This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a pair of intriguing Game 3 clashes on tap Friday night, with both the Pacers and Nuggets aiming to begin making inroads into their 0-2 series deficits. There are some prominent names on the injury report for both the Knicks and Denver as well, and the call on the availability of those players could come down to just before tip-off.
Slate Overview
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, May 10 @12:00 a.m. EDT:
New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers (-7) (O/U: 222.0)
Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves (-4.5) (O/U: 204.5)
The Pacers' status as fairly solid favorites is noteworthy in that Indiana has lost the first two games. However, given how competitive and controversial those games have been and the fact that both Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby could sit out for New York, oddsmakers clearly see a good chance of a bounce-back performance.
Meanwhile, the tide has clearly turned in terms of the perception of the Nuggets after they shockingly dropped the first two games of the series at home, leading to the Timberwolves' solid home favorite status.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Jamal Murray, DEN (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Murray has been consistently playing through his questionable tags over the last few games, but if he were to sit out Friday, Reggie Jackson would draw a start if he can overcome his own questionable tag. If both players sit, Christian Braun may be called upon for a spot start at point guard.
Jalen Brunson, NYK (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Brunson's status naturally will bear heavy monitoring after he suffered his injury late in Game 2. If he were unable to play Friday, massive usage bumps would be available to the rest of the starting five, and Miles McBride would likely draw a start at point guard.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, DEN (abdomen): QUESTIONABLE
If KCP can't suit up, Christian Braun and Justin Holiday could handle the majority of minutes at shooting guard.
OG Anunoby, NYK (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Anunoby, who exited Game 2 with his injury, can't play, Precious Achiuwa could move into the starting five at power forward.
Other notable injuries:
Reggie Jackson, DEN (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Mitchell Robinson, NYK (ankle): OUT
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,000), Jalen Brunson ($10,800) and Anthony Edwards ($10,300).
Jokic is fresh off winning another MVP and has averaged 51.7 FD points over the first two games of the series despite shooting only 42.1 percent, including 20.0 percent from three-point range.
If Brunson is able to play through his questionable tag, he should once again be a candidate for elite usage after averaging 27.4 shot attempts per contest since the start of the playoffs. He's also averaged 52 FD points on 56.8 percent shooting in the first two games of the series.
Edwards is averaging 57 FD points per game dating back to Game 4 of the first-round series against the Suns, and he's averaged 52.9 FD points on 60.9 percent shooting in the first two games against the Nuggets.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Tyrese Haliburton, IND ($8,800)
In Game 2, Haliburton finally put together the type of performance he often did during his best stretch of the regular season, producing 61.7 FD points over 35 minutes. Therefore, he should be highly rostered Friday at his salary.
Josh Hart, NYK ($8,300)
After averaging 44.3 FD points across his first eight playoff games, Hart would be popular in any scenario. However, his roster rate will go even higher if Brunson is ruled out.
Jamal Murray, DEN ($8,100)
Murray is only shooting 28.1 percent over the first two games of the series, but as long he's cleared to play, he should certainly be in plenty of lineups given the small slate and his upside.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN ($8,000)
KAT went off for 49.9 FD points in Game 2 with Rudy Gobert out, and even though his frontcourt mate will be back on the floor Friday, the combination of Towns' salary and upside should still keep very popular.
Donte DiVincenzo, NYK ($7,400)
DiVincenzo has turned his play up a notch with 43.2 FD points across his last three postseason games, and his extremely hot hand in that stretch (53.3 percent three-point shooting) should keep him very popular at his salary.
Key Values
Isaiah Hartenstein, NYK vs. IND ($7,000)
Hartenstein has been a force down low with Mitchell Robinson sidelined, and with the latter now officially out the rest of the postseason, the former should continue to enjoy a solid allotment of minutes. Hartenstein has averaged 32.3 FD points per contest over his last 23 games dating all the way back to March 16, and he's coming off a playoff-high 42.4 FD points in Wednesday's Game 2 win. Hartenstein has the upside to clear 30 FD points in any given game, and the matchup against a Pacers team now allowing 55.7 percent shooting to centers should continue to yield dividends of the big man.
Aaron Gordon, DEN at MIN ($6,200)
Gordon is enjoying a strong postseason overall, averaging 31.7 FD points on 54.8 percent shooting in Denver's seven playoff games thus far. Gordon has put up 26.6 and 29.8 FD points in the first two games of the current series, shooting a crisp 60.0 percent, including 50.0 percent from three-point range, despite a tough matchup on paper against the Timberwolves. Rudy Gobert's return from a one-game absence for personal reasons will make life more difficult for the Nuggets' frontcourt overall, but Gordon's steady production this postseason and 30-plus FD-point upside makes him very viable at his salary.
T.J. McConnell, IND vs. NYK ($5,300)
McConnell has turned it up over the Pacers' last three playoff games, averaging 36.5 FD points on 16.0 points, 8.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per contest, along with blistering 61.8 percent. McConnell is averaging an encouraging 11.3 shot attempts over just 22.7 minutes per game in that span, making him quite the potential bargain at his salary. McConnell's hot hand and the fact the Knicks have given up a robust 28.3 assists per contest in their last three playoff games as well, furthering McConnell's case.
ALSO CONSIDER: Obi Toppin, IND vs. NYK ($5,100)
