This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for the last slate of the calendar year, and in somewhat fitting fashion given recent circumstances, it's another one that will be significantly impacted by COVID-19 absences. Several big names remain out as a result of health and safety protocols, with the top end of the salary scale particularly affected. However, there's still a solid number of high-end options to choose from and a healthy allotment of value plays due to the significant amount of sidelined players.
Slate Overview
Miami Heat (-3.5) at Houston Rockets (O/U: 217.5 points)
Los Angeles Clippers at Toronto Raptors (-7) (O/U: 210.5 points)
Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers (-1) (O/U: 215.5 points)
New York Knicks (-5.5) at Oklahoma City Thunder (O/U: 205.5 points)
San Antonio Spurs at Memphis Grizzlies (-6) (O/U: 225.5 points)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Utah Jazz (-10.5) (O/U: 222.5 points)
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers (-5.5) (O/U: 229.5 points)
Oddsmakers are clearly projecting a largely competitive slate, with only the Jazz qualifying as a truly heavy favorite against a Timberwolves team still expected to be without D'Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Another eye-catching spread is that attached to the Raptors, which are listed as the second-largest favorite. Toronto is expected to potentially get at least another starter back, while the Clippers continue to roll out an offensively challenged squad without Paul George, Ivica Zubac and potentially Reggie Jackson, who's listed as questionable.
One especially encouraging sign for DFS is the amount of expected offense with three games projected over 220, so there's a decent chance of some prolific individual scores - especially in tonight's finale between the equally depleted Blazers and Lakers.
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.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
In Towns' expected absence, Naz Reid and Greg Monroe could handle the majority of minutes at center.
LeBron James, LAL (abdomen): PROBABLE
James is fully expected to play through his ongoing abdomen issue and should see even more elevated usage than usual with Anthony Davis (knee) out.
Fred VanVleet, TOR (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
VanVleet cleared protocols Thursday and was able to practice, setting up his likely return.
Dejounte Murray, SAN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
In Murray's expected absence, Tre Jones could see a start at point guard while Derrick White and the remaining members of the starting five would see significant bumps in usage.
Julius Randle, NYK (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Randle's absence could lead to a start for Obi Toppin or Kevin Knox at power forward and elevated usage for the remaining members of the first unit.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Gilgeous-Alexander sits, Theo Maledon and Ty Jerome would likely handle the bulk of point guard duties.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Butler is unable to suit up, Caleb Martin should draw the start at small forward.
Anthony Edwards, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): QUESTIONABLE
Edwards cleared protocols Tuesday and stated at Thursday's practice he expects to play. His usage should be particularly elevated while he's on the floor considering Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell are both expected to remain out.
Other notable injuries:
Paul George, LAC (elbow): OUT
Anthony Davis, LAL (knee): OUT
Kyle Lowry, MIA (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
D'Angelo Russell, MIN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
John Collins, ATL (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Kevin Huerter, ATL (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Darius Garland, CLE (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Scottie Barnes, TOR (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
Jae'Sean Tate, HOU (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Evan Mobley, CLE (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
OG Anunoby, TOR (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
Bam Adebayo, MIA (thumb): OUT
Ricky Rubio, CLE (knee): OUT
Duncan Robinson, MIA (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Josh Giddey, OKC (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Dillon Brooks, MEM (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Reggie Jackson, LAC (COVID-19 protocols): GTD
Mike Conley, UTA (rest): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic, POR (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Bogdan Bogdanovic, ATL (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
CJ McCollum, POR (chest): OUT
Dewayne Dedmon, MIA (knee): OUT
Elite Players
We have one player with a five-figure salary slated to be active on Friday's slate – LeBron James ($11,200).
James is now averaging 51.5 FD points per contest on the season after rattling off scores between 61.8 and 70.1 over his last four games. His usage rate without Anthony Davis on the floor now stands at 31.3 percent and he's also averaging 53.9 FD points per 36 minutes without his star teammate.
