This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
FanDuel is offering a nine-game slate on Friday for what should be a fun night of DFS action. The injury report also contains a few big names, so it could be important to identify value plays who could outperform their salaries.
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, Jan. 30 at 1:00 a.m. EST:
Los Angeles Lakers (-9) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 230.5)
Toronto Raptors at Orlando Magic (-1) (O/U: 220.5)
Sacramento Kings at Boston Celtics (-11.5) (O/U: 220.5)
Portland Trail Blazers at New York Knicks (-7.5) (O/U: 227.5)
Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Pelicans (-2.5) (O/U: 233.5)
Cleveland Cavaliers (-4) at Phoenix Suns (O/U: 224.5)
Los Angeles Clippers (-6) at Denver Nuggets (O/U: 211.5)
Brooklyn Nets at Utah Jazz (-2.5) (O/U: 227.5)
Detroit Pistons at Golden State Warriors (-1) (O/U: 225.5)
One of the more encouraging aspects of Friday's slate is that there's only one double-digit favorite with the Celtics possibly seeing their projected advantage narrow if/when Jaylen Brown - who's listed as doubtful - is ruled out. On the other hand, only two matchups list projected totals north of 230 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, LAL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Doncic were to sit, the rest of the starting five - led by LeBron James - will see significant usage boosts while Gabe Vincent could start at point guard.
Jaylen Brown, BOS (hamstring): DOUBTFUL
In Brown's likely absence, Hugo Gonzalez is likely set for a spot start while Payton Pritchard and Derrick White could be among the biggest beneficiaries for extra usage.
Deni Avdija, POR (back): QUESTIONABLE
If Avdija is out, Sidy Cissoko and Jerami Grant could handle most of the power forward minutes while Shaedon Sharpe could receive even more usage than usual.
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Should Leonard be sidelined, James Harden will take on ever more usage than usual while Kobe Sanders would be in line to start.
Other notable injuries:
Nikola Jokic, DEN (knee): OUT
Aaron Gordon, DEN (hamstring): OUT
Ja Morant, MEM (elbow): OUT
Evan Mobley, CLE (calf): OUT
Devin Booker, PHO (ankle): OUT
Lauri Markkanen, UTA (rest): OUT
Franz Wagner, ORL (ankle): OUT
Darius Garland, CLE (toe): OUT
Santi Aldama, MEM (knee): OUT
Jalen Green, PHO (hamstring): OUT
Cam Thomas, BKN (hamstring): OUT
Tre Johnson, WAS (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Austin Reaves, LAL (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Russell Westbrook, SAC (foot): QUESTIONABLE
Josh Hart, NYK (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries who have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Luka Doncic ($12,600), Cade Cunningham ($10,300) and Jaylen Brown ($10,000).
Doncic's status will have to be monitored. But if cleared to play, he'll look to exceed 60 FD points for the fifth time in the last six games.
Cunningham has exceeded 45 FD over three straight and four of five and should be in for a busy night matching up with Stephen Curry and the Warriors.
Brown appears unlikely to play through his hamstring injury.
Go to RotoWire's NBA Daily Starting Lineups and NBA News for up-to-the-minute information!
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Donovan Mitchell, CLE ($9,800)
Mitchell has cleared 40 FD from four consecutive outings, including three with at least 50 to lock him into an elevated roster rate.
Jamal Murray, DEN ($9,700)
Murray has been exceeded 41 FD through four straight and should once again be up for heavy minutes against the Clippers.
James Harden, LAC ($9,600)
Harden faces a favorable matchup against Murray and the Nuggets and could be taking the floor without Kawhi Leonard, factors that should ensure he's a popular pick on Friday.
Paolo Banchero, ORL ($9,300)
Banchero has erupted for 53 and 56.4 FD during his last two appearances while entering with a decent salary.
Stephen Curry, GSW ($9,300)
Curry has scored at least 26 actual points in three straight in a marquee matchup against the Pistons, which should lead to him getting on plenty of lineups.
Key Values
Jaylon Tyson, CLE at PHO ($6,300)
Tyson comes into Friday hot having averaged 30.6 FD on the strength of 18.3 points (on 52.8 percent shooting, including 53.6 from behind the arc), 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He's also drawn eight straight starts and should be set for even more usage than usual with both Evan Mobley and Darius Garland sidelined. Tyson is also averaging 40.2 FD points per 36 minutes with both teammates off the floor to potentially overdeliver on his reasonable salary against a shorthanded Suns squad.
Nic Claxton, BKN at UTA ($6,100)
Claxton is susceptible to the occasional scoring dip, but still checks off boxes in other areas averaging 29.3 FD across 11 appearances while generating a modest 10.0 points during that span. He's complementing that with 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 blocks over 28.7 minutes a night. Claxton draws a premium matchup on Friday against a Jazz side surrendering a Western Conference-high 58.5 FD per game to centers during the last 15 along with the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to the position overall (36.1). They're also conceding 52.2 points in the paint per home matchup, where Claxton is scoring 76.4 percent of his offense.
Cam Spencer, MEM at NOP ($5,900)
Spencer will continue to run with the first unit on Friday as Ja Morant (elbow) remains out and draws an appealing matchup against a Pelicans team giving up 50.5 FD per game to point guards through the last 30 games and the second-most average assists overall (28.7). He's a talented distributor who's provided seven double-digit assist tallies while averaging 29.2 FD over his last 10. Spencer's shooting efficiency is always a concern, yet he's draining 66.7 percent of his shots during three meetings against New Orleans - including 69.2 from deep.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jock Landale, MEM at NOP ($6,000); Tobias Harris, DET at GSW ($5,600)
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