This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a small slate even by Thursday night standards, as only two games are on tap. Additionally, the spreads on both games are slightly elevated, but we are at least dealing with an injury report free of big names and some elevated totals.
Slate Overview
Golden State Warriors (-8) at Orlando Magic (+8) (O/U: 226.0 points)
Denver Nuggets (-6) at Oklahoma City Thunder (+6) (O/U: 229.0 points)
The Warriors are the bigger favorites of the night, but given Golden State's recent performances, it's certainly possible that a road game against the Magic turns out closer than expected. The same could certainly be true for the Nuggets-Thunder tilt, as OKC has a 4-3 mark equal to Denver's and boast a 3-1 home record in stark contrast to their visitor's 1-3 road tally.
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, including those carrying injury designations that aren't listed in this section.
Cole Anthony, ORL (oblique): OUT
Anthony's ongoing absence could lead to extra minutes for R.J. Hampton, while Bol Bol should remain in the starting five as well.
Terrence Ross, ORL (knee): GTD
In Ross is unable to suit up, Jalen Suggs could see even more minutes in his starting shooting guard role.
Other notable injuries:
Donte DiVincenzo, GSW (hamstring): OUT
Bones Hyland, DEN (hip): QUESTIONABLE
Ish Smith, DEN (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Andre Iguodala, GSW (hip): OUT
Gary Harris, ORL (knee): OUT
Markelle Fultz, ORL (toe): OUT
Moritz Wagner, ORL (foot): OUT
Jonathan Isaac, ORL (hamstring): OUT
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Thursday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($11,500), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,800) and Stephen Curry ($10,200).
Jokic just scored 52.8 FD points across 36 minutes against the Lakers in his most recent contest and is averaging exactly 50 FD points per contest over his first seven games. OKC also presents as a good matchup, as the Thunder are ranked No. 27 in offensive efficiency allowed to centers.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 55.7 FD points per game and has yet to record under 40 in any game this season, while Denver is allowing the sixth-highest offensive efficiency to point guards.
Curry just went off for 56.1 FD points against the Heat on Monday night, his third game in the last four with a tally of over 50 FD points.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Paolo Banchero, ORL ($8,500)
Banchero has been under 30 FD points in his last two games, but he's got enormous name value and is still averaging 38.5 FD points per contest.
Andrew Wiggins, GSW ($8,000)
Wiggins is averaging 36.1 FD points per game, and he bounced back from his only two sub-30-FD-point tallies of the campaign with 38.3 FD points against the Heat on Tuesday.
Wendell Carter, ORL ($7,600)
Carter just went off for a season-high 54.4 FD points against the Thunder on Tuesday, and he's eclipsed 30 FD points in four other games already as well.
Key Values
Bol Bol, ORL vs. GSW ($5,800)
Bol has been outstanding with his expanded opportunity in Cole Anthony's absence, but he's actually been offering strong returns since three before his entry into the starting five. Bol is averaging 12.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks, along with 30.6 FD points, in his last six contests overall. The big man is shooting 65.2 percent as well, including 33.3 percent from distance on 1.5 three-point attempts per game. The Warriors make for great targets as well, as they've allowed the second-highest offensive efficiency to frontcourt players and the highest in the paint (65.5 percent), while Bol scores just under 75 percent of his points in that part of the floor.
Jamal Murray, DEN at OKC ($5,600)
Murray has progressively ramped up his workload and production as he rounds back into form following his missed season, and he just posted a season-high 32.3 FD points against the Lakers on Sunday. Murray logged a season-high 32 minutes in that game as well, and he's already been at 28.8 FD points or higher in three games already, and although the Thunder are ranked No. 3 in offensive efficiency against point guards, they're still yielding 43.0 FD points per game to the position.
Jalen Suggs, ORL vs. GSW ($5,300)
Suggs returned from a five-game absence due to an ankle injury to generate 22.4 FD points over 28 minutes against the Thunder on Tuesday, and he could be in for a more significant workload and additional production in a more palatable matchup Thursday. Suggs could re-enter the starting five with Cole Anthony (oblique) still out and Terrence Ross (knee) very questionable, and the Dubs are allowing the ninth-highest offensive efficiency to two-guards.
