This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a jumbo 11-game slate Friday night that represents the first full post-trade deadline ledger, but some of the components of last-minute deals aren't expected to debut for their new teams. There are also some big names across the injury report, but we're still treated to a very deep player pool considering 22 teams will be in action.
Slate Overview
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As is typical with slates of this size, spreads are all across the spectrum. As of late Thursday night, the narrowest line stands at one point and the largest at 10. Seven of the 11 games encouragingly boast projected totals of at least 230 points, which portends a night of stellar individual performances.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (knee): PROBABLE
Antetokounmpo is fully expected to play through his probable designation once again Friday, though he'll be on the second night of a back-to-back.
Luka Doncic, DAL (heel): QUESTIONABLE
Doncic has been upgraded from doubtful, and if he's able to go, he'll get his first taste playing alongside the newly acquired Kyrie Irving and will ding his teammate's usage to an appreciable degree.
Joel Embiid, PHI (foot): QUESTIONABLE
If Embiid can't play though his ongoing foot soreness, Montrezl Harrell and Paul Reed should handle center minutes while James Harden's usage should see a healthy bump.
Jayson Tatum, BOS (illness): QUESTIONABLE
If Tatum were to sit, the usage for the remainder of the Celtics' starting five would get a sizable jump, considering Jaylen Brown (face) is already ruled out.
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee injury management): OUT
In Leonard's absence, Norman Powell could be in for a spot start while Paul George will likely be the biggest beneficiary in terms of extra usage.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (face): OUT
In Brown's absence, Derrick White is likely to remain in the starting five, while Jayson Tatum should receive a usage bump if he can play through his illness.
Other notable injuries:
Kevin Durant, PHO (knee): OUT
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (calf): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Kevin Porter, HOU (foot): OUT
Russell Westbrook, UTA (recent trade acquisition): OUT
OG Anunoby, TOR (wrist): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic, POR (calf): OUT
Steven Adams, MEM (knee): OUT
Devin Vassell, SAN (knee): OUT
Marcus Smart, BOS (ankle): OUT
Jakob Poeltl, TOR (recent trade acquisition): GTD
Devin Booker, PHO (groin): GTD
Keldon Johnson, SAN (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have seven players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,200), Luka Doncic ($11,800), Joel Embiid ($11,500), Jayson Tatum ($10,800), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,600), Damian Lillard ($10,400) and Ja Morant ($10,200).
Antetokounmpo played through his probable designation again Thursday against the Lakers and scored 63 FD points across 35 minutes. He gets another very favorable positional matchup Friday versus the Clippers.
Doncic is sporting a questionable tag due to his heel injury, and even if he suits up, it'll be interesting to see how much his usage is affected by the presence of Kyrie Irving.
Embiid has produced between 44.9 to 85.1 FD points in the last seven games, including 50.3 against this same Knicks squad two games ago.
Tatum is averaging 48.4 FD points per 36 minutes without Jaylen Brown (face) on the floor, so he should be in a favorable position to deliver a strong return if he can overcome his questionable designation.
Gilgeous-Alexander has posted 46.4 FD points or more in eight of his last nine while topping out at 70.8 during that span. He also managed 53.4 and 42.7 FD points in back-to-back matchups against this same Trail Blazers team on Dec. 19 and 21.
Lillard has scored 53.4 FD points or more in four of the last six and has already flashed a ceiling north of 80 FD points this season. However, it bears noting he was under 40 FD points during two December games against the Thunder while only shooting 41.7 percent.
Morant registered 51.7 FD points against the Bulls on Tuesday in his return from a one-game absence due to a wrist injury, and he's averaging 55.5 FD points across his last six contests.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Kyrie Irving, DAL ($9,800)
Irving was stellar on Wednesday with 37.3 FD points over 36 minutes during his Dallas debut, and he'll be even more popular Friday if Luka Doncic sits again.
James Harden, PHI ($9,600)
Harden could take the floor without Joel Embiid, but even if the big man is available, the Beard should be in plenty of lineups after posting between 46.6 to 51.1 FD points in three of the last four.
Julius Randle, NYK ($9,300)
Randle is on an extended stretch of 40-plus FD-point performances that dates back to Jan. 20 and will have a favorable positional matchup against the 76ers.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,100)
Edwards is coming off 53.4 FD points against the Jazz on Wednesday and will now be taking the floor Friday without the traded D'Angelo Russell and the still-sidelined Karl-Anthony Towns.
Paul George, LAC ($8,200)
George will play without Kawhi Leonard, a scenario where he sports a 32.7 percent usage rate and averages 44.4 FD points per 36 minutes.
Key Values
Gary Trent, TOR vs. UTA ($6,100)
Trent can sometimes fly under the radar while sharing the floor with the likes of Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam, but the sharpshooter is averaging 31.2 FD points while shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range over his last 13 games. The Jazz make for good targets, considering they allow the third-highest offensive efficiency rating to two-guards (25.8) and 38.4 percent three-point shooting to the position. They're also giving up the fifth-most FD points to twos in the last 15 games (45.8), a stretch where they're conceding the second-most made threes per game (4.5) to the position.
Kenyon Martin, HOU at MIA ($5,800)
Martin is likely to have a firm hold on the starting small forward role now that Eric Gordon has been traded to the Clippers, and the third-year forward has already been trending in the right direction by averaging 28.9 FD points in the last 13 games. He's shot a blistering 60.5 percent - including 38.7 percent from behind the arc - over that span, and he now faces a Heat squad allowing an NBA-high 27.1 offensive efficiency rating to small forwards and 47.9 percent shooting to the position. Miami is also yielding 42.6 FD points per game to threes in the last seven, a stretch during which the Heat is surrendering the second-most points (25.8) and third-most rebounds (10.3) to the position.
Jalen Duren, DET vs. SA ($5,700)
Duren is in a prime spot against the Spurs with the rim-protecting Jakob Poeltl now in Toronto and San Antonio already allowing an NBA-high 69.5 FD points per game to centers in the last 15 outings. They're also allowing the second-highest offensive efficiency rating to fives on the season (36.0), while Duren is averaging 30.9 FD points over the last nine games with averages of 11.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.6 blocks and 76.4 percent shooting. The Spursalso give up a Western Conference-high 56.0 points in the paint per road game, while Duren is recording 81.4 percent of his points from that part of the floor.
ALSO CONSIDER: Derrick White, BOS vs. CHA ($6,100); Collin Sexton, UTA at TOR ($5,200)
