This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Saturday's featured NBA slate includes seven games and begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time. With injuries to teammates creating opportunities for some big-name players to step up even further, some familiar names should serve as headliners for most lineups.
Slate Overview
Games to Target
Rockets (-1.5) at Timberwolves O/U: 233
Both these teams are finishing back-to-back sets, but the offense should flow freely despite tired legs. With some prominent supporting cast members out of commission, stars should reign supreme here.
Clippers (-10.5) vs. Hawks O/U: 226
The Clippers are heavy favorites, but both teams have offensive weapons capable of posting massive stat lines.
Games to Fade
Knicks (-3.5) vs. Hornets O/U: 212
This battle of bottom-feeders won't feature much pretty basketball or offensive productivity. The Knicks are favorites here despite averaging a league-low 100.0 points per game.
Mavericks (-4) vs. Raptors O/U: 217.5
With plenty of vulnerable defenses in action, there's little reason to target this matchup between respectable defensive teams. Dallas doesn't have many reliable options outside of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, while Toronto's Pascal Siakam has been outplayed by the other options in his price range this season.
Positional Breakdown
The center position isn't as dominant as usual in this slate, with the two guard spots instead teeming with the most talent — with many of the same guys eligible for both spots. Small forward has a few higher-tier options sidelined by injuries, making it the toughest position to fill.
Injury Situations to Monitor
Kawhi Leonard (knee) is questionable for the Clippers.
Russell Westbrook will sit out the second leg of Houston's back-to-back set after playing Friday, and Clint Capela (concussion) will join him on the sidelines.
Andrew Wiggins missed Friday's game due to a death in the family and may have to sit out once more for Minnesota.
Dejounte Murray will rest against the Trail Blazers.
The Pacers' Malcolm Brogdon exited with a sore back Friday, potentially throwing a wrench into his much-anticipated rematch against his former team.
Elite Players
Both healthy superstars in the Houston-Minnesota game should be tremendous. James Harden ($12,200) won't have Westbrook to compete for touches while Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,100) won't have to compete with Wiggins and also doesn't have to worry about Capela defending him.
Paul George ($7,900) didn't miss a beat in his return from a shoulder injury, with 33 points, nine rebound and four assists Thursday in New Orleans. It won't take long for his price to climb after that stellar season debut, so lock him in at $7,900 while you still can.
Assuming Myles Turner (ankle) isn't ready to return, Domantas Sabonis ($8,500) should continue to monopolize interior production for the Pacers against a Bucks team that's been generous to big men.
Expected Chalk
Lou Williams ($7,400) has been rolling over the past five games, averaging 26.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 7.2 APG. Atlanta's Trae Young is a tremendous offensive player, but he still has trouble defending opposing point guards, so Williams' crafty offensive game should lead to excellent results. He'll be even more popular in all formats if Leonard sits.
Tyson Chandler ($4,200) only mustered two points and six rebounds in 25 minutes Friday, but he'll draw another start with Capela still out. Given Chandler's 9.8 points and 13.6 rebounds per 36 minutes coming into play Friday, Houston's affordable center should deliver a stronger performance this time around.
Jimmy Butler ($7,600) is primed for a strong scoring performance against New Orleans' league-worst offense, which is giving up 122.8 points per game. Miami's star offseason signing has rounded out his stat line nicely, adding 5.5 RPG and 6.5 APG to his team-high 18.8 PPG.
LaMarcus Aldridge ($6,600) probably doesn't get much extra motivation from facing his former team at this point, but he still stands to benefit from the Trail Blazers' inability to defend power forwards. This could be a nice buy-low opportunity on the veteran big man, as Aldridge is currently averaging only 17.9 PPG and 5.9 RPG after delivering 21.3 PPG and 9.2 RPG in 2018.
Key Values
De'Andre Hunter ($4,700) is starting to come into his own. The rookie fourth overall selection has scored at least 12 points in each of the past three games, adding 4.7 RPG in 38 minutes per game and six steals in his last game. The affordable Hawks forward should provide nice bang for the buck against the Clippers.
Robert Covington ($4,800) should get more opportunities to shine for the Timberwolves sans Wiggins. Covington had 20 points and six rebounds Friday with Wiggins out, and a similar performance would make him a steal at just $4,800.
