This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a big final Friday night slate of 2022 with nine games on tap. There are several eye-catching matchups, with the 76ers-Pelicans clash being the most prominent. Despite the fact multiple big names are dealing with multi-game injuries, we still have a solid player pool to work with and a bigger-than-usual array of attractive value plays.
Slate Overview
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Oddsmakers seem to be envisioning a competitive night Friday as the Bulls' 8.5-point projected advantage over the Pistons qualifies as the biggest line of the night. Otherwise, six other games are listed at 4.5 points or less.
Then, there are seven matchups with projected totals of at least 225 points, including a rare instance of two games with those in excess of 240 points.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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LeBron James, LAL (ankle): PROBABLE
James is fully expected to play through his ankle injury and continue to log his usual heavy workload with Anthony Davis (foot) unavailable.
Trae Young, ATL (calf): PROBABLE
Young should make his return from a one-game absence and reassume his usual starting point guard duties.
Devin Booker, PHO (groin): OUT
In Booker's ongoing absence, Jock Landale could remain in the starting five while Damion Lee could be Booker's direct replacement since Landry Shamet (Achilles) is also sidelined.
Fred VanVleet, TOR (back): GTD
If VanVleet sits a second straight game, Christian Koloko and Juancho Hernangomez could both remain in the starting five.
Jrue Holiday, MIL (illness): DOUBTFUL
With Holiday likely out, Jevon Carter and George Hill could handle most point guard minutes while Giannis Antetokounmpo's usage should spike even higher than usual.
Bradley Beal, WAS (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Beal can't go, Corey Kispert and Will Barton could be primary beneficiaries while Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis would see an increase in their already elevated usage.
Jamal Murray, DEN (knee injury management): QUESTIONABLE
If Murray doesn't suit up, Bones Hyland could draw a second straight spot start at point guard.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI (foot): PROBABLE
In Maxey's expected return from a month-plus absence, he could log limited minutes and therefore allow Shake Milton to retain a solid role.
Other notable injuries:
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): OUT
Stephen Curry, GSW (shoulder): OUT
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (calf): OUT
Brandon Ingram, NOP (toe): OUT
Khris Middleton, MIL (knee): OUT
Andrew Wiggins, GSW (illness): OUT
Wendell Carter, ORL (suspension): OUT
Clint Capela, ATL (calf): OUT
Killian Hayes, DET (suspension): OUT
Cole Anthony, ORL (suspension): OUT
Moritz Wagner, ORL (suspension): OUT
Jimmy Butler, MIA (ankle): PROBABLE
Jusuf Nurkic, POR (calf): PROBABLE
Draymond Green, GSW (foot): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have nine players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,100), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,900), Joel Embiid ($11,600), Pascal Siakam ($10,600), LeBron James ($10,600), Domantas Sabonis ($10,400), James Harden ($10,200), Trae Young ($10,000) and Zion Williamson ($10,000).
The entire group is in reasonably good health, with James continuing to play through his ankle soreness without any limitations and even Sabonis steering clear of an injury designation after posting a 31-point, 10-rebound double-double in his first game playing with an avulsion fracture in his thumb.
It's also worth noting Antetokounmpo could be especially poised to overdeliver despite his massive salary, as he's expected to take the floor without Jrue Holiday (doubtful-illness) and Khris Middleton who's already ruled out with his knee injury. In such a scenario, Giannis sports a 40.6 percent usage rate and averages 61.2 FD points per 36 minutes.
Pascal Siakam could also be operating without Fred VanVleet (questionable-back) for a second straight outing. In that scenario against the Grizzlies on Thursday, Siakam racked up 51 FD points over 38 minutes before fouling out.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Jimmy Butler, MIA ($9,500)
Butler is expected to play through his ankle injury and dropped 57 FD points across 34 minutes versus the Lakers on Wednesday.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,300)
Edwards continues to churn out impressive performances in the ongoing absence of Karl-Anthony Towns (calf), scoring at least 42.2 FD points in six of the last seven games.
DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($9,000)
DeRozan just went off for 72.5 FD points against the Bucks on Wednesday and was also over 50 in the two previous outings.
Lauri Markkanen, UTA ($8,400)
Markkanen has posted over 50 FD points in two straight and also put up 47.5 FD points four games ago, which should help keep him very popular at his reasonable salary.
Franz Wagner, ORL ($6,600)
Wagner should see a massive usage bump with five of his teammates serving suspensions Friday for their role in an altercation with the Pistons.
Bol Bol, ORL ($6,500)
Bol should see a massive usage bump with five of his teammates serving suspensions Friday for their role in an altercation with the Pistons.
Key Values
Onyeka Okongwu, ATL vs. LAL ($6,200)
Okongwu will draw another start in place of Clint Capela on Friday and checks in having scored between 31.8 to 46.7 FD points in three of his last four games. The young big will see Trae Young return from a one-game absence due to a calf injury, but he'll still be in a solid position to deliver strong returns while facing a Lakers squad that's allowed a Western Conference-high 34.2 offensive efficiency rating to centers, along with just over 57 FD points per game to the position in the last 15 contests. L.A. is also conceding the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating in the paint (61.7), an area of the floor where 66 percent of Okongwu's scoring is originating from this season.
Monte Morris, WAS at ORL ($5,600)
Morris's production can undeniably see its occasional dips, but the versatile guard is in the midst of a strong stretch of play that's seen him average 25.9 FD points over the last eight while posting 11.1 points (on 46.4 percent shooting, including 41.4 percent from three-point range), 5.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals across 31 minutes per outing. Morris has eclipsed 30 FD points on three occasions during that span and now faces a depleted Magic squad and that already has trouble defending point guards at full strength. Orlando comes in allowing the 10th-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (27.2), along with 48.5 FD points per game to the position and the fourth-most assists per home game overall (25.8).
Alec Burks, DET at CHI ($5,300)
Burks is another guard who can sometimes confound with a drop in production, but the veteran is in good shape to keep up a recent hot streak on Friday. He recorded 49.4 FD points in 30 minutes against the Magic on Wednesday and 31.5 the previous game against the Clippers. Killian Hayes will miss tonight due to suspension, and Burks should be the recipient of expanded opportunity against a Bulls team allowing Eastern Conference-high 37.4 percent three-point shooting and the second-most FD points per game to shooting guards in the last 15 (44.96), along with the most made threes to the position during that stretch (4.4).
ALSO CONSIDER: John Collins, ATL vs. LAL ($6,300); Jalen Duren, DET at CHI ($6,100); Naz Reid, MIN at MIL ($5,900); Thomas Bryant, LAL at ATL ($5,700); Malik Monk, SAC vs. UTA ($5,000); Terrence Ross, ORL vs. WAS ($3,700)
