We have a typically compact slate for a Saturday night, as there are five games on the docket. The injury report is fairly hefty in terms of questionable designations, but the upper echelon of the player pool is largely healthy.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Saturday, Jan. 10 @ 12:00 p.m. EST:
Miami Heat (-7.5) at Indiana Pacers (O/U: 235.5)
Los Angeles Clippers at Detroit Pistons (-4) (O/U: 214.5)
San Antonio Spurs (-1) at Boston Celtics (O/U: 230.5)
Dallas Mavericks at Chicago Bulls (-2.5) (O/U: 232.5)
Charlotte Hornets (-4.5) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 239.5)
We have a pretty encouraging picture painted by the betting metrics Saturday, given the absence of any double-digit favorites and the four games with totals north of 230 points. The Clippers-Pistons matchup may well turn out to be the most unappealing one for DFS purposes given its tiny projected total, and even more so if Cade Cunningham is ruled out.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Cade Cunningham, DET (wrist): QUESTIONABLE
If Cunningham can't suit up, there will be significant usage available for the rest of the Pistons' starting five, while Jaden Ivey and Daniss Jenkins could handle the majority of point guard minutes.
Lauri Markkanen, UTA (rest): OUT
In Markkanen's absence, Keyonte George should be due for even more usage than usual, and Taylor Hendricks will likely draw a start at power forward.
Anthony Davis, DAL (hand): OUT
In Davis' absence, Cooper Flagg should see even more usage than usual, while Daniel Gafford and Caleb Martin should handle elevated roles in the frontcourt.
Other notable injuries:
Josh Giddey, CHI (hamstring): OUT
Jalen Duren, DET (ankle): OUT
P.J. Washington, DAL (ankle): OUT
Tobias Harris, DET (hip): OUT
Bennedict Mathurin (thumb): OUT
Devin Vassell, SAN (thigh): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic, UTA (toe): QUESTIONABLE
Jaime Jaquez, MIA (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Isaiah Stewart, DET (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Kevin Huerter, CHI (back): QUESTIONABLE
Jalen Smith, CHI (concussion): QUESTIONABLE
Andrew Nembhard, IND (back): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Saturday's slate: Cade Cunningham ($11,000), Victor Wembanyama ($10,300) and Kawhi Leonard ($10,100).
Cunningham's status will bear monitoring, but if he's available, he'll be looking to build on a torrid three-game stretch in which he's scored 52.7 to 65.1 FD points. The one caveat is the low projected total for the contest, but the matchup against the Clippers isn't prohibitive from an individual perspective.
Wembanyama has scored 44.5 and 49.8 FD points in his first two games back from a two-game absence, and he hasn't been under 44.5 in five straight overall.
Leonard played through an ankle concern Friday to rack up 49.5 FD points across just 28 minutes, his 11th straight game clearing the 40-FDpt mark.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($9,700)
Brown has scored Friday's 41.1 FD points or more in 10 of the last 11 games, which should keep him a very popular play Saturday.
James Harden, LAC ($9,000)
Harden went over 40 FD points for the third straight game Friday and still carries a ceiling north of 60 FD points, which should keep him highly rostered on the modest slate.
Cooper Flagg, DAL ($8,900)
Flagg is coming off having posted 59 FD points against the Jazz on Thursday and will be a key part of what could be the best game environment of the night, which should make him very popular.
Pascal Siakam, IND ($8,800)
Siakam has scored over 45 FD points in three of the last four games, excellent upside for his current salary.
Keyonte George, UTA ($8,600)
George will take the floor without Lauri Markkanen on Saturday and is already averaging 40 FD points per game for the season, factors that should ensure he's in plenty of lineups.
Key Values
Paul Reed, DET vs. LAC ($5,500)
Reed has been helping hold down the fort for the Pistons at center in the ongoing absence of Jalen Duren (ankle), who's already ruled out for Saturday. Meanwhile, Reed's frontcourt mate Isaiah Stewart is carrying a questionable tag due to illness, potentially teeing up Reed for even more minutes than the 27.3 he's averaged over his first three starts in Duren's stead. Reed has contributed 25.0 FD points per contest in that stretch on the strength of 8.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest, and although the Clippers do present a tough matchup down low with Ivica Zubac patrolling the paint, Reed's salary and opportunity are such that he remains a worthy consideration on a smaller slate.
Naji Marshall, DAL at CHI ($5,400)
Marshall continues to quietly provide some solid returns for the injury-hampered Mavericks, starting the last two games and averaging 25.6 FD points on averages of 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals per contest. He's eclipsed 25 FD points in 18 of 38 games overall, including five tallies of 39 FD points or greater, excellent upside for his current salary. The game environment and matchup against the fast-paced Bulls should also be very conducive to production Saturday, and the fact he's averaging 35.8 FD points per 36 minutes with all of Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington and Brandon Williams off the floor only furthers his case.
Nikola Jovic, MIA at IND ($4,500)
Jovic has been on a nice run off the Heat bench over the last seven games, averaging 30.4 FD points across 25.1 minutes per contest in that span. The fourth-year forward has managed to generate that type of production despite his abysmal 38.3 percent shooting in that span, a figure that's atypically poor for a player who shot over 45.0 percent in each of the previous two seasons. Jovic could be in a good spot to bounce back in that regard Saturday, as the Pacers are surrendering 48.2 percent shooting to power forwards, and the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players (47.5). Indiana has also conceded the fifth-most FD points to fours in the last 15 games (50.9), adding to Jovic's appeal at a very reasonable salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Anfernee Simons, BOS vs. SAN ($4,700)
