This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After a busy last two nights, we're down to a compact four-game main slate Saturday night. The injury report is fortunately very light in terms of potential short-term absences, and both Luka Doncic and LeBron James are considered probable to suit up.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Saturday, 2/22 @ 1:30 a.m. EST:
Brooklyn Nets at Philadelphia 76ers (-10) (O/U: 213.5)
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets (-7) (O/U: 240.5)
Houston Rockets (-8) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 228.5)
Charlotte Hornets at Portland Trail Blazers (-4.5) (O/U: 222.5)
It isn't ideal when three games on a four-game slate have spreads of seven points or more, but each of those games naturally could unfold in more competitive fashion than anticipated. Projected totals are also a bit of a mixed bag, but the Hornets-Trail Blazers nightcap could have a bit more offense than projected considering Charlotte will have both LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams available.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Fred VanVleet, HOU (ankle): OUT
In VanVleet's ongoing absence, Aaron Holiday could be set for another spot start at point guard.
Other notable injuries:
D'Angelo Russell, BKN (ankle): OUT
Cam Thomas, BKN (hamstring): OUT
Collin Sexton, UTA (ankle): OUT
Deandre Ayton, POR (calf): OUT
Aaron Gordon, DEN (calf): PROBABLE
Jamal Murray, DEN (knee): PROBABLE
Luka Doncic, LAL (injury management): PROBABLE
LeBron James, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with a five-figure salary on Saturday's slate: Nikola Jokic ($12,800), Luka Doncic ($11,500), Joel Embiid ($10,300) and LeBron James ($10,100).
Jokic opened post-All-Star-break play with 66.9 FD points against Hornets on Thursday, and he's scored at least 61 FD points in seven of the last eight games.
Doncic is off the injury report Saturday after sitting out Thursday's game for injury management, although it's worth noting he's topped out at 36.2 FD points in his first three games with the Lakers.
Embiid was limited to 22.6 FD points against the Celtics on Thursday, but he still carries 50 FD-point upside, at minimum, any time he takes the floor.
LeBron has exceeded 53 FD points in the first two games after the All-Star break, but he played his most recent game without Doncic.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($9,700)
Maxey put up 35.5 FD points against the Celtics on Thursday but he's averaging 48.3 FD points over his last 14 games overall.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,500)
Ball is off the injury report after getting Thursday's game against the Nuggets off and scored 42 FD points against the Lakers in his most recent game on Wednesday.
Amen Thompson, HOU ($8,900)
Thompson just racked up 50 FD points versus the Timberwolves on Friday, his second game of at least that many in the last three games, and he should continue to enjoy elevated usage Saturday with Fred VanVleet sidelined.
Miles Bridges, CHA ($8,700)
Bridges posted 74.1 FD points over 33 minutes Thursday against Denver without Ball available, but he scored 52.2 alongside his teammate the night before versus the Lakers.
Alperen Sengun, HOU ($8,600)
Sengun posted 34.6 FD points Friday against the Timberwolves and should be very popular at his position and salary on such a small slate.
Key Values
Jordan Clarkson, UTA vs. HOU ($5,900)
Clarkson remained in the starting five Friday against the Thunder and provided 25.8 FD points over 29 minutes in a difficult matchup. The veteran guard was able to get some valuable rest for his nagging foot injury during the All-Star break, and he should remain on the first unit Saturday with Collin Sexton still sidelined. The Rockets went into Friday night's battle versus Minnesota allowing 38.1 percent three-point shooting to two-guards, and they proceeded to concede a 37-point night to Anthony Edwards despite doing a very good job on him in the fourth quarter. Clarkson typically has a very safe floor and exceeded 35 FD points in three of the first four games of his current starting tenure, while the Rockets have allowed over 45 FD points per game to SGs in the last 15 games.
Toumani Camara, POR vs. CHA ($5,800)
Camara got the post-All-Star-break portion of his season off to a rousing start, putting up 44.9 FD points across 37 minutes against the Lakers with the help of a five-steal performance. The second-year pro is on an extended run of solid production, averaging 30.5 FD points across his last 13 contests with the help of 54.9 percent shooting, including 48.8 percent from behind the arc. Camara has averaged an impressive 1.7 steals in that span as well, while the opposing Hornets have surrendered the third most steals (2.0) per contest to two-guards and 42.5 FD points per contest to the position in the last 30 games.
Nick Smith, CHA at POR ($4,800)
Smith, Camara's opposite number Saturday, also makes for an interesting value option Saturday. The second-year wing has put together a solid February, averaging 22.6 FD points, 16.0 points (on 48.0 percent shooting, including 40.7 percent from distance), 2.9 assists and 2.3 rebounds per contest over an eight-game sample. Smith has exceeded 20 FD points on six occasions during that span as well, including 30 in two instances. Then, the Trail Blazers have been vulnerable to shooting guards, giving up 37.2 percent three-point shooting to the position for the season and 41.4 FD points to twos in the last seven games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jusuf Nurkic, CHA at POR ($5,500); Jabari Smith, HOU at UTA ($5,200)
