This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a modest-for-a-Friday six-game slate before an extremely busy Saturday prior to an idle Christmas Eve. There are noteworthy matchups across the board, and the very top end of the player pool is in good shape even with a handful of big-name injuries.
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.
We have what appears to be a mostly competitive night ahead if point spreads are any indication, as five of the six games carry lines of eight points or less. There is one outlier in the Wizards-Warriors battle, as Golden State carries a 12.5-point advantage on FanDuel Sportsbook as of late Friday morning. However, three of the other games are particularly intriguing for DFS purposes, as they carry spreads of 4.5 points or less.
Projected totals are even more encouraging, as all but one shows a figure of over 230 points. That includes a pair of tallies greater than 240, with the most appealing all-around DFS scenario clearly being the Suns-Kings tilt that sports a 3.5-point line and 243 projected points.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Luka Doncic, DAL (quadriceps): OUT
The absence of Doncic and Dante Exum (lower leg) will likely thrust Jaden Hardy into the main ball-handling role Friday and will lead to significant usage bumps for any starter.
Kyrie Irving, DAL (heel): OUT
Irving's absence should open the starting shooting guard role for either Seth Curry (back) or Tim Hardaway.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (calf): OUT
With Butler out for a second straight game, Jaime Jaquez could draw another start, and the remainder of the first unit should receive significant bumps in usage.
Jusuf Nurkic (personal): OUT
In Nurkic's absence, Chimezie Metu and Drew Eubanks should handle the majority of center duties for Phoenix.
Other notable injuries:
Dante Exum, DAL (lower leg): OUT
Bradley Beal, PHO (ankle): OUT
Draymond Green, GSW (suspension): OUT
Dereck Lively, DAL (ankle): OUT
Tari Eason, HOU (lower leg): QUESTIONABLE
Brandin Podziemski, GSW (back): QUESTIONABLE
De'Anthony Melton, PHI (thigh): QUESTIONABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (heel): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Joel Embiid ($12,900), Nikola Jokic ($12,200), Kevin Durant ($10,200), Devin Booker ($10,100) and Trae Young ($10,000).
Embiid's salary is rightfully through the roof, as he's coming off having scored 76.9 FD points against the Timberwolves on Wednesday and hasn't been under 65 in seven of his last eight games.
Jokic just scored 62 FD points against the Raptors Wednesday and could be in for a full workload Friday in what should be a competitive matchup with the Nets.
Durant will take the floor without a member of the Suns' de facto Big Three, as Jusuf Nurkic won't play Friday. That could lead to more rebounding opportunities for KD as he looks to extend his streak of tallies of over 40 FD points to 19 games.
Booker scored less than 40 FD points (39.1) Wednesday to snap a seven-game streak of eclipsing that figure, though he should be very busy Friday in what's projected to be a very competitive and high-scoring battle against the Kings.
Young faces a Heat team that will be without Jimmy Butler, and he's posted no fewer than 52.8 FD points in any of his last five games.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($9,900)
Fox topped 56 FD points in back-to-back games before generating 43.1 against Boston on Wednesday. He should carry elevated expectations again Friday based on the spread and projected total of the Kings-Suns matchup.
Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,700)
Sabonis was just under 40 FD points (39) against the Celtics last time out, but he should remain in plenty of lineups Friday based on the expected game environment and the fact the Suns will be without Jusuf Nurkic down low.
Scottie Barnes, TOR ($9,400)
Barnes has scored 50 FD points in consecutive appearances and at least 45.8 FD points in four straight, which should keep him in many lineups.
Bam Adebayo, MIA ($8,900)
Adebayo notched a somewhat disappointing 31.4 FD points against the Magic on Wednesday in the first game of Jimmy Butler's current absence, yet should still be popular in a favorable matchup.
Tyler Herro, MIA ($8,100)
Herro was the primary beneficiary of Butler's absence Wednesday with a tally of 44.1 FD points over 35 minutes, and he also furnished 35.6 in a tough matchup against the T-Wolves in his first game back from an extended absence due to an ankle injury.
Key Values
Jabari Smith, HOU vs. DAL ($6,600)
There will be plenty of value plays to consider on the Mavs side of the Dallas-Houston clash, but Smith shouldn't be overlooked at his salary against a decimated roster. He went off for a jaw-dropping 63.1 FD points against the Hawks on Wednesday on the strength of a 34-point, 13-rebound effort that also included four blocks. Smith has also produced tallies of 28, 35.9 and 38.5 FD points within his last six appearances. The Mavs will be without Dereck Lively (ankle) again Friday and already come in ranked 20th in offensive efficiency rating allowed to power forwards (27.3), while also allowing the second-most FD points per game to the position in the last seven games (56.3).
Tim Hardaway, DAL at HOU ($6,300)
As alluded to, there's no shortage of Dallas salary savers, but I feel Hardaway offers the best combination of safety and value. The veteran wing is already enjoying a remarkable season off the bench and should be in line for a start. Hardaway has offered a glimpse of his upside with totals of 35.7, 35.9 and 43.1 FD points within the last five games, and those have come in a second-unit role. Houston has been tough on shooting guards this season, but it's worth noting the Rockets have shown some cracks in their usually stout perimeter defense of late by giving up 39.5 percent three-point shooting over the last three matchups.
Jonathan Kuminga, GSW vs. WAS ($5,500)
Kuminga makes for an interesting pivot for tournaments off the numerous discounted Mavericks. The third-year pro is helping fill in for Draymond Green during his indefinite suspension, and he followed up a pair of quiet games by posting 33.4 FD points over 34 minutes against the Celtics on Tuesday. The Wizards-Warriors game carries the highest projected total of the night at 247 points, and Washington checks in allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (31.3) along with a robust 51.9 FD points per game to fours across the last 15 contests, enhancing Kuminga's appeal at a very reasonable salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Derrick Jones, DAL at HOU ($5,800); Grayson Allen, PHO at SAC ($5,700); Grant Williams, DAL at HOU ($5,300); Dillon Brooks, HOU vs. DAL ($5,200); Jaden Hardy, DAL at HOU ($4,900)
