We're set for a typically robust Friday night slate, and although the injury report features some very big names, the player pool is more than large enough to withstand those absences. Being it's Friday, it's also another night of NBA Cup Group Play, meaning we'll watch all the likely high-scoring action and DFS sweats unfold in particularly colorful fashion!
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, Nov. 14 @12:00 p.m. ET:
Miami Heat at New York Knicks (-5.5) (O/U: 238.0)
Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic (-14) (O/U: 222.5)
Philadelphia 76ers at Detroit Pistons (-4.5) (O/U: 230.5)
Los Angeles Lakers (-9.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U: 227.5)
Sacramento Kings at Minnesota Timberwolves (-12.5) (O/U: 240.5)
Portland Trail Blazers at Houston Rockets (-8) (O/U: 236.5)
Charlotte Hornets at Milwaukee Bucks (-9.5) (O/U: 239.5)
Los Angeles Clippers (-3) at Dallas Mavericks (O/U: 219.5)
Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs (-2) (O/U: 235.5)
With all but two games sporting a single-digit spread and six of those contests carrying totals north of 230 points, there's an encouraging DFS outlook for the slate as a whole. The ideal game environments for our purposes could well turn out to be the Heat-Knicks clash, which has seen its total rise significantly since the open, and the Warriors-Spurs battle that serves as the nightcap, given the star power and the likely wire-to-wire conditions of each.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Cade Cunningham, DET (hip): QUESTIONABLE
If Cunningham can't play Friday, massive usage will open up for the rest of the starting five, Caris LeVert and Daniss Jenkins could be primary beneficiaries.
Anthony Davis, DAL (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Davis remains sidelined Friday, Naji Marshall should continue to enjoy expanded opportunity.
Jalen Brunson, NYK (ankle): OUT
In Brunson's absence Friday, Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek should handle the majority of point guard minutes, while the rest of the starting five will see plenty of additional usage.
Paolo Banchero, ORL (groin): OUT
In Banchero's absence, Jonathan Isaac and Tristan da Silva should handle power forward, while Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane should see usage increases.
Joel Embiid, PHI (knee): OUT
In Embiid's absence, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona should handle center minutes.
Other notable injuries:
LeBron James, LAL (back): OUT
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (ankle): OUT
Bam Adebayo, MIA (toe): OUT
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
Tyler Herro, MIA (ankle): OUT
Paul George, PHI (knee): OUT
Ausar Thompson, DET (ankle): OUT
Brandon Miller, CHA (shoulder): OUT
Domantas Sabonis, SAC (ribs): QUESTIONABLE
Jalen Duren, DET (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (knee): PROBABLE
LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Luka Doncic ($12,600), Victor Wembanyama ($12,400), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,300), Cade Cunningham ($10,800) and Tyrese Maxey ($10,000).
Doncic scored under 40 FD points for the first time this season his last time on the floor against the Thunder on Wednesday, but he's still averaging 61.6 FD points per contest and draws an enticing matchup against the Pelicans.
Wembanyama has bounced back from a subdued-by-his-standards three-game stretch to post 51.1 to 74.9 FD points in his last trio of contests, including 59 against the same Warriors team he'll face again Friday.
Antetokounmpo is expected to return from a one-game absence due to his lingering knee issue and has scored over 51 FD points in all but one game thus far this season.
If Cunningham is able to take the floor after a one-game absence, he'll be trying to put together an encore to an otherworldly 95.9 FD-point tally against the Wizards on Monday, one that pushed his season average to 51.7 FD points per contest.
Maxey has scored over 51 FD points in three of his last five games, and he'll once again take the floor without Joel Embiid on Friday.
Go to RotoWire's NBA Daily Starting Lineups and NBA News for up-to-the-minute information!
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,500)
Edwards has scored 42.3 to 53.2 FD points in his last three games and looks completely past his hamstring issues, which should help keep him highly rostered Friday.
Alperen Sengun, HOU ($9,400)
Sengun carries one of the safest floors in the upper echelon of the slate, as his average of 47.3 FD points per contest corroborates.
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,300)
Ball is expected to make his return from a five-game absence and is averaging 49.3 FD points per game on the season, which should make him extremely popular at his salary.
Julius Randle, MIN ($9,100)
Randle just scored a season-high 54.1 FD points against the Jazz on Monday and has put up at least 42.8 in all but one game this season, giving him the type of dependability that DFS players typically gravitate towards at his salary.
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK ($8,900)
Towns' typically elevated roster rate should see even more of a boost than usual due to the absence of Jalen Brunson, and the big man already checks in with three tallies of over 50 FD points in the last six contests as well.
Key Values
Shaedon Sharpe, POR at HOU ($6,300)
Sharpe is sporting an eye-catching salary given his upside, which he most recently demonstrated against the Pelicans on Wednesday by scoring 50.5 FD points over 30 minutes against the Pelicans. The talented wing also has a 41.4 FD-point tally on his resume already this season, and he's averaging 38.8 FD points over his last five games while shooting a crisp 55.2 percent over that span. Sharpe is averaging 17.4 shot attempts per contest in the sample as well, and although the Rockets do present a tough defensive matchup, Sharpe scored over 20 FD points in all three games against Ime Udoka's squad last season, including a tally of 33.1.
Kon Knueppel, CHA at MIL ($6,100)
Knueppel has proven quite the quick study at the NBA level, and the ongoing absence of Brandon Miller (shoulder) has afforded the rookie an ample amount of valuable minutes to help accelerate his learning curve. Knueppel has responded by taking ownership of the starting small forward role and providing 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest, while shooting a highly impressive 39.8 percent from three-point range. Knueppel has already eclipsed 41 FD points on three occasions – all within the last five games – and he's averaging 21.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per contest within the entirety of that span. The Bucks present as appealing targets Friday, as Milwaukee is allowing the fourth-most FD points per contest to small forwards (49.1), along with an Eastern Conference-high 29.6 offensive efficiency rating to the position.
Davion Mitchell, MIA at NYK ($5,500)
Mitchell comes into Friday's matchup against a short-handed Knicks backcourt already running hot, having averaged 30.3 FD points over his previous six games with the help of 52.9 percent shooting. Mitchell has a typically well-rounded line in that span that's partly propped up by four double-digit scoring efforts, as he's contributed 10.8 points, 7.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals per contest. The defensive-minded guard will once again be taking the floor without Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo on Friday, and he's facing a Knicks team surrendering 47.5 FD points per game to PGs, along with 2.0 steals per game to the position.
ALSO CONSIDER: Desmond Bane, ORL vs. BKN ($6,400); Brandon Williams, DAL vs. LAC ($5,400); Jabari Smith, HOU vs. POR ($5,400); Daniss Jenkins, DET vs. PHI ($4,500)
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