This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a 10-game Friday night slate that features plenty of games with high-scoring potential. However, there are several big names on the injury report, and those potential absences could drag down regarding the overall DFS upside of the ledger.
Slate Overview
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It should be a mostly competitive night if point spreads are any indication, as all but two games sport lines of 5.5 points or fewer as of early Friday. In terms of projected totals, three matchups carry figures of at least 234 points and there are only two contests under 227.5 points.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Davis is expected to return to action Friday, a development that would send Mo Bamba and Wenyen Gabriel back to the bench.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC (COVID-19 protocols/abdomen): OUT
In SGA's continued absence, Jalen Williams is likely to continue filling a backcourt role.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC (wrist): QUESTIONABLE
If Fox can't suit up, Davion Mitchell could draw a start at point guard while the rest of the first unit sees elevated usage.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Butler is unable to play Friday, Max Strus should draw a start at small forward while the likes of Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo will receive increased usage.
P.J. Washington, CHA (foot): DOUBTFUL
In Washington's likely absence, JT Thor is projected to start again at power forward.
Jonas Valanciunas, NOP (calf): DOUBTFUL
With Valanciunas expected to sit out, Jaxson Hayes and Willy Hernangomez are likely to fill the majority of minutes at center.
Other notable injuries:
Stephen Curry, GSW (lower leg): OUT
LeBron James, LAL (foot): OUT
Andrew Wiggins, GSW (personal): OUT
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (calf): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
D'Angelo Russell, LAL (ankle): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic, POR (calf): OUT
Jordan Clarkson, UTA (thumb): OUT
Collin Sexton, UTA (hamstring): OUT
Steven Adams, MEM (knee): OUT
Ivica Zubac, LAC (calf): OUT
Anfernee Simons, POR (ankle): DOUBTFUL
Trae Young, ATL (groin): PROBABLE
Dennis Schroder, LAL (ankle): PROBABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (ribs): PROBABLE
Michael Porter, DEN (injury management): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,000), Anthony Davis ($11,500), Jayson Tatum ($11,000), Damian Lillard ($10,800), Ja Morant ($10,100) and Kawhi Leonard ($10,000).
Jokic produced yet another triple-double in his most recent outing and dropped 83.4 FD points two games ago. He'll also be facing a Timberwolves team he throttled for 63.4 FD points in their last meeting.
Davis is listed as probable after sitting out the Lakers' most recent game, and he should be especially appealing in the ongoing absences of D'Angelo Russell and LeBron James.
Tatum bounced back from a clunker against the Knicks to post 63.2 FD points versus the Cavs on Wednesday, and he's recorded 55.3 to 78 FD points in four of the last six.
Lillard has already flashed a ceiling north of 80 FD points this season and has produced over 45 FD points in seven straight overall.
Morant has gotten back on track after two underwhelming performances following the All-Star break by putting up 69 and 44.9 FD points.
Leonard has recorded over 40 FD points in three of his last four games, a stretch that began with 67.8 FD points against the same Kings squad he'll face Friday.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Kevin Durant, PHO ($9,900)
Durant already demonstrated he's back in the swing of things by compiling 37.2 FD points over 26 minutes in his Suns debut Wednesday and will undoubtedly be on plenty of rosters Friday at this salary.
Trae Young, ATL ($9,800)
Young is expected to play through his probable tag and has scored at least 42.9 FD points in nine straight games.
Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,600)
Sabonis could once again take the floor without De'Aaron Fox and just produced 50.1 FD points over 33 minutes in the same scenario Tuesday.
Lauri Markkanen, UTA ($8,600)
Markkanen's salary remains unchanged despite the fact he's gone off for 41.5 and 54 FD points in two of his last three.
Jalen Williams, OKC ($7,200)
Williams is unsurprisingly enjoying a bump in usage with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out, and he's managed 50 and 43.3 FD points in the last two games of his teammate's absence.
Key Values
Keegan Murray, SAC vs. LAC ($6,000)
Murray tallied 34 FD points against OKC without De'Aaron Fox on the floor Tuesday, and although Fox could return Friday, the rookie still carries plenty of upside. Murray actually posted 39.2 FD points against the Thunder in the prior game with Fox available, and he produced 30.6 FD points versus these same Clippers the contest before that. Additionally, L.A. went into Thursday allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (28.1) along with the fourth-most FD points per game to the position over the last 15 games (49.1).
RJ Barrett, NYK at MIA ($6,000)
Barrett has seen a drop in salary thanks to back-to-back duds against the Celtics and Nets, but he naturally offers the upside of a much higher-salaried player. He's demonstrated this by scoring over 34 FD points on 17 occasions, including 40.6 against the Heat during his one prior encounter with Miami this season. The Heat continues to be highly vulnerable to small forwards as well, having allowed an NBA-high 26.8 offensive efficiency rating to the position along with the seventh-most points (22.4) and fifth-most rebounds (8.5) per game to threes in the last 15.
Kyle Anderson, MIN at LAL ($5,800)
Anderson has been a valuable real-world and fantasy asset for the Timberwolves in Karl-Anthony Towns' prolonged absence, and he's been especially productive of late while averaging 31.3 FD points in the last six games on the strength of 12.0 points (on 59.1 percent shooting), 6.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals. He draws a matchup Friday that could well facilitate an extension of that strong stretch, with the Lakers ranking 20th in offensive efficiency rating conceded to power forwards (27.0) and giving up the second-most FD points to the position in the last 15 games (49.6). They're also tied with several teams for fifth-most steals surrendered per gameon the season (7.7), a figure that's bumped up to 8.7 over the last three.
ALSO CONSIDER: Talen Horton-Tucker, UTA at OKC ($6,300); Jaylin Williams OKC vs. UTA ($5,000); Willy Hernangomez, NOP at GSW ($4,600); Lonnie Walker, LAL vs. MIN ($4,000)
