This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Friday's NBA slate begins at 1:30 p.m. EDT and features four Game 3s. The Raptors and Celtics will be searching for commanding 3-0 series leads against the Nets and 76ers, respectively, while the Nuggets-Jazz and Clippers-Mavericks series are both tied at one game apiece.
Slate Overview
Game to Target
Clippers (-4.5) vs. Mavericks O/U: 232.5
This game offers by far the highest over/under on this slate, which makes sense considering these were two of the four highest-scoring offenses during the regular season - while only Brooklyn allowed more points per game among the eight teams in action. Neither team lacks star power at the top, but the Clippers' role players should be more fantasy-friendly, as the scorers in Dallas's supporting cast don't provide much besides points.
Game to Fade
Celtics (-5) vs. 76ers O/U: 216
These teams were both defensively elite in the regular season, as Boston allowed the second-fewest points per game at 107.2 and Philadelphia gave up the sixth-fewest at 108.6. While each team's top scorer has stepped up in this series, the rest of the players don't offer much bang for the buck given both teams' defensive prowess.
Positional Breakdown
PG: Point guard presents appealing options all over the price spectrum. The position's five healthy players priced at $7,000 or more are tied with small forward and center for most in this slate, while also offering the richest selection of low-cost sleepers.
SG: Two of the four shooting guards priced above $7,000 don't qualify for other positions, but the position's most appealing options across the price spectrum remain dual-eligible at point guard.
SF: Expect some big spending at small forward, as some of this slate's better picks are pricey.
PF: Power forward is probably the hardest spot to fill, with the most appealing options also qualifying at small forward.
C: While there's no shortage of center options, not many of them face favorable matchups. Expect to see most lineups either go the value route or spend all the way up for the elite options at the position while only locking in one center.
Injury Situations to Monitor
Ben Simmons (knee) is out for the playoffs, while Boston's Gordon Hayward will miss the rest of the series against Simmons' 76ers and beyond since he's expected to miss four weeks.
Denver's Will Barton (knee) has left the bubble to rehab, so the team will remain without the versatile wing.
Mike Conley left for the birth of his child and could be cleared to play in this one, but that hasn't happened yet. His return would be a major boost to a Jazz team without Bojan Bogdanovic, who underwent season-ending wrist surgery back in May.
Joe Harris has stepped away for personal reasons, leaving the already undermanned Nets without arguably their best remaining player since he averaged 16.5 PPG and 10.0 RPG in the two losses to Toronto.
Elite Players
Kawhi Leonard ($9,600) is the clear alpha dog for the Clippers, having produced two strong performances while teammate Paul George cooled off in Game 2 following a strong Game 1. The reigning NBA Finals MVP already has notched a pair of double-doubles in this series while averaging 32.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 4.0 APG and 2.0 steals per game. Kawhi is primed to keep rolling in what should be Friday's highest-scoring matchup.
Luka Doncic's ($10,800) 35.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 8.0 APG are impressive, but you'll likely need at least a double-double from the Slovenian stud for him to be worth his lofty valuation - and he's yet to hit double digits in rebounds or assists. While Doncic looked much smarter taking care of the ball in Game 2 by only committing one turnover after 11 in Game 1, things haven't been easy against a Clippers' defense that can throw out a variety of stout defenders.
Boston's formula in this series has been to weather hot starts from Joel Embiid ($9,800) before picking apart the depleted 76ers once their superstar gets tired. Embiid has still been getting his with 30.0 PPG and 13.0 RPG, and he'll need to find another gear for Philly to have a chance. If you have the money for the talented big man, he's a near lock for prolific point and rebound totals.
Jayson Tatum ($9,200) has matched Embiid basket-for-basket, racking up 32.5 PPG to go with 9.0 RPG and 3.0 APG. There was little question about Boston's far superior depth, but Tatum is out to prove he can keep pace with Philadelphia's superstar - and he's doing just that so far.
Donovan Mitchell ($9,400) is shouldering a massive offensive load, as Utah's missing 34.6 PPG and 6.5 APG between Conley and Bogdanovic. The 23-year-old star has been more than up to the challenge so far, with 43.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 7.5 APG in the first two games against Denver. Mitchell should continue to drive Utah's offense in Game 3 if Conley remains out, but he'll see some of the load taken off his plate if his fellow guard is cleared to return.
Nikola Jokic ($9,300) has kept his value up with points (28.5 PPG) and rebounds (10.5 RPG), but he hasn't gotten rolling as a passer (4.5 APG) and could have trouble keeping up his high scoring rate with Rudy Gobert defending him.
Expected Chalk
Marcus Morris ($5,000) has made a much greater impact than anticipated against Dallas. In addition to providing some physical defense on Doncic, he goaded Kristaps Porzingis into picking up a second technical foul in Game 1 and more importantly has chipped in 16.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG and three steals per game. The trade deadline acquisition was averaging 19.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG with the Knicks before being acquired by the Clippers, so he should continue to add respectable numbers on both ends with his heavy usage of 34 minutes per game this series likely to continue.
Utah's second-leading scorer after Mitchell has been Jordan Clarkson ($5,500), who is averaging 22.0 PPG in 34 minutes per game. He has produced 4.0 RPG and 3.0 APG, and the combo guard should continue to have the green light for a team with few guys who can create their own shots.
If you don't want to allocate almost 20 percent of your salary cap to Embiid or Jokic, then you'll probably roll with Serge Ibaka ($5,300). The Nets were the most generous team to centers during the regular season among the eight in this slate, and Ibaka looked excellent in Game 1 with 22 points and seven rebounds. He struggled in Game 2, but is primed to bounce back for the heavily-favored Raptors.
Key Values
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot ($4,600) scored a team-high 26 points to go with seven rebounds off the Nets' bench in Game 1, then got inserted into the Game 2 starting lineup and poured in 17 on a team-high 16 shots. The French forward should continue to play a prominent role for the heavily depleted Nets.
Alec Burks ($4,100) has already showcased both his high ceiling and low floor in this series' first two games, racking up 18 points and six rebounds in Game 1 before posting a Game 2 dud that included just two points on 1-for-8 shooting. With Philly likely to ride whoever gets the hot hand at point guard, Burks offers great upside for GPP formats if he can recapture his Game 1 effort.
Speaking of high-ceiling options, Montrezl Harrell ($4,100) could be a tremendous value if he finds his form. After a five-month layoff, Harrell played 15 minutes in Game 1 and 22 minutes in Game 2. During the regular season, Harrell averaged 18.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 28 minutes per game.
After a forgettable series opener, Royce O'Neale ($4,100) was everywhere in Game 2 and stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, seven rebounds, eight assists, a steal and two blocks. O'Neale is playing 34 minutes per game in this series, giving the scrappy forward plenty of opportunities to generate value relative to his affordable valuation.