Two players with salaries in the high four-figures also capable of delivering elite production are Russell Westbrook ($9,800) and Trae Young ($9,700).
Westbrook has posted at least 41 FD points and as many as 53.6 in the last six contests and sports a 29.5 percent usage rate without Davis on the floor.
Young boasts a mammoth 39.5 percent usage rate and averages 47.7 FD points per 36 minutes with the trio of John Collins, Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic off the floor - and all are slated to miss out today. He's also facing a depleted Cavs backcourt that will be without both Darius Garland and Ricky Rubio.
Expected Chalk
In addition to the players just mentioned in the previous section, other likely chalk plays include:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC ($9,400)
SGA's status will have to be monitored due to his ankle issue, but he'll be popular if available after producing 43 to 63.2 FD points in his last five outings.
Ja Morant, MEM ($9,300)
Morant is coming off a 62-FD-point tally against the Lakers, which should make him even more popular than usual.
Rudy Gobert, UTA ($9,100)
Gobert offers the safest floor of any center on the slate and is averaging 42.5 FD points for the campaign. He's also in a highly favorable matchup against a T-Wolves team already susceptible to centers and missing Towns down low.
Damian Lillard, POR ($9,100)
Lillard has posted a pair of tallies over 50 FD points in his last five appearances and is in arguably the most favorable matchup in the league for point guards versus the Lakers.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($8,400)
Edwards lists a 35.3 percent usage rate and averages 51.8 FD points per 36 minutes with Towns and Russell off the floor. So if he's announced as available and without a minutes restriction, he should be in plenty of lineups.
Marcus Morris, LAC ($6,900)
Morris is taking on a bulk of the Clippers' offensive responsibility due to multiple key absences and has dropped 38 and 40 FD points in his last two contests, which should make him very popular at his salary.
Other likely chalk: Tyler Herro, MIA ($6,700)
Key Values
Omer Yurtseven, MIA at HOU ($6,100)
Yurtseven should be set for another start and all the run he can handle tonight with the Heat's frontcourt still decimated by injury/COVID. The rookie has acquitted himself very well over his first two starts with 34.0 and 37.3 FD points. Yurtseven is averaging 30.5 FD points over his last five and has pulled down double-digit rebounds in six straight. The Rockets make for a favorable target as well, having allowed the third-highest offensive efficiency to centers (34.4 percent) along with the third-most FD points per game to the position (57.1). Houston is also yielding the fourth-most rebounds per home game (54.9), thereby furthering Yurtseven's prospects.
Malik Monk, LAL vs. POR ($5,300)
Monk is handling starting shooting guard duties for the time being and mostly thriving with the opportunity, posting 39.4 and 22.1 FD points with the first unit. He also accumulated 30.3 across a robust 35 minutes off the bench versus the Nets on Christmas Day. Monk draws a favorable matchup that could well allow him to deliver over 5x return on his current salary for the ninth time this season, considering the Trail Blazers have surrendered the seventh-highest offensive efficiency to shooting guards (22.1 percent) along with the second-most FD points per game to the position (42.9). What's more, Portland is allowing the second-highest three-point shooting percentage on the road (37.8), while Monk has taken 19 three-point attempts over the aforementioned three-game sample and is shooting an impressive 38.4 percent from distance since the start of last season.
Alec Burks, NYK at OKC ($5,200)
Burks appears to be back on the second unit for the time being, but he exploded for 47.8 FD points across 27 minutes off the bench against the Pistons on Wednesday. He's already managed over 5x return on his modest salary in 12 games this season, and the Thunder - who are ranked in the bottom-half in offensive efficiency allowed to second-unit players (41.8 percent) - could certainly facilitate another strong night. OKC is also giving up the seventh-highest three-point shooting percentage overall (36.2), while Burks is shooting a career-best 42.2 percent from behind the arc, including a blistering 55.3 percent over the last six outings.
ALSO CONSIDER: Mitchell Robinson, NYK at OKC ($5,500)
