This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We go from one extreme to the other following Thursday's one-game slate with 11 games on Friday's docket. As of early this morning, the good news is the majority of the matchups are projected to be fairly competitive, and we even have a quartet with projected totals north of 230 points. However, there's also an extensive injury report with many significant names on it, making it particularly important to monitor news on RotoWire leading up to tip-off.
Slate Overview
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
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 (back): PROBABLE
Davis was able to play through his probable tag and produced 52.9 FD points in only 29 minutes against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, and he's expected to fill his usual role Friday.
LeBron James, LAL (adductor): PROBABLE
James continues to play through his probable designation without issue and should be in the starting five alongside Davis.
Tyrese Haliburton, IND (groin): QUESTIONABLE
If Haliburton sits, the usage for the remainder of the starting five should rise significantly while T.J. McConnell could draw a start at point guard.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Butler misses another game, the rest of the starting five should continue to see elevated usage while Caleb Martin should remain a starter.
Tobias Harris, PHI (illness): QUESTIONABLE
If Harris can't go, Danuel House and Matisse Thybulle could handle the majority of small forward minutes.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (toe): OUT
In Ingram's ongoing absence, Devonte' Graham and Dyson Daniels will likely cover the majority of shooting guard minutes.
CJ McCollum, NOP (conditioning): PROBABLE
If McCollum is able to return from a four-game absence, he'll jump right back into an elevated role with Brandon Ingram and Herbert Jones both out.
Clint Capela, ATL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Capela sits, Onyeka Okongwu would be due for a start at center.
Other notable injuries:
CJ McCollum, NOP (conditioning): PROBABLE
Tyler Herro, MIA (ankle): PROBABLE
Khris Middleton, MIL (wrist): PROBABLE
Jamal Murray, DEN (quadriceps): PROBABLE
Ben Simmons, BKN (knee): OUT
James Harden, PHI (foot): OUT
LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle): OUT
Chris Paul, PHO (heel): OUT
Desmond Bane, MEM (toe): OUT
Wendell Carter, ORL (foot): OUT
Jalen Suggs, ORL (ankle): OUT
Tyrese Maxey, PHI (foot): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (back): OUT
Jakob Poeltl, SAN (knee): OUT
John Collins, ATL (ankle): OUT
Michael Porter, DEN (heel): OUT
Herbert Jones, NOP (ankle): OUT
Gordon Hayward, CHA (shoulder): OUT
Elite Players
We have nine players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000), Joel Embiid ($11,500), Nikola Jokic ($11,200), Anthony Davis ($11,000), Jayson Tatum ($10,800), Kevin Durant ($10,600), Stephen Curry ($10,300), Devin Booker ($10,200) and LeBron James ($10,100).
Antetokounmpo has posted over 60 FD points in two of the last three games and just narrowly missed scoring at least 50 FD points in five straight.
Embiid has produced 58.1 and 43.2 FD points in his first two back from a foot injury across an average of only 31.5 minutes. He could potentially take the floor without Tobias Harris (illness) in addition to Tyrese Maxey (foot).
Jokic flashes a 50-FD-point floor most nights and will be facing an injury-hampered Hawks frontcourt Friday.
Davis hasn't posted any less than 52.9 FD points in the last eight games and is probable to keep playing through his lower-back tightness.
Tatum's MVP-caliber season continued with a 71.7 FD-point haul against the Heat on Wednesday, and he'll face Miami again with Erik Spoelstra's squad still likely to be shorthanded.
Durant has managed over 50 FD points in three of the last four games while shooting a sizzling 62.1 percent, including 42.3 percent from distance over that span.
Curry has been under 50 FD points in four games since he racked up 76.7 against the Rockets, but he'll be facing a Bulls team that's allowed the second-highest three-point percentage in the league (37.9).
Booker has gone off for 71.6 and 65.8 FD points in the last two games, and he now faces a Rockets squad allowing the fifth-most points per game (116.6).
James has scored over 50 FD points in two of his last three games while working well together with Anthony Davis.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Ja Morant, MEM ($9,900)
Morant has topped 50 FD points in two of his last four games, a stretch that includes a double-double and triple-double.
Trae Young, ATL ($9,800)
Young has recorded 49 to 51.4 FD points in three of the last four and comes into Friday's favorable matchup against the Nuggets with three straight double-doubles.
Tyrese Haliburton, IND ($9,600)
If Haliburton can play through his questionable tag, he should be very popular considering he's managed between 43.5 to 62.7 FD points in his last three non-injury-shortened outings.
Kristaps Porzingis, WAS ($9,100)
Porzingis has averaged 60.5 FD points in his last two and just pulled down 19 rebounds against the Nets on Wednesday, which should help keep him in plenty of lineups.
Zion Williamson, NOP ($8,900)
Williamson has scored 52.6 and 66.5 FD points in his last two games and eclipsed 50 in three of his last four overall while drawing an enticing matchup against the Spurs on Friday.
Key Values
Kelly Olynyk, UTA vs. IND ($6,000)
Olynyk has exceeded 30 FD points in five of the last six games, including four straight, topping out at 40.8 FD points during that span. He's scored no fewer than 26.2 FD points in his last seven games overall, and he draws a matchup against a Pacers team that's allowed the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (33.3), along with the third-most FD points per contest (58.3) to the position. Olynyk is shooting a career-best 55.8 percent, including 47.6 percent from three-point range, while Indiana is conceding the eighth-highest three-point shooting percentage (36.6).
Trey Murphy, NOP at SAN ($5,700)
Murphy is slated to start at small forward with Herbert Jones sidelined, and he's already recorded 34.2 and 37.5 FD points in the last two games as a starter. He also had a tally of 29.1 across 26 minutes off the bench three games ago and has scored at least 25.5 FD points in 11 games. Friday, the talented second-year guard faces a Spurs team that's tied for the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating allowed to small forwards (23.4) and that's conceding just under 40 FD points per game to the position.
Joe Harris, BKN vs. TOR ($4,800)
There's always a bit of risk in rostering Harris, whose shot has been atypically inefficient this year. However, the veteran guard's long-distance prowess and his salary makes him an interesting candidate to deploy against a Raptors squad that's given up the seventh-highest offensive efficiency to two-guards (23.7) and 42.8 FD points per game to the position. Harris has seen his minutes shoot up to 36 and 37 in the last two and parlayed that into tallies of 24.8 and 29.5 FD points, making him a potentially rewarding sub-$5K play.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jordan Clarkson, UTA vs. IND ($6,600); Grayson Allen, MIL vs. LAL ($4,600)
