This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The league is giving us nine games Friday, allowing for a variety of different lineup combinations. To me, however, the Suns/Jazz and Nets/Lakers games are the most intriguing and have multiple players featured below.
Point Guard
Russell Westbrook, OKC vs. NOP ($12,300)
Westbrook comes in tied with Anthony Davis as the highest-priced player on Friday's slate, which is not generally an ideal scenario coming off the first night of a back-to-back, in which the team will be traveling home from Denver. But Westbrook has been on fire over the past seven games, averaging 60.1 fantasy points by way of 28.9 points (23.4 FG/A), 12.9 assists, 7.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. The Pelicans also allow the sixth-most fantasy points to point guards over the past 10 games, including the fourth-most points and fourth-most assists. Per usual, I'd give Westbrook the nod in either cash or GPP.
Ricky Rubio, UTA at PHO ($5,900)
Rubio looks to have found his stride with Rudy Gobert back in action, helping to revive what had been a rough fantasy season. Over the past six games, Rubio has averaged 30.8 fantasy points via 13.2 points, 6.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals across 32.0 minutes per game. The Suns team he'll be facing off against has been notably poor against point guards over the past 10 games, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to the position. Over that six-game stretch, Rubio has only produced one game with fewer than 29 fantasy points -- a 14.8 fantasy point outing against Atlanta. Aside from the one dud, he looks to have proved himself as a viable option in both cash and GPP.
Shooting Guard
Donovan Mitchell, UTA at PHO ($7,900)
If you exclude Mitchell's 14.2-fantasy-point outlier against the Hawks, he's averaging 36.7 fantasy points since Jan. 15. Even with the oddly poor performance, Mitchell has still posted 21.4 points, 3.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds and a combined 2.1 steals/blocks over the past eight games. He's in a great spot to do well with the Jazz traveling to Phoenix, as the Suns have given up the most fantasy points to shooting guards over the past 10 games, including the most steals. Overall, considering the matchup and price, Mitchell looks to be in a solid place for both a GPP or cash play.
Khris Middleton, MIL vs. NYK ($7,500)
With Malcolm Brogdon leaving Thursday's game on crutches and being diagnosed with a quadriceps strain, Middleton could see some extra usage flow his direction. Giannis Antetokounmpo also injured his ankle during the fourth quarter of the contest and was reportedly having trouble putting weight on his leg. If both of the aforementioned players are sidelined, or even if Giannis is limited, the Bucks' offense will run exclusively through Middleton and Eric Bledsoe (though he's tentatively questionable with an ankle injury, as well). Though the Knicks are essentially in the middle of the pack, sitting at 18th, when it comes to allowing fantasy points to shooting guards over the past 10 games, Middleton's potentially sky-high usage could counter that. That will especially be the case if Antetokounmpo is sidelined, as Middleton sees his average fantasy points jump from 33.5 to 54.0, his usage rise from 18.9 percent to 25.4 percent and his shots increase from 15.5 to 22.3 per game when the Greek Freak has been on the shelf this season.
Small Forward
Brandon Ingram, LAL at BKN ($6,400)
Ingram's fantasy performances have been in flux since Lonzo Ball (knee) has been sidelined. But, Ingram has put together a solid stretch of four games, averaging 32.5 fantasy points on the back of 14.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and a combined 1.5 blocks/steals across 34.0 minutes per game. He'll be taking that momentum into a relatively easy matchup against the Nets, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to small forwards over the past 10 outings. Ingram made easy work of the Nets the last time these two teams faced off, dropping 40.0 fantasy points by way of 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a combined three steals/blocks.
Josh Jackson, PHO vs. UTA ($5,300)
I'd like to stress right out of the gate that I think Jackson is only a GPP play, as he's been far too inconsistent throughout the season for me to put strong faith in his recent performances. But, that said, coach Jay Triano moving Devin Booker to point guard has opened up different opportunities for Jackson, which has led him to average 27.1 fantasy points over the past four games via 15.3 points (15.0 FG/A), 7.0 rebounds and a combined 1.5 steals/blocks. It's important to note, however, that he dropped a 5.8 fantasy point dud during that stretch against Houston, collecting two points on 13 shot attempts. If things fall Jackson's way like they have in three out of the past four games, he could play a significant part in building a high-scoring GPP lineup Friday.
Power Forward
Derrick Favors, UTA at PHO ($6,200)
Despite Favors and Rudy Gobert not being a perfect fit, they haven't exactly held each other back since Gobert has returned, either. Over the past six outings, Favors has averaged 30.0 fantasy points by way of 11.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, a combined 2.7 steals/blocks and 1.2 assists across 27.2 minutes per game. The Suns check in giving up the ninth-fewest fantasy points to power forwards over the past 10 games, however, so the matchup is not ideal for the big man. As a result, I'd view Favors as a solid, relatively high floor lineup filler in cash or GPP, but not necessarily someone to build around.
Larry Nance, LAL at BKN ($5,400)
Nance has been a much-needed, consistent presence for the Lakers over the past eight games, seeing 25.9 minutes and averaging 28.0 fantasy points despite taking just 6.0 shots per game. He's accomplished the feat by posting 9.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, a combined 2.8 blocks/steals and 1.4 assists per contest. I'd avoid him in cash considering he's shown a floor of about 15 fantasy points over that stretch, but has a good ceiling for GPPs, eclipsing 40 fantasy points twice over the past eight outings. The Nets also give up the 12th-most fantasy points to power forwards over the past 10 games, so there's probably not a favorable enough matchup to bank on him surpassing his floor in cash.
Center
Julius Randle, LAL at BKN ($6,600)
It's probably obvious by now that I love this matchup for the Lakers, but it's just hard to ignore how bad the Nets' frontcourt defense is. Brooklyn enters Friday's tilt allowing the third-most fantasy points to centers over the past 10 games. It's not a secret that Randle has had some big performances, eclipsing 35.0 fantasy points on eight occasions and surpassing 40 fantasy points four times. He doesn't need huge minutes to reach those heights, as he averages only 29.5 minutes played in his top eight fantasy outings this season and has seen 26.5 minutes over the past four games. His floor makes him someone I avoid in cash almost by rule of thumb, but I'd strongly consider firing him up in GPPs on Friday.
