This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Tuesday brings us a robust eight-game slate that's highlighted by a Bucks-Suns showdown in Phoenix and that also features the likes of the Cavaliers, Nuggets, Lakers and Knicks in action. As of early Tuesday, spreads are fairly narrow for the most part, as six of the eight contests sport lines of five points or less. However, there are plenty of notable names on the injury report, meaning there could be a narrowing of the player pool if some of those questionable tags eventually evolve into confirmed absences.
Slate Overview
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In addition to the fact there are only two sizable favorites, another encouraging aspect from a DFS perspective is that there are four games with projected totals of 227.5 points or higher. Only three of the 16 teams in action will be on the second night of back-to-back sets as well, so fatigue shouldn't be too significant a factor.
We should also have a night of plenty of strong individual performances is projected totals are reasonably accurate, considering
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Davis is expected to continue playing through his foot issue as expected.
Damian Lillard, POR (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Lillard is unable to suit up, Matisse Thybulle is likely to remain in the starting five, while Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic could be among those seeing extra usage.
Jalen Brunson, NYK (foot): DOUBTFUL
In Brunson's likely absence, Immanuel Quickley will likely draw another start at point guard.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Ingram can't take the floor Tuesday, Naji Marshall is likely to be a primary beneficiary.
Jamal Murray, DEN (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Murray were to sit out, Reggie Jackson, who's listed as probable with an oblique contusion, would likely draw a start at point guard.
Kyle Kuzma (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Kuzma can't play, Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert will likely handle the majority of small forward minutes.
Other notable injuries:
Kevin Durant, PHO (ankle): OUT
LeBron James, LAL (foot): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (eye): OUT
Keldon Johnson, SAN (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Jerami Grant, POR (quadriceps): QUESTIONABLE
Franz Wagner, ORL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Jaden Ivey, DET (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
Bojan Bogdanovic, DET (Achilles): GTD
Kelly Oubre, CHA (back): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Tuesday's slate: Nikola Jokic ($12,200), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800), Anthony Davis ($11,300), Devin Booker ($10,700), Damian Lillard ($10,600) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,500).
Jokic has scored 70.7 and 84.5 FD points in his last two games on the strength of yet another pair of triple-doubles, and he scored 45.1 FD points across 36 minutes in his one prior meeting this season with the Raptors.
Antetokounmpo returned from a three-game absence Monday and posted a 46-point, 12-rebound double-double with four assists and one steal against the Kings in 34 minutes.
Davis has scored 50 to 65 FD points in six of the last seven games and should continue see even more elevated usage than usual with LeBron James sidelined.
Booker went into Monday night's game against the Warriors with five straight games of more than 50 FD points and then provided 32 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals.
Lillard will have to overcome his questionable designation, but if he does suit up, he'll aim to extend a 14-game stretch where he's averaging 55 FD points per contest.
Gilgeous-Alexander has sat out two of the last three games but is off the injury report Tuesday, and he's scored 47.6 to 60.4 FD points in his last three games.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Julius Randle, NYK ($9,900)
Randle has scored 44.5 and 50.1 FD points in two of the last three games, which should help keep him highly rostered despite the elevated salary.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE ($9,600)
Mitchell has scored over 50 FD points in four of the last seven games and is averaging 43 FD points per contest.
Spencer Dinwiddie, BKN ($8,600)
Dinwiddie has scored 51.1 and 49.2 FD points in the last two games, averaging 13.5 assists per contest in that span.
D'Angelo Russell, LAL ($8,100)
Russell has scored 46.5 and 51 FD points in his first two games back from an ankle injury and is averaging 41.8 FD points per 36 minutes without LeBron James on the floor.
Markelle Fultz, ORL ($7,000)
The combination of Fultz's reasonable salary and the fact he's scored 34.8 to 44 FD points in three of the last four games should make him very popular.
Key Values
James Wiseman, DET at WAS ($6,700)
Wiseman just racked up 43.3 FD points against the Pacers on Monday night, pushing his average over the last four games to 36.1 FD points per contest. The 2020 second overall pick is thriving with the numerous absences (Bojan Bogdanovic, Jaden Ivey, Alec Burks) across the Pistons' roster, and many of those, if not all of them, could extend into Tuesday. Additionally, the Wizards are allowing the ninth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (32.5), along with over 57 FD points to the position in the last 15 games.
Cole Anthony, ORL at SAN ($5,700)
Anthony, like his teammate Fultz highlighted in the Expected Chalk section, is a Magic guard that could certainly capitalize on the Spurs' weaknesses against both second-unit players and guards. San Antonio checks in allowing an NBA-high 49.3 offensive efficiency rating to bench players, along with 49.7 percent shooting in that split. Then, the Spurs are also conceding the second-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (31.2), along with 48.4 percent shooting, including 40.0 percent from three-point range. Finally, it's worth noting San Antonio gives up the fourth-most FD points per game (50.6), as well an NBA-high 26.4 assists per contest.
Royce O'Neale, BKN at OKC ($5,500)
O'Neale is enjoying a solid March, putting up 8.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 26.4 FD points per contest across 29.2 minutes over six games. The versatile veteran is also shooting 39.5 percent from three-point range on the season, and he now faces a Thunder squad that's allowing the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players (42.7), along with 41.2 FD points per game to small forwards in the last 30 games. Additionally, OKC is conceding 36.1 percent three-point shooting at home and 37.2 percent in the last three games overall.
ALSO CONSIDER: Trey Murphy, NOP vs. LAL ($6,800)
