This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a much bigger slate than usual for a Tuesday with eight games on tap, and it's one that also has a robust and star-laden injury report. One of those absences is helping lead to a particularly large spread, but with 16 teams in action, we still have plenty to work with in terms of a player pool and potentially favorable game environments. Additionally, we have one highly noteworthy season debut set to take place, making the night all the more noteworthy.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Tuesday, 11/12 @11:00 a.m. ET:
Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics (-15) (O/U: 224.0)
Charlotte Hornets at Orlando Magic (-8) (O/U: 212.0)
Miami Heat (-1.5) at Detroit Pistons (O/U: 214.5)
New York Knicks (-3) at Philadelphia 76ers (O/U: 213.0)
Toronto Raptors at Milwaukee Bucks (-8) (O/U: 226.5)
Phoenix Suns (-4) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 226.0)
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (-2.5) (O/U: 234.5)
Minnesota Timberwolves (-9) at Portland Trail Blazers (O/U: 219.5)
Spreads are mostly reasonable except for the one aforementioned outlier, that being the Hawks-Celtics tilt that won't include Trae Young (Achilles) and could also see Jayson Tatum (ankle) sit out. Otherwise, we seem to be headed for a night of mostly competitive games, although projected totals definitely portend a lower-scoring ledger overall if proven accurate.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Jayson Tatum, BOS (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Tatum were to sit out, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday would be set for particularly elevated usage, while either Sam Hauser or Neemias Queta could enter the starting five.
Trae Young, ATL (Achilles): OUT
In Young's absence, Dyson Daniels could slide over to point guard and will enjoy elevated usage, as will Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela.
Damian Lillard, MIL (concussion): OUT
With Lillard sidelined, AJ Green could potentially enter the starting lineup and Giannis Antetokounmpo should see even more usage than usual.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (ankle): OUT
In Butler's absence, the likes of Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro could see more opportunities, and Jaime Jaquez might be set to enter the starting five at small forward.
Immanuel Quickley, TOR (elbow): QUESTIONABLE
If Quickley can't play, Davion Mitchell is likely to enter the first unit.
Jusuf Nurkic, PHO (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Nurkic is unavailable, Mason Plumlee would likely draw a spot start at center.
Other notable injuries:
Tyrese Maxey, PHI (hamstring): OUT
Paolo Banchero, ORL (oblique): OUT
Kelly Olynyk, TOR (back): OUT
Bogdan Bogdanovic, ATL (hamstring): OUT
Wendell Carter, ORL (foot): OUT
Khris Middleton, MIL (ankle): OUT
Mark Williams, CHA (foot): OUT
De'Andre Hunter, ATL (personal): OUT
P.J. Washington, DAL (knee): DOUBTFUL
Jalen Duren, DET (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Andrew Wiggins, GSW (back): QUESTIONABLE
Keyonte George, UTA (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Tre Mann, CHA (back): QUESTIONABLE
Dereck Lively, DAL (shoulder): QUESTIONABLE
Al Horford, BOS (toe): QUESTIONABLE
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (knee): PROBABLE
Luka Doncic, DAL (groin): PROBABLE
Isaiah Stewart, DET (ankle): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate – Joel Embiid ($11,700), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,600), Luka Doncic ($11,000) and Jayson Tatum ($10,200).
Embiid will be making his long-awaited season debut after going through knee injury management and then serving a three-game suspension. It remains to be seen how many minutes the big man will log right out of the gate, but the fact he'll take the floor without Tyrese Maxey (hamstring) should lock in even more usage than usual for whatever amount of time he is out there for.
Antetokounmpo will be without his star starting point guard as well in Damian Lillard – a scenario in which Giannis sports a 37.1 percent usage rate and averages 68 FD points per 36 minutes – and he checks in fresh off having scored 71.1 FD points across 39 minutes in his most recent game Sunday.
Doncic is fully expected to play through his groin strain and comes in having scored at least 48.9 FD points in five straight games.
Tatum's availability will have to be closely monitored as noted earlier, but if he suits up, he'll be looking to record his third game with 50-plus FD points in the last five.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,900)
Ball has been providing production worthy of a five-figure salary, having scored 48.2 to 54.8 FD points in his last three games.
Cade Cunningham, DET ($9,100)
Cunningham has flashed a floor of 40 FD points on most nights this season, and he enters having scored 43.7 to 53.7 FD points in his last four contests.
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK ($9,000)
Towns has scored 50.7 to 63.7 FD points in four of his last six games, which should make him extremely popular at his salary.
Jalen Johnson, ATL ($8,600)
Johnson is averaging 41.9 FD points per game for the season and will be playing without Trae Young, a scenario in which he sports a team-high 34.9 percent usage rate and averages 50.6 FD points per 36 minutes.
Dyson Daniels, ATL ($7,000)
Daniels will also be in position to benefit from Young's absence and already comes in having scored 49.6 and 47.1 FD points in his last two contests, fantastic production for his current salary.
Key Values
Terry Rozier, MIA at DET ($5,900)
Rozier is yet another player who'll be poised to benefit from a key absence Tuesday, as Jimmy Butler will sit out for Miami. Rozier is averaging 34.4 FD points per 36 minutes without Butler on the floor this season, and the veteran guard has also shot 47.6 percent, including 40.0 percent from behind the arc, over his last two games. Rozier has scored in double digits in all but one game and could see his shot attempts bump up Tuesday against a Pistons squad allowing 48.1 FD points per game to point guards, along with 38.3 percent three-point shooting to the position. Detroit is also conceding the 10th-most assists per home game (26.5), brightening Rozier's outlook further.
Jordan Clarkson, UTA vs. PHO ($5,800)
Clarkson has been impressive in his first two games back from a heel injury, averaging 27.7 FD points while shooting 40.0 percent from three-point range. The veteran guard is once again holding down a steady bench role that's affording him 24 minutes per contest, and he's already turned in three tallies above 30 FD points. The opposing Suns are allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to shooting guards (27.2), along with 40.0 percent three-point shoot and 44.5 FD points per contest to twos.
Jrue Holiday, BOS vs. ATL ($5,500)
Holiday could potentially take the floor without Jayson Tatum on Tuesday, but even if his star teammate plays, the former is a very appealing play at his salary. Holiday hasn't really seen a downturn that merits the discount, as he's averaging 25.6 FD points per contest over the last six games and shot a solid 46.7 percent in that span. The Hawks are also a very enticing matchup, especially with Trae Young sidelined, as Atlanta is surrendering the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (28.6), as well as very elevated 45.8 percent three-point shooting to ones. Moreover, the Hawks are conceding 54.8 FD points per game to PGs, a byproduct of allowing the second-most points (28.8), third-most rebounds (7.7), most made threes (4.5) and seventh-most steals (2.4) per contest to the position.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tyus Jones, PHO at UTA ($5,700); Zaccharie Riscacher, ATL at BOS ($5,300); AJ Green, MIL vs. TOR ($4,000)
