he has a pair of eight-rebound and two-steal efforts apiece during the sample as well. The opposing Nets have allowed 37.7 percent three-point shooting to two-guards and have been especially vulnerable to the position recently while allowing the fifth-most FD points (44.6) per contest to twos in the last 15 games. Brooklyn is also conceding an elevated 116.3 points per game in the last three, furthering expectations for Sharpe as one of the Blazers' most reliable sources of scoring.
Vit Krejci, ATL vs. PHO ($4,300)
Krejci has been enjoying an expanded role of late due to Jalen Johnson's shoulder injury, which will lead to another absence for the big man Tuesday. Krejci has started five of the last six games and averaged a solid-for-his-salary 23 FD points during the entirety of that sample. He's shot an impressive 43.8 percent from three-point range in that stretch as well, and Tuesday, he should be in the starting five once again. The Suns have allowed 36.3 percent shooting from distance to power forwards and the fifth-most FD points to the position in the last 15 games (49.4), and Krejci just tallied the second-highest FD-point total of his season (26.6) versus Phoenix in the first meeting between the teams Thursday.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tyrese Martin, BKN at POR ($5,500); Lonzo Ball, CHI vs. NOP ($4,900)
