After Thursday featured 12 games, we're down to a more modest five on Friday. While that leaves us with a solid player pool, there are several big names on the injury report affecting upper tier options.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, Dec. 19 @12:00 p.m. EST:
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (-6.5) (O/U: 230.5)
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks (-4.5) (O/U: 228.5)
San Antonio Spurs (-3) at Atlanta Hawks (O/U: 240.5)
Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers (-7) (O/U: 240.5)
Oklahoma City Thunder (-7) at Minnesota Timberwolves (O/U: 233.5)
It's an encouraging betting picture on Friday with no double-digit favorites (or even close to one) and projected totals promising plenty of strong individual performances. The pair of 240-plus figures are especially enticing with the best overall environment being Spurs-Hawks even with Trae Young ruled out.
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 (illness): QUESTIONABLE
If Mitchell isn't able to play, Lonzo Ball and Craig Porter may handle most of the shooting guard minutes while the remainder of the starting five will see significant usage increase.
Anthony Edwards, MIN (foot): QUESTIONABLE
If Edwards can't go, Bones Hyland could draw another spot start while the likes of Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels could be set for more opportunity.
Joel Embiid, PHI (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Should Embiid be unavailable, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George figure to be the biggest beneficiaries with Andre Drummond probably starting.
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Towns is sidelined, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby will also benefit from more opportunity while Mitchell Robinson would start.
Trae Young, ATL (knee/injury management): OUT
In Young's confirmed absence, Nickeil Alexander-Walker should start at point guard while Jalen Johnson will continue to get more usage.
Other notable injuries:
Evan Mobley, CLE (calf): OUT
Kelly Oubre, PHI (knee): OUT
Kristaps Porzingis, ATL (illness): OUT
Tyler Herro, MIA (toe): QUESTIONABLE
Isaiah Hartenstein, OKC (rest): QUESTIONABLE
OG Anunoby, NYK (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Josh Hart, NYK (abdomen): QUESTIONABLE
Tre Jones, CHI (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
Ayo Dosunmu, CHI (thumb): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Victor Wembanyama ($11,800), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,700), Jalen Johnson ($10,600) and Tyrese Maxey ($10,400).
Wembanyama will continue coming off the bench Friday as his ramp-up from a long absence continues, though he's still delivered 39.8 and 40.6 FD points during his first two games back.
SGA just went off for 60.4 FD against the Clippers on Thursday and hung 64.2 on the Timberwolves when they met last month.
Johnson will be taking the floor without Trae Young and just racked up 71.4 FD against the Hornets on Thursday when the star guard was available on limited minutes.
Maxey may be operating without Joel Embiid on Friday and should be refreshed coming off a two-game absence due to illness.
Go to RotoWire's NBA Daily Starting Lineups and NBA News for up-to-the-minute information!
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($9,900)
Brown has seen a significant salary bump due to averaging 53.6 FD over his last nine outings, but that still makes him a potential bargain on a point-per-dollar basis.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE ($9,700)
If Mitchell is cleared to play through his illness, he should retain his usual level of popularity - especially with Evan Mobley sidelined.
Josh Giddey, CHI ($9,600)
Giddey has scored over 50 FD during two of his last three matchups and always carries that level of upside to keep him very popular on a smaller slate.
Jalen Brunson, NYK ($9,400)
Brunson may once again go without KAT on Friday. And when combined with him going over 41 FD in six straight, he'll likely be on plenty of rosters.
Paul George, PHI ($7,300)
George could prove quite the value at this salary after averaging 36 FD from his last four games and would hold even more appeal if Embiid is eventually ruled out.
Key Values
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, ATL vs. SAN ($6,000)
Alexander-Walker is due for another spot start Friday with Trae Young already ruled out on the second night of a back-to-back. He remained productive Thursday during Young's limited return with 37.6 FD on the strength of 28 points in 34 minutes. NAW had previously averaged 35 FD during his 16-game starting tenure, a stretch where he shot a blistering 41.9 percent from behind the arc. The Spurs' perimeter defense has been spotty allowing 37.1 percent and 51.1 FD per game to PGs in the last seven.
Devin Vassell, SAN at ATL ($5,900)
Vassell continues to provide steady production as a starting small forward averaging 31.8 FD from his last 14 games via 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals. He's also shooting an elite 44.4 percent from deep and will once again operate as an integral piece of an attack in what could be Friday's best scoring environment. Atlanta has been reasonably effective at limiting long-range shooting for most of the season, yet they're conceding a 44.5 percent success rate over the last three games while allowing an Eastern Conference-high 50.5 FD to small forwards in the last 15.
Ajay Mitchell, OKC at MIN ($5,100)
Mitchell has been inconsistent, but comes into Friday with an average of 29.8 FD from his last three matchups. The reserve guard is clocking a solid 24 minutes during that sample with 26.3 overall. Mitchell is also hot shooting 50.0 percent on the season and should have plenty of opportunity Friday to deliver at least a 5x return on current salary for the 20th time.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jaylon Tyson, CLE vs. CHI ($6,000); Jarrett Allen, CLE vs. CHI ($6,100)
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