This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA is back to a big slate Friday night as In-Season Tournament play continues with nine games. There are plenty of big names on the injury report, so the player pool is a bit thinner on the higher end than one would expect. However, there's still a good balance of options across the salary cap, including some value plays opening up due to the aforementioned absences.
Slate Overview
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Spreads are truly across the spectrum Friday, with figures as narrow as one and expanding all the way to 12. That should help ensure a solid enough supply of competitive matchups where the biggest stars log a full allotment of minutes.
Totals are relatively encouraging from a DFS perspective as well, with a trio over 230 points and another five between 224.5 and 229.5. Those elevated numbers imply there should be a plentiful supply of strong individual performances that help us for fantasy purposes.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Anthony Davis, LAL (hip/groin): QUESTIONABLE
If Davis doesn't play, Taurean Prince and Rui Hachimura could be direct beneficiaries while D'Angelo Russell and LeBron James would also see big bumps in usage.
Devin Booker, PHO (calf): OUT
Grayson Allen should draw another start in Booker's ongoing absence while the rest of the starting five enjoys elevated usage.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC (ankle): OUT
With Fox still sidelined, Keon Ellis and Davion Mitchell could handle the majority of point guard minutes.
Alperen Sengun, HOU (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Sengun can't go, Jock Landale could start at center.
Zion Williamson, NOP (personal): QUESTIONABLE
If Williamson is sidelined, Larry Nance will likely be a primary beneficiary.
Cam Thomas, BKN (ankle): OUT
In Thomas' absence, Lonnie Walker could receive a boost in minutes.
Terry Rozier, CHA (groin): OUT
Without Rozier, Bryce McGowens and Brandon Miller could log some extra minutes.
Ben Simmons, BKN (hip): OUT
In Simmons' absence, Dennis Smith should start at point guard.
Other notable injuries:
Bradley Beal, PHO (back): PROBABLE
Gordon Hayward, CHA (thumb): PROBABLE
Cameron Johnson, BKN (calf): PROBABLE
Herbert Jones, NOP (lower leg): QUESTIONABLE
Dereck Lively, DAL (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Nic Claxton, BKN (ankle) OUT
Walker Kessler, UTA (elbow): OUT
Xavier Tillman, MEM (knee): OUT
Alec Burks, DET (forearm): OUT
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Joel Embiid ($12,200), Luka Doncic ($12,000), Anthony Davis ($11,600), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,000), Jayson Tatum ($10,300) and Kevin Durant ($10,200).
Embiid followed up his memorable 75.2 FD-point tally against the Wizards two games ago with a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Celtics Wednesday, and he faces a highly favorable matchup against the Pistons.
Doncic was back up over 60 FD points against the Raptors last time out, and another similar output could be coming versus the Clippers in what should be a wire-to-wire affair despite a tough defensive matchup on paper.
Davis could be a risky play considering he exited early against the Heat on Monday due to hip spasms and then was reportedly available to face the Rockets the following night, but still didn't log any minutes.
SGA has scored between 49.6 and 66.4 FD points in his first two games back from a one-game absence due to a knee injury, dispelling any concerns about his health.
Tatum comes in with back-to-back 50 FD-point performances and hasn't been under 40.1 FD points this season, giving him an excellent floor.
Durant is averaging 46.6 FD points and once again takes the floor without Booker, which should lock in another night of heavy usage in a marquee matchup against the Lakers.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,900)
Sabonis bounced back from a clunker versus the Rockets to record 53.7 FD points on the Blazers Wednesday. With Fox out again, the big man should remain very popular.
LeBron James, LAL ($9,800)
James could be taking the floor without Anthony Davis and should be in plenty of lineups as usual, irrespective of his teammate's availability.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,100)
Ball continues to stuff the stat sheet with regularity and has managed 64.5 and 46.3 FD points in his last two games.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,000)
Edwards has gone over 50 FD points in each of his last two games and has another trio of tallies over 40, which should keep him popular at his salary.
Victor Wembanyama, SAN ($8,500)
The rookie is already showing glimpses of dominance and already boasts three outings of over 50 FD points, making him a potentially excellent value at his salary.
Key Values
John Collins, UTA at MEM ($6,100)
Collins appears a lot more invested during his first season with the Jazz than he did at the tail end of his Hawks tenure. He's averaging a solid 28.3 FD points per contest and has already compiled three tallies over 30. Collins has his three-point shooting up to 37.5 percent and faces a Grizzlies team that's allowed the third-highest offensive efficiency rating (30.8) and 40.0 percent three-point shooting to power forwards. Memphis is also surrendering 46.7 FD points per game to fours, and Collins should also have a solid chance at plenty of rebounds with frontcourt mate Walker Kessler still out due to his elbow injury.
Malik Monk, SAC vs. OKC ($5,900)
Monk has already put together some impressive performances in his bench role, registering 28.1, 34.1 and 43.2 FD points in three of his last five appearances. The veteran guard has logged at least 24 minutes in four of the games during that sample and will face a Thunder team allowing the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players (47.4) and 48.1 percent shooting in that split. OKC is also conceding a robust 46.5 FD points to two-guards, placing them in the bottom 10 of the league in that split.
Bismack Biyombo, MEM vs. UTA ($5,200)
The Grizzlies have had no choice but to afford Biyombo expanded opportunity with Xavier Tillman (knee) injured and Steven Adams (knee) already out for the season. The veteran big man has responded with 34.2 and 23 FD points over his last two games. Biyomobo logged a solid 26 and 30 minutes in those matchups, and now gets a crack at a Jazz squad that's given up 55.5 FD points per game to centers, along with the 10th-highest offensive efficiency rating to the position (36.2).
ALSO CONSIDER: Marcus Sasser, DET vs. PHI ($5,800); Grayson Allen, PHO vs. LAL ($5,000)
