Friday features a three-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
Stud
Friday’s slate only has three games to choose from, and one stands out from the rest. The Cavaliers will square off with the Bucks in a battle between Eastern Conference powers. However, the Cavaliers are nine-point favorites, and they lead the slate with a 115.5 implied team total.
That makes Darius Garland an interesting target at point guard. He hasn’t played his best recently, which has caused his salary to dip to $7,200 on DraftKings. However, he did have 45.75 DraftKings points two games ago, which was the last time he played full minutes.
The Bucks also stand out as a solid matchup. Garland owns an Opponent Plus/Minus of +4.46, which is one of the top marks at the position.
Value
On the other side of that matchup, the Bucks are going to be without Damian Lillard on Friday. He’s been ruled out with a strained calf, which is going to open up plenty of minutes and opportunities for the rest of the roster.
A.J. Green should be one of the biggest beneficiaries. He’s currently projected for 26 minutes at just $3,600, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.82 (per the Trends tool).
Green hasn’t been a great per-minute producer for the year, averaging just 0.69 DraftKings points per minute, and that figure has dipped to 0.59 over the past month. However, he’s been significantly better with Lillard off the floor, averaging 0.80 DraftKings points per minute. Overall, he stands out as one of the better value options on the slate.
Fast Break
Delon Wright is another potential option for the Bucks. He hasn’t appeared in the team’s past five games, but he should get some burn with Lillard out of the picture. He’s currently projected for 25 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged 25.35 minutes and 19.63 DraftKings points in two games without Lillard this season. He’s priced at the absolute minimum on DraftKings, so he’s arguably an even stronger value than Green.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled in the NBA Cup final vs. the Bucks, but he got right back on track on Thursday night. He finished with 35 points and 59.5 DraftKings points, and he also posted a usage rate above 40%. Most people are going to gravitate toward Giannis Antetokounmpo as their pay-up option on this slate, but it’s possible to play both guys together. That’s a viable strategy, especially with SGA potentially commanding reduced ownership.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Donovan Mitchell is an interesting buy-low target vs. the Bucks. He’s been dreadful recently, posting a negative Plus/Minus in three straight games, but he benefits from the same matchup as Garland. The Bucks haven’t been quite as poor at defending shooting guards, but it’s a plus-matchup nonetheless.
Mitchell’s salary has also dipped to $8,700 on DraftKings, and Mitchell has historically provided value when priced below $9,000. He hasn’t been great over a small sample size in that split this season, but he averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.06 in nine outings last year. Mitchell leads the position with nine Pro Trends, and he easily has the highest ceiling among Friday’s shooting guards.
Value
Lu Dort continues to stand out as one of the better pure values on DraftKings. He’s priced at just $4,700, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 91%, and he’s scored at least 25.0 DraftKings points in four of his past six games. He’s not seeing quite as many minutes now that the team is closer to full strength, but he should still be locked in for around 30 vs. the Heat.
Fast Break
Will the Bucks loosen the reigns a bit on Khris Middleton with Lillard out of the lineup? It’s possible. He didn’t play on Tuesday, so he should be pretty well-rested headed into this matchup. We still only have him projected for 22 minutes, but he’s seen a huge spike in production with Lillard off the floor this season. He’s only played 32 minutes in that split, but he’s averaged a gaudy 1.69 DraftKings points per minute.
Gary Trent is another potential value option for Milwaukee. He’s projected for 24 minutes at just $3,600, though his per-minute production is lacking. He also hasn’t seen a noteworthy bump with Lillard off the floor, so he’s one of the least appealing of the Bucks’ value targets.
Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper promo code LABS1.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Paul George could end up being a priority target on this slate, depending on what happens with Joel Embiid. Embiid suffered a sinus fracture last Friday vs. the Pacers, and he missed the team’s most recent outing. He’s officially questionable for tonight’s matchup vs. the Hornets, so it’s possible he misses another contest.
If Embiid is sidelined, George is definitely worth considering at $8,500. He’s coming off 58.25 DraftKings points in his last outing, and he’s unsurprisingly been significantly better in games without his star teammate. He’s seen a team-high +2.39% usage bump with Embiid off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 1.21 DraftKings points per minute in eight games with Embiid sidelined.
That would give George a significant bump in value in a juicy matchup. Charlotte is 20th in defensive efficiency for the year, and the 76ers have the second-highest implied team total on the slate.
