We're teed up for a five-game main slate Saturday evening, one that tips off earlier than usual at 6 p.m. EST. There are plenty of big names on the injury report, which has a more significant impact than usual due to the modest amount of games being played.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Saturday, March 7 at 2:00 a.m. EST:
Brooklyn Nets at Detroit Pistons (-14) (O/U: 215.5)
Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks (-6.5) (O/U: 233.5)
Los Angeles Clippers (-6) at Memphis Grizzlies (O/U: 226.5)
Utah Jazz at Milwaukee Bucks (-10.5) (O/U: 235.5)
Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder (-14.5) (O/U: 219.5)
The betting metrics admittedly don't paint the most encouraging picture Saturday, as we have a trio of double-digit favorites and only a pair of games with totals greater than 230 points. One of those, the 76ers-Hawks clash, may well prove to be the best DFS spot of the night due to the combination of explosive players and expected game environment.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Cade Cunningham, DET (quadriceps): QUESTIONABLE
If Cunningham can't suit up, Daniss Jenkins or Caris LeVert could draw a start at point guard, while Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren could be among the biggest beneficiaries in terms of increased usage.
Kevin Porter, MIL (knee): OUT
In Porter's absence, Ryan Rollins and either Cam Thomas or AJ Green will likely serve as the Bucks' starting backcourt.
VJ Edgecombe, PHI (back): DOUBTFUL
In Edgecombe's likely absence, Quentin Grimes could draw a spot start at shooting guard.
Other notable injuries:
Joel Embiid, PHI (oblique): OUT
Stephen Curry, GSW (knee): OUT
Isaiah Collier, UTA (personal): OUT
Lauri Markkanen, UTA (hip): OUT
John Collins, LAC (neck): OUT
Paul George, PHI (suspension): OUT
Jalen Williams, OKC (hamstring): OUT
Ausar Thompson, DET (ankle): OUT
Santi Aldama, MEM (knee): OUT
Isaiah Hartenstein, OKC (calf): OUT
Darius Garland, LAC (toe): GTD
De'Anthony Melton, GSW (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Jonathan Kuminga, ATL (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries on Saturday's slate: Cade Cunningham ($11,300), Tyrese Maxey ($11,200), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,000), Jalen Johnson ($10,800), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,700) and Kawhi Leonard ($10,100).
Cunningham has scored over 38 FD points in 10 straight games, but his availability will be closely monitored due to his quadriceps injury.
Maxey has scored over 47 FD points in six of the last seven games, and he'll continue to take the floor Saturday with VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid sidelined, in addition to the suspended Paul George.
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored over 41 FD points in three games since returning from an abdominal injury, and he'll face a shorthanded Warriors team Saturday.
Johnson bounced back last time out with 42.5 FD points following a modest performance against the Trail Blazers the game prior, and he should be busy in a likely competitive game against the 76ers.
Antetokounmpo draws a highly favorable matchup against the Jazz, and he could be due for bump up to at least 30 minutes after playing 25 and 26 minutes in his first two games back from a calf injury.
Leonard scored 52.3 FD points over 37 minutes against the Spurs on Friday, his third straight game with more than 43. However, Saturday will be the veteran's third game in four nights.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Keyonte George, UTA ($8,300)
George should see plenty of usage Saturday with both Isaiah Collier and Lauri Markkanen sidelined, and he should be very popular at his salary after scoring 49.4 and 38.8 FD points his last two games.
Jalen Duren, DET ($8,100)
Duren might be taking the floor without Cade Cunningham in addition to Ausar Thompson on Saturday, and the big man has tallies of 53 and 68.7 FD points over his last five games.
Michael Porter, BKN ($7,900)
Porter just put up 53.1 FD points against the Heat on Thursday and will face a short-handed Pistons squads, factors that should ensure a high roster rate at his salary.
Ryan Rollins, MIL ($7,800)
Rollins will be set for a usage boost with Kevin Porter sidelined and just tallied 48.6 FD points against the Hawks on Wednesday, which should lock in his popularity Saturday.
Key Values
CJ McCollum, ATL vs. PHI ($6,700)
McCollum has proven quite the fit with the Hawks since coming over from the Wizards in the Trae Young trade, and he comes into Saturday thriving in a five-game starting run as well. The veteran has averaged 31.4 FD points over that span, putting up 17.2 points, 4.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds over 27.2 minutes per contest. McCollum has enjoyed success against the Sixers this season with both Washington and Atlanta, averaging 29.7 FD points, including a tally of 39.7 versus Philly the one time he's faced him as a member of the Hawks. The Sixers have also been more vulnerable to long-distance shooting of late, allowing 15.3 made threes per contest in the last three.
Bobby Portis, MIL vs. UTA ($5,100)
Portis is back to a second-unit role with Giannis Antetokounmpo back on the floor, and although his production continues to fluctuate, Saturday could help bring about one of his higher-percentile performances. The opposing Jazz have been vulnerable to virtually every position, and they come into Saturday allowing the third-most FD points per game to power forwards (49.0), including 50 over the last 30 games. Portis is averaging 24.0 FD points in the last nine games as well, eclipsing 34 FD points on two occasions while shooting 54.4 percent, including 48.9 percent from three-point range, in the entirety of that span.
Jabari Walker, PHI at ATL ($4,200)
Walker has enjoyed a nice surge over the last two games despite still filling a second-unit role, delivering 27.4 and 39 FD points in those contests. Walker has shot a blistering 63.6 percent, including 50.0 percent from distance, in those games as well, outperforming starter Dominick Barlow in the process. Whether those performances are enough to vault Walker into a spot start Saturday remains to be seen, but the matchup against the Hawks is appealing in any role considering Atlanta is yielding 44.7 FD points per game to fours in the last 15 games. The Hawks are also conceding the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players (46.8), furthering Walker's case at a bargain-bin salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Duncan Robinson, DET vs. BKN ($4,000)
