There are four NBA games on Friday’s main slate. HOU is playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
This article was written on Thursday night. Any changes will be updated. Keep track of all the injury news at DK Network.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers ($9,600)
Darius Garland suffered an ankle injury on Wednesday and has been ruled out for this one. That means the offensive onus squarely lies on the shoulders of Mitchell. With Garland off the court this season, Mitchell has seen a slight uptick in usage rate to over 33%. This game has a healthy total of 235.5 with a tight spread of 1.5 points, so it should be competitive with Mitchell getting a full complement of minutes. Mitchell finished with 61.2 FPTS on Wednesday against the 76ers.
Other Options: James Harden ($9,800), Tyrese Maxey ($9,700), Trey Murphy III ($8,100), Brandon Ingram ($7,800), Andrew Nembhard ($7,200),
Value
Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls ($5,400)
Demin has been inconsistent this season, which isn’t surprising since most rookies have the same issue. The talent has flashed, though, and he’s shooting 39% from downtown, which was the main criticism of his game entering the league. Demin has gone over 30 FPTS 11 times with a high of 48.8 FPTS. Seven of those have come in the last 10 games. The matchup is a good one, as Chicago is third in pace and 26th in defensive rating. This game is also in Brooklyn, where Demin has been significantly better. The true shooting is 59% at home compared to 51% on the road while the offensive rating is 112 compared to 98 on the road.
Other Options: Jaylon Tyson ($5,200), Craig Porter Jr. ($4,800)
Forward
Stud
Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls ($8,900)
MPJ has failed to hit 40 FPTS only seven times this season, and four of those came in the first 10 games of the season. MPJ has emerged from the Nikola Jokic shadow and blossomed in Brooklyn. The usage rate is over 30% and he’s averaging 25.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 48% from the field and 84% from the line. As mentioned in the Demin section, Chicago is a fantasy-friendly matchup because the Bulls play fast and eschew defense.
Other Options: Scottie Barnes ($8,800), Pascal Siakam ($8,700)
Value
Johnny Furphy, Indiana Pacers vs. New Orleans Pelicans ($3,900)
Due to injuries for Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, Furphy has been a significant part of the rotation recently. He’s been great on the glass but it’s been the switch-ability on defense that has been most alluring for the coaches. He’s even been playing some small-ball center. Now, the playing time hasn’t been that consistent, as he’s played 20 and 16 minutes in two of the last five games, but in the other three, he received 26, 26 and 30 minutes. Furphy put up over 21 FPTS in four of those contests with a high of 32 FPTS. The risk/reward seems worth it to me.
Other Options: Collin Murray-Boyles ($5,800), Jalen Smith ($5,300), Jaylon Tyson ($5,200), Noah Clowney ($5,100), De’Andre Hunter ($5,100), Jabari Walker ($3,100) if Dominick Barlow is out
Center
Stud
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers ($9,200)
Embiid only played 25 minutes on Wednesday but that was due to blowout. In the prior 13 games, he received at least 30 minutes in all but two of those contests while playing 40 minutes once. Over that span, he finished with at least 40 FPTS in all but five contests with a high of 64.5 FPTS. He should be well-rested for this one and a 50-burger wouldn’t surprise me.
Other Options: Nic Claxton ($6,100)
Value
Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Clippers ($5,800)
Due to the Jakob Poeltl injury, CMB entered the rotation back in December. His impact was immediate thanks to his rebounding and defensive prowess. Since then, he’s gone over 30 FPTS four times with a 46.2 and 52.8 FPTS game. He literally stuffed the stat sheet in those contests, going for 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and three steals in one and 17 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three steals in the other. He’s been playing over 30 minutes, Poeltl is still out and I don’t see how this genie gets put back into the bottle.
Other Options: Jalen Smith ($5,300), Day’Ron Sharpe ($5,000), Yves Missi ($4,500)
