This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After the traditional Thanksgiving one-day pause in the season, DFS NBA returns full force Friday night with an 11-game main slate. We have listed totals for all games as of this morning, with the good news from a DFS perspective with four matchups projected to comfortably exceed 220 points. However, as is often the case with a large slate, there are plenty of notable injuries to monitor.
Slate Overview
Minnesota Timberwolves at Charlotte Hornets (-2) (O/U: 223.5 points)
Phoenix Suns (-3.5) at New York Knicks (O/U: 216.5 points)
Chicago Bulls (-9) at Orlando Magic (O/U: 213.5 points)
Washington Wizards (-7.5) at Oklahoma City Thunder (O/U: 208.5 points)
Atlanta Hawks at Memphis Grizzlies (-1) (O/U: 226.5 points)
Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers (-3.5) (O/U: 213.5 points)
Boston Celtics (-3) at San Antonio Spurs (O/U: 216.0 points)
New Orleans Pelicans at Utah Jazz (-12.5) (O/U: 216.5 points)
Milwaukee Bucks (-4) at Denver Nuggets (O/U: 213.5 points)
Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors (-6) (O/U: 225.5 points)
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers (-7.5) (O/U: 224.5 points)
Not only is there a solid amount of offense expected, but the majority of contests are also expected to be competitive. The Pelicans-Jazz is the only one with a double-digit spread and given New Orleans' surprising 25-point drubbing of the Wizards Wednesday, tonight's battle could end up being closer than projected. The same could hold true for the Bulls-Magic battle in Orlando, as the home team has already given plenty of quality teams trouble and Chicago has been struggling after a hot start.
The Timberwolves-Hornets, Hawks-Grizzlies, Raptors-Pacers and Celtics-Spurs may be true wire-to-wire affairs with plenty of strong individual performances, while Trail Blazers-Warriors could also deliver nicely if Portland can penetrate Golden State's notoriously stingy home-court defense.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following is a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate.
Nikola Jokic, DEN (wrist)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If Jokic were to sit out a fourth straight game, the duo of JaMychal Green and Jeff Green would be tasked with handling center duties while the remaining members of the starting five would see elevated usage.
Trae Young, ATL (ankle)/ Status: PROBABLE
Young doesn't appear to be in any danger of missing tonight's showdown with Ja Morant and the Grizzlies.
LeBron James, LAL (abdomen)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If James were to miss tonight, it could lead to a start at small forward for Talen Horton-Tucker and elevated usage for Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC (ankle)/ Status: OUT
In Gilgeous-Alexander's third straight absence, Josh Giddey and Aaron Wiggins could continue to enjoy extra run.
Cole Anthony, ORL (ankle)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If Anthony were to sit out another contest, R.J. Hampton and Gary Harris could be the primary beneficiaries in terms of expanded opportunity.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (conditioning)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Should Brown be sidelined, Dennis Schroder would likely reenter the starting five while Jayson Tatum would be subject to extra usage.
OG Anunoby, TOR (hip)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If Anunoby were to sit a fifth straight game, Scottie Barnes would likely continue to man the small forward spot while Pascal Siakam handles power forward duties.
Harrison Barnes, SAC (foot)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
If Barnes were to miss out, Buddy Hield would likely enter the starting five.
Other notable injuries:
Zion Williamson, NOP (foot)/ Status: OUT
Richaun Holmes, SAC (eye)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Devin Vassell, SAN (quadriceps)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Mitchell Robinson, NYK (concussion)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Mason Plumlee, CHA (calf)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Bogdan Bogdanovic, ATL (hamstring)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Doug McDermott, SAN (knee)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Royce O'Neale, UTA (ankle/foot)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
De'Anthony Melton, MEM (groin)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Derrick Rose, NYK (ankle)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Terrence Ross, ORL (back)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Josh Richardson, BOS (illness)/ Status: DOUBTFUL
Robert Williams, BOS (illness)/ Status: OUT
Patrick Beverley, MIN (groin)/ Status: OUT
Khem Birch, TOR (knee)/ Status: OUT
Michael Porter, DEN (back)/ Status: OUT
Frank Kaminsky, PHO (knee)/ Status: OUT
Brook Lopez, MIL (back)/ Status: OUT
Bones Hyland, DEN (ankle)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Taj Gibson, NYK (groin)/ Status: QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,700), Nikola Jokic ($11,300), Anthony Davis ($11,000), Stephen Curry ($10,500) and Jayson Tatum ($10,000).
