We have a typically robust Friday night nine-game slate of NBA Cup Group Play action, and there are plenty of elevated totals and intriguing matchups to work with. The injury report is also relatively light within the context of the size of the slate, making it a solid all-around night for DFS roster construction.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, Nov. 21 @12:00 p.m. ET:
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers (-13.5) (O/U: 239.5)
Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors (-13.5) (O/U: 239.5)
Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics (-15.5) (O/U: 222.5)
Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls (-2.5) (O/U: 249.5)
New Orleans Pelicans at Dallas Mavericks (-4) (O/U: 233.5)
Minnesota Timberwolves (-4.5) at Phoenix Suns (O/U: 233.5)
Denver Nuggets at Houston Rockets (-2.5) (O/U: 234.5)
Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors (-7.5) (O/U: 238.0)
Oklahoma City Thunder (-16.5) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 234.5)
Friday's betting landscape is a true mixed bag, as we have a trio of double-digit favorites, but eight of the nine games on the slate carry totals north of 233 points as well. Therefore, we should be in for plenty of rewarding individual performances, which means taking down tournaments is going to require very elevated cumulative scoring.
On paper, the best overall DFS environment is clearly the Heat-Bulls clash, given the astronomical total and the fact both teams play at a top-seven pace.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Anthony Davis, DAL (calf): OUT
In Davis' ongoing absence, P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall should continue to be primary beneficiaries.
Alex Sarr, WAS (toe): QUESTIONABLE
If Sarr is sidelined Friday, Tristan Vukevic and Anthony Gill may handle the majority of minutes at center..
Shaedon Sharpe, POR (calf): QUESTIONABLE
In Sharpe isn't able to go Friday, Siddy Cissoko and Kris Murray are likely to continue absorbing plenty of shooting guard minutes, whle the remainder of the starting five will see elevated usage.
Darius Garland, CLE (toe): QUESTIONABLE
If Garland is sidelined again, Dononan Mitchell will continue to see additional ball-handling opportunities and Craig Porter could also be in line for a minutes increase.
Other notable injuries:
Tyler Herro, MIA (ankle): OUT
Jalen Williams, OKC (wrist): OUT
Andrew Wiggins, MIA (hip): OUT
Kelly Oubre, PHI (knee): OUT
Grayson Allen, PHO (quadriceps): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (finger): QUESTIONABLE
Jaden McDaniels, MIN (wrist): QUESTIONABLE
Jrue Holiday, POR (calf): QUESTIONABLE
Jabari Smith, HOU (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Aaron Gordon, DEN (hamstring): PROBABLE
Jerami Grant, POR (illness): PROBABLE
Jimmy Butler, GSW (back): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have two players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,800) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,000).
Jokic does have a tough on-paper matchup against the Rockets. However, he's been even more prolific than usual over his last six games, scoring over 63 FD points in five of those contests while churning out four triple-doubles.
Gilgeous-Alexander does carry a bit of risk due to the Thunder being 16.5-point favorites against the Jazz, but he gets a very appealing on-paper matchup and checks into it having scored over 50 FD points in five of the last six games.
Go to RotoWire's NBA Daily Starting Lineups and NBA News for up-to-the-minute information!
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Alperen Sengun, HOU ($9,900)
Sengun has scored 52.7 to 68.5 FD points in his last three games, which should make him very popular at his salary Friday.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE ($9,400)
Mitchell had a bit of a downturn his last time out with 29.6 FD points, but he'd scored 45.5 or more in the eight games prior and therefore carries a very appealing ceiling for his salary.
Deni Avdija, POR ($9,400)
Avdija went off for 67.7 FD points against the Bulls in his most recent game Wednesday, and his clear 50-plus FD-point ceiling should make him a coveted player at his salary.
Josh Giddey, CHI ($9,300)
Giddey will be an integral part of the game with the highest projected total of the slate by far, and he checks into it averaging 47.9 FD points per contest on the season.
Julius Randle, MIN ($9,000)
Randle has scored 47.7 to 54.1 FD points in four of his last five games and will be a big part of a competitive matchup against the Suns, which should lead to a high roster rate.
Key Values
Norman Powell, MIA at CHI ($7,300)
Powell's salary is a bit higher than what I would typically stick to in this section, but the sharpshooting veteran is a warranted exception Friday. The projected total of 249.5 points for the Heat-Bulls clash is the first factor that makes him stand out, and his overall body of work also plays a significant part. Powell checks in averaging a career-high 25.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists, and he's also tying his career best with 1.2 steals per contest. Additionally, he's draining a career-high 49.5 percent, including 47.0 percent from behind the arc, and he checks in averaging 36.3 FD points per game over the last seven. Powell encouragingly put up 38.7 FD points in 28 minutes against the Warriors on Wednesday despite Bam Adebayo's return to the floor, and Friday, he's facing a Bulls team surrendering the fourth-most FD points to shooting guards in the last seven games (47.4).
Jakob Poeltl, TOR vs. WAS ($6,300)
Poeltl has picked up the pace considerably after an uneven start to the season, averaging 34.1 FD points over the last six games on the strength of 16.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per contest. The big man is always a threat for a double-double, and although his blocks are considerably down (0.5 per game) in the early going compared to prior seasons, he's facing a Wizards team that's allowing an Eastern Conference-high 6.1 per game at home. Washington is also conceding the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (38.4), as well as the second-most FD points per game to the position on the season (64.7).
Naz Reid, MIN at PHO ($5,800)
Reid has had his share of clunkers over the first month, but he's checking into Friday running hot with an average of 38.5 FD points over his last four games. The veteran big man has gotten to that figure by putting up 20.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals per contest in that span while shooting 55.2 percent, including a blistering 48.3 percent from behind the arc. Reid is averaging a solid 24.3 minutes per game off the bench as well, and he's facing a Suns team ranked No. 19 in offensive efficiency surrendered to second-unit players (46.5).
ALSO CONSIDER: Ajay Mitchell, OKC at UTA ($6,100); Davion Mitchell, MIA at CHI ($5,700)
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