This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a compact five-game slate Thursday that features a pair of marquee showdowns in Nuggets-Bucks and Timberwolves-Lakers. The Warriors-Magic and Pelicans-Suns battles also hold plenty of potential for strong individual performances and heavy minutes for the big names on both sides, and the injury report isn't too heavy on short-term absences.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, 2/27 @ 11:30 a.m. EST:
Golden State Warriors (-5) at Orlando Magic (O/U: 211.5)
Denver Nuggets (-3.5) at Milwaukee Bucks (O/U: 240.5)
Charlotte Hornets at Dallas Mavericks (-9.5) (O/U: 225.0)
New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns (-8) (O/U: 236.5)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers (-6.5) (O/U: 228.0)
We should have a competitive five-game ledger for the most part if spreads are any indication, with the potential exception of the Hornets-Mavericks clash if LaMelo Ball sits out for Charlotte. Even the Pelicans-Suns battle could be closer than currently projected, considering the talent on New Orleans' side.
Projected totals are also encouraging, especially the slate-high figure attached to what should be the top game of the night, Nuggets-Bucks. The fact that contest also has the narrowest spread of the five games makes it the most conducive DFS environment as well, although the Pelicans-Suns and Timberwolves-Lakers matchups should also feature plenty of big games from high-salary players.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Anthony Edwards, MIN (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Edwards can't suit up, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo (questionable-toe) would likely handle the majority of shooting guard minutes while the rest of the starting five will see big bumps in usage.
LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Ball can't play, KJ Simpson could draw another start at point guard, while Elfrid Payton would also likely see additional minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams would be due for significant boosts in usage.
P.J. Washington, DAL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Washington sits out, Kessler Edwards and Olivier-Maxence Prosper will likely handle the majority of power forward minutes.
Other notable injuries:
Anthony Davis, DAL (thigh): OUT
Jonathan Kuminga, GSW (ankle): OUT
Jalen Suggs, ORL (quadriceps): OUT
Daniel Gafford, DAL (knee): OUT
Julius Randle, MIN (groin): OUT
Rudy Gobert, MIN (back): OUT
Kelly Olynyk, NOP (rest): OUT
Cole Anthony, ORL (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (calf): PROBABLE
Jamal Murray, DEN (knee): PROBABLE
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (calf): PROBABLE
LeBron James, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with a five-figure salary on Thursday's slate: Nikola Jokic ($12,800), Luka Doncic ($11,800), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,500) and LeBron James ($10,100).
Jokic bounced back from a sub-40-FD-point tally against the Lakers two games ago to post 65.3 FD points across 38 minutes versus the Pacers on Monday and will be playing with the benefit of two days' rest Thursday in a matchup against the Bucks where he should see another solid workload.
Doncic appears to have quickly hit his stride as a Laker, scoring 68.5 and 68 FD points in each of his last two games.
Antetokounmpo has scored 55.7 and 53 FD points in his last two games and should be locked into heavy minutes considering the Nuggets and Bucks are likely to play to a highly competitive game Thursday.
LeBron has scored 54.3 and 42.9 FD points in the last two games where Luka Doncic has broken out for his best performances since joining the Lakers.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,700)
If Edwards plays through his calf injury, he should be very popular for a marquee game against the Lakers after scoring over 43 FD points in eight straight games.
Kevin Durant, PHO ($9,500)
Durant has scored at least 41.8 FD points in five of the last six games, which should help keep him highly rostered Thursday.
Devin Booker, PHO ($9,300)
Booker is averaging 48.7 FD points in his last three games, which should help keep him popular at his salary.
Kyrie Irving, DAL ($9,200)
Kyrie will continue to spearhead the Mavs' attack in a favorable matchup against the Hornets and just scored 60.4 FD points against the Lakers on Tuesday, factors that should ensure he's highly rostered at his salary Thursday.
Naz Reid, MIN ($7,900)
Reid will continue to start for Julius Randle on Thursday and has scored over 41 FD points in four of the last five games.
Key Values
Jaden McDaniels, MIN at LAL ($6,500)
McDaniels has been outstanding through the Timberwolves' assortment of injuries to first-unit players, and he's particularly been thriving during the recent concurrent absences of Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. Most recently, McDaniels spearheaded Minnesota's wild comeback win over the Thunder on Monday night, scoring 50 FD points via a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double that saw him go a blistering 9-for-16 from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 from the line. McDaniels has scored over 35 FD points in four straight games overall, and he's averaging 34.4 FD points per 36 minutes whenever both Randle and Gobert, who are both out again Thursday, are off the floor. McDaniels also has a 47.8 FD-point tally in one of his prior meetings with the Lakers this season, and he should once again enjoy an elevated role Thursday.
Bol Bol, PHO vs. NOP ($5,900)
Bol has stepped up his game in his own right on several occasions recently, and he just scored a season-high 23 points, which he complemented with eight rebounds and a pair of blocks, in a spot start against the Grizzlies on Tuesday. That performance netted 39.1 FD points, and Bol also had tallies of 26.1 to 53.8 FD points in a four-game stretch from Feb. 7- 12, with only two of those efforts coming as a starter. The big man could once again replace Royce O'Neale on the first unit Thursday given the results he generated versus Memphis, and he'll be facing a Pelicans squad that's yielded the sixth-most FD points to power forwards (51.7) in the last 15 games and that's surrendered the second-most blocks per road game (6.4) all season.
Klay Thompson, DAL vs. CHA ($5,400)
Thompson continues to carry a very modest salary, but he's outpaced it recently by averaging 28.5 FD points, 17.0 points (on 44.8 percent three-point shooting), 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists across his last seven games. The veteran sharpshooter has three tallies of over 34 FD points in that stretch as he helps Kyrie Irving carry the offensive load following the departure of Luka Doncic and in the wake of Anthony Davis' multi-week abdominal injury. Thursday could set up as another productive night for Thompson, as the opposing Hornets rank No. 26 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to small forwards (24.8) and have given up the second-most FD points per contest to the position in the last 15 games (49.3). Additionally, Charlotte is surrendering the fourth-highest three-point shooting percentage on the road (37.2), certainly something that works in Thompson's favor.
ALSO CONSIDER: Moses Moody, GSW at ORL ($5,200); Yves Missi, NOP at PHO ($5,200)