Giannis racked up 59.9 FD points against the Pistons on Wednesday and has produced that figure as a minimum in four of his last five appearances. He posted 47.1 and 47.8 FD in his two meetings against Denver last season and may not have to deal with Nikola Jokic (wrist).
Jokic's status will need to be monitored throughout the day considering he's already missed three outings. The matchup against the Brook Lopez-less Bucks frontcourt would be a favorable one.
Davis could potentially take the floor without LeBron James (abdomen) again, which would make him particularly valuable in what is already a promising matchup versus the Kings' frontcourt.
Curry bounced back from a dud against the Raptors to tally 43.8 FD points across 34 minutes versus the 76ers and is averaging 48.7 FD overall. He's also averaged 31.4 points, 6.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 23 career games against Damian Lillard.
Tatum may take the floor without Jaylen Brown (conditioning) tonight and sports a 34.4 percent usage rate without his teammate on the floor. Prior to a poor shooting night against the Nets on Wednesday, Tatum had also been much more efficient from the field after a poor start to the season and the Spurs notably come in allowing an NBA-high 48.0 percent shooting on their home floor.
Expected Chalk
In addition to the players just mentioned in the previous section, other likely chalk plays include:
LeBron James, LAL ($9,900)
If James is available, he'll naturally be very popular, especially after exploding for 61 FD points against the Pacers on Wednesday.
Russell Westbrook, LAL ($9,900)
Westbrook will be at his most popular should James sit, but due to his massive upside, he should still find himself on plenty of rosters even if his teammate takes the floor.
Dejounte Murray, SAN ($9,700)
Murray bounced back from a dud three games ago to exceed 50 FD points in each of his two subsequent contests and lock in his popularity.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,300)
Ball not only has significant name value, but has also eclipsed 50 FD points in three of his last four games and is averaging 44.5 for the season.
Ja Morant, MEM ($9,000)
Morant only mustered 18.5 FD points against the T-Wolves, but has posted 52.3 and 48.7 FD points in his last two. Combine that with his favorable matchup against the Hawks and that should keep him in plenty of lineups.
Key Values
Desmond Bane, MEM vs. ATL ($6,000)
Bane has been on a roll most of the season and comes into tonight having produced 27 to 42.8 FD points in his last four appearances. The second-year wing is just two games removed from compiling a career-high 28 actual points and is shooting an impressive 47.2 percent, including 37.8 percent from three-point range. Bane draws a favorable positional matchup with the Hawks allowing the ninth-highest offensive efficiency to two-guards (21.9 percent) along with 40.6 FD points per contest to the position. What's more, they also concede the seventh-highest shooting percentage on the road (46.9).
Josh Hart, NOP at UTA ($5,900)
Hart has been consistently overdelivering on his salaries this year, and his current figure is one he's already returned over 5x on in half of his 16 games. Many of those instances have occurred recently, as Hart has scored between 34.9 and 42.5 FD points in five of his last six. The versatile wing is shooting an outstanding 51.8 percent for the season and will face a Jazz squad ranked in the bottom-10 of the league with 41.0 FD points per contest allowed to small forwards. Hart's efficiency and ability to contribute across the stat sheet should once again give him a solid opportunity to exceed value.
Jordan Clarkson, UTA vs. NOP ($5,700)
Clarkson makes for a viable option on the other side of the Pelicans-Jazz matchup considering his upside and matchup against a Pelicans squad ranked 26th out of 30 teams in defensive efficiency. New Orleans has also allowed the ninth-highest offensive efficiency to second-unit players (41.7 percent) and Clarkson - despite still shooting below his usual standards this season - is showing some signs of life of late with an average of 27.1 FD points over his last six outings. He's also upped his shooting percentage to 42.2 percent over that span, a figure that represents a significant improvement over the 34.5 percent success rate he sported going into the stretch. New Orleans could also help facilitate continued improvement, having given up the fifth-highest shooting percentage on the road (47.5).
ALSO CONSIDER: Wendell Carter, ORL vs. CHI ($5,500)
