This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for the first big Friday night slate of the post-All-Star-break with nine games on tap. There are several matchup between teams with losing records and clubs with winning marks, which should tee up some closely contested clashes. Additionally, with teams having had the chance to rest up over the week-plus layoff, the injury report is also unsurprisingly light for such a substantial ledger.
Slate Overview
Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers (-7) (O/U: 216.5 points)
Houston Rockets at Orlando Magic (-4) (O/U: 228.5 points)
San Antonio Spurs (-1.5) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 225.0 points)
Toronto Raptors (-2.5) at Charlotte Hornets (O/U: 226.0 points)
Miami Heat (-4.5) at New York Knicks (O/U: 211.0 points)
Philadelphia 76ers (-3) at Minnesota Timberwolves (O/U: 228.0 points)
New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns (-7) (O/U: 225.0 points)
Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz (-6.5) (O/U: 216.5 points)
Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers (-1) (O/U: 223.0 points)
Oddsmakers are predicting a night of tight games based on the point spreads, and the fact six list totals comfortably north of 220 is also encouraging from a DFS perspective. Some of the most productive environments could well be a 76ers-Timberwolves clash that is expected to feature the Philadelphia debut of James Harden, as well as a Spurs-Wizards interconference battle that sees Washington as a narrow home underdog.
The Mavs-Jazz and Clippers-Lakers nightcaps are also intriguing. Not only do they feature teams right next to each other in the Western Conference standings, but the latter also sees LeBron James and company trying to avoid a third defeat in as many games to their Crypto.com Arena co-tenant.
Injury Situations to Monitor
NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following is a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night's slate, including those carrying injury designations that aren't listed in this section.
LeBron James, LAL (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If James were to sit, Russell Westbrook would naturally see a significant bump in usage and Talen Horton-Tucker likely moving into the first unit at small forward.
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): OUT
With Davis out, LeBron James (knee), Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk should all see increased usage while Stanley Johnson is likely to start at power forward.
Chris Paul, PHO (thumb): OUT
In Paul's ongoing absence, Aaron Holiday and Elfrid Payton should handle the majority of the Suns' point guard duties.
Fred VanVleet, TOR (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If VanVleet were to miss out, Dalano Banton and Malachi Flynn would cover at PG while the usage for the remaining members of the starting five would rise to varying degree.
Kristaps Porzingis, WAS (knee): OUT
With Porzingis slated to remain out Friday, Kyle Kuzma and Rui Hachimura should continue to hold down the fort at power forward.
Other notable injuries:
RJ Barrett, NYK (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Paul George, LAC (elbow): OUT
Norman Powell, LAC (foot): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (foot): OUT
Luguentz Dort, OKC (shoulder): OUT
Malcolm Brogdon, IND (Achilles): QUESTIONABLE
Myles Turner, IND (foot): OUT
Chris Duarte, IND (toe): QUESTIONABLE
Isaiah Jackson, IND (ankle): PROBABLE
Gordon Hayward, CHA (ankle): OUT
Elite Players
We have five healthy players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Luka Doncic ($11,200), Joel Embiid ($11,000), LeBron James ($10,700), Julius Randle ($10,200) and Dejounte Murray ($10,000).
Doncic posted over 60 FD points in four of the last five games before the All-Star break, including 77 in the last one.
Embiid's usage might take a slight hit with Harden's presence, but the big man is still a very appealing high-end option after producing at least 54 FD in four of the last five, including a tally of 76.8.
James' status will naturally have to be monitored due to his knee injury, but if he does suit up, he'll be in a prime position to pay big dividends while taking the floor without Anthony Davis (foot), a scenario where he averages 54.9 FD points per 36 minutes.
Randle opens the post-All-Star-break portion with a five-figure salary after going into the layoff with five straight 50-plus FD-point efforts.
Murray dipped to 32.5 FD points in his last outing, but he also scored 62.4 and 77.5 in two games within the last five before the break.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN ($9,700)
Towns apparently carried over some of the momentum he generated by unexpectedly winning the Three-Point Contest, opening the stretch run Thursday posting 48.7 FD points against the Grizzlies.
James Harden, PHI ($9,600)
Harden's 76ers debut should naturally lead to plenty of attention, especially since he should be well rested after taking extensive time to overcome a hamstring injury.
Tyrese Haliburton, IND ($9,500)
Haliburton will be looking to reignite the hot hand he displayed during his last three games before the All-Star break, when he posted between 44.8 and 52 FD points.
Pascal Siakam, TOR ($9,400)
Siakam draws a highly enticing matchup against a Hornets team that's been dominated by centers all season and against which he produced 48.2 FD points on Feb. 7.
Devin Booker, PHO ($9,000)
Booker racked up 63 FD points over 38 minutes against the Thunder on Thursday while dishing out 12 assists in Paul's absence, which should help ensure his popularity Friday.
Key Values
Russell Westbrook, LAL vs. LAC ($7,000)
Whether Westbrook's salary has ever been this low on FanDuel likely makes for a great trivia question, and the fact he can be rostered for such a reasonable figure certainly puts him on the value radar Friday. He sports a 28.9 percent usage rate and averages 40.9 FD per 36 minutes without Davis on the floor, and with at least a possibility James also sits, it's worth noting those figures bump to 34.3 and 49.5, respectively, when LeBron is also unavailable. Westbrook has produced relatively modest totals in his first two games against the Clippers this season with 26.9 and 31.2 FD points; however, the absence of Davis and the fact the Clippers are yielding the fifth-most FD points per game to point guards (48.6) certainly put him in play at a salary he's already delivered more than a 5x return on in 35 games.
Reggie Jackson, LAC at LAL ($6,900)
Westbrook's positional counterpart is also an appealing salary-saving option, as Jackson has delivered an average of 38.8 FD over his last five games. The veteran guard has also thrived in his two previous encounters with Westbrook's defense, putting up 34.4 and 48.6 FD points in those games. The Lakers have also struggled against point guards most of the season, surrendering the second-highest offensive efficiency (27.9 percent) to the position along with the second-most FDp points per game (49.1).
Scottie Barnes, TOR at CHA ($5,800)
As alluded to earlier in Siakam's entry, the Hornets have been vulnerable in the frontcourt all year. That naturally includes power forwards, a position Barnes is currently starring in. The rookie went into the break averaging a solid 29.9 FD points over his last 14 games, a stretch where he exceeded 30 on nine occasions. One of those instances came against Charlotte, which conceded 30.1 FD points to him on Feb. 7. The Hornets also enter allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency to fours (28.3 percent) and the seventh-most FD points per game to the position (47.9).
ALSO CONSIDER: Franz Wagner, ORL vs. HOU ($5,600); P.J. Washington, CHA vs. TOR ($5,200); Aaron Holiday, PHO vs. NOP ($5,000); Malik Monk, LAL vs. LAC ($4,900)
