This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We've got another big late-season Friday night slate on tap, and there are a number of high-end players populating the injury report. Several of those big names are already ruled out, so there are plenty of potential beneficiaries with salaries that aren't quite commensurate to their projected elevated roles, as well as some value options that will also be popular as a result.
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.
Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, 3/21 @11:30 a.m. EDT:
Orlando Magic (-8.5) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 216.0)
Philadelphia 76ers at San Antonio Spurs (-6) (O/U: 235.5)
Charlotte Hornets at Oklahoma City Thunder (-19.5) (O/U: 223.0)
New Orleans Pelicans at Minnesota Timberwolves (-15) (O/U: 225.5)
Houston Rockets (-5.5) at Miami Heat (O/U: 214.5)
Detroit Pistons (-9) at Dallas Mavericks (O/U: 233.0)
Boston Celtics (-14) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 228.0)
Cleveland Cavaliers (-8.5) at Phoenix Suns (O/U: 233.5)
Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers (-1.5) (O/U: 227.0)
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers (-7) (O/U: 231.5)
The betting landscape is an interesting one Friday with all the big-name injuries at play, and the fact we have a trio of double-digit favorites isn't exactly what we want to see as DFS players. Yet, the seven other games have lines in the single digits, and there are several questionable defenses taking the floor as well.
On that note, there's plenty of optimism to be gleaned from projected totals, which include four tallies of greater than 230 points as of Friday morning. There are also a couple of other contests with figures a bit lower than that threshold that have the potential to produce more offense than expected.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Nikola Jokic, DEN (ankle/elbow): OUT
With Jokic out again, Aaron Gordon is likely to start at center again, while Peyton Watson remains in the starting five at power forward.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI (back/hand): OUT
In Maxey's ongoing absence, Jared Butler should continue starting at point guard while Quentin Grimes should remain the biggest beneficiary in terms of increased usage.
Ja Morant, MEM (hamstring): OUT
In Morant's absence, either Scotty Pippen or Luke Kennard should draw the start at point guard, while Jaren Jackson and Desmond Bane should see very elevated usage once again.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (knee): OUT
In Brown's absence, Sam Hauser could draw the start at small forward, while Jayson Tatum should once again see his usage bump even higher than usual.
Jamal Murray, DEN (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Murray can't play Friday, Russell Westbrook should remain the starting point guard.
Other notable injuries:
Anthony Davis, DAL (thigh): OUT
Jalen Williams, OKC (hip): OUT
John Collins, UTA (ankle): OUT
Lauri Markkanen, UTA (personal): OUT
Kelly Oubre, PHI (knee): OUT
Bradley Beal, PHO (hamstring): OUT
Andrew Wiggins, MIA (lower leg): QUESTIONABLE
Amen Thompson, HOU (ankle): PROBABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (calf/ankle): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries who have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,500), Cade Cunningham ($10,800) and Jayson Tatum ($10,500).
Gilgeous-Alexander will be well rested after getting Wednesday's game off, and he'll be looking to extend his March-long streak of games of over 45 FD points to 10 contests while once again playing without Jalen Williams.
Cunningham has a favorable matchup against a short-handed Mavericks team and bounced back from a couple of sub-40-FD-point tallies by racking up 59.9 FD points against the Heat on Wednesday.
Tatum is off the injury report after missing Tuesday's game versus the Nets with a knee issue, and he should be set for even more opportunity than usual with Jaylen Brown sidelined again.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
James Harden, LAC ($9,600)
Harden hasn't scored fewer than 43 FD points since the first game of the month, and the combination of his extremely safe floor and salary should keep him very popular Friday.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,500)
Edwards has scored at least 40.3 FD points in five consecutive games, including 58.2 two games ago, which should help lock in a high roster rate for him.
Desmond Bane, MEM ($8,700)
Bane is going to be one of the primary beneficiaries of another absence on the part of Ja Morant and has tallies of 50 and 56.2 FD points within his last three games.
Jaren Jackson, MEM ($8,500)
Jackson is the Grizzlies' usage leader whenever Morant is off the floor, even though he's underwhelmed in his last two games, he should remain popular thanks to his recent salary reduction.
Quentin Grimes, PHI ($8,000)
Grimes is putting up elite production in the wake of the avalanche of injuries for the 76ers, scoring over 41 FD points in six straight games, including 70.6 two games ago.
Key Values
Aaron Gordon, DEN at POR ($6,200)
Gordon is due for another start at center Friday with Nikola Jokic out again, and the former has thrived in that spot over the last two games. Gordon has put up 42.7 and 38.2 FD points in that pair of contests while averaging 32.0 points and 8.5 rebounds and 62.2 percent, including 60.0 percent from three-point range. The veteran big also posted a tally of 24.9 FD points over 24 minutes against Portland in his most recent encounter with the Blazers on Feb. 10, which have also surrendered the fourth-most FD points per contest (57.6) to centers over the last 15 games. Gordon is averaging 38.6 FD points per 36 minutes with Jokic off the court this season and has a 31.3 percent usage rate when not sharing the court with either Jokic or Jamal Murray, who's listed as questionable for Friday's contest.
Jrue Holiday, BOS at UTA ($5,900)
Holiday is playing his best basketball of the season in recent games, averaging 36.9 FD points on the strength of 13.4 points, 5.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.2 blocks across 35.6 minutes per game in his last five contests. The veteran is also averaging 12.0 field-goal attempts per game during that span, a nice boost from the 9.0 he was averaging coming into the sample. Both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have missed time during that stretch, which has helped fuel Holiday's bump in involvement, and Brown will remain out Friday. Holiday put up 31.2 FD points across 32 minutes against Utah in the game that kicked off the aforementioned sample, and he's averaging 28.6 FD points per 36 minutes without Brown on the floor this season. Finally, consider the Jazz is ranked No. 27 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to PGs (29.7), furthering Holiday's case.
Jaden Hardy, DAL vs. DET ($4,400)
Hardy makes for an intriguing tournament play that will give you plenty of flexibility elsewhere in your lineup. The third-year pro returned Wednesday against the Pacers after missing seven games with an ankle sprain and quickly posted 24 points over 24 minutes off the bench in a 135-131 loss for Dallas. Hardy should be in for another solid workload off the second unit Friday now that he's proven he's back to full health, and his ability to pile up points via his proficiency from deep combined with Dallas' short-handed backcourt could allow him to play some nice dividends.
ALSO CONSIDER: Shaedon Sharpe, POR vs. DEN ($6,200); Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL vs. DET ($6,100); Payton Pritchard, BOS at UTA ($5,900); Wendell Carter, ORL at WAS ($5,700)
