This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're teed up for a five-game slate Tuesday night, one that features a relatively light injury report but also projects to have its fair share of one-sided games. It may be a good night to tread carefully with some higher-salaried players as a result, although, as is often the case, some games could certainly be a lot more competitive than expected.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Tuesday, 1/21 @ 12:00 a.m. ET:
New York Knicks (-10.5) at Brooklyn Nets (O/U: 221.5)
Portland Trail Blazers at Miami Heat (-11) (O/U: 219.5)
Orlando Magic (-3) at Toronto Raptors (O/U: 214.5)
Philadelphia 76ers at Denver Nuggets (-13.5) (O/U: 229.5)
Washington Wizards at Los Angeles Lakers (-13) (O/U: 230.5)
As already alluded to, the four double-digit favorites Tuesday cast plenty of doubt regarding the potential for a largely competitive slate. Meanwhile, projected totals are a mixed bag, and the two highest figures are affixed to games with the biggest favorites. Nevertheless, the potential for highly useful DFS performances are there, considering the defensive issues the Nuggets, Wizards and even the 76ers have all had this season.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Paul George, PHI (groin): QUESTIONABLE
If George can't play, Ricky Council could draw a start at small forward while Tyrese Maxey will see even more usage than usual considering Joel Embiid will also remain out.
Anthony Davis, LAL (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Davis can't play, LeBron James will enjoy an even bigger role than usual while Jaxson Hayes could draw a spot start.
D'Angelo Russell, BKN (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Russell sits out, Reece Beekman could see a bump in minutes off the bench at point guard.
Anfernee Simons, POR (elbow): QUESTIONABLE
If Simons can't play, Scoot Henderson would likely draw a spot start at point guard.
Other notable injuries:
Joel Embiid, PHI (knee): OUT
Franz Wagner, ORL (oblique): OUT
Cam Thomas, BKN (hamstring): OUT
Immanuel Quickley, TOR (hip): OUT
Goga Bitadze, ORL (concussion): OUT
Jalen Suggs, ORL (back): OUT
Caleb Martin, PHI (hip): QUESTIONABLE
Andre Drummond, PHI (toe): QUESTIONABLE
Guerschon Yabusele, PHI (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Malcolm Brogdon, WAS (foot): QUESTIONABLE
LeBron James, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Ben Simmons, BKN (illness): PROBABLE
Jamal Murray, DEN (calf): PROBABLE
Austin Reaves, LAL (knee): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,700), Anthony Davis ($11,400) and Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,000).
Jokic just posted another triple-double Sunday against the Magic that netted 67.8 FD points, and he's eclipsed 54 FD points in four of his last five contests. However, he's the first of three elite players whose teams are double-digit favorites.
Davis' status will have to be monitored due to his questionable status, but if he does suit up, he'll have an elite matchup, albeit as a double-digit favorite, against a Wizards team that's been the most vulnerable in the league to centers.
Towns appears to be past his thumb sprain after playing through it against the Hawks on Monday and posting 36.3 FD points over 36 minutes, and he'll face a Nets squad he posted 58 FD points against in one prior meeting this season.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
LeBron James, LAL ($9,900)
LeBron could take the floor without Anthony Davis on Tuesday and will enter Tuesday with back-to-back games of more than 53 FD points.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($9,700)
Maxey's usage could be even higher than usual if George joins Embiid on the list of inactives for Philadelphia, and Maxey also comes in having scored over 51 FD points in three of the last five games and no fewer than 44.3 in six of the last seven contests overall.
Jalen Brunson, NYK ($9,200)
Brunson scored 44.2 FD points in Monday's game versus the Hawks despite the return of Karl-Anthony Towns, and he's put up 51 FD points or more in three of the last five contests overall.
Scottie Barnes, TOR ($9,100)
Barnes has scored at least 42.1 FD points in six straight games, which should keep him very popular at his salary.
Tyler Herro, MIA ($7,900)
Herro has flashed a very reliable floor even with the recent return of Jimmy Butler from suspension, scoring over 38 FD points in five of the last six games.
Key Values
Scoot Henderson, POR at MIA ($6,700)
Henderson could be due for another spot start in place of Anfernee Simons and has already been delivering outstanding production recently, averaging 25.3 points (on 56.9 percent shooting, including 53.3 percent from three-point range), 7.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals across 35 minutes per contest in his last four games. Three of those came in turns with the first unit, but Henderson also has three tallies between 41 and 51.5 FD points when coming off the bench this season. The Heat comes in allowing 49.9 FD points per contest to point guards in the last seven games, and Miami has surrendered 37.4 percent three-point shooting at home, as well as a 41.1 percent success rate from deep overall in the last three.
Cole Anthony, ORL at TOR ($6,500)
Anthony has started in each of the last eight games and has made good use of the opportunity, averaging 32.3 FD points on averages of 17.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals across 31.5 minutes per contest in that span. The 2020 first-round pick also scored 30.3 FD points in 34 minutes off the bench in the game before his current starting stint, which just happened to come versus the same Raptors team he'll face Tuesday. Toronto is ranked No. 25 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to point guards (28.6), and the Raptors have surrendered the third-most FD points to ones in the last seven games (57.5).
Kel'el Ware, MIA vs. POR ($5,400)
Ware showed excellent promise during Summer League play, but he didn't become a regular member of the Heat's rotation until Dec. 21. The rookie has only stepped it up since then, averaging 26.2 FD points over his 11 games in January on the strength of 12.3 points (on 60.0 percent shooting, including 45.8 percent from distance), 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.4 blocks per contest. Ware has a pair of double-digit rebounding tallies within his last four games as well, and he's scored between 30.2 and 43.6 FD points on three occasions during that span. The Blazers also happen to be ranked No. 30 in offensive efficiency rating surrendered to second-unit players (51.0) and have given up the fifth-most FD points per contest to centers in the last 15 games (61.3), brightening Ware's outlook even further.
ALSO CONSIDER: Wendell Carter, ORL at TOR ($5,900); Jonas Valanciunas, WAS at LAL ($5,600)
