This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Although there are a massive 14 total games on the docket Friday night, FanDuel has narrowed its main slate to a much more manageable eight games, and that will serve as the basis for this article. Working with a player pool derived from 16 teams is not only more than sufficient to differentiate in tournaments, but less overwhelming than considering 28 teams' worth of players.
Slate Overview
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Of the eight games on FD's slate, we have three with spreads of 9.5 points or higher, which isn't ideal for DFS purposes. However, the good news is that there are three other contests with lines of 3.5 points or fewer.
Meanwhile all but one game has a projected total of 230.5 points, with the Hawks-Pacers' 262-point figure especially standing out.
Injury Situations to Monitor
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Nikola Vucevic, CHI (groin): QUESTIONABLE
If Vucevic is able to return from his extended absence Friday, it would likely send Andre Drummond back to the second unit unless Vucevic was eased back in and came off the bench.
Zach LaVine, CHI (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Should LaVine come back from his lengthy layoff, Alex Caruso could head back to the bench.
LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle): OUT
Darius Garland, CLE (jaw): OUT
Evan Mobley, CLE (knee): OUT
De'Anthony Melton, PHI (back): OUT
Mark Williams, CHA (back): OUT
Gordon Hayward, CHA (calf): OUT
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Joel Embiid ($12,600), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,700), Tyrese Haliburton ($11,400), Donovan Mitchell ($10,600), Trae Young ($10,200) and Jayson Tatum ($10,000).
Embiid returned refreshed from a four-game absence Tuesday against the Bulls and racked up 69 FD points, and he'll enter Friday's matchup against the Knicks having had the prior two days off as well.
SGA posted yet another stellar effort with 58.6 FD points against the Hawks on Wednesday, giving him tallies of greater than 50 in eight of his last nine contests.
Haliburton has recorded over 60 FD points in three of his last four games alone and put up 73 FD points against the Hawks, which play at almost as fast a pace as the Pacers, in the first meeting between the teams.
Mitchell has seen his salary increase thanks to tallies of 61.7 and 53.9 FD points in two of his first three games since returning from a multi-game absence due to an illness.
Young's expectations are especially elevated due to the favorable matchup against the Pacers, and he checks in having posted 45.3 FD points or more in all but one game since Dec. 13. He also posted 57.2 FD points in the first meeting with Indiana this season.
Tatum has gone off for 66.4 and 56.6 FD points in two of his last three games and will be an integral part of a game with one of the highest totals of the night.
Expected Chalk
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,700)
Edwards' very steady floor – he's scored no fewer than 41.4 FD points in every game since Dec. 16 – should keep him in plenty of lineups Friday.
Kawhi Leonard, LAC ($9,300)
Kawhi has provided totals of 51.7 and 54.1 FD points in his last two contests and should be in for another heavy workload against the Pelicans.
Alperen Sengun, HOU ($9,300)
Sengun has scored 44.5 to 64.7 FD points in six of the last seven games, standout numbers that should keep him in plenty of lineups Friday.
James Harden, LAC ($9,200)
Harden is beginning to resemble his vintage self with totals between 40.8 and 69.9 FD points in nine of the last 10 games, numbers that should keep him very popular at his salary.
Jarrett Allen, CLE ($9,200)
Allen gets a rematch with a Wizards team he just compiled 55.3 FD points against Wednesday, the big man's fourth game in the last five with at least that number.
Key Values
Day'Ron Sharpe, BKN vs. OKC ($5,700)
Sharpe is enjoying a breakout season of sorts off the bench for the Nets, as he's averaging career highs in points (7.4), rebounds (7.1) and assists (1.4) per contest. Sharpe has been playing his best basketball over the last eight games, putting up 28 FD points per game during that span on the strength of averages of 10.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks. The big man – who has totals of 31.9, 43 and 45.7 FD points in three games during that sample – draws a favorable matchup Friday, as the Thunder checks in ranked No. 20 in offensive efficiency rating surrendered to second-unit players (42.2) and has conceded 53.5 FD points per game to centers in the last seven games.
Jalen Smith, IND vs. ATL ($5,000)
Smith is another young big that's been enjoying success this season, as he's averaging a career-high 10.3 points on career-best 66.4 percent shooting. Smith has been recently holding down the starting power forward roe for Indiana and thriving with it, averaging 22.4 FD points across 20 minutes per contest during that five-game stint while averaging an efficient 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. The opposing Hawks come in allowing the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (29.8) and have yielded the fourth-most FD points per contest to the position on the season (50.5).
Larry Nance, NOP vs. LAC ($4,800)
Nance's salary is eye-catching for a player that's averaged 27.1 FD points per game over the five four contests he's played since returning from an extended injury absence. The veteran big man is shooting a blistering 65.0 percent, including 60.0 percent from three-point range, in that span and has already logged as many as 25 minutes in the sample, dispelling any concerns about conditioning issues. The opposing Clippers come in allowing the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players (44.1), along with the fifth-most FD points per game to power forwards in the last seven contests (49.9).
