NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups, Injuries & More Today: Friday Playbook

Spending on Luka Doncic this year hasn't always been profitable, but he's been great in each of the last few games. Twice they've been in blowouts or he would've nuked the slate. He's as good a spend up as there is on tonight's slate.

It's only a 70 minute sample with Miles Bridges off the floor, but LaMelo Ball has a 44% USG rate and averages 1.5 FP/min. Those are MONSTER numbers and this is the best game total on the board with two bottom-10 defenses to boot.

I get if you're a little weary because of how good Dyson Daniels is defensively but it's not going to keep me off Cunningham in this spot. He has a team-leading 30.7% USG and is coming off back-to-back triple-doubles. His starting center is OUT and he's likely going to crash the glass as hard as he's been, possibly setting himself up for a third straight triple-double.

The last time we saw Ja Morant miss a game, Scotty Pippen Jr. did not start, but he played 30 minutes off the bench and nuked. That last time included Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart and tonight's game doesn't. Pippen, without all three of those guys, has a 21% USG and averages 1.2 FP/min. Elite play in an elite game environment.

Is this a tough spot? Yes. Am I still going to the Alvarado well? Hell yes. The Pelicans are very short-handed and without Murray, McCollum, and Hawkins this year, Alvarado has a 22% USG and averages 1.12 FP/min. His price still be sub-6K is very appealing on DK.

We saw last night what happens when DiVincenzo makes shots. He has a massive ceiling. He closed over Mike Conley and with it being a back-to-back, that could once again be the case tonight. He's topped 30 DKP in b2b games and 27+ in three of four.

We hadn't gotten the best version of Anthony Edwards until last night when he exploded for 33 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and 55.5 DKP. Despite his slow-ish start, especially peripherally, Edwards has a team-leading 30.8% USG and 1.19 FP/min.

What bad can we possibly say about Jordan Poole this year? He's been great. He's been very consistent scoring and stealing and that's lead to a 40 FP/game average. This is a great game environment overall that could lead to mid-30's minutes and 40+ DKP, which he's consistently giving us while Kyle Kuzma's out. He's averaging 1.3 FP/min and has a 29.9% USG without Kuzma.

This year Derrick White has a 21% USG rate. When you remove Jaylen Brown from the equation Derrick White has a 28% USG rate. White has a really high ceiling and pretty safe floor and this has been a trend since last year when one of the Celtics big three offensively are out and right now, they're missing both Brown and Kristaps Porzingis.

Calling Bennedict Mathurin as safe as it gets knowing that Rick Carlise is his head coach is career suicide but like…(he's pretty safe right now). In the last four games, Mathurin has given us a floor of 31 DKP and a 50 DKP ceiling and yet his price hasn't really changed at all. Aaron Nesmith is still out, they are depleted in the front court, and Mathurin fills a secondary scorer and rebounder void they're missing. 

The price is at an all-time high and it's warranted, but it's warranted if he's going to take double-digit shots like he did last time out. He's very good peripherally, but the scoring was inconsistent to start the year. This game is extremely fun and Carrington is locked into 30+ minutes a night right now.

Everyone's going to Brandon Boston tonight and it's something I can't personally move away from either. Now that Trey Murphy III is officially ruled out, there's really nothing stopping Boston from playing 35+ minutes like we've seen. In four straight games, Boston's poured in 24+ DKP and in three straight he's played 30+ minutes.

I'm listing as a GPP play only because we have to be sure that Jayson Tatum will play the 4th Q here to get to him. He's not cheap and I think Brooklyn can keep it close enough to where Tatum is needed, but if he's only playing three quarters, there are players at similar price points that will likely outscore him.

Right now, the New Orleans Pelicans are the worst rated defense in basketball. We knew Wagner was going to break out without Banchero and he did last game and he should continue to be that guy moving forward. Without Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., Wagner has a team-leading 30% USG rate while averaging 1.1 FP/min.

Brandon Miller has shot the ball very poorly this year and has still gotten us nearly to 5x every game. The Hornets are without Miles Bridges for an extended period of time and that bodes extremely well for Miller as the clear-cut secondary option offensively, and truthfully he has 1A upside when his shot is falling. There is almost 240 implied points in this game.

I think this play is interesting and not a lot of people are getting there. This isn't the easiest back-to-back, but there are few players in the league that have the ability to fill up a box score (and point column) like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Look, if Zion Williamson plays he's interesting. Ever since a few bad shooting nights, he's absolutely nuking slates. The minutes are interesting and would love to hear from Willie Green if there's any type of limitation if he does suit up and play.

SG only on FanDuel and the price is great over there, so keep that in mind. George had quite the game last time out in which he took 19 shots and 17 threes and started 1-9 in that game, so to score 20 points is a testament of what he can be as a player. His minutes ceiling is near 40 without Kyle Kuzma.

Massive minutes, production EVERYWHERE…there's literally no reason we shouldn't have interest in Jalen Johnson, especially when playing multiple lineups.

Just like Kyshawn George, if you're playing him on FD, Jackson is SG only. His PG/SF elg on DK really stands out now that he's in the starting lineup. He is a very LOW usage player, but he's very good defensively and is free on DK.

Jaren Jackson Jr. chalk is the most uncomfortable play in the world and this is a year in, year out thing. In theory, he should SMASH here. No Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, or Marcus Smart and is facing the Wizards in a massive pace-up spot. But it's foul-happy JJJ and you never know what's going to happen nightly.

There's a legitimate case that Santi Aldama is the better play than Jaren Jackson Jr. I definitely thing per dollar he's better and although he doesn't have the ceiling JJJ has, he's safer.

Charlotte is decimated by injury and we could see Grant Williams slide into the starting lineup with Miles Bridges out. He also could operate at center as Nick Richards and Mark Williams are out too. He's basically at .9 FP/min without Bridges and Richards this year.

I mean, yeah. 60 FP has been his floor on DK and he's STILL below $12K, so if you get to Jokic, you'll be pretty happy.

Towns just has an infinite ceiling in this system. He's gone for 50+ in three of four and has a 40-minute ceiling as well. He just simply needs to stay out of foul trouble.

Bam Adebayo's price is going the wrong direction and I'm OK with it because he's been SO good and will likely be unowned. He went 5-21 from the floor last game and yet went for 49 DKP. He's now strung together three straight games of 47+ DKP in a row.

Wendell Carter Jr. is out once again so here lies Goga Bitadze, FP/min machine. He's started in each of the last two games and is one rebound shy from back-to-back double-doubles and now faces the team ranking dead last in DRtg.

Look, Queta has been nails and although his price is on the rise, I'm willing to pay it. When you look at Boston's rotation, they're a little short-handed here with Jaylen Brown out and Luke Kornet now listed as doubtful. Boston is always a team that could just simply play one big and use Horford over Queta, that's my one concern, but he's been such a solid FP/min producer I'd take that chance.  

With Jalen Duran out, Isaiah Stewart will step into a starting role and man has he been productive this year when extended. In all three games he's notched at least 25 minutes, he's scored at least 25 DKP. He's a geat value option.

FD Only - I really like where Norman Powell is offensively and the price, production, and position eligibility is great. This is some awesome late-night exposure.

FD Only - The 76ers are down both Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid in this game and if George's minutes restriction is upped at all, we could be looking at his first HUGE game as a 76er.