This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a relatively modest slate by Friday night standards, as there are only seven games on the docket. We have a clear-cut main event and potential Finals preview in the Nuggets-Celtics clash, as well as intriguing Suns-Pelicans and Nets-Lakers battles.
Slate Overview
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The night shapes up as relatively competitive if oddsmakers' expectations prove reasonably accurate, as no game carries a line larger than 7.5 points as of Friday morning on FD Sportsbook. What's more, two of those games carry spreads of 4.5 points or fewer.
Projected totals also paint an encouraging picture, as there are four games with figures of 234 points or higher as of Friday morning, and none of the games carry a total less than 223.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Tyrese Haliburton, IND (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Haliburton is able to return from his five-game absence, he should slot right back into his starting point guard role and perhaps play even more minutes than usual with Andrew Nembhard (back) uncertain to suit up.
Trae Young, ATL (illness): OUT
Young's absence will likely thrust Dejounte Murray into the primary ball-handling role and could push Bogdan Bogdanovic into the starting five, while the rest of the first unit should see big bumps in usage.
Victor Wembanyama, SAN (rest): OUT
Wembanyama's absence should boost the usage and rebounding prospects specifically of the Spurs' bigs, and Zach Collins, who's set to return from an ankle injury, could draw a start at center.
LeBron James, LAL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If LeBron can't play through his questionable tag, Anthony Davis should see even more usage than usual while the rest of the starting five also enjoys increased opportunity.
Other notable injuries:
Franz Wagner, ORL (ankle): OUT
De'Anthony Melton, PHI (back): OUT
Jaime Jaquez, MIA (groin): DOUBTFUL
Andrew Nembhard, IND (back): GTD
Pascal Siakam, IND (trade acquisition): GTD
Nick Richards, CHA (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Andre Drummond, CHI (back): PROBABLE
Anthony Davis, LAL (ankle): PROBABLE
Mikal Bridges, BKN (shin): PROBABLE
Deandre Ayton, POR (knee): PROBABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (shoulder): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Joel Embiid ($12,400), Nikola Jokic ($11,800), Anthony Davis ($11,500), Tyrese Haliburton ($10,700), Jayson Tatum ($10,300) and LeBron James ($10,000).
Embiid has eclipsed 60 FD points in each of his first two games back from a multi-game absence due to a knee injury, and he draws a favorable positional matchup against the Magic on Friday.
Jokic should be locked into heavy minutes against the Celtics in a likely wire-to-wire battle and comes in having scored 54.3 to 61 FD points in his last three games.
Davis has scored no fewer than 58.5 FD points in his last three games and remains a perpetual threat for 60 FD points any time he takes the floor.
Haliburton's status will have to be monitored, but if he does make his return Friday, he should be locked right back into his robust role.
Tatum should also see a heavy workload against the Nuggets and has scored at least 48.1 FD points in his last three games with a normal allotment of minutes.
LeBron carries his usual questionable tag, but assuming he plays, he'll be looking to build on an impressive 46.6 FD-point tally against the Mavericks on Wednesday.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,900)
Ball has scored either 47.5 or 48.1 FD points across his first three back from an extended absence, which would make him very popular at this salary.
Devin Booker, PHO ($9,700)
Booker has managed 50-plus FD-point efforts in two of his last three games and should be a big part of a competitive game against the Pelicans.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($9,400)
Maxey has put up between 42.6 and 67.1 FD points in five of the last six games, a hot stretch that should lead to him being in plenty of lineups Friday.
Paolo Banchero, ORL ($9,100)
Banchero's production has increased this month where he's tallied over 40 FD points in six outings, including over 50 in two of those contests.
Dejounte Murray, ATL ($8,100)
Murray boasts a 28.0 percent usage rate and averages 44.6 FD points per 36 minutes with Trae Young off the floor, which should keep him popular Friday.
Key Values
Jeremy Sochan, SAN at CHA ($6,600)
Sochan is in line to benefit from Victor Wembanyama's absence due to rest Friday, as he's averaging 32.4 FD points per 36 minutes with the rookie phenom off the floor. Sochan also checks in on a solid January run, averaging 30.2 FD points across his last seven games on averages of 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals per contest in that span. The rebounding opportunities should especially spike for Sochan with Wemby out, and the fact Charlotte already allows the sixth-most boards per home game (54.1) only brightens Sochan's outlook.
Saddiq Bey, ATL at MIA ($5,800)
Bey should be rostered relatively lightly after a couple of down games, but he's also in position to benefit from Young's absence Friday. The veteran is averaging 35.1 FD points per 36 minutes with Young off the floor this season, and Bey already brings 30+ FD-point upside any time he's in a starting role. The Heat have already surrendered one such tally to him this season (35 FD points back on Dec. 22), and Miami comes in allowing the 11th-highest offensive efficiency rating to small forwards (23.7), along with over 41 FD points per game to the position in the last 15.
Buddy Hield, IND at POR ($5,700)
Hield is a quintessential tournament play due to the volatility in his production, but he pairs that with a 30+ FD-point ceiling that makes him very appealing at his salary in this matchup. The veteran wing is coming off having scored 35 FD points against the Kings on Thursday, and he's delivered over 5x his current salary in 15 of 41 games overall. Hield's opposition Friday could certainly facilitate another strong night, as the Blazers are allowing a Western Conference-high 26.9 offensive efficiency rating to shooting guards, along with the third-most FD points per game to the position in the last 15 contests (47.5).
ALSO CONSIDER: Zach Collins, SAN at CHA ($6,300); Bennedict Mathurin, IND at POR ($5,500); Jalen Smith, IND at POR ($5,100)
