After scoring 95 combined points in 2 games, Suns guard Devin Booker is listed as an elite play
We go from one extreme to the other following Thursday’s one-game slate with 11 games on Friday’s docket. As of early this morning, the good news is the majority of the matchups are projected to be fairly competitive, and we even have a quartet north of 230 points. However, there’s also an extensive injury report with many significant names on it, making it particularly important to monitor news on RotoWire leading up to tip-off.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire’s NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Anthony Davis, LAL (back): Probable
Davis was able to play through his probable tag and produced 52.9 FD points in only 29 minutes against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday and is expected to fill his usual role Friday.
LeBron James, LAL (adductor): Probable
James continues to play through his probable designation without issue and should be there alongside Davis.
Tyrese Haliburton, IND (groin): Questionable
If Haliburton sits, the usage for the remainder of the starting five should rise significantly while T.J. McConnell could draw a start at point guard.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (knee): Questionable
If Butler misses another game, the rest of the starting five should continue to see elevated usage while Caleb Martin should remain a starter.
Tobias Harris, PHI (illness): Questionable
If Harris can’t go, Danuel House and Matisse Thybulle could handle the majority of small forward minutes.
Brandon Ingram, NOP (toe): Out
In Ingram’s ongoing absence, Devonte’ Graham and Dyson Daniels will likely cover the majority of shooting guard minutes.
CJ McCollum, NOP (conditioning): Probable
If McCollum is able to return from a four-game absence, he’ll jump right back into an elevated role with Brandon Ingram and Herbert Jones both out.
Clint Capela, ATL (ankle): Questionable
If Capela sits, Onyeka Okongwu would be due for a start at center.
Other notable injuries:
CJ McCollum, NOP (conditioning): Probable
Tyler Herro, MIA (ankle): Probable
Khris Middleton, MIL (wrist): Probable
Jamal Murray, DEN (quadriceps): Probable
Ben Simmons, BKN (knee): Out
James Harden, PHI (foot): Out
LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle): Out
Chris Paul, PHO (heel): Out
Desmond Bane, MEM (toe): Out
Wendell Carter, ORL (foot): Out
Jalen Suggs, ORL (ankle): Out
Tyrese Maxey, PHI (foot): Out
Jarrett Allen, CLE (back): Out
Jakob Poeltl, SAN (knee): Out
John Collins, ATL (ankle): Out
Michael Porter, DEN (heel): Out
Herbert Jones, NOP (ankle): Out
Gordon Hayward, CHA (shoulder): Out
Elite Players
We have eight players with five-figure salaries on Friday’s slate: Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000), Joel Embiid ($11,500), Nikola Jokic ($11,200), Anthony Davis ($11,000), Jayson Tatum ($10,800), Kevin Durant ($10,600), Stephen Curry ($10,300), Devin Booker ($10,200) and LeBron James ($10,100).
Antetokounmpo has posted over 60 FD points in two of the last three games and just narrowly missed scoring at least 50 FD in five straight.
Embiid has produced 58.1 and 43.2 FD points in his first two back from a foot injury across an average of only 31.5 minutes. He could potentially take the floor without Tobias Harris (illness) in addition to Tyrese Maxey (foot).
Jokic flashes a 50-FD-point floor most nights and will be facing an injury-hampered Hawks frontcourt Friday.
Davis hasn’t posted any less than 52.9 FD points in the last eight games and is probable to keep playing through his lower-back tightness.
Tatum’s MVP-caliber season continued with a 71.7 FD-point haul against the Heat on Wednesday, and he’ll face Miami again with Erik Spoelstra’s squad still likely to be severely shorthanded.
Durant has managed over 50 FD points in three of the last four games while shooting a sizzling 62.1 percent, including 42.3 percent from distance over that span.
Curry has been under 50 FD points in four games since he racked up 76.7 against the Rockets, but he’ll be facing a Bulls team that’s allowed the second-highest three-point percentage in the league (37.9).
Booker has gone off for 71.6 and 65.8 FD points in the last two games, and now faces a Rockets side allowing the fifth-most points per game (116.6).
James has scored over 50 FD points in two of his last three games while working well together with Anthony Davis.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Ja Morant($9,900)
Morant has topped 50 FD points in two of his last four games, a stretch that includes a double-double and triple-double.
Trae Young ($9,800)
Young has recorded 49 to 51.4 FD points in three of the last four and comes into Friday’s favorable matchup against the Nuggets with three straight double-doubles.
Tyrese Haliburton ($9,600)
If Haliburton can play through his questionable tag, he should be very popular considering he’s managed between 43.5 to 62.7 FD points in his last three non-injury-shortened outings.
Kristaps Porzingis ($9,100)
Porzingis has averaged 60.5 FD points in his last two and just pulled down 19 rebounds against the Nets on Wednesday, which should help keep him in plenty of lineups.
Zion Williamson ($8,900)
Williamson has scored 52.6 and 66.5 FD points in his last two and eclipsed 50 in three of his last four overall while drawing an enticing matchup against the Spurs on Friday.
Key Values
Kelly Olynyk, Jazz vs. Pacers ($6,000)
Olynyk has exceeded 30 FD points in five of the last six, including four straight while topping out at 40.8. He’s scored no fewer than 26.2 in his last seven overall, and draws a matchup against a Pacers team that’s allowed the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (33.3), along with the third-most FD points per contest (58.3) to the position. Olynyk is shooting a career-best 55.8 percent, including 47.6 percent from three-point range, while Indiana is conceding the eighth-highest three-point shooting percentage (36.6).
Trey Murphy, Pelicans vs. Spurs ($5,700)
Murphy is slated to start at small forward with Herbert Jones sidelined, and has already recorded 34.2 and 37.5 FD points in the last two games as a starter. He also had a tally of 29.1 across 26 minutes off the bench three games ago and has scored at least 25.5 in 11 games. The talented second-year guard faces a Spurs side tied for the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating allowed to small forwards (23.4) and just under 40 FD points per game to the position.
Joe Harris, Nets vs. Raptors ($4,800)
There’s always a bit of risk in rostering Harris, whose shot has been atypically inefficient this year. However, the veteran guard’s long-distance prowess and his salary makes him an interesting candidate to deploy against a Raptors squad that’s given up the seventh-highest offensive efficiency to two-guards (23.7) and 42.8 FD points per game to the position. Harris has seen his minutes shoot up to 36 and 37 in the last two and parlayed that into tallies of 24.8 and 29.5 FD points, making him a potentially rewarding sub-$5K play.
Also consider: Jordan Clarkson ($6,600) & Grayson Allen ($4,600)
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Winner of the FSWA 2016 Newcomer of the Year Award, Juan Carlos Blanco has been playing fantasy sports for over 20 years and covers NBA, MLB, NFL, CFL and Arena Football for Rotowire.com, including serving as the beat writer for teams in multiple sports. He has previously written for KFFL.com and remains an avid season-long and daily fantasy player in multiple sports as well.
