The NBA serves up an eight-game Halloween slate that also features the beginning of NBA Cup Group Play. There are a number of eye-catching matchups to kick the tournament off with, and no shortage of elevated offensive expectations. However, there are also several major names on the injury report, adding to the complexity of the night in terms of DFS roster-building strategy.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, Oct. 31 @12:00 p.m. ET:
Boston Celtics (-1) at Philadelphia 76ers (O/U: 233.0)
Atlanta Hawks (-2.5) at Indiana Pacers (O/U: 232.5)
Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers (-6.5) (O/U: 239.5)
New York Knicks (-5.5) at Chicago Bulls (O/U: 233.5)
Los Angeles Lakers at Memphis Grizzlies (-2) (O/U: 238.5)
Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns (-3) (O/U: 236.5)
Denver Nuggets (-4.5) at Portland Trail Blazers (O/U: 238.5)
New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Clippers (-11) (O/U: 223.5)
This may well prove to be the most DFS-friendly slate yet of the young season if projected totals prove to be reasonably accurate. It's exceedingly rare to see all but one game on a ledger of this size sporting totals comfortably over 230 points, but that's exactly the case Friday.
What's more, those numbers are paired with mostly narrow spreads that portend competitive games. Consequently, it will likely require very high scores to win FanDuel tournaments Friday, and diversifying one's player portfolio across multiple high-total games will most likely prove the most prudent strategy.
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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 (finger): QUESTIONABLE
If Doncic, whose upgrade to questionable status is somewhat of a surprise, is able to suit up Friday, he'd dent Austin Reaves' massive usage rate of the last three games to a degree.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
If Mitchell can't play Friday, the likes of Tyrese Proctor and Craig Porter may be called on to handle shooting guard minutes, while Evan Mobley's usage would particularly be in line for a sizable boost.
Trae Young, ATL (knee): OUT
In Young's absence, the usage of the remainder of the starting five should see a nice boost, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker is likely to draw a start at point guard.
Jamal Murray, DEN (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Murray isn't able to play, Bruce Brown and Jalen Pickett may handle the majority of point guard minutes.
Other notable injuries:
LeBron James, LAL (back): OUT
Paul George, PHI (knee): OUT
Darius Garland, CLE (toe): OUT
Jalen Green, PHO (hamstring): OUT
Bennedict Mathurin, IND (toe): OUT
Andrew Nembhard, IND (shoulder): OUT
Coby White, CHI (calf): OUT
Dillon Brooks, PHO (groin): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (finger): QUESTIONABLE
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK (quadriceps): PROBABLE
Shaedon Sharpe, POR (quadriceps): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have two players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Nikola Jokic ($12,200) and Luka Doncic ($11,700).
Jokic has opened the season scoring 54.4 FD points or more in each of his first four games, and Friday's Nuggets-Trail Blazers clash has a projected total of 238.5 points, tying it for second highest of the night.
Doncic remains questionable to play, but if he's cleared, he's certainly capable of delivering a strong return on his current salary, especially in the ongoing absence of LeBron James.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Austin Reaves, LAL ($9,800)
Reaves' usage would take a hit if Doncic is active, but the former should still be very popular after racing out to an average of 57.5 FD points per contest over his first five games.
Pascal Siakam, IND ($9,500)
The Pacers are still dealing with numerous key injuries and Siakam has scored 64 and 50.1 FD points in his last two, factors that should make him very popular at his salary Friday.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($9,500)
Maxey is enjoying massive usage and minutes, and he's posted over 59 FD points in three of his first four games.
Devin Booker, PHO ($9,300)
Booker has taken it up a notch over the last two games by scoring 56 and 44.3 FD points, likely making him very popular at his salary.
Jalen Johnson, ATL ($8,500)
Johnson has scored 44.7 and 39.9 FD points in his last two games and will be set for a boost in usage with Trae Young out, factors that should ensure he's highly rostered Friday.
Key Values
Jrue Holiday, POR vs. DEN ($6,800)
With so many high-scoring games and some key injuries at play, there's plenty to like in terms of value Friday. Holiday isn't sporting anything resembling a bargain-bin salary, but he is a very viable sub-$7K option after scoring 33.5 to 47 FD points in his first five games. The latter figure came in his most recent contest was preceded by a 46-FD-point tally versus the Lakers on Monday, corroborating that Holiday is red hot coming into this matchup. The versatile veteran is also shooting a blistering 60.0 percent, including 43.5 percent from three-point range, over his last three contests, and after playing a supporting role with the Celtics over the previous two seasons, Holiday is averaging 14.4 shot attempts per contest, his second-highest figure in the last six campaigns of his storied career.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, ATL at IND ($5,800)
As already noted, Trae Young will sit out Friday's game due to his knee injury, setting Alexander-Walker up for a start at point guard. The offseason addition has already been a force off the bench and as a spot starter for Atlanta, scoring 25.8 to 40.1 FD points in ihs first five games. Alexander-Walker has been firing away when he's been out there as well, averaging 14.2 shot attempts across 30 minutes per contest while shooting 50.0 percent, including 45.0 percent from three-point range, in his last three. The Pacers are also ranked No. 30 in offensive efficiency rating surrendered to backcourt players (66.0) and are allowing 47.8 percent shooting, including 40.8 percent from behind the arc, in that split.
Santi Aldama, MEM vs. LAL ($5,500)
Aldama has pulled off the nifty feat of upping his FD-point totals over that of the prior game in each contest since Opening Night, producing tallies of 22.2, 24.6, 26.1, 34.2 and 41.5 to this point. Those are good-to-excellent returns on his current salary, and the fact the big man is shooting a crisp 48.0 percent is also certainly helping his cause. Aldama checks into Friday with consecutive 14-point tallies, while the Lakers come in surrendering 45.0 percent three-point shooting to power forwards, along with the third-most points (28.1) and second-most assists (6.3) per contest to the position.
ALSO CONSIDER: Ivica Zubac, LAC vs. NOP ($6,100); Royce O'Neale, PHO vs. UTA ($5,400)
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