This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a five-game slate on the eve of the All-Star break, and as of late Wednesday, we have a very light injury report. With an extended layoff ahead, we could see some unpredictable outcomes, which should make for a fun night of DFS lineup construction.
Slate Overview
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, 2/13 @ 1:00 a.m. EST:
Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets (-7.5) (O/U: 217.0)
Sacramento Kings (-7) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U: 237.5)
Oklahoma City Thunder (-7.5) at Minnesota Timberwolves (O/U: 221.5)
Miami Heat (-2) at Dallas Mavericks (O/U: 222.5)
Los Angeles Clippers (-7.5) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 225.5)
One of the interesting aspects of Thursday's slate is the fact every team is on a back-to-back, and the Kings and Pelicans are playing each other for the second time in as many nights. Spreads portend a mostly competitive set of games, and although projected totals are relatively subdued except for the Sacramento-New Orleans clash, we could see some unexpected developments as alluded to earlier.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Julius Randle, MIN (groin): OUT
In Randle's ongoing absence, Naz Reid should continue to start at power forward while Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels will likely enjoy elevated usage.
Fred VanVleet, HOU (ankle): OUT
In VanVleet's ongoing absence, Aaron Holiday or Tari Eason could stick in the starting five.
Other notable injuries:
P.J. Washington, DAL (ankle): OUT
Collin Sexton, UTA (ankle): OUT
Daniel Gafford, DAL (knee): OUT
Duncan Robinson, MIA (illness): GTD
Dante Exum, DAL (Achilles): GTD
Chet Holmgren, OKC (rest): GTD
Elite Players
We have one player with a five-figure salary on Thursday's slate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,300).
SGA scored 56.5 FD points against the Heat on Wednesday and had supplied 43.6 to 75.1 FD points in seven of the previous eight contests. He also posted 55.6 FD points across 34 minutes in his most recent encounter with the Timberwolves on New Year's Eve.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,900)
Edwards has scored over 46 FD points in four straight games, which should keep him very popular on a small slate at his sub-five-figure salary.
Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,600)
Sabonis has scored at least 43 FD points in three consecutive games and just put up 46.5 on Wednesday against the same Pelicans team he'll face Thursday.
James Harden, LAC ($9,400)
Harden has scored over 43 FD points in three straight and four of the last five overall, and he draws a particularly favorable matchup versus a Jazz team he just put up 51.9 FD points against two games ago.
Kyrie Irving, DAL ($9,100)
Irving has scored over 50 FD points three of the last five games, including two straight, which should keep him highly rostered at his salary.
Stephen Curry, GSW ($8,900)
Curry has scored 43.7 to 53.4 FD points in five straight games, giving him plenty of upside at his salary.
Key Values
Kel'el Ware, MIA at DAL ($6,000)
Ware, like many rookies, is still honing his game-to-game consistency, but the first-round pick's upside is undeniable. Ware has exceeded 30 FD points in eight of the last 15 games, and he fell just short of that mark with tallies of 27.2 and 29.4 FD points in two other contests within that sample. Ware also has six double-doubles in that span, and Thursday, he'll face a Mavericks team that went into Wednesday's action ranked No. 21 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to centers while also surrendering 55.3 FD points per contest to the position on the campaign.
Max Christie, DAL vs. MIA ($5,700)
Christie has proven an excellent fit for the Mavericks since arriving via trade from the Lakers, averaging 31.1 FD points over his first four games in Dallas going into Wednesday night's battle versus the Warriors while shooting a blistering 51.2 percent, including 57.9 percent from behind the arc. The third-year pro then mustered 29 FD points against Golden State in a spot start for Dante Exum (Achilles) to keep up his strong run of production, and he'll now tangle with a Heat squad surrendering a robust 42.2 FD points per contest to shooting guards.
Dillon Brooks, HOU vs. GSW ($5,000)
Brooks has been on an extended run of solid production, as he went into Wednesday's game against the Suns averaging 15.1 points (on 40.7% three-point shooting), 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 34.1 minutes per game over the previous 14 contests. The veteran wing then put up 29.9 FD points over 31 minutes versus Phoenix with the help of 4-for-9 shooting from distance, and he's carrying a salary that he's delivered over a 5x return on in 18 games this season. Golden State also went into Wednesday's contest versus the Mavericks having allowed 37.4 percent three-point shooting over the previous three games and then conceded a 41.7 percent success rate from behind the arc to Dallas.
ALSO CONSIDER: Klay Thompson, DAL vs. MIA ($5,300); Quinten Post, GSW at HOU ($4,200)
