This article is part of our 30 Days, 30 Teams, 30 Facts series.
FanDuel has excluded the early games and provided six matchups on their main slate, with the first tip-off at 5:00 p.m. EST.
SLATE OVERVIEW
ATL (-4.5) vs. MIA O/U: 222.5
BOS (-7.5) vs. WAS O/U: 223.5
MEM (-3.5) @ NYK O/U: 229.5
ORL (-2.5) vs. PHI O/U: 215
CLE (-7) @ DET O/U: 221.5
MIL (-6) vs. DAL O/U: 215
INJURIES
MIA Jimmy Butler (knee) - OUT
MIA Tyler Herro (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Caleb Martin (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Max Strus (shoulder) - QUESTIONABLE
It's anyone's guess how the questionable tags will shake out. There isn't a specific player to target due to a lack of solid production, so the wisest move is to wait until the starting lineup is announced and proceed accordingly.
ATL Clint Capela (dental pain) - QUESTIONABLE
Onyeka Okongwu ($4,600) will get the starting nod if Capela can't make it.
WAS Monte Morris (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Jordan Goodwin ($4,600) would be in line for more minutes if Morris is out.
BOS Jayson Tatum (ankle) - OUT
Jaylen Brown ($8,500) will obviously be the team's primary offensive weapon with Tatum out, but more minutes from Grant Williams ($4,900) will also be possible.
NYK Jalen Brunson (quad) - QUESTIONABLE
If Brunson is a scratch, Immanuel Quickley ($5,000) would be my pivot preference.
PHI Joel Embiid (foot) - OUT
PHI Tyrese Maxey (foot) - OUT
PHI James Harden (foot) - OUT
De'Anthony Melton ($7,900) and Shake Milton ($7,100) are both great options. The minute split for Embiid is such that no particular player merits a pivot. Focus on the starting lineup.
ORL Wendell Carter (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
ORL Jalen Suggs (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Moritz Wagner ($4,000) and Gary Harris ($4,100) both represent budget considerations amid Orlando's many absences.
CLE Jarrett Allen (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Caris LeVert (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Kevin Love (thumb) - OUT
I would just refer to the starting lineup here and act accordingly. No particular pivot seems advantageous.
DET Cade Cunningham (leg) - OUT
DET Jaden Ivey (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
DET Bojan Bogdanovic (knee, ankle) - OUT
Continue to fire up Killian Hayes ($7,000) and Alec Burks ($5,800) in this spot.
ELITE PLAYERS
All eyes will be on Luka Doncic ($12,200) and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000) in a high-profile matchup between two fantasy titans. Albeit expensive, a stars-and-scrubs approach where you roster both is a reasonable route to take. We've already discussed Jaylen Brown's potential with Tatum out, and I also like Trae Young ($9,800) up top as the Heat continue to struggle without Jimmy Butler. Bradley Beal ($8,800) has returned and he'll carry a heavy load against the Celtics, and Kristaps Porzingis ($8,400) could also have success against Boston in a height mismatch.
EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS
Jrue Holiday, MIL ($7,800) vs. DAL
It should be all hands on deck in Sunday's marquee matchup. We're looking for 40 FDFP in this spot, and Holiday definitely has that number as his ceiling. Foul trouble and a blowout squelched his output in the last game, so I would toss that line out when considering him.
Dillon Brooks, MEM ($7,400) @ NYK
Brooks should continue to post solid production with Desmond Bane sidelined. He's logged totals of 31 and 25 points over the past three games, and the total numbers in the 31-point effort resulted in 55 FDFP. While we shouldn't expect such a high total, something in the 40-FDFP range is reasonable.
RJ Barrett, NYK ($6,800) vs. MEM
Jalen Brunson's potential absence leads me to believe in Barrett, who can seamlessly switch into more of a backcourt role. He just produced a 19/10 double-double against Portland and came close to that milestone against Memphis back in October.
Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL ($6,600) @ MIL
I don't believe the low projected total, so I'll keep hammering the most significant matchup on the slate. Doncic grabs the headlines, but Dinwiddie is running hot right alongside him. He's had a hiccup or two the past couple of weeks, but he'll usually give you solid point and assist numbers that will provide salary-matching value.
VALUE PLAYS
As usual, refer to the injury section for some excellent budget pivots.
John Collins, ATL ($5,800) vs. MIA
This is a great salary point for Collins, and he should be able to find some lanes to break through given the potential absences of Caleb Martin and Max Strus. Although Onyeka Okongwu is an apt fill-in, Clint Capela's absence will also provide extra opportunity for Collins to shine.
Al Horford, BOS ($5,500) vs. WAS
Grant Williams can only give you eligibility at one position, but Horford can also be used at PF, which is a feather in his cap for Sunday. Several role players will need to step up in Tatum's absence. And while I like Williams' potential a little more, Horford is a solid choice on a slate that's thin at the center position. We'll be thrilled if he can get 30 FDFP, a goal he's achieved three times over the past two weeks.
Deni Avdija, WAS ($4,400) @ BOS
Avdija is a little volatile, but he's perfectly fine at this salary and his dual eligibility at SF and PF isn't bad either. In the last couple of weeks, he's mounted double-doubles with both assists and rebounds, so he offers multiple ways of reaching a decent number.
