This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for an eight-game slate Friday, which is actually somewhat smaller than usual for this night of the week. There are some especially big names on the injury report as well, which makes the potential for value particularly high if some of those potential absences come to pass.
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, 11/22 @ 10:00 a.m. ET:
Boston Celtics (-16) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 237.0)
Brooklyn at Philadelphia 76ers (-6) (O/U: 215.0)
Golden State Warriors (-10.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U: 223.0)
Portland Trail Blazers at Houston Rockets (-12.5) (O/U: 224.0)
Atlanta Hawks (-1.5) at Chicago Bulls (O/U: 246.0)
Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks (-5) (O/U: 236.0)
Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets (-3) (O/U: 226.5)
Sacramento Kings (-3) at Los Angeles Clippers (O/U: 220.5)
There is one particularly large outlier spread in that of the Celtics-Wizards clash and another pair of double-digit lines, but otherwise, it appears we're in store for a very competitive night.
Projected totals are particularly eye-catching in some instances, none more than the Hawks-Bulls battle that is inching toward 250 combined points. The fact that figure is combined with the tightest spread of the night could well make it the best game to focus on from a DFS perspective, but the Pacers-Bucks clash could be a close second.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Nikola Jokic, DEN (personal): QUESTIONABLE
If Jokic misses a fourth straight game, Dario Saric is likely to continue handling a starting role while the usage for the likes of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter will remain elevated.
Luka Doncic, DAL (wrist): OUT
In Doncic's absence, Kyrie Irving's usage should skyrocket, while Quentin Grimes, Spencer Dinwiddie and Jaden Hardy could all see extra minutes at point guard.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Ingram can't suit up, Antonio Reeves, who scored a career-high 34 points in Wednesday's loss to Cleveland, will likely draw another start at small forward.
Paul George, PHI (knee): OUT
In George's absence, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid should see even more usage than usual while Kelly Oubre potentially draws a start at small forward.
Anfernee Simons, POR (hand): QUESTIONABLE
If Simons doesn't play Friday, Scoot Henderson (quadricep) will get another start at point guard if he can play through his injury, with Dalano Blanton next in line if neither player can go.
Other notable injuries:
Dejounte Murray, NOP (hand): OUT
Norman Powell, LAC (hamstring): OUT
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee): OUT
Aaron Gordon, DEN (calf): OUT
Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (foot): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Khris Middleton, MIL (ankle): OUT
CJ McCollum, NOP (adductor): DOUBTFUL
Deandre Ayton, POR (finger): DOUBTFUL
Scoot Henderson, POR (quadricep): QUESTIONABLE
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (knee): PROBABLE
Stephen Curry, GSW (knee): PROBABLE
Cam Thomas, BKN (back): PROBABLE
Coby White, CHI (neck): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,500), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800), Joel Embiid ($10,800) and Jayson Tatum ($10,500).
Jokic has missed the last three games for personal reasons, and he averaged 73.9 FD points in the last four games he did suit up for. If he returns, he'll be well rested and shouldn't be on any minutes restrictions considering his absence has been relatively brief.
Antetokounmpo scored 98.4 FD points just four games ago and has since eclipsed 60 twice in the subsequent three games, giving him as high a ceiling as Jokic.
Embiid finally had his first signature game of the season Wednesday with 54.2 FD points against the Grizzlies and will have a chance at extra usage with Paul George sidelined.
Tatum will play in the game with the highest spread of the night by far, potentially limiting his minutes. He'll enter Friday having scored 60.8 and 59.9 FD points in two of his last three games.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Kyrie Irving, DAL ($9,600)
Irving comes into Friday having scored 32.2 FD points or less in three of his last four games, but he'll be set for a significant bump in usage with Doncic out and will therefore be very popular.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($9,300)
Fox will have both Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan back on the floor with him Friday, but his recent production, which includes three games over 55 FD points in his last four, should still keep him in plenty of lineups.
Alperen Sengun, HOU ($8,700)
Sengun has scored 50.4 to 54 FD points in three of his last four games, which should help lock in a high roster rate for him Friday.
Jamal Murray, DEN ($8,200)
Murray could once again take the floor without Jokic and scored over 40 FD points in two of his first three games without his star teammate.
Michael Porter, DEN ($7,600)
Porter has also benefited from Jokic's absence, scoring 47.7 FD points in his most recent game and hitting or exceeding 40 FD points in three of his last five games overall.
Key Values
Tari Eason, HOU vs. POR ($6,500)
Eason is in the early running for Most Improved Player with his performance off the bench for the Rockets, which includes a career-high 11.7 points , 2.2 steals and 1.1 blocks, along with career-best 52.7 percent shooting. The third-year pro has been especially effective of late, exceeding 40 FD points in two straight games and averaging 34.5 over his last seven contests overall. Eason's bench role is affording him minutes in the mid-20s on many nights, and he's facing a Trail Blazers squad allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (26.5), along with 50.3 FD points per game to the position in the last seven contests. Portland also happens to allow a Western Conference-high 51.5 offensive efficiency rating to second-unit players, furthering Eason's case.
P.J. Washington, DAL at DEN ($6,000)
While plenty of focus will naturally be on Kyrie Irving with Doncic out Friday, Washington is certainly another member of the Mavericks' starting five that has potential for a big increase in opportunity. The big man does have some volatility with respect to his production, but he scored 52.4 FD points two games ago against the Thunder and is averaging 55.8 FD points per 36 minutes with Luka off the floor thus far this season. The Nuggets are already without Aaron Gordon (calf) and could be down Jokic again in the frontcourt Friday and check in allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (28.8), along with 48.4 percent shooting and a league-high 54.5 FD points to fours in the last seven games.
Clint Capela, ATL at CHI ($5,600)
Capela still has plenty left in the tank in his age-30 season, and he'll come into Friday having scored over 33 FD points in both of his last two games. The veteran is averaging 32.2 FD points over his last six contests overall, a stretch where he's averaging a double-double of 13.5 points and 10.5 rebounds over a modest 22.5 minutes per game. Capela already recorded 34.3 FD points against these same Bulls during the first game in that sample, and Chicago is still allowing the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (35.6), along with the third-most FD points per contest to the position in the last seven games (65.0). Additionally, the Bulls are conceding an NBA-high 60.7 points in the paint per home game, an area of the floor where 84.7 percent of Capela's scoring originates from.
ALSO CONSIDER: Brook Lopez, MIL vs. IND ($6,400); Josh Giddey, CHI vs. ATL ($6,300); Klay Thompson, DAL at DEN ($5,600); Payton Pritchard, BOS at WAS ($5,200); Antonio Reeves, NO vs. GSW ($4,400)
