This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a solid eight-game slate on tap Friday night, although it's one that does feature plenty of big names on the injury report. The 16-team player pool does afford us plenty of insulation from possible absences, however, and we still have plenty of top-shelf options if some of the starts end up sitting out.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, 12/13 @12:30 p.m. EST:
Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers (-17) (O/U: 232.5)
Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers (-6.5) (O/U: 228.0)
Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves (-9) (O/U: 213.5)
Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies (-10) (O/U: 228.0)
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls (-6.5) (O/U: 231.5)
Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets (-6.5) (O/U: 227.0)
Phoenix Suns (-8) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 231.5)
San Antonio Spurs (-3) at Portland Trail Blazers (O/U: 225.0)
The betting lines paint quite the picture Friday, as is often the case on bigger slates. Spread are a true mixed bag, with the Cavaliers' jaw-dropping projected advantage over the Wizards at one end of the spectrum and the Spurs' narrow figure against the Trail Blazers on the other. Fortunately, we have a trio of 6.5-point spreads that serve as a solid middle ground, and the Timberwolves' big nine-point number is largely the result of LeBron James' confirmed absence.
In terms of totals, with all but one game checking in with at least 225 projected points, we're in pretty good shape in terms of environments conducive to DFS success. The best combination of spread and total appears to be the Hornets-Bulls matchup, even if Nikola Vucevic sits out for Chicago.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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LeBron James, LAL (foot): OUT
With LeBron out, Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura could be due for solid bumps in usage, while D'Angelo Russell could also enjoy another big night off the bench.
Kevin Durant, PHO (ankle): PROBABL
If KD does return as expected, the usage for Devin Booker and Bradley Beal should revert to more customary levels.
Evan Mobley, CLE (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Mobley sits out, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland could be the biggest beneficiaries, while Georges Niang may draw a start at power forward.
Nikola Vucevic, CHI (illness): QUESTIONABLE
If Vucevic can't go, Jalen Smith may draw a spot start at center while Coby White and Zach LaVine enjoy elevated uage.
Jamal Murray, DEN (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Murray sits out a third straight game, Russell Westbrook could draw another start at point guard while Nikola Jokic may once again be in for otherworldly usage after averaging 33.5 shot attempts over Murray's first two absences.
Lauri Markkanen, UTA (back): QUESTIONABLE
If Markkanen can't play, Brice Sensabaugh and Johnny Juzang may be primary beneficiaries in terms of increased minutes while John Collins will likely enjoy even more opportunity than usual.
Other notable injuries:
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee): OUT
LaMelo Ball, CHA (calf): OUT
Kyle Kuzma, WAS (ribs): OUT
Malcolm Brogdon, WAS (hamstring): OUT
Stephon Castle, SAN (shoulder): OUT
Keldon Johnson, SAN (calf): OUT
Zach Collins, SAN (back): OUT
Josh Giddey, CHI (back): QUESTIONABLE
Austin Reaves, LAL (pelvis): QUESTIONABLE
Miles Bridges, CHA (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Jordan Clarkson, UTA (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (calf): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,800), Victor Wembanyama ($11,300), Anthony Davis ($11,100) and Joel Embiid ($10,600).
Jokic is coming off two superhuman games, even by his lofty standards, with Jamal Murray out, posting 85.2 and 82.8 FD points in those contests on the strength of 56- and 48-point tallies. Jokic has also averaged 33.5 shot attempts per game in that small sample.
Wembanyama returned from a two-game absence Sunday against the Pelicans to score 44.5 FD points across 25 minutes and has now had four full days of rest to gear up for Friday.
AD is fully expected to continue playing through his foot issue and will be taking the floor without LeBron James, a scenario in which he scored 64.7 FD points across 32 minutes against the Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Embiid has had four days of valuable rest for his gimpy knees and returned from a seven-game absence Sunday against the Bulls to post 51.4 FD points across just 32 minutes.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
James Harden, LAC ($9,600)
Harden continues to mostly resemble his Rockets heyday in his outsized role in the Clippers' attack but will be taking the floor for the first time since Dec. 4 on Friday. However, 44.9 FD points average for the season should keep popular at his sub-$10K salary.
Devin Booker, PHO ($9,300)
Despite Durant's expected return Friday, Booker should retain a certain level of popularity after posting tallies of 51.3 and 49.3 FD points within his last four games.
Kevin Durant, PHO ($9,200)
With Durant now seemingly healthy again, he could be rostered at a solid clip Friday given his salary and upside, as well as the favorable matchup against a Jazz team that could be without Lauri Markkanen.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,000)
Edwards has scored 39 to 53.3 FD points in his last three games, which should keep him in plenty of lineups Friday.
Tyrese Maxey, 76ers ($8,700)
Maxey scored 59.2 FD points on the strength of a 25-point, 14-assist, 11-rebound triple double even with Embiid back on the floor Sunday against the Bulls, and he has three other tallies of more than 43 FD points, including one of 67.4, within his last six games overall.
Key Values
Darius Garland, CLE vs. WAS ($6,700)
As mentioned earlier, Garland is one of the players in prime position to benefit from a potential Mobley absence Friday, but the talented guard is a solid play at his salary irrespective of the availability of his teammate. Garland has already delivered over a 5x return on his current salary in 13 of 24 games this season, a sample that includes seven tallies of at least 40 FD points. He also happens to have the second-highest usage rate on the Cavs behind Donovan Mitchell with Mobley off the floor this season (28.7 percent) and is averaging 43.7 FD points per 36 minutes in that scenario as well. The opposing Wizards make for excellent targets as well, considering they're allowing a league-high 34.5 offensive efficiency rating to point guards, along with a league-high 56 FD points per contest to ones in the last 15 games.
Rui Hachimura, LAL at MIN ($6,300)
Hachimura just put up a season-best 46 FD points over 39 minutes against the Trail Blazers on Sunday during LeBron's first absence of the season, pushing the former to 30.3 FD points per 36 minutes with his teammate off the floor. Hachimura is now shooting a career-high 46.3 percent from behind the arc after a 3-for-5 performance in that department against Portland, and he put up 34.5 FD points against the T-Wolves back on Opening night on 50.0 percent shooting overall. Minnesota has generally been tough against small forwards, but Hachimura's increased opportunities Friday make him very viable at his salary.
Nick Richards ($5,800) or Mark Williams ($4,700), CHA at CHI
Targeting the Bulls has been a great strategy in DFS this season, and Friday should be no exception. I'm taking the unusual step of suggesting a binary option in this situation, as I think both of the Hornets' big men are viable, but particularly whichever is announced as the starter. The Bulls could be down Nikola Vucevic due to an illness, but even if he plays, Chicago already checks in surrendering the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (35.9) and the third-most FD points to the position in the last 15 games (60.8). That latter figure particularly underscores there could be room for both players to deliver very strong returns on salary Friday, as does the fact the Bulls are also giving up the fifth-most rebounds (54.4) and an NBA-high 57.6 points in the paint per contest.
ALSO CONSIDER: D'Angelo Russell, LAL at MIN ($6,200); Shaedon Sharpe, POR vs. SAN ($5,700)
