This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA mostly ceded Monday night to the NCAA Men's College Basketball Championship Game, but it comes back in a big way Tuesday with a 10-game slate. As customary with a slate of this size – and especially given it's the last week of the regular season – we have a little bit of everything when it comes to betting projections and injuries.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Tuesday, 4/8 @11:30 a.m. ET:
Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic (-4) (O/U: 225.5)
Memphis Grizzlies (-14) at Charlotte Hornets (O/U: 229.5)
Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers (-19) (O/U: 236.0)
Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers (-12.5) (O/U: 240.0)
Boston Celtics at New York Knicks (-1.5) (O/U: 222.0)
New Orleans Pelicans at Brooklyn Nets (-3) (O/U: 214.0)
Minnesota Timberwolves (-5) at Milwaukee Bucks (O/U: 222.5)
Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-14.5) (O/U: 226.0)
Golden State Warriors (-9.5) at Phoenix Suns (O/U: 227.0)
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers (-12.5) (O/U: 227.5)
We have half of the favorites sporting double-digit projected advantages Tuesday, which, needless to say, is less than ideal for DFS purposes. Nevertheless, it also isn't unusual for the final week of the regular season, and the four games with lines of five points or fewer help make up for it.
Projected totals appear somewhat encouraging on the surface, but a closer look reveals that the three highest figures are attached to games with double-digit spreads. Therefore, the best combination of betting metrics and potential top DFS environment are the Hawks-Magic and Timberwolves-Bucks games.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Luka Doncic, LAL (groin): QUESTIONABLE
If Doncic can't play, LeBron James will be the biggest beneficiary if he can play through his questionable tag, while Austin Reaves (questionable-ankle) would also stand to see a bump in usage if he's available. Gabe Vincent (questionable-knee), Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin will all see minutes at point guard if Doncic sits.
Jayson Tatum, BOS (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Tatum can't suit up, Jaylen Brown would be in line to see the biggest increase in opportunity if he can play through his ankle injury. Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Al Horford would be the biggest beneficiaries if any combination of Tatum, Brown or Kristaps Porzingis (questionable-illness) sat out.
LeBron James, LAL (groin): QUESTIONABLE
If LeBron doesn't play, Doncic will likely benefit most if he can play, while Jarred Vanderbilt would be projected for a start at power forward.
Josh Giddey, CHI (forearm): QUESTIONABLE
If Giddey doesn't suit up, Jevon Carter is likely to draw a start at point guard.
Kevin Durant, PHO (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Durant can't return Tuesday, Devin Booker should once again shoulder the heaviest workload on the starting five, while Royce O'Neale would likely be in line for another start.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Brown can't play, Sam Hauser could draw a start at small forward.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE (ankle): OUT
In Mitchell's absence, Sam Merrill or Ty Jerome could be in line to start at shooting guard and Darius Garland could see the biggest usage increase.
Other notable injuries:
Damian Lillard, MIL (calf): OUT
Coby White, CHI (rest): OUT
Kevin Huerter, CHI (thumb): OUT
Lonzo Ball, CHI (wrist): OUT
Cameron Johnson, BKN (back): OUT
D'Angelo Russell, BKN (ankle): OUT
Austin Reaves, LAL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Pascal Siakam, IND (elbow): QUESTIONABLE
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Nikola Vucevic, CHI (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Derrick White, BOS (toe): PROBABLE
Jalen Brunson, NYK (ankle): PROBABLE
Trae Young, ATL (Achilles): PROBABLE
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (shoulder): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,400), Luka Doncic ($11,500), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,400) and Jayson Tatum ($10,000).
Antetokounmpo is expected to return from a one-game absence due to a shoulder injury and has scored at least 69 FD points in three straight games. The big man will continue to operate without Damian Lillard and will have had some extra rest due to the missed game, but he will see Bobby Portis return from his 25-game suspension.
If Doncic can play and LeBron James and/or Austin Reaves can't go, the star guard will have even more opportunity than usual. He's also scored over 50 FD points in five of his last eight games.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been a lock for over 40 FD points in the last several weeks, and unless his minutes are curtailed Tuesday for precautionary reasons, he should be worth his salary once again.
Tatum's status will have to be monitored since he's listed as questionable, but if he's available, he's likely to take the floor without at least one of Jaylen Brown or Kristaps Porzingis.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Josh Giddey, CHI ($9,900)
If Giddey can play through his questionable tag, he'll be looking to score at least 45 FD points for a fourth straight game, a stretch that should lead to a high roster rate if he's confirmed as available.
Paolo Banchero, ORL ($9,800)
Banchero put up 65.6 FD points in his most recent game Thursday and will come into Tuesday with three full days off, factors that should help ensure his popularity.
Trae Young, ATL ($9,700)
Young tallied 54.5 FD points Sunday against the Jazz and has averaged 49.6 in his last six contests overall, which should ensure he'll be in plenty of lineups Tuesday.
James Harden, LAC ($9,600)
Harden went off for 59.4 FD points his most recent time on the floor Saturday against the Mavericks, and he's scored at least 43.6 in four of the last five contests overall.
Darius Garland, CLE ($7,500)
Garland could pay big dividends with Donovan Mitchell out, a circumstance in which he averages 46.3 FD points per 36 minutes.
Key Values
Nic Claxton, BKN vs. NOP ($6,000)
Claxton should be primed for increased opportunity Tuesday, considering he'll take the court without both Cameron Johnson and D'Angelo Russell. The veteran center averages 37.3 FD per 36 minutes without either of those players on the court, and that number bumps up to 38.6 when also factoring in the absence of Cam Thomas (OFS-hamstring). Claxton also last played Thursday since he got Sunday's game off for rest, and he's averaging 30.4 FD points in his last 10 games. New Orleans has also conceded a Western Conference-high 37.4 offensive efficiency rating to centers, along with the third-most FD points to the position (59.2).
Zach Edey, MEM at CHA ($5,800)
Edey just pulled down a whopping 21 rebounds Saturday against the Pistons, a performance that netted 42.2 FD points. That was the big man's third performance of more than 40 FD points in the last five games alone, which is naturally outstanding upside at his current salary. Edey now faces a Hornets squad that's ranked No. 19 in offensive efficiency rating surrendered to centers (33.8) and allowed the sixth-most FD points to the position on the season (57.7). Moreover, Charlotte has given up the eighth-most blocks per game (5.3), while Edey is averaging 1.7 rejections in his last 10 contests.
Ty Jerome, CLE vs. CHI ($5,600)
As mentioned earlier, Donovan Mitchell will sit out Tuesday's game due to his ankle issue, which always opens up plenty of opportunity in the Cavaliers' backcourt. Jerome has already proven amply capable of delivering strong production off the bench even when his star teammate is available, entering Tuesday's game with an average of 27.9 FD points and 59.6 percent shooting, including 43.5 percent from three-point range, in his last five games. Jerome has 13 performances of 30.1 FD points, with only two of those coming in starts, this season, and he could draw a turn with the first unit Tuesday. He also has tallies of 20.6 and 32.8 FD points against the Bulls this season, and Chicago will play with an extremely short-handed rotation Tuesday while already coming in ranked No. 30 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to point guards (31.3) and giving up 36.5 percent three-point shooting to backcourt players overall.
ALSO CONSIDER: Matas Buzelis, CHI at CLE ($5,900); Bennedict Mathurin, IND vs. WAS ($5,400)
