We have another mid-size main slate on tap Thursday, one that has an interesting mix of potentially lopsided matchups and closely contested games. The injury report isn’t overly extensive, but there are some key names on it whose status will bear monitoring throughout the day.<\/p>\n
Try our FanDuel NBA Lineup Optimizer<\/a> to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.<\/p>\n FanDuel Main Slate NBA Games Today<\/p>\n For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire’s\u00a0NBA Odds<\/a>\u00a0page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and\u00a0sportsbook bonus codes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Listed spreads\/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, March 19 at 1:00 a.m. ET:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Detroit Pistons (-16) at Washington Wizards (O\/U: 231.5)Orlando Magic at Charlotte Hornets (-4) (O\/U: 226.5)Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs (-9.5) (O\/U: 225.5)Cleveland Cavaliers (-13.5) at Chicago Bulls (O\/U: 237.5)Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat (-2.5) (O\/U: 240.5)Los Angeles Clippers at New Orleans Pelicans (-1.5) (O\/U: 232.5)<\/p>\n It’s truly a tale of two slates Thursday when it comes to the betting metrics, as we have the trio of spreads of 9.5 points or greater and another three with lines of four points or less. All told, we have what appear to be multiple desirable game environments to target, not to mention that the Suns-Spurs and Cavaliers-Bulls clashes could be closer than oddsmakers are forecasting.<\/p>\n NBA Injuries Today<\/p>\n For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire’s\u00a0NBA Injury News<\/a>\u00a0page and our comprehensive\u00a0NBA Injury Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cade Cunningham<\/a>, DET (back): OUT<\/p>\n In Cunningham’s absence, Daniss Jenkins<\/a> is likely to draw a start at point guard, while the likes of Tobias Harris<\/a> and Jalen Duren<\/a> should be due for plenty of extra usage.<\/p>\n Alex Sarr<\/a>, WAS (toe): QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n If Sarr is unavailable, Tristan Vukcevic<\/a> could draw a start at center, while Will Riley<\/a> could be due for some extra opportunities in the frontcourt.<\/p>\n Trae Young<\/a>, WAS (quadriceps): OUT<\/p>\n In Young’s absence, Bub Carrington<\/a> may remain in the starting five.<\/p>\n Other notable injuries:<\/p>\n Franz Wagner<\/a>, ORL (ankle): OUT<\/p>\n Jarrett Allen<\/a>, CLE (knee): OUT<\/p>\n Andrew Wiggins<\/a>, MIA (toe): OUT<\/p>\n Bennedict Mathurin<\/a>, LAC (toe): OUT<\/p>\n Dillon Brooks<\/a>, PHO (hand): OUT<\/p>\n Anthony Black<\/a>, ORL (abdomen): OUT<\/p>\n Isaiah Stewart<\/a>, DET (calf): OUT<\/p>\n Royce O’Neale<\/a>, PHO (knee): QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n Jaime Jaquez<\/a>, MIA (hip): QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n Grayson Allen<\/a>, PHO (knee): QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n Bilal Coulibaly<\/a>, WAS (heel): QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n Bam Adebayo<\/a>, MIA (calf): PROBABLE<\/p>\n Elite Players<\/p>\n We have three players with five-figure salaries who are healthy enough to play on Thursday’s slate \u2013 Luka Doncic<\/a> ($12,600), Victor Wembanyama<\/a> ($12,200) and Josh Giddey<\/a> ($10,200).<\/p>\n Luka posted 63.8 FD points in Wednesday’s win over the Rockets and has exceeded 63 FD points in four of the last five games overall, but Thursday will mark his third contest in four nights following 39- and 37-minute efforts in the first two.<\/p>\n Wembanyama had exceeded 51 FD points in six straight games before posting 35.1 FD points against the Kings on Tuesday, although that came over just 22 minutes in a comfortable victory for San Antonio.<\/p>\n Giddey had a clunker against the Raptors over 27 minutes Wednesday, but he’d scored 44.4 to 60.5 FD points in his five previous games.<\/p>\n Expected Chalk<\/p>\n Other likely chalk plays include:<\/p>\n Kawhi Leonard<\/a>, LAC ($9,900)<\/p>\n Kawhi hasn’t scored less than 38 FD points since March 1, and his 46.4 FD-point average for the season should make him very popular at his salary.<\/p>\n Paolo Banchero<\/a>, ORL ($9,700)<\/p>\n Banchero put up 50.5 FD points over 36 minutes in a tough matchup against the Thunder on Tuesday, and he’s averaged 39.1 FD points against the Hornets in three previous meetings with Charlotte this season.<\/p>\n Donovan Mitchell<\/a>, CLE ($9,600)<\/p>\n Mitchell is averaging 42.5 FD points over the last 12 games, and he has tallies of 37.7 and 46.2 FD points in two previous meetings against the Bulls.<\/p>\n Evan Mobley<\/a>, CLE ($9,100)<\/p>\n Mobley has averaged 47.3 FD points in the last four games with Jarrett Allen<\/a> sidelined, a number that should lock in a high roster rate Thursday.<\/p>\n Devin Booker<\/a>, PHO ($8,900)<\/p>\n Booker has exceeded 42 FD points in seven of the last eight games, a level of production that should ensure his popularity at his salary.<\/p>\n Key Values\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Daniss Jenkins<\/a>, DET at WAS ($6,300)<\/p>\n Jenkins is in line to draw a start at point guard Thursday with Cade Cunningham<\/a> sidelined, a scenario the former has capitalized on previously. Jenkins did just that in Tuesday’s first game of the back-to-back set against the Wizards after Cunningham exited early, recording 35.9 FD points over 20 minutes. Jenkins is averaging 30.3 FD points across his eight starts thus far this season, despite shooting just 41.8 percent in that span. The Wizards are surrendering 52.3 FD points per game to point guards over the last 15 contests, and the fifth-most points per game (26.7) to the position in the sample as well. Jenkins already comes into the contest trending in the right direction, averaging 26.2 FD points in 22.3 minutes per game \u2013 appreciably less playing time than he’s likely to see Thursday \u2013 over his last six contests.\u00a0<\/p>\n Deandre Ayton<\/a>, LAL at MIA ($5,600)<\/p>\n Ayton put together another productive performance in Wednesday’s win over the Rockets, recording 31.8 FD points in 33 minutes. The veteran big man came into the game already trending in the right direction, exceeding 25 points in five of his previous eight games. The matchup against the Heat looks good on paper as well, as Miami is yielding 50.1 FD points per game to centers in the last 15 contests. The Heat is also conceding the 11th-highest offensive efficiency rating to fives (33.0), along with the fifth-most rebounds per contest (55.3) overall.<\/p>\n