Friday features a seven-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
Damian Lillard has occasionally become overlooked after landing in Milwaukee. He was one of the top guards in basketball during his tenure with the Blazers, but he’s taken a backseat to Giannis Antetokounmpo in an effort to win a championship.
That said, he’s still putting up decent numbers. He’s averaged 25.0 points, 7.2 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game, and his efficiency is up compared to last season. He’s shooting 45.1% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range after struggling in both areas in his first year with the Bucks. Lillard is also trending in the right direction, scoring at least 44.25 DraftKings points in four of his past five games.
Despite his recent production, his salary has actually dropped to $8,400 for Friday’s matchup vs. the Raptors. That represents a decrease of nearly -$1,000 over the past month, making him an ideal buy-low target. Toronto is as good as it gets from a matchup perspective, and the Bucks’ 121.25 implied team total ranks second on the slate. Ultimately, he checks all the boxes for DFS purposes.
Value
Keyonte George returned to the Jazz’s lineup on Wednesday after missing the five previous games. He was thrust right back into a big role and did not disappoint, piling up 46.0 DraftKings points in 30.6 minutes. He posted a 35.6% usage rate and shot just 9-22 from the field in that contest, so he has the potential for an even larger performance moving forward.
George is going to have to carry a large burden once again on Friday. The team will have Collin Sexton back in the lineup, but they’re still without a bunch of key contributors. That includes Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson. With all three players off the floor this season, George leads the team with a 30.62% usage rate and has averaged 1.09 DraftKings points per minute.
George is simply too cheap at $6,000 for a strong matchup vs. the Pelicans. They’ve struggled defensively all year, ranking 27th in defensive efficiency, and George owns an Opponent Plus/Minus of +2.62. He’s one of the best pure values on the entire slate.
Fast Break
On the other side of that matchup, Dejounte Murray has some appeal for the Pelicans. New Orleans has gotten healthier of late, but Murray continues to produce at a high level. He’s averaged 1.29 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 54.25 DraftKings points in two of his past three outings. The Pelicans lead the slate in implied team total, so targeting one of their studs makes plenty of sense.
Lonzo Ball is healthy for the first time in years, and he’s starting to produce like the Lonzo of old. He’s still not seeing a ton of minutes, but he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight games. That includes two performances with more than 30 fantasy points. His price tag is on the rise, but he still feels a bit too cheap at $4,600 and is projected for less than five percent ownership on this slate.
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
The Nuggets are going to be an important team to monitor on Friday. They have a few players currently listed as questionable on the injury report, including Nikola Jokic. It goes without saying that his absence would have a tremendous impact on the rest of the roster. Jokic does everything for the Nuggets, so the rest of the squad would have to pick up the slack.
Jamal Murray would be one of the biggest beneficiaries in that scenario. He’s increased his usage rate by +2.76% with Jokic off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 40.38 DraftKings points in six games without his stud teammate. That makes him underpriced at just $7,000.
Even if Jokic is able to go, Murray would still have some appeal on DraftKings. His current price tag comes with a Bargain Rating of 81%, and his 10 Pro Trends are tied for the most at the position. He’s also seen a bump in production of late, increasing his output to 1.22 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Value
The Timberwolves are going to be without Donte DiVincenzo on Friday, which should give Nickeil Alexander-Walker a boost in value. His minutes have taken a bit of a hit recently, but he’s currently projected for 28 minutes in our NBA Models.
That makes him tough to ignore at just $3,300. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.07 (per the Trends tool). Alexander-Walker has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +6.66 in that split, and he’s a better producer than the typical player in this price range on a per-minute basis.
Fast Break
Lu Dort is another cheap source of minutes on Friday. He only played 19.7 minutes in the team’s last outing, but that was a blowout win over the Cavaliers. He still managed to score 34.0 DraftKings points, and he’s expected to return to 30+ minutes on Friday’s slate. Dort’s per-minute production has dipped a bit recently – he’s averaged just 0.67 DraftKings points per minute over the past month – but he’s historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.17 with a comparable salary and minute projection.
Coby White has struggled recently, posting a negative Plus/Minus in four straight games. However, he’s coming off a 5-14 performance in his last outing. With some better shooting luck, he should be able to pay off his reduced $6,300 salary in a positive matchup vs. the Hornets.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The Pelicans have a lot of big-name players, but none of them has been as productive as Trey Murphy of late. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in 11 of his past 12 games, and he’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +8.01 over his past 10 outings. He’s scored at least 52.0 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, and he’s increased his production to 1.21 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. Only Jayson Tatum and Zach LaVine have been better on a per-minute basis among Friday’s small forwards, and neither player is in nearly as good of a spot.
Murphy is grading out as massively undervalued in Sim Labs vs. the Jazz. He leads the position with an optimal lineup rate of greater than 25%, yet he’s currently projected for just 14.3% ownership. That’s a massive discrepancy, and it’s one we should be taking advantage of in tournaments.
Value
Brice Sensabaugh stands out as the best pure value at the position. He’s seen an uptick in minutes with all of the Jazz’s injuries of late, and he’s responded with a positive Plus/Minus in four straight games. He’s also displayed some upside over that time frame, going for as many as 51.75 DraftKings points in those outings. Overall, he’s averaged 1.10 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s projected for 27 minutes in our NBA Models.
