This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a modestly sized slate by Friday standards with seven games, but there are plenty of big names in action considering the likes of the defending champion Celtics, the Lakers, the Kings and the Warriors are all in action. That leaves us with a star-studded player pool to work with, even when factoring in some potential prominent absences.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, 12/6 @ 12:00 p.m. ET:
Orlando Magic (-3.5) at Philadelphia 76ers (O/U: 207.0)
Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics (-8) (O/U: 226.5)
Los Angeles Lakers at Atlanta Hawks (-5.5) (O/U: 232.0)
*Sacramento Kings (-5.5) at *San Antonio Spurs (O/U: 228.5)
Indiana Pacers (-3.5) at *Chicago Bulls (O/U: 248.5)
Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers (-2.5) (O/U: 226.5)
Minnesota Timberwolves at *Golden State Warriors (-1) (O/U: 218.0)
*Denotes team on second game of back-to-back set
We have what projects to be a very competitive night if point spreads are any indication, with the Celtics' eight-point figure against the Bucks the highest as of midday. However, that number could grow a bit further if Jayson Tatum is announced as available. Meanwhile, with plenty of teams on the back end of back-to-back sets, we could be in line for tighter outcomes if fatigue plays a role.
Projected totals are truly all over the spectrum, and the Pacers-Bulls massive figure especially stands out as a fantastic spot to attack from a DFS perspective. With four other games sporting totals north of 226 points, it shapes up as a very fantasy-friendly night overall on paper.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Jayson Tatum, BOS (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Tatum - who was present for Friday morning's shootaround - can't play, Sam Hauser should remain in the starting five while Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis (lower leg) will once again be the biggest beneficiaries in terms of usage rate increase.
LeBron James, LAL (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Should LeBron miss his first game of the season, Anthony Davis will be up for even more usage than usual while D'Angelo Russell would also see more ball-handling opportunity while starting in place of Austin Reaves (pelvis).
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (lower leg): OUT
With Porzingis out, Al Horford is likely to enter the starting five.
Stephen Curry, GSW (rest): GTD
If Curry sits out again, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski could be primary beneficiaries while Buddy Hield, Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga would be primed to take on extra usage.
Victor Wembanyama, SAN (back): GTD
If Wembanyama misses a second straight game, Jeremy Sochan could earn another start at center while Zach Collins would see some increased minutes off the bench.
Other notable injuries:
Austin Reaves, LAL (pelvis): OUT
Joel Embiid, PHI (knee): OUT
Jordan Clarkson, UTA (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Andre Drummond, PHI (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Scoot Henderson, POR (quadriceps): QUESTIONABLE
Draymond Green, GSW (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Malcolm Brogdon, WAS (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (knee): PROBABLE
Trae Young, ATL (Achilles): PROBABLE
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Khris Middleton, MIL (ankle): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,100), Victor Wembanyama ($11,600), Anthony Davis ($10,600) and Jayson Tatum ($10,400).
Antetokounmpo has scored over 50 FD points in five of his last six games, including 71.9 three games ago versus the Wizards. He also won't have to contend with Porzingis on Friday due to the latter being ruled out.
Wemby is currently questionable due to the lower-back stiffness that kept him out of Thursday's game against the Bulls. If he suits up, he'll look to build on the 58.8 FD points he's averaged over the last eight contests.
Davis could be in line for a major usage bump if LeBron is out, but he's coming off rare consecutive lackluster outings where he's scored just 33.7 and 26.9 FD points despite playing over 30 minutes in each of those games.
Tatum missed his first game of the season Wednesday against the Pistons, so his status will have to be closely monitored leading up to tip-off. However, if he's cleared to play, he'll likely see even more usage than usual with Kristaps Porzingis (lower leg) sitting out.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Franz Wagner, ORL ($9,600)
Wagner has established floor of about 45 FD points recently and continues to see elevated usage during Paolo Banchero's ongoing absence.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($9,200)
Fox has scored at least 43.7 FD points in four of his last five games and could potentially have an easier time getting to the basket Friday if Wembanyama sits out for San Antonio.
Jalen Johnson, ATL ($9,100)
Johnson is coming off having scored 52.1 FD points against the Bucks on Wednesday and is up to 44.5 FD points per game on the season, which should keep him very popular.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($8,900)
Maxey will continue operating without Joel Embiid on Friday and recently scored 43.1 to 67.4 FD points in a three-game stretch before dipping to 31.8 in his most recent contest.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($8,800)
Brown will be taking the floor without Porzingis and possibly sans Tatum as well, and he's posted 44.4 and 53.7 FD points in his last two games.
Key Values
Deandre Ayton, POR vs. UTA ($6,100)
Ayton has been impressive since returning from a seven-game absence due to a finger injury, averaging 19.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks across 35 minutes per contest. The big man has exceeded 40 FD points twice in that stretch, and he'll be poised for another one of his better performances Friday if trends hold true. The Jazz have been vulnerable down low all season, allowing a Western Conference-high 36.8 offensive efficiency rating to centers, along with a league-high 61.8 FD points per game to the position on the season. Utah is also conceding a Western Conference-high 26.8 points and a league-high 3.1 blocks per game to the position, furthering Ayton's case.
Devin Vassell, SAN vs. SAC ($6,000)
Vassell is typically one of the biggest beneficiaries when Wembanyama is off the floor in terms of usage rate, sporting a 29.0 percent usage rate in that split. He just provided 34.6 FD points over 25 minutes against the Bulls on Thursday with his teammate out, and he's averaged 29.3 FD points while shooting 56.9 percent, including 57.1 percent from behind the arc, over the four games since his return from a five-game absence from a knee injury. Vassell has been seeing minutes in the mid-20s on average since he's been back, and he should be in for another robust role Friday irrespective of Wemby's availability while facing a Kings squad that's surrendering 47.0 percent shooting to bench players, including 41.1 percent from downtown.
Naz Reid, MIN at GSW ($5,200)
Reid has had a couple of ups and downs recently, but that's helped bring down his salary ahead of a favorable matchup Friday. The versatile big man averaged an impressive 28.1 FD points over the four games preceding Wednesday's matchup versus the Clippers, when he produced just 15.3 FD points in 21 minutes. Reid has another trio of tallies below that figure in November, but he still carries a ceiling north of 30 FD points and is facing a Warriors team that's allowing a Western Conference-high 18.0 rebounds per game to second-unit players, and a Western Conference-high 62.9 FD points per game to centers in the last seven contests.
ALSO CONSIDER: Shaedon Sharpe, POR vs. UTA ($6,100); Julian Champagnie, SAN vs. SAC ($5,600); Al Horford, BOS vs. MIL ($5,100); Moritz Wagner, ORL at PHI ($5,000)
