This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're teed up for a solid eight-game slate Thursday night that will be absent a few big names near the top end of the salary cap. However, with 16 teams in action, we'll still have plenty to choose from across the board, including some mid-salary and value options that should have bigger roles thanks to the star players sidelined on their teams.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday morning:
Dallas Mavericks (-14.5) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 232.5)
Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers (-4.5) (O/U: 233.5)
Charlotte Hornets at New York Knicks (-14.5) (O/U: 218.5)
Oklahoma City Thunder (-10) at Toronto Raptors (O/U: 226.5)
Phoenix Suns (-2.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U: 221.5)
Chicago Bulls at San Antonio Spurs (-2) (O/U: 236.5)
Sacramento Kings at Memphis Grizzlies (-3) (O/U: 241.5)
Houston Rockets (-3.5) at Golden State Warriors (O/U: 220.5)
It's an interesting night from a betting lines perspective, considering the rare pair of 14.5-point spreads, as well as the 10-point figure attached to the Thunder-Raptors clash. However, the rest of the games essentially got to the other end of the spectrum, with key absences such as those of Stephen Curry and Victor Wembanyama helping keep those spreads narrow.
Totals are encouraging overall on the surface, given half the games are over 232 projected points. The only ding in that regard is that one of those is associated with the Mavericks-Wizards battle that carries a 14.5-point projected advantage for Dallas. However, the remaining three appear to have legitimate prospects for offensive showcases, especially the Bulls-Suprs and Kings-Grizzlies matchups.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Stephen Curry, GSW (rest): OUT
With Curry out, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski could be primary beneficiaries, while Buddy Hield, Andrew Wiggins (questionable/ankle) and Jonathan Kuminga could all see extra usage.
Victor Wembanyama, SAN (back): OUT
In Wembanyama's absence, Zach Collins should draw the start at center and the remainder of the starting five should see a noteworthy bump in usage.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Ingram can't suit up, Brandon Boston will likely draw a start at small forward and the backcourt duo of Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum should also benefit.
Fred VanVleet, HOU (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If VanVleet is sidelined, Reed Sheppard and Aaron Holiday could see the majority of minutes at point guard, while Jalen Green could see a rise in ball-handling opportunities and usage.
Josh Giddey, CHI (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Giddey can't go Thursday, Ayo Dosunmu could shift over to point guard.
Draymond Green, GSW (calf): OUT
In Green's absence, Jonathan Kuminga and Kyle Anderson should be primary beneficiaries in terms of minutes at power forward.
Other notable injuries:
Kevin Durant, PHO (ankle): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic, PHO (thigh): OUT
Coby White, CHI (ankle): OUT
LaMelo Ball, CHA (calf): OUT
Kyle Kuzma, WAS (ribs): OUT
Miles Bridges, CHA (knee): OUT
Tari Eason, HOU (concusson): OUT
Naji Marshall, DAL (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Ty Jerome, CLE (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Gradey Dick, TOR (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Yves Missi, NOP (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Andrew Wiggins, GSW (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Malcolm Brogdon, WAS (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (calf): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate: Nikola Jokic ($12,300), Luka Doncic ($11,700) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,800).
Jokic just put up 73 FD points against the Warriors on Tuesday, his fourth game with over 62 in the last six. He has even more appeal than usual Thursday considering his game carries the third-highest projected total of the night.
Doncic has returned from a five-game absence due to a wrist injury with a vengeance, scoring 69.9 and 69.4 FD points in his first two contests. However, his game does carry the risk of limited minutes due to the Mavs' favorite as huge road favorites.
Gilgeous-Alexander continued flashing a floor of 50 FD points on Tuesday, as he's now hit or eclipsed that total in eight straight games. However, it's worth noting his Thunder is a 10-point favorite Thursday, which could conceivably lead to abbreviated minutes.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Scottie Barnes, TOR ($9,500)
Barnes has scored 52 and 54.7 FD points in two of his last three games and also has a tally of 63.3 FD points within his last five contests, which should keep him very popular at his salary.
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK ($9,200)
Towns offers a floor of 40-45 FD points at a coveted position, which should allow him to remain highly rostered Thursday.
Devin Booker, PHO ($9,100)
Booker will be taking the floor without both Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic and has scored 46.4 to 51.3 FD points in three of his last four games, all which should keep roster rate high.
Alperen Sengun, HOU ($8,800)
Sengun has put up 52.3 to 66.5 FD points in his last three of his last four games and continues to sport a sub-$9K salary that should catch plenty of eyes, especially at a key position like center.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE ($8,700)
Mitchell has averaged 46.7 FD points over his last 10 games, which affords him the kind of upside that is very appealing at his salary.
Key Values
Jeremy Sochan, SAN vs. CHI ($6,000)
Sochan made his return from a 13-game absence due to a thumb injury Tuesday against the Suns and looked like he never left, netting 37.4 FD points across just 22 minutes on the strength of a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double. The third-year pro was already in the early stages of a career-best season before his injury and could be due for a nice bump in minutes Thursday, considering the absence of Wembanyama. Sochan is sporting a 24.9 percent usage rage and averaging 44.1 FD points per 36 minutes with his teammate off the floor this season, and he now gets a crack at a Bulls squad that's allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (30.9), along with an NBA-high 59.4 FD points per game to the position in the last seven games.
Jonathan Kuminga, GSW vs. HOU ($5,800)
Kuminga is coming off having scored 34 FD points across 29 minutes with Draymond Green absent Tuesday against the Nuggets, and Thursday, both Green and Stephen Curry will be sidelined. That's a scenario where Kuminga, who's exceeded 26 FD points in seven of his last 10 games, sports a team-high 31.9 percent usage rate and averages 41.8 FD points per 36 minutes. The Rockets are certainly no slouch defensively under Ime Udoka, but the combination of Kuminga's salary and expected opportunity Thursday make him a very viable value option.
Oso Ighodaro, PHO at NOP ($4,400)
Ighodaro drew his second career start Tuesday against the Suns with Jusuf Nurkic sidelined and logged a robust 28 minutes, contributing 19.6 FD points for the second straight game. The rookie second-round pick also has tallies of 25.4 and 28.4 FD points on his nascent NBA resume thus far, so the upside is certainly there at his salary. Ighodaro should be back in the starting five Thursday for a matchup against a Pelicans team that's allowed the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (34.8) and the sixth-most FD points per contest to the position in the last 15 games (58.3). New Orleans has also conceded an NBA-high 17.2 rebounds and the third-most steals (1.97) to fives in that latter split, furthering the rookie's case.
ALSO CONSIDER: Amen Thompson, HOU at GSW ($6,100); Devin Vassell, SAN vs. CHI ($6,000)
