This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for our second small main slate in three days, as there are only three games on the ledger and an earlier-than-usual lock time of 5:00 p.m. EDT. The injury report does include a couple of already confirmed big-name absences, however, so we'll be operating with an even more compact player pool than we already would be given that there's only six teams in action.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Saturday, 3/30 @1:00 a.m. ET:
Boston Celtics (-5.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U: 223.5)
Memphis Grizzlies at *Orlando Magic (-13) (O/U: 207.0)
Milwaukee Bucks (-4.5) at Atlanta Hawks (O/U: 225.5)
*denotes team on second night of back-to-back set
We do have the one projected blowout Saturday, although it curiously sees the only team on the second night of a back-to-back, the Magic, as the big favorite. The other two games project to be much more competitive with the confirmed absence of Damian Lillard for Milwaukee playing a part in the Bucks being smaller favorites than expected.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Damian Lillard, MIL (personal): OUT
Lillard's absence should open up a starting opportunity for Patrick Beverley, who's probable with a wrist injury, and it will also up the usage of the rest of the starting five.
Desmond Bane, MEM (back): OUT
Bane's absence with a new injury is likely to afford Luke Kennard a start at shooting guard and up the usage of the rest of the starting five.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (knee): OUT
Ingram's ongoing absence should lead to another start at shooting guard for Trey Murphy.
Jalen Johnson, ATL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Johnson sits out, De'Andre Hunter is likely to remain in the starting five at power forward.
Other notable injuries:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (hamstring): PROBABLE
Khris Middleton, MIL (ankle): PROBABLE
Santi Aldama, MEM (illness): DOUBTFUL
Trae Young, ATL (finger): OUT
Vince Williams, MEM (knee): OUT
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Saturday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000), Jayson Tatum ($10,600) and Dejounte Murray ($10,300).
Antetokounmpo could prove to be worth every bit of his elevated salary Saturday, considering he sports a 35.7 percent usage rate and averages 57 FD points per 36 minutes without Damian Lillard on the floor.
Tatum posted 61.1 and 53.6 FD points in the consecutive close losses to the Hawks, and he should be heavily involved once again versus the Pelicans as Boston aims to snap an uncharacteristic two-game skid.
Murray has been on a tear befitting an even higher salary than the one he's carrying, considering he's scored over 61 FD points in three of his last five games and no fewer than 55.1 in that span.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Zion Williamson, NOP ($9,200)
Williamson has a pair of 50+ FD-point tallies in his last three games and carries even more upside than usual with Brandon Ingram sidelined due to a knee injury.
CJ McCollum, NOP ($8,300)
McCollum is another beneficiary of Ingram's ongoing absence and should be popular at his salary after eclipsing 45 FD points twice in the last four games.
Jaren Jackson, MEM ($8,300)
Jackson should be highly rostered with Desmond Bane out again Saturday, and he comes in having scored 40.3 FD points or more in five of the last six games.
Derrick White, BOS ($7,800)
White is averaging 42.8 FD points per contest and shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range over the last eight games, which should help usher him into plenty of lineups Saturday.
Key Values
Trey Murphy, NOP vs. BOS ($6,600)
Murphy continues to draw starts in place of Brandon Ingram, and he's made good use of that opportunity by averaging 32.7 FD points per contest during his four-game stint with the first unit. What's more, he's accomplished that figure despite shooting an atypically low 32.6 percent in the sample, a number that's partly affected by a nightmarish 1-for-12 performance versus the Pistons three games ago. The Celtics aren't an easy defensive matchup by any stretch, but given Murphy's ability to fill out the stat sheet and a salary that's still reasonable, he makes for a viable value play Saturday.
De'Andre Hunter, ATL vs. MIL ($6,400)
Hunter may move back to the bench if Jalen Johnson, who's listed as questionable, returns from his ankle injury Saturday. However, the veteran has proven capable of offering solid returns from the second unit as well, having posted tallies of 25.6 to 31.9 FD points in that capacity during March alone. Hunter has eclipsed 33 FD points in three of the five games of his current starting stint as well, and he already has one game with 30.1 FD points against the Bucks this season.
Malik Beasley, MIL at ATL ($5,400)
Beasley could offer a very good return on investment Saturday with backcourt mate Damian Lillard sidelined, as the veteran wing is averaging 25.2 FD points per 36 minutes without his teammate on the floor this season. Beasley also comes in having scored 31.1 and 24.4 FD points in the last two games with Lillard available, and he's been over 20 FD points in seven of his last 11 games overall. The Hawks are good targets as well, allowing 39.5 percent three-point shooting to two-guards, along with 43.4 FD points per game to the position in the last 15 contests.
ALSO CONSIDER: Brook Lopez, MIL at ATL ($5,800); Luke Kennard, MEM at ORL ($4,800)
