This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The first Friday night of the new calendar year begins with a robust nine-game slate. We have some big names populating the injury report, but there will still be an ample player pool to work with even if some of those stars end up sitting out.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, 1/3 @12:30 p.m. EST:
Charlotte Hornets at Detroit Pistons (-7) (O/U: 219.5)
Orlando Magic (-1.5) at Toronto Raptors (O/U: 216.0)
New York Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder (-4.5) (O/U: 223.0)
Boston Celtics (-2) at Houston Rockets (O/U: 220.5)
Washington Wizards at New Orleans Pelicans (-7) (O/U: 233.0)
Cleveland Cavaliers (-7) at Dallas Mavericks (O/U: 231.5)
San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets (-6.5) (O/U: 236.5)
Memphis Grizzlies at Sacramento Kings (-3.5) (O/U: 241.5)
Atlanta Hawks at Los Angeles Lakers (-2.5) (O/U: 231.5)
Betting lines present an optimistic picture for us Friday, with no spread larger than seven points for perhaps the first time all season on a slate of this size. Projected totals are also very encouraging, considering more than half of the games have figures over 230 points, including the Grizzlies-Kings tilt at 240-plus.
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 (ankle): GTD
If Davis sits out a second straight game, Jaxson Hayes could draw another start while LeBron James and Max Christie could again be in line for boosts in usage.
LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle/wrist): QUESTIONABLE
If Ball can't suit up, Vasilije Micic will likely draw another start at point guard and Miles Bridges could once again be a prime beneficiary.
Trae Young, ATL (hand): QUESTIONABLE
If Young sits out Friday, Vit Krejci is likely to draw a start at point guard, while the rest of the starting five, as well as De'Andre Hunter off the bench, are in line for big boosts in usage.
Jalen Johnson, ATL (shoulder): QUESTIONABLE
If Johnson is sidelined, De'Andre Hunter or David Roddy may draw a start at power forward.
Jalen Brunson, NYK (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Brunson is out, Cameron Payne is likely to fill in at point guard unless Miles McBride can overcome his hamstring injury, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges are likely due for significant bumps in usage.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (shoulder): QUESTIONABLE
If Brown sits out again Friday, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White will be due for big usage bumps and Sam Hauser may draw a start at small forward.
Other notable injuries:
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Paolo Banchero, ORL (oblique): OUT
Chet Holmgren, OKC (hip): OUT
Ja Morant, MEM (shoulder): OUT
Brandon Ingram, NOP (ankle): OUT
Bilal Coulibaly, WAS (illness): OUT
Jeremy Sochan, SAN (back): OUT
Amen Thompson, HOU (suspension): OUT
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
RJ Barrett, TOR (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Brandon Miller, CHA (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Miles McBride, NYK (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
P.J. Washington, DAL (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Zach Edey, MEM (concussion): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have seven players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($13,000), Victor Wembanyama ($11,800), Anthony Davis ($11,500), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,400), Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,200), Jayson Tatum ($10,200) and LaMelo Ball ($10,000).
Jokic has scored 88.9 and 66.9 FD points in his last two games and also has a 71.3 FD-point tally within his last four contests, recording a triple-double in all of those instances.
Wembanyama has scored over 54 FD points in eight of his last nine games and will be locked into an entertaining duel with Jokic in a game that could be a wire-to-wire affair.
Davis' status will need to be monitored given his ankle injury, but if he plays, he'll be looking to extend a streak of games with over 60 FD points to three contests.
SGA has three tallies of more than 66 FD points in his last six games alone, making him a potentially strong value even at his salary.
Towns has scored over 50 FD points in three straight games and could be taking the floor without Jalen Brunson, which would make him even more appealing.
Tatum may once again operate without Jaylen Brown on Friday and just scored 63.1 FD points over 38 minutes against the Timberwolves without his teammate available Thursday.
Ball has missed two straight games, so his availability will bear close monitoring leading up to tip-off.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Cade Cunningham, DET ($9,700)
Cunningham has turned in some performances befitting a five-figure salary of late and is averaging 46.9 FD points per game for the season, which keep him highly rostered Friday.
LeBron James, LAL ($9,600)
James has eclipsed 49 FD points in four of his last five games and may be set to play without Anthony Davis again Friday.
Trae Young, ATL ($9,500)
If Young is able to suit up, he'll be shooting for his fourth performance of more than 50 FD points within his last five games.
Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,500)
Sabonis has gone over 45 FD points in nine of his last 10 games, making him very appealing at his salary.
Scottie Barnes, TOR ($9,400)
Barnes may take the floor without RJ Barrett on Friday and just scored 62.1 FD points against Nets on Wednesday in his teammate's absence.
Key Values
Malik Monk, SAC vs. MEM ($6,400)
Monk continues to work in the starting shooting guard role and has made good use of the opportunity, averaging 31.8 FD points per contest while averaging 16.7 points, 5.9 assists and 4.1 rebounds per contest. Monk has accomplished those solid numbers despite some shooting inefficiency (40.9 percent), and with five tallies of over 40 FD points this season (including two games off the bench), he indisputably has the upside to blow past this salary. The Grizzlies-Kings game also carries the highest projected total of the night, and Memphis comes in allowing 44.6 FD points per contest to two-guards over the last 15 games.
Mark Williams, CHA at DET ($6,300)
Williams has delivered some impressive returns on investment since moving into the starting five, averaging 33.4 FD points per contest on averages of 14.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks across just 21.6 minutes per game. The big man is also averaging an outstanding 54.6 FD points per 36 minutes without both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller on the floor this season, and both players could be sidelined again Friday. The Pistons have also given up a robust 53.6 FD points per contest to centers in the last 15 games, brightening Williams' outlook even further.
Yves Missi, NOP vs. WAS ($6,000)
Missi has upside worthy of a much higher salary, having already scored 34.8 FD points or more on eight occasions in his productive rookie campaign. Three of those instances have come within the last 10 games, including a career-high tally of 48.3 FD points against the Nuggets five games ago. The opposing Wizards make for appealing targets, as Washington is allowing an NBA-high 38.0 offensive efficiency rating to centers and the third-most FD points per contest (59.9) to the position on the season. Washington is also conceding the fourth-most points in the paint per game (51.7), while Missi is scoring 79.2 percent of his points in that part of the floor.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jonas Valanciunas, WAS at NOP ($5,700); Max Christie, LAL vs. ATL ($4,400)
