This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Following a busy Thursday night, we're treated to a much more subdued Friday slate that features a modest five games. However, there are some big-name injuries hanging over the night, so keeping close tabs on RotoWire's news feed will be key to setting viable lineups, be it for cash games or tournaments.
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, Feb. 27 at 12:30 a.m. EST:
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons (-6) (O/U: 225.5)
Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics (-17.5) (O/U: 208.5)
New York Knicks (-8) at Milwaukee Bucks (O/U: 221.5)
Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas Mavericks (-6) (O/U: 236.5)
Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder (-8.5) (O/U: 231.5)
We don't have an ideal set of betting metrics by any means Friday, but four of the five games are projected to be reasonably competitive. Additionally, both the Grizzlies-Mavericks and Nuggets-Thunder clashes particularly have a chance of featuring some rewarding individual performances for DFS purposes.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE (groin): OUT
In Mitchell's ongoing absence, Sam Merrill could draw another start at shooting guard, while the rest of the starting five will be in for significant bumps in usage.
James Harden, CLE (thumb): QUESTIONABLE
If Harden misses a second straight game, Dennis Schroder will likely draw another start at point guard.
Jamal Murray, DEN (illness): QUESTIONABLE
If Murray is out Friday, Bruce Brown could draw a spot start, while Nikola Jokic will be primed for even more usage than usual.
Jalen Williams, OKC (hamstring): OUT
In Williams' absence, Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins could handle the majority of small forward minutes, while the returning Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren will see even more usage than usual.
Other notable injuries:
Cooper Flagg, DAL (foot): OUT
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (calf): OUT
Ja Morant, MEM (elbow): OUT
Santi Aldama, MEM (knee): OUT
Aaron Gordon, DEN (hamstring): OUT
Jayson Tatum, BOS (Achilles): OUT
Cedric Coward, MEM (knee): OUT
Daniel Gafford, DAL (ankle): OUT
Ty Jerome, MEM (thigh): DOUBTFUL
Dennis Schroder, CLE (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
P.J. Washington, DAL (ankle): DOUBTFUL
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries healthy enough to play on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,600), Cade Cunningham ($11,500), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,200) and Jaylen Brown ($10,000).
Jokic could take the floor without Jamal Murray on Friday, and he has tallies of 63.3 and 87 FD points in two of his last three games. However, he does have a tough overall matchup against the Thunder.
Cunningham is averaging a stellar 60.2 FD points in his last six games, a stretch where he's shooting a blistering 43.8 percent from three-point range.
Gilgeous-Alexander is off the injury report after a nine-game absence, and despite the potential for at least a slight minutes restriction, he has the advantage of even more projected usage than usual due to the absence of Jalen Williams (hamstring).
Brown has eclipsed 45 FD points in three straight games, and he's facing a Nets squad that he lit up for 58 FD points in his most recent meeting with.
Go to RotoWire's NBA Daily Starting Lineups and NBA News for up-to-the-minute information!
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Kevin Porter, MIL ($9,600)
Porter has averaged 47.6 FD points across his last nine games and will continue working without Giannis Antetokounmpo on Friday, factors that should lock in a high roster rate.
James Harden, CLE ($9,200)
Harden's status will have to be monitored due to his thumb injury, but if he's available, he should be very popular considering Donovan Mitchell will remain sidelined.
Jalen Brunson, NYK ($8,800)
Brunson draws a favorable positional matchup and has three tallies of over 52 FD points in the last nine games, which should lead to him getting into plenty of lineups.
Jalen Duren, DET ($8,300)
Duren is averaging 49.0 FD points over his first three games back from suspension, which should ensure he's highly rostered at his salary.
Ryan Rollins, MIL ($7,800)
Rollins is averaging 39.5 FD points in his last four games while shooting 56.0 percent from three-point range in that span, affording him significant upside at his salary.
Key Values
Brandon Williams, DAL vs. MEM ($6,000)
Williams put together another solid outing off the bench Thursday against the Kings, recording 25.6 FD points. That followed a similarly productive 15-game run, where Williams averaged 26.1 FD points across 22.2 minutes per contest while shooting 57.3 percent overall. Williams exceeded 30 FD points on three occasions over that span, offering glimpse at his ability to deliver over 5x return on his current salary. He'll be involved in a dependable role in what could be the best game environment of the night Friday while facing a Grizzlies squad that's ranked No. 21 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to point guards, and that's conceded the seventh-most assists per road game (28.1).
Javon Small, MEM at DAL ($5,300)
Small has seemingly hit his stride with some expanded opportunity in recent games, as he's put up 12.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.0 steals across 24.7 minutes in his last nine games. The rookie second-round pick also shot 50.6 percent, including 51.4 percent from behind the arc, during that sample, while averaging a solid 27.5 FD points. The West Virginia product recorded 29.2 FD points across 28 minutes against the Warriors in a spot start Wednesday, and with Cedric Coward still out Friday, Small may well have earned himself another start. Additionally, the Mavericks have yielded the sixth-most FD points to shooting guards in the last 15 games (44.6), along with the third-most made threes per contest (14.3).
Sam Merrill, CLE at DET ($4,100)
Merrill is admittedly best left for tournaments due to the volatility in his production, but the sharpshooter is in line to draw another start Friday due to Donovan Mitchell's ongoing absence. Merrill delivered 20 FD points in such a capacity Wednesday against the Bucks, providing 14 points, five rebounds and two assists while taking 13 field-goal attempts. Three turnovers and an uncharacteristically ragged 2-for-8 showing from behind the arc capped his overall production, but Merrill's salary also remains near minimum, offsetting some of the risk. The Pistons present a tough defensive matchup overall, but Detroit has been more vulnerable on the perimeter recently while allowing a league-high 17.7 made threes per contest in the last three.
ALSO CONSIDER: GG Jackson, MEM at DAL ($6,300)
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