This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a nine-game slate Friday night as the final weekend of the regular season gets underway. At this stage, almost every team has finalized it playoff position, but movement is still possible for some squads. These last three slates will be tricky considering playing time for starters may be difficult to project.
Slate Overview
New York Knicks (-4) at Washington Wizards (-1) (O/U: 222.5 points)
Milwaukee Bucks (-4.5) at Detroit Pistons (O/U: 227.5 points)
Houston Rockets at Toronto Raptors (-11) (O/U: 227.5 points)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Brooklyn Nets (-8.5) (O/U: 232.5 points)
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls (-2.5) (O/U: 234.0 points)
Atlanta Hawks (-1.5) at Miami Heat (O/U: 230.0 points)
Portland Trail Blazers at Dallas Mavericks (-19.5) (O/U: 219.5 points)
Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz (-2) (O/U: 228.0 points)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (-5.5) (O/U: 227.5 points)
While there are some near-certain blowouts, we should be able to count on front-line pieces seeing plenty of minutes in the Cavaliers-Nets matchup as well as players on the Raptors, Hornets, Hawks, Mavericks and Jazz. Consequently, these games appear to be the safest to target while potential landmines such as the Thunder-Lakers might best be avoided.
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 (ankle): GTD
If James can't suit up, Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries.
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): GTD
If Davis is unable to go, Dwight Howard should see extra minutes at center.
Fred VanVleet, TOR (rest): GTD
Should VanVleet sit for a second straight game, Khem Birch would likely remain on the first unit.
Russell Westbrook, LAL (shoulder): GTD
If Westbrook is out, Malik Monk would likely remain in the starting five.
Zach LaVine, CHI (knee): PROBABLE
LaVine is expected to play through his knee soreness Friday.
Evan Mobley, CLE (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Mobley remains sidelined, Moses Brown should draw another start at center.
Other notable injuries:
Julius Randle, NYK (quadriceps): OUT
Mitchell Robinson, NYK (illness): OUT
OG Anunoby, TOR (quadriceps): OUT
Marvin Bagley, DET (hip): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (finger): OUT
Jerami Grant, DET (calf): OUT
Kyle Kuzma, WAS (knee): OUT
Josh Hart, POR (knee): OUT
Christian Wood, HOU (hamstring): OUT
Tre Mann, OKC (hamstring): OUT
Trendon Watford, POR (leg): OUT
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries and free of injury designations on Friday's slate –Kevin Durant ($11,700), Luka Doncic ($11,400), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,200), Trae Young ($10,300) and Pascal Siakam ($10,000).
Durant should be as involved as usual in a game the Nets have incentive in and is coming off posting 65.5 FD points in his most recent outing.
Doncic has scored over 50 FD points in five straight and boasts a premium matchup against the Trail Blazers, but there's definitely risk of his minutes being curtailed due to a blowout.
Giannis is playing on the second night of a back-to-back set and Milwaukee needs one more win to solidify the No. 2 seed, so he should be back out there for a normal workload.
Young should be logging his normal workload against a Heat team that could rest several starters, and he's exceeded 40 FD points in seven straight.
Siakam just put together a spectacular 37-point, 12-assist, 11-rebound triple-double Thursday against the 76ers that netted 72.2 FD points, but there's a chance of a shorter stint Friday with the Rockets in town and a potential lopsided outcome.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Kyrie Irving, BKN ($9,400)
Irving should play a normal allotment of minutes and has scored over 50 FD points in two consecutive outings.
DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($9,200)
DeRozan dipped to 29.9 FD points in his most recent game, but had gone over 50 in four of his previous five and that should keep him heavily rostered Friday.
Darius Garland, CLE ($9,000)
Garland just produced 54.2 FD points in his most recent game and should remain very popular whether or not Mobley is available.
Kristaps Porzingis, WAS ($8,900)
Porzingis is currently the best player on the floor for the Wizards and continues to play hard, dropping 59.6 FD points in his last game and 49.8 or more in three of the last five overall.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($8,800)
Ball has posted 43 and 58.1 FD points in his last two appearances and the Hornets should provide him normal minutes again Friday.
Key Values
Alec Burks, NYK at WAS ($6,300)
The Knicks are not one of the teams with something to play for beyond pride Friday, but Burks remains a solid play. The veteran has been running hot of late by averaging 32.6 FD points over his last nine games on averages of 17.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals. Burks' efficiency has also been through the roof during that span, shooting 47.6 percent, including 50.8 percent from distance. The Wizards already conceded one tally of 33.9 FD points to Burks this season, and they're allowing elevated 42.7 percent three-point shooting in the last three along with 47.6 FD points per game to point guards in the last 15 games.
Jalen Brunson, DAL vs. POR ($5,800)
Brunson's salary is modest enough where he's worth rolling out despite the blowout risk against the Trail Blazers, and he's coming off having scored 38.7 FD points against the Pistons on Wednesday. He's eclipsed 30 FD points in three of his last four overall, and he produced 34.3 and 43.7 FD points in two prior meetings with Portland this season. Meanwhile, the Blazers are simply going through the motions at this point with an undermanned roster and are allowing the second-highest three-point shooting percentage overall (37.1), along with the sixth-highest offensive efficiency to two-guards (23.0 percent) and the fourth-most FD points per game to the position in the last 15 games (44.7).
Gary Trent, TOR vs. HOU ($5,300)
Trent just went off for 43.5 FD points against the 76ers on Thursday, and even though Fred VanVleet was out for that matchup and could return Friday, the sharpshooting guard remains an intriguing tournament play at his salary. Much like the Trail Blazers, the Rockets are playing out the string and are having a difficult time slowing down anyone, giving up 41.5 percent three-point shooting in their last three and 117.7 points per road game overall. They've also conceded 41.5 FD points per game to shooting guards in the last seven. Meanwhile, Trent is averaging 30 FD points across his last 10 outings while also racking up 59.2 FD points on Houston in his one prior game against the Rockets this season.