Value
Andre Jackson is our next stop on our tour of the Bucks’ rotation. Like most of the other options we’ve discussed previously, Jackson is a middling fantasy producer who should see a solid bump sans Lillard. He’s priced at just $3,300 vs. the Cavaliers, and he’s averaged 0.64 DraftKings points per minute.
Unlike some of his teammates, Jackson at least enters this contest in good form. He’s increased his production to 0.70 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he had 23.75 DraftKings points vs. the Hawks two games ago. He’s showing up in our optimal lineup simulations at the second-highest frequency at the position, trailing only Middleton.
Fast Break
Dean Wade looks pretty similar to some of the Bucks’ value options. He doesn’t get the same bump from the Lillard injury, but he’s projected for 23 minutes at a minimal salary. He’s also been a slightly better per-minute producer than most of the Bucks’ value targets, and he should check in with less ownership. That makes him a very interesting pivot.
Isaiah Joe’s playing time isn’t quite as secure, but he has more upside than the typical player in this price range. He does most of his damage from 3-point range, so on nights when his shot is falling, he has the potential to put up a big number.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Antetokounmpo is the top target of the day by a mile. There’s plenty of value to choose from, so jamming his $11,300 salary into your lineups shouldn’t be overly difficult.
Giannis is quite simply one of the two or three best players in fantasy. He’s averaged 1.71 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s increased that figure to 1.74 over the past month. He’s put together some huge performances of late, including a 26-point, 19-rebound, 10-assist triple-double Tuesday vs. the Thunder.
When Lillard has been out of the lineup this season, Giannis has taken things to another level. He’s averaged 71.0 DraftKings points in two games without his star teammate, so he’s basically impossible to fade on this slate. He’s showing up in the optimal lineup simulations at a greater than 50% clip, and no other player is above 38.7%.
Value
Bobby Portis also gets some love for the Bucks. He’s coming off a dreadful showing vs. the Thunder, but like the rest of the roster, he should benefit from the absence of Lillard. He only played 18 minutes in his first game without Lillard this season, but that didn’t stop him from scoring 27.0 DraftKings points. He’s projected for 23 minutes on Friday, and he’s averaged 1.23 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Fast Break
Miles Bridges stands out as an interesting option for the Hornets. They were without Brandon Miller on Thursday, and his status for Friday is up in the air. Bridges has played well since returning from an injury recently, averaging 1.18 DraftKings points per minute over his past four games, and he played just under 32 minutes sans Miller on Thursday. He’s underpriced at $6,300, resulting in an 87% Bargain Rating.
Jalen Williams has not been a good source of production recently, which has caused his salary to plummet. He’s been priced as high as $9,200 this season, but he’s merely $8,300 for Friday’s showdown vs. the Heat. Williams doesn’t have quite as much value with the Thunder getting healthier, but he still has some buy-low appeal at that figure. He leads all power forwards with 10 Pro Trends.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
If Embiid is able to return to the lineup, he’s going to be very tempting for tournaments at just $9,500. That’s a really low price tag for a player of his caliber. He averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.15 with a comparable price tag last season, and he’s still been dominant when he’s been on the floor recently. He’s averaged 1.57 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he’s still capable of putting up huge numbers.
The Hornets are also a potential smash spot. They’ve hemorrhaged fantasy points to opposing centers this season, giving Embiid an Opponent Plus/Minus of +9.54. That’s the top mark at the position on DraftKings, where his price tag comes with a Bargain Rating of 89%.
Value
Mark Williams has played limited minutes since returning to the Hornets’ lineup recently, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting up big numbers. He’s played less than 20 minutes in three straight games, but he has at least 31.25 DraftKings points in two of them. He had a double-double on Thursday, and he could continue to earn some additional minutes if he continues to play well moving forward.
Fast Break
Bam Adebayo doesn’t have the same ceiling as Embiid, but he’s played some of his best ball of the season recently. He’s increased his production to 1.24 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 41.5 DraftKings points in six of his past eight outings. He’s showing up in the optimal lineup sims at the second-highest frequency at center, trailing only Giannis.
Isaiah Hartenstein continues to provide stud-like production at a slight discount. He’s had double-doubles in back-to-back games, and he finished with 43.5 DraftKings points in his last outing. He’s a very reliable floor option at his current price tag.
