This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
Minnesota at Boston (-6) (o/u 227)
Golden State (-7.5) at Washington (o/u 222)
Philadelphia at Phoenix (-5) (o/u 229)
Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans (-3) (o/u 228)
Charlotte at Brooklyn (-7) (o/u 237)
Utah at Dallas (-2.5) (o/u 223.5)
We've enjoyed strong Sunday slates since the end of football season, and today is no exception. The Brooklyn-Charlotte matchup stands out as one to target based on a high projected total and relatively narrow point spread. News throughout the rest of the day will likely dictate where the rest of the best plays come from, though there is already plenty of value available on this slate to be covered.
Injury Situations to Monitor
Jordan McLaughlin, MIN (quadriceps): questionable
McLaughlin has played nearly 17 minutes across his last five games. If he can't go, Jaylen Nowell should see extra minutes.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (knee): probable
Jayson Tatum, BOS (knee): probable
Both Brown and Tatum appear likely to play. If Brown sits, Derrick White should enter the starting lineup and Aaron Nesmith could also benefit. Tatum's potential absence would also helpNesmith, as Grant Williams is already in a prime position to produce given the absence of Al Horford.
Andre Iguodala, GS (back): questionable
Iguodala has been out since Feb. 7, so he's likely to face a minutes restriction even if he returns. Should he come back, that could take some time from Jonathan Kuminga.
Talen Horton-Tucker, LAL (ankle): probable
Horton-Tucker has missed three of the last four games due to the ankle injury, though it appears he's likely to return Sunday and that would mean less minutes for Austin Reaves.
LeBron James, LAL (knee): questionable
James missed Wednesday's matchup and Friday's subsequent practice, though coach Frank Vogel is hopeful he'll come back Sunday. If he is absent, Russell Westbrook would likely see increased usage and Stanley Johnson could log extra minutes.
Dwight Howard, LAL (hip): questionable
Howard played 28 minutes in an impressive performance Wednesday, though he picked up a hip injury in the process. Wenyen Gabriel and Carmelo Anthony would be the primary beneficiaries from Howard's absence.
Brandon Ingram, NO (hamstring)
Ingram has missed 10 consecutive games, but it appears he's drawing closer to a return and that would primarily affect Naji Marshall and Tony Snell. No injury designation was listed as of drafting because New Orleans played Saturday night.
Hassan Whiteside, UTA (foot): questionable
Whiteside missed Friday with the foot issue. Juancho Hernangomez and Eric Paschall benefitted from his absence, but they should continue to see some extra run with both Danuel House and Bojan Bogdanovic out.
Trey Burke, DAL (illness): questionable
Burke couldn't go Friday with a non-COVID illness. His status is not that influential to the slate, as he only averaged 8.7 minutes across his last 20 games.
Other notable injuries:
Al Horford, BOS (personal): out
Malik Beasley, MIN (ankle): out
Kyle Kuzma, WAS (knee): out
Cameron Johnson, PHO (quad): out
JaVale McGee, PHO (illness): out
LaMarcus Aldridge, BRO (hip): out
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA (calf): out
Danuel House, UTA (knee): out
Sterling Brown, DAL (health and safety protocols): out
Elite Players
Luka Doncic ($11,600) hasn't hit the upper percentiles of his potential outcomes in four consecutive games. He's an appealing option from that perspective as his salary has dropped $500. Utah plays at a slow pace regardless of venue, but they're a significantly worse defensive team on the road with a 111.5 rating compared to 108.5 at home. Combine that with the dip in value and that makes Doncic a solid tournament option Sunday.
Joel Embiid ($11,400) draws a matchup against the Suns, who boast the league's best defensive rating against big men. Given the alternatives to build through on the slate, I'll look elsewhere.
Doncic isn't a top cash game option due to the excellent spot Kyrie Irving ($10,500) is in for Sunday's matchup. Coming off of a down performance against Miami – one of the best defensive teams in the league – he'll draw a matchup against one of the worst Ds in Charlotte. After his salary ticked all the way up to $10,900, Irving's value has fallen. Many of these same factors is true for Kevin Durant ($11,000), who should also project very well Sunday.
James Harden ($10,000) is coming off of a big performance against a strong defensive side in the Clippers. We know he can perform in any matchup, but Phoenix will be another challenge as was mentioned for Embiid. Given the positive spot Irving's in, I'd find the extra $500 to pay up for him particularly in cash games.
Expected Chalk
Jordan Poole ($7,700) has performed very well in the absence of Stephen Curry and his salary has risen $700 within the last week as a result. Even so, he's consistently provided value and shown his ceiling across his last two outings with nine and 10 assists, respectively. The Wizards represent a poor defensive team, so Poole should be in the position to deliver value again.
Carmelo Anthony ($4,900) appears to have a path to minutes with at least one of LeBron James and Dwight Howard likely to be out. He attempted 15 shots from the field on Wednesday with James sidelined. That volume alone should allow Anthony to come close to returning value. And even with a lack of peripheral stats, he's likely to be well covered Sunday.
Larry Nance ($3,900) logged 18 minutes in his debut and another 19 on Saturday. His salary remains minimal and that court time could tick up at least a bit Sunday. Watch the news given the back-to-back, but Nance is likely to project well and be a popular punt play if he suits up.
Grant Williams ($3,600) is the punt play of the slate with the news Al Horford will be sidelined. He's currently projected for 35 minutes and posted 38 DK points across 38 minutes on Monday. Williams may not replicate that line, but it gives an idea of a potential return. Unfortunately, he may be the most popular on the slate.
Key Values
Deni Avdija ($5,000) has earned consistent minutes in Washington and has shown signs of putting things together with his recent performances delivering four performances of at least 30 DK and one over 40 across his last six games.
Andre Drummond ($5,600) has played well from a fantasy perspective in the absence of LaMarcus Aldridge. The Hornets are a poor defensive team, making Brooklyn a team to invest in on the slate. While it makes sense to build through only one of Irving and Durant, Drummond is valued at a point where he can be paired with either in a lineup.
Since Bojan Bogdanovic has been sidelined, Jordan Clarkson ($5,800) has attempted at least 17 shots from the field in five of seven games. His salary has dipped below $6,000 for the first time in five without any particularly compelling reason. The Mavericks are a tough matchup against guards, which is the primary downside to going with Clarkson.
Miles Bridges ($7,300) is another curiously valued player. He's continued to deliver strong performances, yet his salary matches its lowest point this year. I've spent the entire article hammering the Brooklyn side of this matchup, but Bridges represents strong value on the opposite end.