I wouldn’t expect another 50-point outburst vs. the Pelicans, but 30+ is definitely in the cards. He’s gone for at least 30 in three of his past four, making him an excellent option at just $4,800.
Fast Break
Jaden McDaniels is another underpriced option for Minnesota. He’s priced at just $4,300 but is projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models. He’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +5.55 with a comparable salary and minute projection so far this season, and he’s scored at least 32.0 DraftKings points in two of his past three games.
Scottie Barnes is coming off a slightly down performance in his last game, but he had scored at least 45.0 DraftKings points in each of his three prior outings. His price tag is down to just $8,700 vs. the Bucks, making him a potential buy-low target. He’s averaged 1.27 DraftKings points per minute for the year and can score fantasy points in a variety of ways, and he has a bit more ceiling than usual at his current salary.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Speaking of ceiling, very few players can match Antetokounmpo in that department. Jokic is the only player in the same stratosphere on Friday’s slate, and he’s not even guaranteed to suit up. If he’s out of the lineup, Antetokounmpo clears the rest of the field by nearly 10 points.
Giannis has also seen a salary reduction over the past month. He’s spent a large chunk of the season priced at around $12,000, but he’s down to $11,400 vs. the Raptors. He’s one of the few players in basketball that can pay off that number pretty consistently. Giannis has had a comparable salary in 96 games since the start of the 2022-23 season, and he’s averaged a +2.02 Plus/Minus in those contests.
The only thing that can step him at the moment is a lack of minutes. He’s posted a negative Plus/Minus in two of his past four games, but both games have been blowouts. In his last three games with his usual workload, he’s scored 73.25, 74.5, and 58.5 DraftKings points. There’s no guarantee Friday’s matchup vs. Toronto is competitive – the Bucks are currently favored by 11 points – but he should smash if it is.
Value
Jonathan Isaac was a big disappointment in his last game, finishing with just 16.75 DraftKings points in 15.4 minutes. However, it might not be as bad as it looked on the surface. That game vs. the Bucks turned into a blowout, so it’s possible his minutes trend back up Friday vs. the Celtics.
Isaac is currently projected for 23 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged 1.02 DraftKings points per minute for the year. If he can get to that level, he’s a great bet to provide value. He also has an immense ceiling for this price range, evidenced by his 41.0 DraftKings points just two games ago. Ultimately, he’s a nice combination of floor and ceiling.
Fast Break
Kyle Filipowski is another potential target in the shorthanded Jazz frontcourt. He’s impressed when he’s gotten the opportunity to play as a rookie, averaging 0.87 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s projected for 24 minutes vs. the Pelicans. He owns one of the better projected Plus/Minus marks on the entire slate.
Jokic isn’t the only name to monitor for the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon is also questionable, and his absence would put Peyton Watson back in play. Watson was an outstanding value option when Gordon was out of the lineup with an injury recently, and he’s maintained some value since he returned. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven straight games, though his upside is clearly higher if Gordon is unavailable.

NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
All aboard the Mark Williams bandwagon. Williams has been an absolute beast for the Hornets this season. He missed the first 20 games with an injury, and he’s had to split the center minutes with Nick Richards since he’s returned. However, he’s crushed when he’s been on the court, averaging 1.41 DraftKings points per minute.
He’s played well enough that the Hornets felt comfortable trading Richards to the Suns on Wednesday. Williams got to a season-high 36 minutes in his first game without Richards, and he responded with 57.75 DraftKings points. He had 52.0 in 30 minutes the game prior, so that’s the type of upside he brings to the table as the Hornets’ unquestioned top center.
Williams is undoubtedly underpriced for his new role at just $6,800, especially in a juicy matchup vs. the Bulls. They’ve played at the second-fastest pace this season, and no team has allowed more points in the paint per game.
Value
Drew Eubanks rounds out the frontcourt options for Utah. Walker Kessler will get the night off for rest purposes, leaving the Jazz even thinner than usual. As a result, Eubanks is projected for 28 minutes in our NBA Models.
Eubanks has already been a steady source of production of late, posting a positive Plus/Minus in six straight games. He’s played 20.4 minutes or fewer in five of them, so the prospect of a few additional minutes is outstanding for his fantasy stock. He’s averaged 1.00 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he’s another elite value for the Jazz.
Fast Break
Center is pretty loaded on Friday. Dereck Lively II remains out for the Mavericks, which means Daniel Gafford should see most of the minutes at center. He racked up 50.0 DraftKings points in 30 minutes in his last game without Lively, and his $5,500 salary on DraftKings comes with a 95% Bargain Rating. His matchup vs. the Thunder is tough, but Gafford has immense upside for his price tag.
Finally, don’t sleep on Wendell Carter Jr. for the Magic. With Bitadze and Wagner out of the lineup, he’s basically the last man standing at center. He’s coming off 32.6 minutes and 32.5 DraftKings points in his last outing, so he’s another prime option at just $4,300.